Tag Archives: Larc en ciel

Many Thai J-Rock fans blamed Thai artists that they copied Japanese songs. In fact, they should believe in ability of Thai people, or say just, coincident or Japanese artists copy Thai things. Although one case is true, that does not mean other million cases have to be just like the first one.

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Listen To the Music, please scroll down to the end of the post.
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One of my friend that I met when I just had been a J-Rock fan, always told me that a Thai band called, Giwa copies his beloved Luna Sea. I was so young, and I did believe him. I believe many things flood around world wide web. Thai J-Rock fans keep post this kind of thing up. They matched short parts of some Japanese songs and Thai songs, and they said that Thai artist copies Japanese artists. Most of the parts they matched are less than 10 seconds, and it is very easy that musicians can think about the same thing. It is coincident rather that coping.

Mahidol Wittayanusorn Students with scholarship in their high school and right now they graduated in New York, England and Japan, Photo by Sw Eden

Thai people are not stupid, because they can own many copyrights they make by themselves. Thai people can work so well if a reward/award is waiting for them, such as world robot competition, or sport tournament. Naturally, Thai people do not like to step up without motivation. Thai musicians have a lot of motivation, especially pop-rock artists after 2000. Pop-Rock in Thailand have been popular again after 20-30 years. Between 2 eras, Thai people consumed much of sweet-pop songs. Many bands was founded in late 10 years, and many old bands did re-union. The boys want to be cool, especially for the sight of girls. They created a unique style of Thai Pop-Rock. Many songs may sound similar, because those kids grew up with pop songs. Some people are different, because they listen to other things, such as Thai country songs and other foreigners’ things.

I am the one who really like Thai country songs. If we do not count the style of voice and Thai instrument, many fast songs can be popular in Alternative-Rock/Pop world. Both sound very similar. Many Thai people also listen to Rock n’ Roll artist from the United States and Europe. They get the influence directly from the original rock bands, and they do not need to past J-Rock artist. Some Thai people also listen to J-Rock and do cover, but there is less percent.

Clash is another band that Thai J-Rock fans blames that they mimic “Forever Love” of X Japan in their song called, “Nangfa Naijai” (Angle in Mind). I do know both songs so well, and I cannot find that Clash really copies that songs. They are same type of music, but not the same song. Although Clash did cover of L’Arc~en~Ciel, it does not mean that they do not have brain to compose their own music. I am a Punk fan, and many Punk songs are similar. Let’s listen to sample of DecayDance things. They are similar and they are good!

Heath of X Japan, Rough Drawing by Sw Eden

Another important conflict is the song call, “Ter Mai Kir Tai” (You Have Never Died) of a Thai band called, Two (they have 2 members.). My parent keeps that albums, too. The famous guy named, Tong. He helped around many projects. Thai people know that he is really nice. Right now he is older, but he just looks the same. I do not know if this nice guy hears what some people are railing him. I pass around the websites, many Thai X Japan fans railed “Two”. Unbelievable, I saw a guy wrote, “Two-Kuy”. “Kuy” (ควย) is the rudest word in Thai Language. He blamed Thai artists who did not know what X Japan was about. The company always manages things for pop artists, and the only thing that the pop artists need to have is the great performance.

I did look through the track list of that album of “Two”, and style of X Japan songs. (It is 2 years, I was their fan, my early high school.) The melody is weird for Japanese songs, but the song composer is weird in “Two” albums. I could not say, but the news already said that. They said, Thai company has to pay for Yoshiki. I do not want to believe. It is just the late visits of Yoshiki in Thailand. So,… My early high school time, a senior guy who was a friend of “Yai” (Yai was known as a big fan of X Japan in our school.) told me about this conflict. “Two did release “Ter Mai Kir Tai” before X Japan release Say Anything”. If I can go back to that moment, I will never show the goat hand to him. I did,.., I did that hand. He ran behind me and tried to kill me. Where was my soul of Thai person? I had had it when I was a boy scout. I did respect King Rama VI. I love his firmly goal to make Thai people to love each other as one big family.

The news was unbelievable for many people. That song sound quite like Thai songs, and the lyrics can fit in so well. No matter what the reality is, but if there is no that song, many Thai people will never be fans of X Japan.

Tetsu69 of L’Arc~en~Ciel kills cat, Drawing by Sw Eden

There is another conflict of Neo Universe of L’Arc en Ciel, but that is a little thing. I think it is coincident, because it is just a small part of the song. Most of Thai L’Arc en Ciel fans are still young and rich, and they do not really care to talk about the past, because they look up the new stuff, and they talked a lot. I have many friends who like this band, that is why I can say. Like, once I met Kaun with her L’Arc book in a school bus, and we just began to talk although we had never known each other. We talked a lot. It is familiar in American people, but unusual for Thai people. (I am smiling.)

