Log Blog

Long overdue update.

Broke my metatarsal in Nong Khai, two days before i planned to leave. After a thrilling visit to the local hospital, and two nights there, where i was misdiagnosed as having a hemotoma. Spent a terrible month in bed,  read a book a day. Very blessed to have many friends in Nong Khai who would bring me food and company. Especially Sam. Eventually went to an orthopedist who correctly told me my foot was broken before even doing an x-ray. He put me in a cast finally, but i was looking at 3 months of healing and didn't want to spend it stuck in bed in Thailand, relying on others for everything. So I made the decision to return to the states. After 56 hours of travel, found myself back in New Mexico. Another blessing, to be able to return to such a peaceful and relaxing space. Visited a doctor there who took off my cast and put me in a walking boot, finally no more wooden crutches! Relaxed in NM, made some art, learned to wire LEDs, and did many radio shows on KTAO. After two months, i was allowed out of my boot, and flew to New York, where i spent a wonderful 20 days, seeing old freinds, live music and eating tasty food (cheese!). On the 17th boarded a plane to Bangkok via Hong Kong, after 16 hours, many movies and a little bit of vomit, arrived in Hong Kong, had a short layover to wander the international terminal, before a short flight dropped me in Bangkok. Rode the Sky Train from the airport to the hostel i had reserved, had some grub and passed out.


10/19/11

-woke up, did some research to find the best market for vintage clothing in Bangkok, while i drank my morning tea, had to take the BTS (the sky train) to a river ferry, take the ferry far down and to the other side of the river.

-the ferry was especially interesting due to the flooding in Bangkok right now, the river was swolen over its banks flowing into buildings, although most spots were effectively sandbagged. Saw many of the historic buildings of bangkok from the river.

-Getting off the ferry to head to the market was a different story however, as the river had moved in at least 2-3 city blocks over the banks. stepped off the floating dock into about six inches of murky river water, on what should have been dry land. Took off my shoes and waded to dry land.

-The first two rows of the market had between two to six inches of standing water, but all the stalls were still open. Wandered around the market for a while, avoiding the flooded bits as much as possible. Bought two shirts, one new t-shirt, a delicious pineapple, a bizzarely cut bright orange/blue/black/white plaid shirt with snaps, some sunglasses and a needle and thread. spent less then $15 on all of it.

-wandered around the area surrounding the market a bit. Then returned to the ferry landing, after a stop at 7/11 for some condensed milk sweetened soy milk.

-the returning ferry was further down the landing only accessible via a flooded hallway, despite sand bags stacked everywhere. took off the shoes again, waded to the ticket stand, bought a ticket from a lady sitting in calf deep water. dried my feet in the sun and waited for the ferry.

-on my way back, stopped at Siam Center, a dizzying, massive, collection of mega-malls surrounded by market style (small stalls cramped walkways) clothing boutiques.

-wandered around for quite a while though  multiple 9 story mega-malls featuring largely American and Japanese brands. Barely a word of Thai to be seen. Starbucks KFC Mcdonalds Everywhere (gotta love the Thai Ronald Mcdonald). Truly a surreal experience all around. "Malls of the Future." Bought a new copy of Marget Atwoods newest book Year of the Flood

-The best part was an elderly Thai violinist plying his trade through a beat up portable amplifier busking for cash. Sounded like something you'd hear out of a noise band in Brooklyn. Asked if i could record, got a nice recording (up on the Earsphere!) left a good deal of cash in his case.

-After treking around the Asian consumer wasteland, returned to the Hostel. Went to grab some eats from the street vendors who ply their trade on the same road as the hostel (I've read its one of the best street food spots in Bangkok).

-chilled out on the roof, did some reading, went to my room to charge the computer and try to get my recording on Soundcloud. While waiting for the upload to complete, fell asleep in my clothes. barely managed to clear all the stuff off my bed before falling into a deep sleep before nine. I've never been so tired.

10/20/2011
-woke up around ten, feeling very rested. researched shops in the area that carried vinyl records and ran all over town looking at records. Most of the Vinyl specialty shops had american and japanese represses/originals of classic rock and jazz at rediculous prices ($100 for Blue Note 180 gram repress)
-the first two store were in this strange mall called fortune tower, half the stalls were empty, and the building appeared to be falling down, all the wiring and ductwork was exposed in the ceiling, and although the mall was 7 stories, each floor contained maybe six stores, the rest was inclosed with plywood promising stores to come.
-Purchased a mini flexi tripod for my recorder but no records there.
-The next store "Record Hunter" was in the basement of a massive movie theater/mall complex near the Victory Monument. The owner was awesome, an avid record collector himself who loved metal music. The store was stocked with American and European Death/Black/Hair Metal, in addition to thrash and hardcore (an original press of Death in Bangkok, who would have thought). After a lot of digging and listening, picked up an awesome Morlam full length Mono from the sixties. Pre-electric, so just beautiful vocals and Kan (the reed pipe), and a seven inch of 80s thai hair metal. The A-side is really derivitive, but the b-side is rocking and fresh.
-After an Unsuccessful attempt to find "Jazzbah" records in the packed Siam Center shopping complex (it was supposedly upstairs above a womenswear shop). Headed back to the neighborhood i'm staying in to visit a shop owned by a British-Thai DJ partnership, focused on mixing classic Morlam and Luk-Thung with reggae and funk from all over the world. Also the duo responsible for the Soundways records comp, The Sound of Siam, and the Finders Keepers Comp."Thai? Dai! The Heavier Side of Luk-Thung Underground."  "Zud Rang Records" has an overwhelming collection of rare 60s-80s Thai music, very well catagorized and organized. The proprietor had an incredible depth of knowledge not only of old Thai music, but of all sorts of music (he was wearing a Cedric Im Brooks "Light of Saba" shirt, and agreed, best reggae record ever). spent two hours in there, talking music, and listening to his private stash of super rare Morlam 7 inches, for example heard one amazingly heavy rocking track that was one of only two known copies of an artist release of about 300. They're working on repressing that particular 7, they cannot find any information about who the original artist was, not listed anywhere. Unfortunately, if i bought many record there i'd quickly go broke, understandably there is an international collectors market for this stuff now, and people pay top dollar so as to not have to dig through grungy crates at markets. Fortunately for me i love digging through grungy crates at markets, and the owner told me anything i found at a market, to bring to him and he'd help me translate and figure out what it is. In addition he taught me how to ask for old vinyl in Thai, which is massively helpful.
-Tired out, so read for a bit on the guest house roof before grabbing some dinner from a street stall pork and shrimp fried dumplings. hit the hay early.