First job: Painted houses and mowed lawns to buy music equipment.
Rule for life:  Be yourself, everyone else is taken.
Never leave home without: Amex.
Most inspirational person: My kids and my girlfriend Sofia.
Best DJ gig you’ve ever been to: Haven’t yet!
On a night out you: Have more fun than humans are allowed to have.
Close your eyes and listen to my music, you will see: Fun—whatever that looks like.
Hum this tune in the shower: ”Bananas in pajamas.”
Last lie: I’ll never drink again.
What to expect at your gig: An awesome start to an amazing New Year for all.
Favorite website: www.stumbleupon.com.
Favorite audience: People who live for the music, dance it, breathe it, sing it and live it.

Technique & medium: Digital photography on light-box, screen, photographic paper print.

Why Bangkok Noir? Actually Noir is the French word for black. The title is inspired by film noir, which is a movie style that has roots in  German Expressionist  cinematography. It emphasizes  low-key lighting and  unbalanced compositions; this is the perfect characterization for the kind of mood which I want to photograph.  Bangkok is a world of shadows and occasional bursts of light that make it an interesting model for my camera.

What inspired you to take these images? Bangkok itself. Bangkok’s shadows always interest me more than the scattered light. Bangkok is often characterized as an erotic city but there is so much else going on at night.  There is always activity: you can donate a coffin for homeless people in a temple, get a tattoo, visit night and flower markets—and there is always a special food, bar or disco out there. The pictures are taken from everywhere in greater Bangkok, chosen by instinct, by chance and sometimes by planning.

What draws you to a particular image? As a photographer I always found it very challenging to capture the various light moods in Bangkok at night. Sometimes there is only one bulb, one neon strip, a Tuk Tuk passes by with red, green, yellow lights or sometimes there is a fully illuminated  skyscraper. This light, the reflections, rain, clouds and moon are always moving. Everything is permanently changing. You find an amazing location, the next day it has may be gone.

This exhibition is categorized under the five human basic senses, why is that?

For me, there is no other megacity in the world where the human senses are always this stimulated.  Bangkok is a 24-hour kitchen—a smell, a taste, a sound, something to see, to discover, and if you need a touch, get a massage or try giving one. Bangkok is the perfect blend of form, content and feeling. It’s full of shadows and light. I love Bangkok.

Parisa Pichitmarn

Technique & medium: Molded plaster, documentary, installation.

Why Longing for Siam, Inventing Thailand?
This exhibition reflects on the history of our country, focusing on the period between 1932-1937 when the government was trying to “invent” Thailand and build its identity. It was a time where there were a lot of changes, and what Thailand is now is a result of those changes.

Can you tell us about this piece?
It’s an installation set in a dark room containing rows of 600 soldier figures made from plaster. The soldiers are facing a screen showing an animation featuring a revolution of Thailand map and how our forefathers migrated here. The viewers are not allowed to enter the room, though. They peek through the purpose-built holes.

And what’s the message here?
The dark room can be likened to one’s experience at the cinema, but at the same time, the fact that they’re not allowed inside the room will remind them that they can look back to the past, but they can’t change it. The holes are put at different angles to provide the viewers with different perspectives.

So it’s slightly political? It is political, but not intended to critique the May protests or the ongoing political strife. It’s essentially a nostalgic flashback to our country’s patriotic past.

What else can we expect to see at the exhibition?
You will get to see propaganda messages and slogans which aimed to instill civilization in the Thai people in those days by encouraging them to wear hats. I’ll also be doing some live drawings as well.

Keeping up with Siamese Map/Thai at Longing for Siam, Inventing Thailand exhibition

Kittikan Kanjananimman, 37, business owner

“I wish there were a community for artists. I think it would be great for people who can draw to come together on the weekend and go to different places to draw. Going to an orphanage and drawing pictures of the children could be a good idea too.”

Wongploy Chetipanpisit, 35, registrar

“I think having an eco-friendly group would be nice because the weather is constantly changing! They should go plant some trees and do activities to save the environment.”

Sasithorn Pharikhan, 32, office staff

“I want there to be a group that holds parties for the children. Everything is so focused on education, so I think the children would like some fun.”

Prateep Natapa, 42, business owner

“These days there are some issues with senior citizens. There are more aging people compared to the past. There aren’t any activities for them to enjoy. So I think it would be a good idea to have a group that invites older citizens and organizes some activities with them.”

Uattakul Mingchuat, 36, businessman

“I want there to be a community for disabled people to have recreational activities. There isn’t much of that.”

How does the Singaporean palate differ from the Japanese one?
I am still learning about Singapore and the local cuisine as I haven’t had a lot of free time to explore Singapore yet. As for the Singaporean palate, I’m learning about that on an experience by experience basis. In general, I’ve had to make the flavors stronger for my Singaporean guests.

Do you often experiment with different temperatures in your cooking?
I have a keen interest in the molecular structure of ingredients and how the application of heat affects it. As such, I am still looking to find the perfect temperature to achieve the heightening of flavor to the ultimate point, which involves manipulating naturally-occurring glutamic acid and inosinic acid in katsu and konbu, which I use to cook fish, meat and vegetables.

