What did you do before?

I used to work in a company as a marketing officer but I quit after eight years to become a taxi driver. I just got bored in the corporate system and wanted to do something where I could meet people directly. Driving a cab you meet different kinds of folk, from high to low class: construction workers, white collars, celebrities and even politicians. I could have gone on doing that for years.

You must have gotten your share of drunks.

Yes. The worst is when they run away without paying.

So how did you become a driver at U Drink I Drive?

I saw this commercial on very late at night on Channel 3. So I just applied. I’ve worked here for four months now.

Did you have to train before driving your customers’ high-end cars?

Taxis are all Japanese so I was sent off to Limousine Express, which is the partner of the company, to try my hand at driving expensive European autos like Mercedes, BMWs or MINIs.

Any favorites?

I love both Mercedes and BMW. I love the SLK most, both in terms of maneuverability and speed. BMW is kind of more fun to drive, though, as the acceleration usually has more kick than Mercedes. 

Where are the hottest spots?

Fallabella. I must pick up a customer there at least once a night. It’s always crowded. Other hotspots are around Thonglor Soi 10 and Ekkamai, at places like Funky Villa, MUSE, Nanglen. Many of our customers have already gotten busted for drunk driving before so they don’t want to get in trouble again. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest. I have 3-5 customers from 9pm-5am. 

Any memorable customers?

This one girl, who was so drunk the guys at RCA told her she was too drunk to drive home and called me. I drove her back to her condo. She was barely able to walk straight so I asked her if she’d be OK and if she needed me to take her stuff back to her room, like her laptop and bags. I ended up having to carry everything—including her. That’s our service. We treat customers like our family. And we also have small camera attached to our ear, so friends or family of the customers can monitor the situation, too. So the next day, she asked her friends, “How did I get home?” And they told her about U Drink I Drive. She was really surprised and intrigued so she called us to find out about the service.

Any message for those who are still drunk driving?

If you plan to drink, just use public transport. It’s the best option. But for ladies, I understand that there is safety issue, so ask a friend to drive you home or just call us. 

Rates are B500 for 0-5 kilometers, B550 for 5-10 kilometers, B600 for 10-15 kilometers, up to B1,500 for 50 kilometers. 091-080-9108 or  www.udrinkidrive.co.th 

Can you explain how the process works? 

Five performers eavesdrop on conversations within the event and steal—or borrow—people’s words. Then they uploaded those collected lines in real-time on the exhibition’s Facebook page. The performers also took turns to read them out loud on an amplifier to the crowd.

What inspired you to come up with this idea?

I had worked on performance art before, and I wondered, why should performance art be done at all when society already pressures us to perform all the time. What’s the use of it? The work here serves as a feedback loop to the existing performance. It’s performed performance, with action that doesn’t act. My interest is in what art can do, to be critical.

What do people take from it?

The work offers people a moment to step back and re-examine things out of context. Not only that, the exhibition features many works that make bold political statements, but there are also politics within the viewers. It’s like watching a DVD and the disc stutters. That moment kind of pulls you out of the moment. It’s not a moment of enlightenment, but of being lost. 

So it’s not really about making a statement.

Actually, I think my work annoyed the attendants at the time; it was like bothersome flies. There’s a comedic side to the performance because, in fact, it can be deemed cruel or even antagonistic as you had people drinking, chatting in front of the politically-serious art. But our work doesn’t look to criticize what people did on the day. It’s just a concept. Instead of putting a mirror somewhere, we take the mirror to people. 

What can we read into the words collected?

We had a wide range of words from “I’ll have beer,” “fatter,” “looks like your sister” to “yellow shirt is below. The red shirt is up there.” But even simple lines like “congratulations,” “great work” or “hi, how are you?” are a form of politics. 

If you’re not spinning for tons of people on new year’s eve, how would you typically usher in the new year?
If I wasn't working on New Year's, I would most likely be with my family at some type of family friend's party.  When I was a kid, that was always where you could find me when it hit midnight giving my parents hugs & kisses.

Out of 10 DJs spinning on stage, how many operate under the influence of alcohol?
I feel as though five years ago I would have said nine to ten. However, nowadays I feel that more DJs either don't drink much or at all. My guess would have to be closer to six or seven now.

What do you have to say to people who claim women get it easier?
People want what they want. I would also say models & celebrities get it easier.  In the same breath, I feel women, models and celebrities are also judged quicker. If a celebrity messes up, their two hour set may become a 20-minute set. Whereas a male DJ may have mistakes throughout the entire night. On top of that, the various categories that are said to have it easier may also not be given a fair chance or treated equally. It just depends on who you are speaking with and how much they embrace evolution. When I was first starting out, I received all sorts of opinions about myself.

