HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Bookazine Book Review

Movie Review

Mott's CD review

Sophon Cable TV Schedule

Bookazine Book Review: Stone Gods, Wooden Elephants

by Lang Reid

This week’s review is of a suspense novel set in SE Asia, written by an Asia old hand, Bob Bergin. Stone Gods, Wooden Elephants (ISBN 1-5702-3177-X) deals with intrigue in the antiquity trade. The author is a man who deals in Asian art, so he does know what he is writing about, giving an extra dimension to a work of fiction. Real knowledge of a subject gives reality to the prose.

Early in the piece I warmed to the principal character Harry Ross who explained his early infatuation with Asia as a “drawn out affair where love was tempered by bouts of profound incomprehension.” With that alone, every farang reader is behind him.

The initial quarter of the book takes you to Northern Thailand where Harry Ross and his compatriot called Aloysius (pronounced “Alowishus”, except by the Thais as “Al-owitchet”) go from Bangkok into the uncharted wilds looking for a lost city. In the lost city they find a veritable treasure trove of Asian antiques, which rather than disclose and then run the risk of losing to the Thai Fine Arts Department, they decide to sell throughout the world with a simultaneous global plan so as not to depress the market.

The next section of the book brings in a “retired” Japanese Army officer, who despite having been involved in the Death Railway has somehow inveigled himself into a position of power in Thai society. This seems a little far-fetched for my simple mind, but then again, I do not travel in the higher strata of Thai business. The Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) does not even know my name, I am that unimportant!

By half way through the book, the first small shipment has reached Harry Ross’ office in America and almost by the next page Harry is one point six million dollars richer.

The return to Thailand for fresh supplies brings in a couple of “baddies” and an elephant pack with non-Thai speaking Karen tribesmen as the bodyguards for the pair of antique buccaneers. These are closely followed by the Thai police section associated with the aforementioned Fine Arts Department.

The “chase” proper begins about this time with pursuits on land, via helicopter and long tail boat. The pages are dotted with “goodies”, pseudo goodies and some definitely bad “baddies”. At some stages it begins to become hard to remember just who is chasing who, the pace becomes so frantic.

In the final chapters of the book comes the denouement, which is not as you would imagine, and to my mind it was a little trite. The romantic interest which had been woven through the story was just left to wither, the good guys didn’t really win and the bad guys didn’t get their comeuppance either.

The review copy was made available by Bookazine, 1st floor Royal Garden Plaza next to Black Canyon and Boots, and has an RRP of 595 baht. It was a long read and I honestly felt that author Bergin could have told the story with greater economy. Nevertheless, it was a thriller in the grand manner, albeit a tad too long.

Movie Review: Road to Perdition

By Poppy

The story opens with young Michael Sullivan Jr. facing out to the sea thinking about one of the best men to ever live and one of the most evil - his father.

The story revolves around crime boss John Rooney (Paul Newman) and Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), the young man Rooney once took in and who now serves as his personal “Angel of Death.” Rooney is tied by blood to his own son, but tied by love and loyalty to Michael.

Young Michael Jr., intrigued by the stories he reads, steals away in his father’s car one night while Dad goes off to “work” with Connor Rooney, heir to the family “business.” Connor lets the situation get out of hand, and what was meant only to be a warning turns into murder - witnessed by Michael Jr. When they discover that young Michael has seen what he should not have seen, the plot is set in motion as conflicting loyalties collide. Soon, Michael Sr. is on the run with his young son, pursued by contract killer Harlen “The Reporter” Maguire (Jude Law).

Tom Hanks gives a fine performance and 77-year-old Paul Newman does a beautiful job with a hint of an Irish accent and all the joy and pain in the world on his shoulders.

A tribute to gangster films of the 40s. Go see it!

Directed by Sam Mendes

Cast:

Tom Hanks ... Michael Sullivan

Paul Newman ... John Rooney

Jude Law ... Maguire

Tyler Hoechlin ... Michael Sullivan, Jr.

