The veteran rock 'n' roll singer is set to give her first and final solo concert
ith more than 10 album and countless hits to her credit, it comes as something of a surprise to realise that rocker Thitima "Waen" Suttasunthorn has never had a single solo concert throughout her 25-year music career. Now, though, that's about to change, with the 48-year-old putting on her "once-in-a-lifetime" solo concert on Saturday.
"I don't know why I have never had my solo concert. I've certainly been the guest of many artists," says the Prachuab Khiri Khan-born singer during a chat at GMM Grammy. "Maybe, the concert organisers forgot about me."
Her upcoming solo show will be a veritable portfolio of her hits including "Rao Mee Rao", "Diary See Dang", "Arj Ja Pen Khon Nee", "Jeb Kradong Jai" and "Yuek Yak" as well as previously unrecorded numbers like "Shirt Khaen Yao Tie See Thao", "Bang Fun Hai Kan", "Yaak Hai Khid Aik Khrang", "Luem Dai Loei" and "Luem Mai Long", in honour of her fan club.
"I love the idea of meeting and greeting my fan club," she says, adding that she'll probably cover one of her favourite Queen songs too. "And to mark my 25th anniversary, I have a new song 'Tha Prasajak Ther" ['Without You'] to say a big thank to my fans."
Waen reveals that the friends in the concert title are Edd Fly and Phalaphol Pholkongseng.
"Edd and I have worked together many times since 1998's 'On The Rock'. He has a powerful voice, while Phalaphol is more mellow, more suited to pop rock," she explains.
Waen was the fourth artist to be marketed under the GMM Grammy label after Rewat "Ter" Budhinan, Nanthida Kaewbuasai and Panthiwa Sinratchatanon. She released her debut album "Chan Pen Chan Ang" in 1984. But fans knew her voice even before the record hit the stores from the popular "Jak Wan Nan Thueng Wan Nee", a song from director Piak Poster's teen film "Wai Rarerng" released earlier that year.
"Being called a female rocker reflected my character as much as music style," recalls Waen, who says her favourite rock tracks back them were Europe's "Final Countdown", Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself For Loving You" and Queen's "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions".
"The first album was a variety of rock music and my image was that of a self-confident woman in a black costume and hair spiked with gel. 'Diary See Dang' was pop rock and 'Phuying Khon Nee' was funk," she says.
In 1986, she put out her second album "Rao Mee Rao", which was released around the same time as Thongchai "Bird" McIntyre's debut "Hadsai Sailom Songrao".
Ten other albums followed including "Khon Thi Roo Jai" in 1987, "Sanying Sanya" in 1988, "On The Rock" and "On The Rock Special" in 1998, and "Red Hot" in 2002.
"My most successful album was 'Sanying Sanya', which spawned hits like 'Khrai Ja Pen Rai Tor Pai," she says with a fond smile. "It sounded really heavy and I had a real rock chick image with a black leather jacket and curly long hair."
Up to two years ago, fans of the former female rocker were still calling radio station Green Wave to plead for a concert.
"So this is really the result of those requests. I'm sorry it's taken so long to arrange."
JUST SAY WAEN
"25 Years: Waen & Friends" is at the M Theatre on Saturday at 7.
Tickets cost Bt1,000 to Bt2,000 at ThaiTicketMajor.
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