THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

A life well lived

A life well lived

Carabao guitarist Preecha "Lek" Carabao celebrates his 60th birthday with a limited edition box set

A VETERAN guitarist and one of the founding members of songs-for-life legends Carabao, Preecha “Lek” Chanapai is celebrating his 60th birthday by launching a limited edition box set aptly titled “60 Years: Lek Carabao”. 
The launch event was held recently at Hua Moom market on Kaset-Navamin Road and got underway with a parade of 30 Harley-Davidson motorbikes led by Lek as well as some vintage cars belonging to his loyal fans. 
Manote Puttan, who served as MC, recalled some of his fondest memories of Lek Carabao, dating back to the late ’70s when he was a member of the President band and playing a residency at the Erawan Hotel’s nightclub. 
“I also remember going to the studio of Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Channel 5 for a music programme and seeing two guys, Yuenyong ‘Ad’ Ophakul, who always had a pack of cigarettes on his shoulder under his T-shirt, and Preecha Chanapai. This was before they formed Carabao. Carabao was a new phenomenon in Thailand’s music circle, and one of the first bands to write and record its own songs. Chatree and The Fox played songs with Thai lyrics and rock bands VIP led by Laem Morrison, Siamese led by Kitti Kanchanasathit and Epitaph led by Olarn Promjai mainly played foreign covers. Carabao created their own sound and this marked the beginning of the Thai music scene. The band’s first album ‘Made in Thailand’ sold more than a million copies. 
“Lek has been on a musical journey for many years. When he’s not touring, he stays at home, plays guitar and writes his songs. I have to ask him, ‘what does it feel like to turn 60?’”
“I never really think about my age,” says Lek in reply. “I don’t celebrate my birthday. In fact, I think the day is more important to my mother. She’s over 80 but still healthy.”
Responding to a question about his health, Lek says he works out on the treadmill for about 40 minutes a day, except when he’s out of Bangkok. “Then I dare not go out for a walk. I’m too scared of being hit by a car,” he laughs.
He’s also had problems recently with his ring finger so has been forced to reduce the time he would normally spend practising. “I’ve seen six doctors and followed a course of treatment and it’s better now,” he says.
His other health routine involves having a build-up of wax removed from his ears, the result, he adds, of the constant loud music at Carabao’s gigs. 
And when he’s not playing, Lek enjoys writing. He has released three pocketbooks to date – “135 Days American America” in 2002, “Bueang Bon Pen Paen Fah Kwang” (“The True Story of Lek Carabao”) in 2007, “Lek ’Bao Khao Khrua”, which focuses on his love of cooking.
“I remember ordering a dish recommended by a friend who is a restaurateur in Pai. He told me it was based on Lek Carabao’s recipe. I tasted it and told him that it tasted the same as a dish my parents used to make,” Manote laughs.
“But now it’s become my own recipe,” Lek retorts.
And having avoided the Internet for years, Lek has now latched on to the pleasures of Facebook.
“Everybody thinks I’m only interested in analogue but actually I love digital technology. My interest was piqued when my youngest son was studying how to make a movie and edit it. Now I’m a moviemaker too. I asked my son to help me set up my Facebook page but he was reluctant at first, saying I’d feel awful if nobody read it. I told him that when we started Carabao, someone asked why we didn’t do the same as other popular bands. But we carried on along our path and that’s the same for Facebook. I went from just a handful of readers to more than 250,000 Facebook friends,” says the guitarist, who is also selling guitars and music merchandise through his shop, the Lek ‘Bao Store.
The new limited edition box set, of which 2,000 copies have been made, comprises a double CD, a DVD, a pocketbook and a photo book.
“The DVD has lots of music videos shot at Carabao’s concerts around the country while the pocketbook is about the history of songs and my life,” says Lek.
The event wrapped with Lek playing “Noo Lek” and “Wanipok” before jamming with fellow guitarists Olarn Promjai, Kitti Guitar Gun, and Lam Morrison.
 
PLAY IT AGAIN, LEK
 
- The box set retails for Bt750 but can be purchased for Bt659 by pre-ordering at the BookSmile website and the Carabao Official fanpage. It will be officially launched at BookSmile on March 24.
 
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