In memory of a music mogul

MORE THAN 20 years have passed since Rewat “Ter” Buddhinan, one of the most-loved figures in Thailand’s music industry, passed away and now both his contemporaries and a new generation of artists are about to pay him tribute through the concert “Rewat Forever”. In fact, the show was originally scheduled for last year but had to be postponed following the death of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
 “I knew Phi Ter when he was a member of The Impossibles and I was with The Innocent. We used to regularly bump into each other at Sri Siam Studio. He persuaded me to take part in his concert to promote his second album, ‘Ter 2’,” recalls Chatree “Ohm” Kongsuwan, host and music director of the upcoming tribute show.
“We became close friends and I became part of his production team and worked with him at the recording studio.
“I remember thinking of him as a rather solemn man at first. But as I got to know him better, I found that he was extremely affable and approachable.”
Rewat was born in 1948 and was just 48 when he died of cancer in 1996. Considered a pioneer of the Thai pop music industry, he helped found Grammy, the major music label that is today known as GMM Grammy. He started playing music when he was 11 and formed the band, Dark Eyes or Mosrite while studying at St Gabriel College and Yellow Red and The Thanks after moving to Thammasat University.
After graduating, he joined the biggest Thai group of those days, The Impossibles, and travelled to Hawaii, the USA and Europe, bringing the Thai language to rock music. After the string combo disbanded, he formed a new band, Oriental Funk with Winai Panthurak and played at Montien Hotel and toured in America and Europe
In 1983, Rewat formed Grammy Entertainment, with his friend, Paiboon Damrongchaitham and the two ushered in a golden age of entertainment.
“At that time, I worked chiefly in production at the recording studio. I didn’t know about his executive side. To me, he was a musician who paid attention to business. Phi Ter was also the manager of Oriental Funk. I think a musician needs to be a businessman to survive and certainly his executive side had no negative effect on his musicianship. He told me that he graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Thammasat University and that the subject had helped him learn the mechanisms of the business,” says Ohm.
In those days, Ohm was holding down two careers – playing with The Innocent and working as session musician at the recording studio for Grammy. He started seriously working as a guitarist with the music label for Thongchai “Bird” McIntyre’s first album, “Had Sai Sai Lom Song Lao” in 1986 and went on to become a producer and a songwriter. After The Innocent was disbanded, he became a full-time musician at Grammy and produced Christina Aguilar’s first album, “Ninja” in 1990 followed by rock outfit Inca.
“Phi Ter worked on other artists’ songs and sang philosophical numbers with a band called Butterfly. When he released his first album, ‘Ter 1’, it took the music circle by storm because of its innovative lyrics and sound. ‘Chao Sao Thi Klua Fon’ became a massive hit. The music was pop rock but progressive. He had a good production team of skilled musicians including Asanee Chotikul and the members of Butterfly. But what made him outstanding were his lyrics. They were philosophical and conceptual. His work was both progressive and experimental and of course, he wasn’t like other pop artists of the time because he didn’t tour to promote his album,” Ohm continues. 

  “Rewat Forever” is being staged at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon on Sunday night. Among the artists paying their tributes are Christina Aguilar, Tata Young, Beau Sunita, Amphon Lamphoon, Singto Numchok, Stamp Apiwat, ETC, T-Bone, Bee Peerapat, Surasee Ithikul, Jugg Chawin, Sakda Inca, Neung Jakrawal, Wan Thanakrit, Padcha, Non Tanon, and The Mister Music Session.
“I worked with Phi Ter on a project which took more than 10 of his hits 
 and rearranged them as rock and funk rock. The originals had him singing but I’ve re-recorded them, this time with new voices. The project was titled ‘Alive’ and included a song, ‘Muang Yai Muang Nee’, that lasted for 18 minutes including the introduction and overture,” Ohm continues.
“Songs from the ‘Alive’ album will be performed at the concert with the addition of some musical solos along with other songs on which I worked with Phi Ter and his hits. Most of the artists who will sing songs from the ‘Alive’ album, are good entertainers in their own right. Among them are Surasee, Singto Numchok and Stamp Apiwat ” says Ohm. 
“The songs this time learn more towards rock. Take ‘Pak Khon’ for example. It has a great slap bass line that lends itself to a jam on guitar.”
Tata has fond memories of her first 
 meeting with Rewat. “I have to thank Phi Mos (Patiparn Pataweekarn) for my introduction to uncle Ter. I was cast for the music video of his song ‘Laew Lai’ and while we were working on the set, I saw a tall man with a moustache walking up and down behind the camera with his hands in his pockets. I waied him and he asked if we knew each other. I told him my mother was one of his biggest fans. He asked whether I could sing, and I told him that I just won a singing contest and sang for him. Two days later, Uncle Ter called my home. My mother was so excited,” Tata says. 
Sakda Pattasrima of Inca is another musician who recalls his first meeting with Rewat.
“I moved from Suphan Buri to Bangkok in 1989 and went to Grammy and told Phi Dee [Nitipong Hornak] that I wanted to be a singer. After about 
 three months of coming and going, Phi Dee suggested I meet Phi Ter. He greeted me that ‘How are you? What are you doing here? What’s your musical taste? And I walked into the meeting room and took Phi Dee’s guitar and played Kansas’ ‘Dust in the Wind’. He wanted me to play The Eagles’ songs so I played ‘New Kid in Town’. It was the first time that Grammy had signed a no-name band like Inca. I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me a chance,” Sakda says.
Rewat is also being remembered with a book, “Khwam Song Jam … Rewat Buddhinan” (“Memory of Rewat Buddhinan”) written by his widow, Aruya. It covers their lives from their first date and the happy years they spent together. More than a biography, it is a story written from the memories of a woman who loved him very much. 
“Phi Ter talked about writing about his experiences but died before he could do it. I wanted his dream to come true so I decided to write it for him. Digging through 20 year of memories wasn’t hard but trying to choose the photos to include was very difficult. We spent more than 40 hours selecting 200 photos from 10,000. Phi Dee served as a consultant. He wrote the preface and gave the book its name,” Aruya says. 
  A VERY THAI 
TRIBUTE
- “Rewat Forever” takes place on Sunday at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon.
- Tickets cost from Bt1,500 to Bt3,500 at Thai Ticket Major counters and online at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.