The American born-Greece based electronic dance music DJ/Producer has his music firmly rooted in the spiritual traditions of Ifa—a Yoruba religion from Africa—which is reflected in his irrepressible sound. 

My favourite line to introduce myself is… this is Osunlade.

I’ve been based in Greece for years now because… I’m at peace there.

Ifa is… a nature based culture in which you individually balance your paths and choices in hopes of polarity.

House music is… soul music.

No one would ever believe that I… have never been to Nigeria.

My worst gig this year was… the ones that didn't happen.

My best was… the ones that did.

My idea of a perfect set is… oneness of selection and the crowd.

If I wasn’t a DJ I would… do the other things I currently do now like photography, among other things.

I would give anything to… own a private jet.

2010 has been… wonderful.

2011 will be… fulfilling.

My experience of Singapore is… always fantastic.

On my upcoming gig at Zouk I will… have fun and join my Zouk family once again.

Sacred and deeper tribal sounds abound as Osunlade dishes the African vibe on Dec 17, 10pm at Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $30-35 includes two drinks.

Technique & medium: Platinum prints.

Why did you choose to touch on the subject of Buddhism and why in Luang Prabang in particular?
Luang Prabang, having been closed to visitors for many decades, offers me an opportunity to document the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Laos in a very unique way.

What’s the Buddhist Heritage Project?
My work is community-based, and with the sangha in Luang Prabang, we set up the Buddhist Heritage Project which includes the Buddhist Archive of Photography, a 120-year archive of photographs from monasteries in Luang Prabang, the Buddhist Academy of Higher Education and an enlistment of endangered art objects in Luang Prabang for the establishment of a Museum at Vat Saen Sukharam. Finally, we also have the Vipassana teaching retreats.

Tell us about “Courage”?
This is a novice, or little naga, who’s going through ordination to enter the sangha, a rite of passage that requires great courage for a boy. The portrait captures the change in his entire composure and spirit as he transitions into becoming a novice.

Your past works have mostly been in black and white. Would you say that defines your own personal style?
Black-and-white has power when it comes to subjects like religion. When done in platinum prints as in this exhibition, it is a special combination of the subject and the medium that has to be experienced in person. That is the hallmark of this show.

How does being a writer help you in your photography and vice versa?
The writing keeps me intellectually stimulated and my photography work reflects that.

What inspired 18 Monkeys?
I had a chance to go see the Queen’s Khon: Nang Loi episode, and was impressed with the army of monkeys. There was something contemporary about them. I’m particularly interested in Monkey Kasorntamala, because he still fights for King Rama, even though he took a friend-for-life oath with the King’s nemesis, Demon Mungornkan. It made me question Kasorntamala’s motives and the dilemma of duty and friendship he faces. It’s political and very relevant.

What were some of the challenges during the making of this production?
The seven performers come from different acting backgrounds and they’re all highly individualistic. It’s pretty challenging to get them to interpret my visions the way I want it. However, they have to be really passionate about what they’re portraying to be convincing.

Your works of late have been re-interpretations of Thai classics. Is that the direction you’re currently heading in?
Not necessarily. My previous productions saw a mix of East and West, like Carmen and Sudsakorn. The latter turned likay into a modern dance theater, which received overwhelmingly positive feedback. I think it depends on my inspiration from travelling aboard as well as the things and people surrounding me. My style is for each performer to have an equal part in communicating with the audience. I don’t like doing the same things, but sometimes the traditional Thai performing arts provide an invaluable source for me, or any artist, to create.

What do you think about the dying art of khon?
I think putting khon in a more modern, relevant context might be another solution in preserving and spreading this precious national art form. Any kind of art has a beauty in itself and it has an undying power to inspire.

Keeping up 18 Monkeys at Patravadi Theater

My parents knew that I was stubborn so they let me get hurt and learn my own lessons.

I loved going to Bonanza, our hotel in Khao Yai, for outdoor activities. I realized when I got older that maybe my family would take me there, as the oldest son, so that I would bond with the place.

I got a modeling job when I ran into [scout and film director] Poj Arnon at Siam. I had just graduated from junior high school in England. He asked me to do a photo shoot for The Boy magazine. After that, jobs kept coming.

It was pretty fun back then. I met lots of people and hung out with friends. All of my modeling money went on partying.

I started taking drugs for the adrenalin rush. As a teenager, I just wanted to try it.

