BK: How did you guys get together?
Tun: We started to play music in seventh grade, inspired by Thai and international bands like Pause, Bodyslam, the Eagles, and Nirvana. We’ve been going for about six years now, but our members have changed a lot in that time. Only Tin and I are original members.

BK: Have you ever considered joining a major record label?
Tin: We once worked with a big music company. But when we finished the album, they said they wanted our songs, but would give them to other musicians to play because we didn’t have the right look. So we decided to launch our own label called One Tuesday. We now take care of another couple of bands. We don’t want anyone to change who we are and the music we make.

BK: What are some of the problems facing the Thai music industry?
Tin: Instead of being genuine and original, Thai songs often just copy international singles. Artists take some parts of international songs, whether it is the melody, the beat, or the lyrics, and slightly alter them.
Tun: Big labels care more about the business side of things than the music itself. I want people to be more open to new bands. But bands also need to produce high quality music.
Tae: So many people buy pirate CDs or download music online, which discourages musicians from producing good work.

BK: What’s next for the band?
Tun: We expect to play a lot of gigs once we become more famous! At the moment, we don’t like to play live at pubs too much because we don’t want to cover other musicians’ songs.

BK: What do each of you do outside of the band?
Tun: Tin and I study film at Rangsit University.
Fern: Nothing. I quit school in 10th grade with my dad’s approval. He wants me to take over the family business and learn to live a real life. It’s useless for me to study things I’m not going to use or do, anyway.
Tae: I like cooking ,so I want to open my own restaurant. I’m about to run a waffle franchise. I gave up studying a bachelor’s degree after attending three universities. I even became a monk three times in order to sort my feelings out.
James: I attend non-formal education because I want to focus more on music than studying.

BK: What do you think about the Thai education system?
Tin: Teachers stick too much to outdated textbooks.
Fern: Thai education makes easy things difficult. It’s just pointless.
Tae: Corruption is everywhere. People are greedy. Adults should pay more attention to virtue so that children can learn to be happy with simple things.

Check out Whatever’s new single, “Khang Gai” (“The Ones Beside You”), at www.facebook.com/whatever.page