However, a respected DJ of 20 years said to me, "It doesn't matter if you have been DJing for 20 minutes or 20 years, talent is talent and no one can take that away." I will never forget those words and I tell everyone who tells me that someone "has it easy" those exact words.

One place you’d pay to spin at?
I was actually recently asked this same question. I would love to play at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Everything about it from the costumes, colors, energy, passion, entertainment & excitement have me topping my bucket list with attending.

Holy grail of being a DJ?
I feel that for DJs who strictly DJ, it would be festivals for hundreds of thousands of people. I feel that for DJs who branch into production or have the talent to be an artist, it is having a hit record that is played by fellow DJs all over the world.

What’s your earworm?
It really depends on when I am playing my iPod. If I've just spun at a nightclub three days in a row and listened to only a certain genre of music, I will usually steer to the opposite in my off-time. If it was an EDM weekend, I may put on some old school hip hop or R&B. If it was all hip hop, I may be on a progressive house trip. However, I strongly believe you can never fail with the likes of Sade, Etta James, Al Green, & all that original feel-good music.

Weirdest request from the crowd?
I think whenever I DJ in a nightclub and someone asks for country or mariachi music, I get a little thrown off. It's just that they are two genres that are almost non-existent between the hip hop drumlines & EDM synthesizers. I will always try to find a way to please everyone in the crowd, but those are definitely requests I struggle with more than others. Haha!

What could be better in 2014?
As far as the music industry goes? I think that we (in the US) are embarking on a shift in genre popularity. Therefore, maintaining the energy in the clubs with new demands of the crowds will be crucial. I also hope that more of the "older generation" DJs will be welcoming to the "newer generation" rather than be upset or think of them as competition. If anything, it just challenges is to be the best that we can be in every way.

DJ Adriana performs at the Siloso Beach Party on Dec 31, 6pm. Siloso Beach, Sentosa. $45-65 from Sistic.

Was moving to Netherlands the best move you’ve ever made? Why?
Yes. It encompassed my mantra - being able to pursue my love for DJ-ing in a country that produces the best DJs in the world, and pushing myself to the limit outside of my comfort zone.

One thing not many people know behind the DJ’s console?
That we activate our supernatural powers of holding our pee till we are done with our set. On a more serious note, a great deal of thought process goes into moving the crowd through different moods, lifting and lowering the vibe and implementing a mixing style based on each individual DJ’s skill.

Is it true that male DJs get all the ladies?
Yes. I would be lying if I were to come up with some diplomatic answer. How the DJ handles all that attention, is down to his character.

If you could choose your dance crowd, whom will it consist of?
Every music lover out there except those who like to make song requests. You guys should just…play with your ipod.

Typical Singaporean meets a Dutch bloke in a room. What happens next?
A lengthy conversation about drugs and the death penalty.

Weirdest thing you’ve seen in the crowd from atop the stage?
A guy sitting on another guy’s shoulder to get a better view of the stage, but somehow he was so into the music that he start gyrating his hips in a certain way…

Your new year’s resolution?
A level up on my scratching skills and music production skills from a music perspective, and for myself to keep being motivated in DJ-ing and chemical engineering. And maybe one day meet a girl who doesn’t take question 3 too seriously.

Mantra in life?
Work hard, play harder, love hardest.

DJ Krumbs performs at the Siloso Beach Party on Dec 31, 6pm. Siloso Beach, Sentosa. $45-65 from Sistic.

In a SPIN interview back in April, you mentioned, "The idea is to fight against what people expect exactly, to make a new coffee shop for them to come to…” How’s that ideology coming along?
It's true that it's exciting for us to go against something, to resist, but it's never a starting point to anything creative. It's pretty much us only that we try to impress and then if we create something beautiful that we like, somebody else will appreciate it in a different way.

Do you guys ever get into arguments?
No. We spent a whole year shouting at each other when we were 14. I think we got it out of our systems then.

Most provocative gift you've received on stage?
I can't think of anything provocative. Sometimes during a live show people are less inhibited and tend to show affection in strange ways but it's never provocative.

Phoenix only became popular sometime after the fourth album was released. Did that sudden surge in popularity catch the group by surprise?
It did catch us by surprise. We are pretty naive when it comes to success.

Worst crowd-surfing experience?
We've had a stage collapsed once in France and that was scary. One guy broke his leg and that was it. 

What are some of the benefits of being in a band?
Getting to perform in some incredible places and meeting people you wouldn't meet if you were visiting as a tourist. You get a real experience of what the world is. It's very overwhelming and comforting at the same time.

We know the band grew up generally hating to jam. So how were your songs created?
We created music in a non-traditional jam sort of way. We are surrounded by electronic instruments more than conventional jam instruments.

If you guys had super powers, what would it be?
It's really hard to answer this question without sounding corny like a boy-band... time travelling would be a good one, if considered a super power.

Life is…?
That's a big question. I don't have big answers.

Phoenix performs at The Star Performing Arts Centre on Jan 15, 8pm. Tickets from Sistic $68-$148

How did you come up with the idea for Paktor?
I was spurred to create Paktor while living in the US. After suffering the heartbreak that accompanied ending a long-term relationship, I realized how hard it is to meet people and date. Dating websites certainly helped, but they were far from perfect, particularly for an Asian. If I was struggling to find a date in the US, surely those facing similar problems in Asia—where fear of rejection is much worse than it is in the US—must be going through an unbearably difficult time.

What is your target age group and why?
Paktor’s target age group spans people from 18 to 30. Singapore’s long working hours have become a hindrance to an active social life, making it difficult for them to find a suitable partner.

What’s special about the Asian market?
A reserved, simplified approach to dating is preferred by Asia’s socially conservative and introverted society.

Before Paktor, did you try any other dating services?
Yes, I’ve tried many during my time in the US: Some good, some bad. Online ones tended to be better. Part of the reason we launched Paktor was because of the lack of similar products and services in Asia. We took some things we liked in the West, then adapted them for the Asian market.

Any tips for people using the app?
Don’t be afraid to like somebody’s photo. We keep it all anonymous.

If God is a DJ…
the airwaves would be overflowing with the hippest, funkiest, most amazing sounds this world has ever known. There would be a never-ending mix of diverse music from the four quarters of the globe for the mind, body and soul.

What’s the music scene in the 70s like compared to today?
Recording techniques were much more primitive back then and there were few, if any, gimmicks to enhance the performance of an artist. So, in essence, you really had to be quite talented if you wanted to be successful. There were music programs in public schools, so kids were playing instruments at a very young age and had the choice to continue all the way through high school, getting pretty thorough musical training.

What's your pet peeve of people?
Rude, inconsiderate people are a big turn-off. Folks that don't see the bigger picture and are just in it for themselves really rub me the wrong way.

Three constants in your entire career so far?
They would have to be the 3 P's–passion, persistence and perseverance, because that is what it takes to make it in this business. A close fourth would be courage, because I've had to stretch myself way beyond my comfort zone and try scary new things in order to succeed.

If your music was a type of person, what would it look like?
My show would be represented as a 30-something hipster, mixed race, multilingual, good-looking, sharp dresser, a few wisdom lines in the forehead from deep thinking and a captivating smile that brings joy to the world!

I am, by and large, a very optimistic person. Being enthusiastic and positive towards everything life throws at you is something my parents instilled into me.

As a kid, I wanted to be a policeman. I ran around wearing a small plastic British policeman’s helmet!

My dad was in the British Army, so I grew up moving from one country to another, never spending more than two years in one. I made friends, lost some and had to adapt to new environments constantly.

I knew my varied experience with different environment and cultures would provide me with a good start in my career outside of England. I found myself thriving in new roles and in different geographic locations.

When people ask me what it feels like to be such a successful entrepreneur, I never fail to mention that it is always lots of fun!

The Singapore property market is extremely dynamic and exciting, but at the same time, it can be quite baffling even to the most experienced of property investors.

Sometimes I see signs of complacency and arrogance creeping into PropertyGuru and it scares me. If we are to continue to succeed we’ll need to constantly improve, learn and innovate.

Chilling out is hard for me, but I am getting better! Weekdays are consumed by work. I read fiction on my Kindle at night to switch off, have dinner and drinks with my wife and friends on Friday or Saturday nights, and devote as much time as I can to my kids on the weekend.

My wife would say that I am collecting grey hairs!

I’ve been living in Singapore for eight years now, the longest I have lived anywhere. I love the weather, the people, the culture, the food and the quality of life.

Poverty and sickness, especially involving kids, is particularly upsetting for me. Having seen kids and families with no fresh water, no electricity, no education and basic food in our travels made me realize how incredibly fortunate we are.

This is why every year, our company focuses on giving back to society.

If I had to choose between love or money, it would be the love of my family, for sure. Money has never been that important to me, but I’m truly grateful that we now have more than we need.

Follow your dreams and do what you are really passionate about. Set out to create something that will change the world. Be prepared to take risks, make lots of mistakes and work without or with a low income for a few years— as I did. You’ll experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, sometimes all within the same day, but it’s all worth it.