My family intervened after I had been doing drugs for a year. They were afraid that my life would fall apart, so they sent me to study abroad again, this time to New Zealand.

It was all so natured and quiet, compared to Bangkok’s bustling atmosphere, where we had parties till dawn at the pubs.

I had to be patient even though I wanted it to be over as soon as possible. My dad didn’t pay for my expenses. It was pretty exhausting to study all day and work all night.

These struggles shaped me. I realized how well-intentioned my family was and I had to give back to them. My first task was getting a bachelor’s degree. That is essential to having dignity in our society.

I chose finance because no one in my family had studied it. And finance is the life blood of any business.

My dad let me manage our family business without coaching me. He built his business with nothing but will and hard work.

I love to play golf so I decided to renovate Bonanza’s golf course. It was a success, and was chosen as the main course for the SEA games in 2007.

Our first concert event in 2008 had huge facility problems. But even professional planners don’t always get it right 100%. We learned from our mistakes.

Big Mountain 2 is meant to be a real music festival.

Neighboring countries like Japan, Singapore and Malaysia already have something like this. They can export their culture via these long festivals.

I don’t agree that our concert is disturbing animals in the national park. It’s in a different area to the UNESCO forest.

The biggest problem with being in a family business is building up your credibility among the employees. They might see me as a rich boy running his father’s business, which makes it harder to get them to listen to me or follow what I say.

I didn’t do everything right, but some of it was successful. After five or six years, it seems they’ve accepted me.

If you want people to listen, make them see the future first.

I am still involved in the entertainment industry because my old friends are still there and ask me to show up at events.

I have become a target for gossip news and rumors involving actresses [including his famous girlfriend, Taksaorn “AF” Paksukcharoen]. I get really frustrated about this. Besides, it impacts my perceived reliability, which is essential in business.

I can’t ignore the news. I’m a businessman. I have to follow the current social trends.

I used to underestimate acting jobs. I thought they were easy. I changed my mind after appearing in My Best Bodyguard with Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana. It’s tough to make the audience believe your performance. I really respect actors now. It’s an art.

I love to hang out with experienced people. It’s like playing sports with brilliant players. It will make you advance yourself. Don’t have too much ego. Just ask them for advice.

The most important thing in life is to have goals. If we live pointlessly, we cannot motivate ourselves to achieve.

BK: How long have you been in the music business?
Rick: I’ve been playing for a living for 22 years. The last time I had a day job was 12 years ago, but it was always music-related.

BK: How did you end up in Bangkok?
Rick: First I came here just as a backpacker in 1999, and while a lot of places have great beaches and great food, the people are why I came back. They’re very chilled out and cool, very welcoming to tourists.

BK: Do you think American-style music has appeal here?
Rick: The feedback I’ve gotten so far is that people dig it. I would like more people to hear it. There is a mix of stuff on there, something for everyone.

BK: What are the challenges of being a foreigner in the Bangkok music business?
Rick: Finding places to play, finding an audience. In Bangkok, there are limited venues where foreigners can play.

BK: Music can bridge cultures. Has your music connected American and Thai culture in any way?
Rick: I specifically made the first song the one that is easiest for Thais to listen to. It is similar to some Thai rock sounds. So my plan was to have people find that song and then hopefully listen to the other styles and expose themselves to something they haven’t listened to before, like an American country song.

BK: In your song “Krungthep (City of Angels),” you said you planned to go home when there were riots here. What made you stay?
Rick: I think the in the long-term, the future is bright here; I am optimistic about the future in Thailand. That song is available for free on my Facebook, I want to give it out to Thai people. It’s written for them.

BK: What’s your next plan after the album, and what is your biggest dream?
Rick: I am going to keep writing, I am going to try to promote this, try to get it heard as much as possible and hopefully do some shows with some Thai artists. But I’d be happy playing in the house band in my own beach bar 20 years from now, so long as it’s music. That’s a funny thing I get asked by people here, “How long are you going to do music?” As if it’s not a real job or a noble profession. I mean, that’s what I do. What else am I going to do? Interview by Carissa Devine

How did you get involved with cooking?
I never trained as a chef. It was a kind of play for me as a child to help my mother and grandmother in the kitchen. When I was studying in the UK, I didn’t have a lot of money, so I had to cook for myself.