The main thing I would like to say is, Thai people always look down themselves. Many foreign songs were composed after Thai songs. Whenever they sounds the same, Thai people will say that Thai copied those foreigners.

There are other cases, such as Peace Maker’s songs and Josh Groban’s, and also the hair style and dress style of Thai teenager. Although the idea cannot be Copyrights, people keeps railing that style of dressing is wrong things. This may be only one attitude in a corner of Thailand, because most people do not care (me, too). They dress up and they want to be cool.

Let’s see the side of Thailand. What the songs that Thai artists composed before the foreigner and they sound the same! I am an audience and also an artist, and I will never say that they mimic each other. Many people can think about the same thing. The one part of melody or similar style cannot prove that that artist is the copier.

“There is no unique thing in the world. Everything you think that it is new, someone has done it before.”, Jiyoun Kim said.

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Listen to these coincident couple now!!
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* Paradox (Thai Band) – “Ta-Lai” (Slip)
http://www.imeem.com/people/NhZaiB/music/8yIHHWo0/paradox-10-mp3/
The beginning of this song is similar with Cobra Starship – Pop Punk is so hi’ 05
http://www.imeem.com/artists/cobra_starship/music/xwnpOen5/cobra-starship-pop-punk-is-sooooo-05/
This Paradox song is in album “Free Style” and was released before Pop Punk is so hi’05 about 2 years.

Both Paradox and Cobra Starship are Punk, so no confused that they can think about the same thing.

Paradox, a famous Thai Alternative Rock band

Cobra Starship and Victoria Asher

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* Zi:Kill (Japanese Punk Band) – Kiss Me Good Bye
http://www.imeem.com/people/MjSTkez/music/CLVxNBvB/zikill-kiss-me-good-bye/
The All American Rejects – The Wind Blows
http://www.imeem.com/theallamericanrejects/music/CLLCdDK5/the-all-american-rejects-the-wind-blows/
The beginning of both songs just sound the same, and I do not think that The All American Rejects will care about Zi:Kill. Alright, both are punk, .. again.

The All American Rejects, an American Alternative Rock band

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* Paradox (Thai band) – Greedy (similar at 2:30)
http://www.imeem.com/sw-eden/music/p9szG3Af/paradox-greedy/
Slipknot – The Nameless (similar at 3:00)
http://www.imeem.com/people/uvHKWM2/music/IPjRJ6Kv/slipknot-the-nameless/
For the international world, Slipknot is more popular than Paradox, but in Thailand, Paradox is more popular. I do not think that both will prefer to listen to each other. Paradox also released this song before Slipknot, too.

Slipknot is Cute, Drawing by Sw Eden

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* Dope – Pig Society (intro)
http://www.imeem.com/artists/dope/music/9kNkLZrn/dope-pig-society/
and Ebola (Thai Band) – “Kawm Pen Pai” (The way it goes) (intro)
http://www.imeem.com/people/nXyWCx8/music/zB-SDoqr/ebola/
Eggasit Gabungpai pointed that to me.

Edsel Dope Dread Hair, Drawing by Sw Eden

Ebola, a Thai Metal band

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* Zi:Kill – Lonely (intro)
http://www.imeem.com/people/MjSTkez/music/uOzAVj6Q/zikill-lonely/
Avenged Sevenfold – Dancing Dead (outro at 4:27)
http://www.imeem.com/people/E_VpXgQ/music/gEorD6X4/avenged-sevenfold-dancing-deadmp3/

First time A7X came into the music industrial, they were considered as a metal band, but now, they are considered as a punk band. Every Japanese fan of Zi:Kill know that Zi:Kill is punk. And very important for us to know that both Zi:Kill and Avenged Sevenfold have a super cool guitar solo. Zi:Kill may do not that great in Lonely, but all stuff in their Rocket album are so amazing! (Pick up the songs that Ken did the music)

Avenged Sevenfold A7X (Synyster Gates,The Rev,M. Shadows,Zacky Vengeance,Johnny Christ), Drawing by Sw Eden

Zi:Kill (Seiichi, Eby, Tusk, Ken), Drawing by Sw Eden

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* Michael Jackson – We are the World (Chorus)
http://www.imeem.com/artists/michael_jackson/music/QEwdUfPT/michael-jackson-we-are-the-world/
จรัล มโนเพ็ชร – อุ๋ยคำ Jaran Manoped – Ui Kam (Old Northern Woman)
http://www.imeem.com/gamink/music/o8h0emR9/ (at the first verse of this song)

Ui Kam may be older than We Are The World. I feel I heard of it since I was born. It is truly classic one, every Thai people know. It is beautiful and lonely. Jaran Manoped is also a great teacher of many Thai people. We all love him. He passed away in 2001. All his songs are forever songs.

