Book Review: Through King Chulalongkorn’s Kingdom (1904-1906)

This book, published by White Lotus Press in Bangkok (ISBN 974-7534-56-8) was released last year in its English translation format, done by Dr. Walter E.J. Tips. The original German impression was published in 1912. The sub-title is The First Botanical Exploration of Northern Thailand and the original author was the German botanist Carl Curt Hosseus.

The book, being ostensibly one about botanical research does have a detailed listing of the plants documented by Hosseus near the front as well as a list of the almost 100 photographs which are interspersed throughout the written pages.

In the first chapter, Hosseus describes arriving in Bangkok and his audience with King Chulalongkorn, whom he depicts as a man who “spoke excellent English and showed charming amiability.” It is also in this chapter that Prince Damrong, the Minister of the Interior, gives his opinion on the differences between the European entrepreneurs who arrived in the East with huge numbers of personnel and drink champagne to the success of the new ventures until they fail, and the Chinese approach where a very few people arrive, work hard, including the leader, and if the business is successful, then they bring in more people. My personal opinion is that this lesson is still being played out today! Some people are slow learners!

Hosseus gives excellent descriptions of the villages and village people as he goes up the Mae Ping to Northern Thailand, including customs and dress. He distinguishes between the Lao, Shan and Karen, showing ethnic differences not quite as marked today. He also tells in great detail just how the elephants were used in those days as true working elephants, dragging the logs to the river and then pushing them out into the current, and other fascinating snippets.

In my first year at University, we were all made to study botany as one of the compulsory subjects. After receiving a distinction in the discipline, I must admit that the only surviving knowledge I have from that freshman year so long ago is that I can, with a fair degree of confidence, differentiate between a Xmas tree and a carrot. So I did not come to this book as a quest for botanical knowledge - but on the first opening and looking at the photographs of the period, I was enthralled. This book represents a rare ‘snapshot’ of life in Thailand (Siam) almost 100 years ago. Anyone with even the slightest sense of history of this country will also be fascinated by Hosseus’ recounting of life in that era, before radio, TV, cell phones and even commercial plane travel. To suggest to Hosseus that he could get to Chiang Mai from Bangkok in 65 minutes would have been considered science fiction!

It is not a book you read from cover to cover in one sitting, but is one you will pick up and put down many times. As a reference book it is excellent. Leave it on your coffee table and watch the conversations that it will generate. If you cannot pick one up locally you can contact White Lotus Press at ande@loxinfo.co.th, RRP is B. 750.

Music CD Reviews: Ten Years After - Live At Fillmore East

by Mott the Dog

***** 5 Stars Rating

There was a Jazz /Blues band called the Jaybirds in 1966, who changed their name to “Ten Years After”, thinking that they had formed a decade late to miss the crest of a wave from their mid fifties heroes such as Chuck Berry, who became one of their major influences along with other blues greats such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Willie Dixon, all of whom have had their songs covered here by the band. Many bands have covered Chuck Berry songs laying down definitive versions like “Johnnie B. Goode” by Jimi Hendrix, “Tulane” by Joan Jett, “Roll Over Beethoven” by the Beatles, or even “The Electric Light Orchestra”, “Little Queenie” or “Carol” by the Rolling Stones. The list is endless. But certainly Ten Years After can claim “Sweet Little Sixteen” as their own.

If this album had been released at the time of its recording (1970) I am sure it would of gone down in history as one of the great Rook ‘n’ Roll live albums of all time (along with albums like Deep Purple’s “Made In Japan” and U.F.O.’s “Strangers In The Night”) as it was recorded when the band were at their glorious peak in between their show stealing performances at Woodstock U.S.A in 1969 and The Isle Of Wight Festival in the U.K. in the summer of 1970. (By the time the band released a live album “Recorded Live” in 1973 the band had burnt themselves out and put in a very lackluster performance).

But anyone who has been to the wonderful Tahitian Queen Rock ‘n’ Roll Happy Hour on Friday will have seen the thirteen minute version of the “Ten Years After” standard bearer closing song “I’m Goin Home” on DVD and will bare out that this was a red hot band in their day. When the band come in for the finale of the song, the roof nearly comes off the place.

What you actually get here is the full set from 1970 selected from four sets recorded by sound wizard Eddie Kramer at the Fillmore East, probably American’s leading venue at the time. Three of the guys are basically the rhythm section, a fine one true, but basically there to do a job. I mean keyboard player Chick Churchill doesn’t bother with anything so fancy as a Mellotron, or Moog Synthersiser or even piano, just sticking to his trusty Hammond organ.

This album’s star of the show, Alvin Lee, gets full reign to lay out his wares. Billed as the fastest guitar in the west, Lee would often leave all behind in his wake. And here he is given plenty of opportunity to show off his talents. Of the twelve songs on this collection two are over 15 minutes long and only three are shorter than eight minutes. Subtlety may not be a part of Ten Years After repertoire, but my word, these boys could Rock ‘n’ Roll. This live set was released thirty three years too late, but don’t let that fool you. It is still a great slab of fat, dirty, Rock ‘n’ Roll played like they don’t know how any more.

Musicians

Leo Lyons - Bass

Alvin Lee - Guitar and vocals

Chick Churchill - Organ

Ric Lee - Drums

Track Listing

CD 1

1. Love Like A Man

2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

3. Working On The Road

4. The Hobbit

5. 50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain

6. a. Skoobly-Oobly-Doobob

b. I Can’t Keep From Crying Sometimes

c. Extension On One Chord

CD 2

1. Help Me

2. I’m Going Home

3. Sweet Little

4. Roll Over Beethoven

5. I Woke Up This Morning

6. Spoonful

To contact Mott the Dog email: mottthedog@chiangmai-mail.com

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