Jennifer Jason Leigh ... Annie Sullivan

Stanley Tucci ... Frank Nitti

Daniel Craig (I) ... Connor Rooney

Liam Aiken ... Peter Sullivan

Dylan Baker ... Alexander Rance

David Darlow ... Jack Kelly

Doug Spinuzza ... Calvino

Rob Maxey ... Drugstore Owner

James Currie (III) ... Factory Worker

Gene Janson ... Chief of Police

Mott’s CD review: 

Gary Moore - We Want Moore 

by Mott the Dog

***** 5 Stars Rating

It had been a multi coloured road for Gary Moore to take his guitar before he reached the release of this live album in 1984.

After coming to England from Dublin with mates Noel Bridgeman (drums) and Brush Shiels (bass and vocals) in the band Skid Row, they went up and down the M.I. unloading and reloading their gear in every possible location, building a solid reputation. Before Gary Moore’s axe work came to the notice of fellow Irish rocker Phil Lynott (who had been in a previous Skid Row before Moore joined) on the lookout for a lead guitarist after Eric Bell had left Thin Lizzy leaving Lynott in the lurch. For the next 6 years Gary Moore was in and out of Thin Lizzy like a Jack in the Box displaying his dazzling skills, and cementing a reputation as one of rock’s premier guitar slingers. In the interim Gary was also on 3 albums by Jon Hisemans Colosseum II, honing his skills in jazz rock fusion, leaving Thin Lizzy for good in 1979. He started a solo career only broken by a year’s stay in the Greg Lake Band where he drank deeply of the blood of progressive rock. Disbanding his 1983 band to the winds, Gary put this band together to record the album “Victims Of The Future” and then went out on a massive world tour to promote it, recording concerts in Detroit, London, Tokyo, and Glasgow, to put this album together.

Going for the throat with an approach incorporating all the crash, bang, wallop of heavy metal rock and his undoubted over the top skills on the axe, these live recordings almost burn your speakers up.

The band Moore put together was nothing short of magnificent. Right-hand man on keyboards, second guitar, vocals, and crowd rabble Rouser was Neil Carter of U.F.O. / Wild Hoses and Gilbert ‘O’ Sullivan fame; on bass was Craig Gruber, ex Elf and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow; to complete the line up was Ian Paice, who has never played better than on these recordings, although Ian left to be replaced by Bobby Chouinard, when the call went out to reform Deep Purple.

When “We Want Moore” was first released you got the album (six songs) with a free encore e. p. (four songs). Now in the days of CD it’s possible to get the whole lot on one CD.

The songs from the main set don’t let up for a second and in true eighties tradition Moore just blazes his fingers over them. All of the songs are over 7 minutes long with extended solos. The old Yardbirds classic “Shapes Of Things” is smashed apart and lumped back together. “Cold Hearted” is stretched to 11 minutes with Moore taunting the audience with guitar pyrotenics.

The encore section features one ballad, “Empty Rooms”, which is beautifully sad, and if you are interested, can be heard played superbly by our own Lam Morrisson in Pattaya. The whole thing is wrapped up by “Rockin & Rollin” from the Hammersmith Odeon with a totally Gonzoid Jimmy Nail on guest vocals.

Gary Moore went onto super stardom with his “Still Got The Blues” album, but this was a great phase in his career.

Musicians

Gary Moore - Guitar, Vocals

Neil Carter - Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals

Craig Gruber - Bass

Ian Paice - Drums

Bobby Chouinard - Drums on Detroit recordings

Jimmy Nail - Additional Vocals on “Rockin’ & Rollin”

Track Listing

1. Murder In The Skies

2. Shapes Of Things

3. Victims Of The Future

4. Cold Hearted

5. End Of The World

6. Back On The Streets

7. So Far Away

8. Empty Rooms

9. Don’t Take Me For A Loser

10. Rockin’ And Rollin’