จรัล มโนเพ็ชร Jaran Manoped

Michael Jackson, Thriller cover

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The All American Rejects – Night Drive (intro)
http://www.imeem.com/jmsabler/music/nDqCSEqx/all-american-rejects-night-drive/
Hideto Matsumoto (Hide) – Emotion In Motion (intro)
http://www.imeem.com/people/v4GYTlP/music/ZE93ITGf/inmotionmp3/

Most of my matching went to the bands that I can remember their things so well. It is not a lot of bands that I can remember every part of their songs.

Hideto Matsumoto (Hide , 秀人松本), Drawing by Sw Eden

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Paradox (Thai Band) – Balloon (at first verse)
http://www.imeem.com/people/i7OzZej/music/oP3rASE1/paradox-balloon/
Hideto Matsumoto (Hide) – Rocket Drive (at first verse)
http://www.imeem.com/zinger96/music/va3naIWH/hide-rocket-dive/

Paradox is so great at their show. Almost all songs of Paradox sound more modern than Hide’s. Paradox tend to be Alternative Rock, which is really popular in Western world such the United States and the United Kingdom. Hide is more into underground alternative rock, which can be found in both LA and NY. Although Hide did a lot of underground style, those songs are not popular. Hide’s songs which are popular are something modern; such as In Motion, Tell Me, Lemoned I Scream, Ever Free, Post and Honey Blade.

TarTar, the vocalist and music composer and lyricist of Paradox. He is very talented!

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ปู พงษ์สิทธิ์ คำภีร์ – โรงเรียนของหนู “Poo” Pongsit Kampee – Rong Rean Kong Nu (Our School)
http://www.imeem.com/people/oSl_ogm/music/wV8eYYsg/
The Academy is… – After the Last Midtown Show
http://www.imeem.com/artists/the_academy_is/music/7WoBSh9s/adam-siska-after-the-last-midtown-show-album-version/

Rong Rean Kong Nu is so classic, too. This song is very old, but still catching people’s hearts. If you know Thai language, you will cry since the first time you listen to it. It is strange that The Academy is… has the same stuff. The world is so coincident. I played Rong Rean Kong Nu on Harmonica, too. This song is about children who have a hard time to get to school. They lived on the mountain and their school is really faraway. They have to walk step by step. They love to go to school. This song reflect the city society that many children do not like the go to school, although they are so rich and very easy to go to school.

ปู พงษ์สิทธิ์ คำภีร์ เจ้าของเพลง โรงเรียนของหนู Poo Pongsit Kampee

William Beckett from The Academy is…, Photo by Sw Eden

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พลพล – ใจเขาใจเรา Palapon – Jai Kao Jai Rao (Your heart, My heart) (at Chorus)
http://www.imeem.com/people/ZI6Iass/music/iprc7M-m/
L’Arc~en~Ciel – Metropolis (at Chorus/Beginning)
http://www.imeem.com/people/VuZGAK/music/7xKOaUyO/larcenciel-metropolis/

I think Palapon heard of some other Thai older song. I had heard this vocal melody before when I was about 5 years old. (about 15 years ago)

พลพล Palapon

L’Arc~en~Ciel and Hide, Drawing by Sw Eden

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* Zi:Kill – Touch Me
http://www.imeem.com/people/MjSTkez/music/B-HLssGR/zikill-touch-me/
Marilyn Manson – Heart-Shaped Glasses
http://www.imeem.com/ilikeboobs/music/jWFluCr0/marilyn-manson-heart-shaped-glasses/

In fact you may notice a part of Ken’s song called, “Do you Believe in Magic” (at solo, 3:18-3:21)
http://www.imeem.com/sw-eden/music/o2rg3SZ4/ken-zikill-believe-in-magic/
I love Ken’s things, all make me smile.

Marilyn Manson, Drawing by Sw Eden

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* AC DC – For those about to Rock (we salute you)
http://www.imeem.com/acdc/music/4SNmf1WU/acdc-for-those-about-to-rock-we-salute-you/
Zi:Kill – Rocket (fast part)
http://www.imeem.com/people/cyBWrAg/music/H27jb3fb/zikill-rocket/

Oh hey! you know that Tusk Zi:Kill is a fan of AC DC (he might be a fan of Obama, too), but I am not sure about Ken. Zi:Kill did play Suffocate City of Sex Pistol. I do not know about their copyrights, because they do not blame any people who re-play their songs, too. Zi:Kill is so fun. Tusk draw “Z” during this show. (I am smiling) If you let me compare about “For those about to Rock” and “Rocket”, you can be sure that I do love Rocket. The guitarist of Zi:Kill always have a wonderful line. His solo is always optimistic and never ever boring.

AC DC band and its logo

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Your favorite artist does not have to be the first one who create the things. We should be very happy that someone thinks the same as our favorite artists. And now, we start to listen to the new things!! Our world is not just a box that other people cannot touch. We will never look down other people just because we want to praise our heroes.