On Apr 3, rock group Bennetty’s first released track, “Jood Derm,” blew up on social media. It’s a heartening success for a group that started its music career late: the band’s youngest member is 65. The group formed as a result of collaboration between Choojai and Friends Agency and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation in a project encouraging the elderly to realize their dreams. We caught up with four of the guys in a small cafe in Lad Phrao to talk about their lives and what they’ve been listening to.

Bennetty’s members: Siri “Ri” Deelun, bassist, 69; Thitichai “Toom” Sawadwetch, guitarist, 65; Thanakorn “Chart” Jiasiri, drummer, 65; 2nd Lt. Boonserm “Burm” Choochuay, mouth organ player, 87; Watchara Na Ranong, vocalist, 80; and Thep Kengwinich, keyboard player, 74.

When did you start playing music?

Ri: I’ve played music since my military training during the Vietnam War era.

Toom: I’ve been performing since then too. I started playing professionally when I wasn’t even 20. I used to skip class to play music.

Chart: After I finished college, I worked as a traffic-planning technician with engineers from Germany. After I finished my contract there, I performed for 7-8 years, then went onto other jobs before returning to music finally.

Burm: I started learning the violin when I was about 15, but the school flooded so much I never took learning seriously. I then became a soldier. I’ve been a soldier all my life. I fought in the Korean War. I play the saxophone as well. I taught myself the mouth organ and, using my own techniques, can play without using my hands.

How did you form the band?

Chart: The Thai Health Promotion Foundation were launching a campaign for the elderly, and they were auditioning for musicians. We submitted our profiles and they chose us based on our backgrounds.

When did you start playing together?

Toom: Around the end of June last year.

What usually inspires your lyrics?

Ri: We have a producer helping us with the song writing.

Toom: I would love to write my own lyrics one day if we have enough support.

What do your children/grandchildren think of this?

Ri: They were surprised and also very proud. They keep bragging about me to their friends.

Burm: My children told me that I am now famous and I still don’t understand how.

Chart: They are very happy, like, WOW!

Toom: They’re very proud of me. I’ve had people coming to film me at home, too.

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you on the stage?

Chart: There are just too many things to say.

Toom: Way too many.

Toom: So many fights in front of the stage. I’ve seen a lot.

Ri: One time, a drunk guy requested a song. Then he wasn’t happy about the way we performed it, so he threw a glass at the stage.

Who are your favorite bands right now?

Ri: Vic Damone, Frank Sinatra and a lot of Spanish and Italian songs.

[Chart starts singing one of the Italian songs, “Santa Lucia”.]

Toom: Anything really, I just look on Youtube and listen to everything. I like people like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani.

Chart: Mostly '60s-'80s era stuff. The Doors and The Beatles.

Burm: Any music, really. Whatever I played at restaurants to get lots of tips.

Do you know if you have any groupies? Are you guys on Facebook?

Chart: I have Facebook but I don’t really know if we have any fans. I looked at the YouTube link but the comments are too small for my eyes.

Ri: We really can’t see something so small.

Can we expect to see your full album anytime soon?

Chart: We haven’t really thought about it yet.

Ri: Not yet, only singles. Our band is still very new. If we get a lot of good feedback, we will probably do a full album.

When and where can we catch you perform live?

Toom: I play at the restaurant on the tai toon floor [old Thai word for the underground floor] at the Siam Garden apartment on Sundays and Mondays.

Chart: Don’t call it tai toon! [laughs] It’s the ground floor. GROUND floor. I play at Wine Bibber Sangria around once or twice a month. My band is called Generations.

Listen to Bennetty's debut single below: