What have you been doing these days?
This year, I have more and more concerts than in the past few years. With local radio playing our tunes, people started wondering if our band still exists, so we were asked to perform more. Most of the shows have been at temple fairs and some provincial concerts in Isaan.

Are you producing new music for the younger generation?
Not really. However, some new artists have come to me to ask permission to cover my old songs, like Mike Piromporn, who did a cover version of one of my hits “Tam Nong Klab Sarakham.” Some young local groups asked me to compose a new molam line and they mixed it with my old song to create a new compilation.

Tell us about the upcoming party.
I’ll be the guest vocalist for the Molam Thephabutr band. I think the crowd will be big on that day because it is my first time back in Bangkok in a long time. The first time I played in Bangkok was in 1973. The tickets were B10, we played at Lumpini Park and they had to turn people away because it was so packed. I hope this concert would be fun like that.

As the original look toong Isaan, what do you think of the look toong and molam scene today?
Look toong today is very different from my day, as they stick to the melody too much. It’s not their fault, but it lacks charm and their own identity, which makes the new songs less classics. Today, anyone can be a look toong singer, even if they don’t have a good voice. You just have a pretty face and sexy appearance. Some singers are simply singing words but can’t express the meaning of them. I wish the next generation could realize this and improve their singing style in order to preserve the uniqueness of the traditional look toong.

Have you ever thought about quitting?
I’ve known since I was very young that I wanted to be a singer. I’ve never felt like I wanted to quit, even when I’ve faced struggles. My look toong career might end at the same time as my life. Vasachol Quadri