In your opinion, what is the best and most effective technique in enhancing umami?
The original meaning of umami is flavor. However, umami is also the word chosen to represent the fifth sense. Many people think the fifth sense is spicy, but spicy is a stimulant and not a sense. Scientists agree the fifth sense is umami. Both katsu and konbu have naturally occurring glutamic acid and inosinic acid, but the combination of the acids actually heightens umami by eight times. As an example, generally caviar is washed in salted water. However, I wash my own caviar not only in salt water but also in konbu dashi to enhance the flavor. 

How do you gauge a chef’s skill?
Taste is important but the most important thing to measure is guest satisfaction. If your guests are happy and satisfied, I believe that is the sign of great skill in a chef.

How long have you been in this line of work?
I’ve been working in this current assignment for five years now, but overall I’ve been doing this for 32 years. If I am not wrong, my first assignment was at a condominium in West Coast in 1979 which has been en bloc. That was a long time ago but I still thoroughly enjoy my job.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I like to interact with people because it is through interaction that I get to know them and their concerns about the premises. It makes me feel useful and needed as I will do my best to help them. It is different when you are working at a residential area compared to the industrial ones.

What’s the difference?
The type of security needed in a residential area requires an officer to be familiar with the residents. We need to build rapport with the residents so that, in return, they will trust us. Families like to be assured that their homes are taken care of. In an industrial area, we rarely interact with the workers in the building because they come and leave from work and we briefly interact with the delivery people. However, an industrial area requires a different kind of security with all its hazardous machinery and equipments. So knowledge of fire and even bomb safety is a must.

How can I become a security officer?
There are many security companies in Singapore. Approach one and they will send you for a course which will teach you about fire, bombs and other safety precautions. You need a good sense of alertness and be ready to react when needed. That’s why you don’t see me with a radio or anything like that because I need to react fast if anything happens. Good public relation skills are important to build the trust with the people around you, including your colleagues. This makes the job much easier. But for me the most important thing to become a security officer is courage.

Why courage?
When you least expect it, you will come face to face with real danger and you will need courage to react fast. There was this incident during my duty at a warehouse in Senoko industrial estate back in 1992. A car sped into the premises and was targeting a delivery truck carrying valuables. I saw the whole thing and ran towards the vehicle in the hope of foiling their attempt. Unfortunately they were too fast and got away with a handful of the goods. However, I managed to note down the license plate and made a police report soon after. They were caught a couple of days later.

Good job! Is there anything you dislike about your work?
I love the job very much but if there’s anything I really dislike is the nightshift, especially in industrial areas. It can be scary at times but I have no choice; I still have to do it. I remember on this particular night duty at Jurong or Tuas when I came face to face with the supernatural. I was doing my usual patrolling around the compound when I heard someone calling my name. The next thing I know, my head was thrown against a glass panel and I was bleeding profusely. I was admitted to the hospital and received a few stitches and I tendered my resignation the very next day. I’ve also seen weird things like flying white cloth and fireballs that appear and disappear during the night.

I never wanted to do music professionally.

I enjoyed making music when I was younger but I only did it because that was the only way to get girls.

Music was always the thing I breathed. When I was younger, I was a lot more arrogant and brash. I missed a lot of opportunities but now I’m bringing it all back to one goal and that is to build something that would make people’s lives better.

If you look at my Facebook profile, it says, “Terry Lee is a Singaporean music producer.” I think it’s great being a Singaporean in the 21st century.

I did a presentation for the MDA [Media Development Authority] last year for grants. But these people probably figured I was too young to be running a business and to ask for that much money.

I needed that money to start this thing called Hotel Supastar. I wanted to set up a business for young Singaporeans to live the life that I’ve lived. I am a little more privileged in the sense that I’ve had the opportunity to be abroad and I have very international influences. I’ve had the opportunity to see a lot.

I tried to tell the MDA that Singaporeans have the right Asian sensibility as well as a very global perspective on things. I wanted to groom a bunch of kids that have this type of mentality; that has always been my whole thing.

There’s this kid in Singapore; I call him Zique. Zique does my work and while I’m working on some songs for Vanness (Wu) from F4, Zique will work on a drum track.

I’m slowly picking kids to take over my work. Rather than go out and picking someone out from Taiwan, I try to pick these local kids and bring them with me.

If you don’t explore your options, you’ll get stuck in Singapore and you’ll really start to think that getting played on Perfect 10 translates into making it big.

I remember the first time I had my song on Perfect 10 and I thought I’d made it big. Then I remember my second and third songs on Perfect 10 and eventually, I reached a point where I’d stopped counting and realized I still took the bus.

There are a few places in Asia that are the hotspots. One is Singapore, which is quickly becoming the new Hong Kong. The other is China. China is not going to grow as fast as Singapore because they have to deal with demographic and social issues before they can even start worrying about sub-cultures like Pop Art. I think Singapore is almost there.

Singapore musicians are the best in Asia. Period. When I started working in Taiwan, all I ever heard was how good some of our Singaporean musicians are.

