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Bookazine Book Review: The Force of Karma

by Lang Reid

This book (ISBN 974-90079-1-3) was written by Pira Sudham. Published this year, it is the much awaited sequel to his Monsoon Country published in 1988.

Pira Sudham is an interesting man in himself, coming from the Esarn region of Thailand, and he is able to write with accuracy of the plight of the disadvantaged from that area. He became a temple boy when he was 14 years old and sold artefacts to tourists to put himself through university. Following his winning of a scholarship to New Zealand, his career never looked back, becoming a well known and respected author, writing in the English language.

He is undoubtedly an activist, an agent for change. His books deal with the life of the Esarn people and the socio-economic-political changes that are occurring within Thailand. He also writes with his heart on his sleeve, and it is possible to see Pira Sudham himself through the words ascribed to one of the principal characters, Prem Surin.

The story revolves around an “unusually rich” Thai-Chinese family and reveals a side of the affluent decision makers that probably you did not really want to know. But the dark underbelly is there and Pira Sudham writes to let the reader see it and enter the closed society. That society includes the drug scene, the gay scene and heedless hedonism. It is also a society that has the power (and used it) to stifle the voices of the dissident.

The book is skilfully written and it is not an easy pick up and put down read. I became so absorbed in the social struggle that I ended up reading the entire tome in one very long sitting. The characters in the book are based on reality. There are people you know, people you have read about in newspapers and people from the recent past. The word pictures painted by Pira Sudham are powerful enough to stir the reader to wish for action and justice for the oppressed. The book is much more than a work of “faction”; it is a call to arms. A call that would make Pira Sudham’s position as a permanent resident in Thailand somewhat untenable I would venture.

While the viewpoints expounded in this book are representative of “noble truths” the society is probably not ready to face them full on, as Pira Sudham would wish it to be. This book represents the work of a freedom fighter in the same mould as Timor’s Gusmao - but using his own tools, the written words, to promote the message. Make no mistake, Pira Sudham is not preaching communism - but rather more a style of “communalism” where work and wealth is spread for the common good.

You cannot read this book and put it down without it having affected you in some way. Even if all it has done is to make you want to visit Esarn to see for yourself.

The review copy came directly from Pira Sudham and I felt honoured at being asked to read it. It will stay on my bookshelf. It should be on yours too.

Movie Review By Poppy: Blade II

By Poppy

In case you didn’t see the first movie the story started with Blade’s birth. His mother was human but her doctor was a vampire and bit her just before Blade’s birth. Somehow this made Blade immune to vampire bites. As he grew older, although he had the thirst for blood, he acquired a serum to eliminate the blood lust and then dedicated his life to destroying vampires.

Wesley Snipes is back as Blade. He is now living in Prague with a new partner Scud (Norman Reedus) and they resurrect his old partner Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). The trio forms an uneasy alliance with an elite vampire militia, to track down and exterminate a mutant strain of vampire’s lead by Nomak (Luke Goss) that turn their victims into exceptionally violent, completely ugly super creatures. The team infiltrates the undead and confronts the mosquito-like creatures in their subterranean lair.

Along the way you get your quota of romance as Blade flirts with vampire princess Nyssa (Leonor Varela).

Lots of fights, shocks, gore, frightening sequences, great special effects actions and even a fairly complex storyline, a fast moving and exciting film, but not one for the faint hearted. This is a very violent, blood thirsty (no pun intended) movie with very little humour to lighten the mood.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Cast:

Wesley Snipes ... Blade (Eric Brooks)
Kris Kristofferson ... Abraham Whistler
Norman Reedus ... Scud (Josh)
Leonor Varela ... Nyssa Damaskinos
Ron Perlman ... Reinhardt (Bloodpack leader)
Luke Goss ... Jared Nomak
Daz Crawford ... Lighthammer (Bloodpack)
Matt Schulze ... Chupa (Bloodpack)
Donnie Yen ... Snowman (Bloodpack)
Danny John-Jules ... Asad
Rey-Phillip Santos ... Red Eye
Pete Lee-Wilson ... Blood Bank Doctor

Rest of cast listed alphabetically

Tony Curran ... Priest (Bloodpack)
Marit Velle Kile ... Verlaine (Bloodpack)
Thomas Kretschmann ... Overlord Eli Damaskinos
Bridge Markland ... Vampire with exposed spine
Santiago Segura ... Rush
Marek Vasut ... Lolem

Mott’s CD review: 

Savoy Brown
- Looking In

by Mott the Dog

**** 4 Stars Rating

This is probably Savoy Brown’s best and most successful album. It was recorded on a personnel precipice as within weeks of its release three quarters of the band deserted the ship leaving leader Kim Simmonds on his own and looking for new band mates to form Savoy Brown version 5 (he’s probably up to Savoy Brown version number 989 by now). The others, with the addition of mercurial slide guitarist Rod Price, went on to form boogie legends Foghat, leaving Savoy Brown because of alleged iniquities in the division of income. Whilst recording some ten albums for Bearsville records they became the leaders of the British Boogie and Stadium Rock wave.

“Looking In” was the predecessor for all this. Topped and tailed by two short Kim Simmonds guitar pieces there are seven pieces of solid gold blues and boogie. Just before going into the studio the erratic vocalist Chris Youlden had decided to leave the band in search of solo fame. So, taking his trademark eye piece, topper, and cane, he upped and went leaving the others high and dry with studio time booked and no yodeler.

Cometh the hour cometh the man. Up to the microphone stepped second guitarist Lonesome Dave Peverett and a sterling job of handling the vocals he does, too, whilst adding valuable guitar work to the longer numbers, particularly final workout “Leavin’ Again”, when the dueling guitars battle it out like electric dueling banjos for a glorious eight and a half minutes, the band doing what they do best and boogie out. Lonesome Dave also co wrote this with Tone Stevens.

First song proper on the album, “Poor Girl”, was another written by Tone Stevens. A real belting blues, which is still in the Savoy Brown stage repertoire today, although Stevens left the band more than 3 decades ago.

But star of the show with Savoy Brown, always was and always will be, Kim Simmonds (funny name that for a boy), who’s guitar playing throughout this album is nothing short of awe inspiring. Simmonds could easily match the likes of his peers such as Clapton, Beck, and Page, but was more often than not the unsung guitar hero, probably because unlike all the others he stayed true to his initial roots of the blues. He is still playing the same style he has since 1966, and there doesn’t seem much likelihood of him changing now. The commercial appeal of pop or heavy metal was not for him, although, I’m sure, even now he could turn a coin or two by squashing his feelings and prostituting his guitar work.

Simmonds’ finest moment on “Looking In” comes on “Take It Easy”, a slow burning song Kim wrote with Dave Peverett that, from very small beginnings, builds to a shattering guitar climax.

This album collects the essence of the live beast that is Savoy Brown on stage and that was where they were at their best, so if two and two make four, then this is Savoy Brown at their finest.

Musicians:

Kim Simmonds - Guitar & Piano
Lonesome Dave - Vocals & Guitar
Roger Earl - Drums
Tone Stevens - Bass

Track Listing

1. Gypsy
2. Poor Girl
3. Money Can’t Save Your Soul
4. Sunday Night
5. Looking In
6. Take It Easy
7. Sitting An’ Thinking
8. Leavin’ Again
9. Romanoff

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