Talented Thai musicians are invited to sign up for the global battle of the bands
The Global Battle of the Bands (GBOB) is coming round again and Thai musicians are invited to show their talents and make a challenge for the world stage.
"It's a terrific stage for bands from all over the world to show their talents at the international level," says guitarist Thammarat "Jack" Duangsiri, who came third at GBOB Thailand in 2005 and won first prize at Guitar Idol 2009 held in England.
"GBOB is international and it offers a chance for musical freedom," says Prart Aroonrungsi, the founder of Prart Music Group and owner of Overdrive guitar magazine. "Nowadays, the world is so much smaller because of the Internet and more global yet our youth doesn't know how to get there. I don't think that nationality is a barrier any more, so Thais have a chance to place high. It isn't just a dream if you have the ability but a channel."
This competition is different in that there are no rules regarding music certificates, age and professional or amateur status. The only two regulations are no cover songs and no prerecorded songs. The aim is to encourage musicians to create an original song and perform it.
"The most important point is to create an original. Writing a song showcases ideas and skills and also focuses on teamwork. The frontman or singer must be outstanding," says the winning guitarist, who has written three guitar pieces: "One The Way", "Falling in Love Again" and "Mr Frontman".
"The similarity is the process of music production but the differences are reflected in mood, skills and presentation," says Prart. "We should learn to be ourselves. Listen to international bands such as U2 or The Police and you'll notice how different they sound from other bands. That's the important point. It isn't about skills but creativity.
"In the past, about 80 per cent of Thai youngsters lacked the skills to come up with an original. Now, I'd say that figure has fallen to below 50 per cent thanks to new media like YouTube. Overseas countries need new and original bands but our country is less interested because it doesn't find them commercial enough.
The winner of the Thai heat of GBOB 2010 will receive Bt100,000 and go to Malaysia for the GBOB World Final 2010. The Best New Band in the World gets US$100,000 and a chance to go on international tour.
Sing a little, play a littleSend two video clips of an original song and a rearranged cover along with your name, background, age and musical instrument to http://www.PrartMusic.com/odgbob. For more information, tweet http://twitter.com/Prartmusic or call (02) 203 04235.