You hear a lot of different opinions about me but I’ve never screwed anyone. I put it on my grandfather’s grave; I’ve never screwed anybody. Usually people who say I’ve screwed them are the people who don’t want to work harder for themselves. I have very high standards. Most people cannot keep up and those that do, do very well.

I am the Dalai Lama.

I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I don’t go out late nights clubbing. I quit smoking two years ago. Funnily enough, after I quit my vices, my work really started to take off.

What is the show about?
The vibrant chaos and contradictions of modern India form the backdrop to what is essentially a romantic thriller. It’s a story that is full of outrageous humor, spine-chilling tension and heart-breaking beauty. That is its relevance. It appeals to our humanity.

We love chai! What’s its significance to the play?
The Guru of Chai is the nickname given to the unreliable narrator of this epic tale. Kutisar is a chai wallah (tea seller)—part salesman, part shaman, part conman and a wholly charming but dubious spiritual guide. As he draws us into his story he also brews a pot of chai. Each ingredient punctuates a critical moment in the tale and by the end of the show, the steaming hot cup of spicy sweet chai he pours is filled with significance for us all.
What or who are the scene stealers of the show?
There are certain moments of magic that are woven into the narrative. These are the times where you hear an audible “how did he do that?” gasp from the audience and witness their child-like delight. But even more satisfying are the moments of imaginative magic. These include the combined imaginations of performer and musician and audience work to create a crowded railway station, a frenzied cock fight a conversation with the moon.

What concepts are addressed in The Guru of Chai?
Who has the ultimate power over what we make of our lives, the dangers of keeping your soul locked in a cage and the quest for love in a dispassionate world are just a few.

How is the tale conveyed through you?
I play Kutisar, the Guru, who is the storyteller and our guide into the world of the play. He evokes all the characters, locations and atmospheres with the aid of a few simple props and the support of a rich musical soundscape provided by his long suffering disciple, Dave.

What did it take for you and the team to prepare for something like this?
We took two years to put a show together. When you take that long, you don’t really prepare for the role; the role prepares for you. But the real key to my character is a set of hideous, fake teeth. They are a sort of miniature mask. They completely transform me and enable me to “channel the Guru.”

How will we feel after watching the show?
I hope you leave feeling that your soul has been nourished and with an inexplicable craving for a cup of tea.

Experience a state of enlightenment with The Guru of Chai on Jan 19-29, 4pm, 8pm at the DBS Arts Centre, 20 Merbau Rd., 6733-8166. $35-40 from Sistic.

“I’m happy to say that I had a really positive year with a lot of amazing gigs,” says Dash Berlin; and his incredible work ethic amid a daunting schedule explains why he is known as the Flying Dutchman. Born Jeff X. Sutorius, the Dutch trance DJ began his career in 2008 and after his release of “Till the Sky Falls Down” the same year he was propelled to a status reserved for the likes of Tiesto, Above and Beyond and Armin van Buuren.

In fact, it was Buuren’s Armada label and the inclusion of “Till the Sky Falls Down” in his Universal Religion album that helped catapult Berlin to the top. Not only did 2010 see him moving up from number 105 in 2009 to number 15 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Poll, ("a huge highlight for me," he admits) he was also nominated three times in two categories and won “Best HiNRG/Euro Track” at the 25th International Dance Music Awards. He was also given a prestigious nomination for “Best Trance Track” at the 2010 Trance Awards for “Man on the Run” and listed twice in Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance Top 20 tracks in 2010—such has been the velocity of his climb. Credit should be given to his definitive “Berlin sound,” an inventive play in melodic construction boasting the memorable (and often haunting) vocals of some of the most-sought after artists in trance.

“The global response to the preview of ’Disarm Yourself’ on A State of Trance has been really overwhelming,” says Berlin of the first single from his forthcoming album. Collaborating again with Australian vocalist Emma Hewitt after their last highly acclaimed release “Waiting,” Berlin again delivers an emotionally charged experience. “I think music has the power to move us in all kinds of ways—good or bad. It’s basically a mirror,” he adds. “The way we respond to music says a lot about who we are and how we feel. Trance music is very harmonic and melodic, which can really move people in a positive way.”

Catch Dash Berlin on Jan 8, 10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $25-30 includes two drinks.

Patamaphan Panichapathom, 20, student

“There is this girl I met while I was training, and we got familiar. After a working with her for a month, I realized that she used the same web-board as me, and went to the same concert and sat right next to me before.”

Piti Limcharoen, 42, song writer

“I dropped someone off after a party then I realized that she had forgotten the fruits that she was eating in my car. The next day I went to her house and returned her fruits, which had gone bad. We became friends after that.”

Sirilert Chalitruangkul, 35, executive secretary

“On my first day of kindergarten, my mom went into the play area with me and picked two girls whom she thought would be perfect friends for me. Three of us became best friends and were really close for around six years. I have recently found one of them on Facebook.”

Benjamin Lawter, 20, student

“My friend introduced me to her best friend once online, and we chatted a lot. Then I had a disagreement with my old friend, and we stopped speaking. But then, her best friend became close friends with me, although I have yet to meet her in person.