Photos: Alena Kurajdova
Men at Play
[Originally published in MILK Magazine, Dec/Jan 2013/14]
Despite what imagery their title evokes, The Kampot Playboys are about as far as you can get from affluently pretentious,or indeed promiscuous. Slouching back with his trademark backwards cap and equally imperturbable demeanour, lead singer and guitarist Chiet Ukham disclosed to me the band’s origins, unique sound and... okay, maybe just a little on their one prospectivelady-killer.
When did you first form? How did you meet?
I was in Australia on a trip for a few months. I came back in 2010 and did a solo show at Bodhi Villa [Kampot]. I met the other guys that night, who were also playing. I finished, we talked, and they asked me to join the band. I said, “Yeh, why not?” So we formed the ‘Playboys.
You have a very diverse range of instruments. How would you describe the style and sound of your music?
Well, I think it’s rock. But it’s this kind of fusion. Mark is from England so he has his own style, and Justin is from America so has his own style too. I have my own style and we combine together to make something a little bit different.We don’t try to make it sound different – this is just us. We just be what we be, you know? We join together, play music and be happy.
Many traditional instruments seem to have some Western comparisons. Like the tro and the violin, for example. Do you think you can interchange these Cambodian and Western instruments to create a sound that still works?
Yeah, it’s a different version but I think pretty much you can do the same stuff. That’s why we replaced the fiddle with the tro. I found [the tro-player] because I have a good connection with the music school here (KCDI.) When my friend, the leader of the school, brought music to play at a party, I said, “Hey, why don’t we just put this music together with the Cambodian instruments?” So we just stuck this all together – the rock and the new and traditional Cambodian instruments – and the sound came out pretty interesting.
You guys definitely seem to have a good time on stage together. I think it’s often pretty clear when artists do what they do for the love of it rather than for fame or fortune…
Yeah, well we don’t really make money from playing music – I mean, honestly. We played in many places around Cambodia, but we would never earn money. We put in our own money as well sometimes just to help. But we enjoy it and want to do it.
What new songs do you have at the moment?
We’ve written 11 original songs.
There are a lot of Cambodian rock bands right now doing the ‘60s surfer rock revival thing, whereas you guys tend to steer clear of this style. What’s your opinion of this music and that idea of revivingthe old style?
My opinion about that? Okay, I think it’s a good thing to do because it seems like after the war people forgot about the really good and interesting music back from the old days.
This is my idea though: make something that belongs to you. We do our own thing for this generation. To have our own thing is even better, but we have to learn from the ‘60s and ‘70s – about the music, that sound. We can listen and create another version for this generation of music we are in right now.
What’s your opinion of the music scene in Cambodia in general?
I think the big music industry right now is pop music. I would appreciate it if they did it originally. But the thing is, people like to listen to music that is not their own. They copy from other neighbouring countries. It’s exactly the same sound but it’s just the Khmer version. K-pop is the big influence in Cambodia right now.
But there are a few bands coming up.Bands in Phnom Penh that are doing old rock ‘n’ roll music. They do really old-school, ‘60s/’70s music but their own different style and version. There are also bands who have their ownstyle because they cooperate with foreigners to create their own sort of different sounds. It’s a pretty good idea.
Where do you see the band heading in the future?
I’d like to have a recording of one album, or make the band bigger – like a regular band where we can just say, “Hey, there’s a gig come up – let’s go!” Not a member missing. I don’t expect to make much money. I don’t expect we’re going to get big. We just do it for fun, because we like it.
I notice when you play on your regular nights (Thursday at Madi Bar), you have semi-regular cameo appearances by some musicians. For example, a bongo-player…
Oh Stan…Stan, he just wants to play his music, you know?He just comes and says,“Hey, can I play bongos or congas with you guys?” I say, “Bring it on, Stan. Bring it on.” He’s 72. He still rocks, man.
So anyone who wants to come up and play can join you?
Of course! I mean, its music, man, come on! Let me say this: I’m not stingy with the music, right? We share the music. If you’re in a good band or a crappy band, you wanna play? Come up! As long as you feel great, enjoy it and feel comfortable.
What’s your name about? Do any of you see yourselves as playboys?
Nah, the name is not about a ‘playboy’ thing. We met and played a few times together and then asked each other, “What will we call our band? And the accordion guy is like,“THE KAMPOT PLAYBOYS!” So we’re like, “Oh yeah, okay. We’ll take that.”It just came out randomly.
Uhh…you realise what associations that has, right?
Yeah, I know what a playboy is! But we’re not playboys!
If any one of you was, who would it be?
Well, it’s not me– I’m not the playboy! I think Stan. 72 years old. Geez…I can see him as.... yeah. He’s the real playboy, that Stan.