We don’t really do recipes in Thai food. We just estimate. Is that how you learned?
When I opened my restaurant in London, I would stand at the wok with my chef beside me, telling me what to do and when. I never measured anything, but learned the importance of timing and process. For example, if you cook the shrimp too long, it becomes hard. If you add the garlic to the oil, and then add the meat later, the meat becomes flavored with garlic.

So was it hard to write precise recipes for your books?
I always say in my books that the recipes are just guidelines. In Thai cooking, different fish sauces have different levels of saltiness. Even with produce, all over the world, they have different tastes.

Not all chefs become cookbook writers. How did you get started?
My customers wanted me to start a school, but that would have been too time-consuming, so I put together a book. In the 1980s, no one in the UK knew anything about Thai food. Even my publishers couldn’t point to Thailand on a map. I wanted to tell people about my country, how people live. They only knew about the sex industry.

How did you research your recipes?
In the old days, I would go to villages and talk to the people. It was very different. People were self-sufficient. They would say, “I don’t need money at all. I have a house, vegetables, chickens.” Even the rice they grew, they would feed their families for the whole year. They sold only the surplus. When they killed a cow, they would divide it among all the houses. These days, it’s different. You might want a phone, television, kids need to go to school. You need money for that. It’s a shame.

Are your recipes suited to Western palate?
Thai people using my recipes might find them a bit light and choose to add more seasonings. One of my earlier books, Thai Kitchen, was for the American market, so the recipes were for bigger portions. It’s not as simple as just doubling the recipe.

The Big Book of Noodles is more international that your previous books. How come?
Noodles really originated in China, and other Asian countries adapted them into their own cuisines. When my publishers suggested a book on Thai noodles, I said it would be better to cover Asian noodles.

What are you working on now?
I set up my own arts and craft homestay in Chiang Mai, called La Bhu Salah. We have pottery, batik, wood-carving and even cooking. Guests can stay in rooms above the workshops. I teach cooking, not like a school; I demonstrate to them.

As a kid I was naughty as hell! I was always getting into trouble and eventually my despairing parents sent me off to boarding school for some real discipline.

I wanted to be a doctor growing up but later on I realized it wasn't for me. My parents are both doctors so I thought I would follow in their footsteps, but I think in retrospect they are probably glad I didn't!

My memories of childhood are mostly good and my fondest recollections are of breakfasts with the whole family on Sundays. My parents worked very hard so we didn't see them all that often on weekdays; but Sunday breakfasts were always special. We would have our favorite meal of nasi padang and mee siam!

My first real job was as a lawyer. I actually really enjoyed practice!

Creating Wanderlust was about having as many talented people contributing to a project as possible. We wanted something interesting and diverse, so the idea of working with different designers for the different levels came about from this.

You really have to work to your target customer. A Raffles Hotel customer, for example, is looking for something very different from a Wanderlust customer. We are in Little India and we play on that. The hotel is housed in a unique building and with all our projects; the conservation aspect and respecting the history of the building is paramount.

The hotel industry in Singapore is likely to continue growing and by its very nature it’s open to innovation and new trends. This will mean new offerings and new customers. It’s very exciting but I don't know any more than the next person what the next trend will be. It’s all about keeping an open mind and constantly exploring.

Singaporeans will never be our primary target as hotels rely on visitors for the bulk of their business but we do get some Singapore residents who spend the weekend with us. They generally do enjoy staying in hotels and it’s a nice getaway for them.

I never have enough time. Sometimes taking the day off makes me feel guilty because there is so much still to do!

I believe in myself so I’m not really concerned about other people's opinion.

I think just having a happy settled family life is what I want to achieve. I’m definitely not set on world domination or anything like that. I just enjoy spending time doing nothing and hanging out with my wife and family. To me, that is true luxury.

For me, life is about having fun and not taking things too seriously.

I-S interrupts the evil plans of the Ugly Step Sisters (don’t tell them we said that!) Precious and Treasure (played by Chua Enlai and Darius Tan respectively) in time for a quick (and quintessentially Singlish and bitchy) chat about… well, you’ll find out.

So Precious, what’s so precious about you?
Precious: I am as rare as the most delicious hairy crab. Treasure, on the other hand, is just hairy.
Treasure: Oi! I am not hairy, OK! Just a few strands here and there! Yeah, you are a rarity so better lock you up far away so no one can see you!

And Treasure? Why do you think your parents named you that?
P: Heavy, mah.
T: So rude, Precious! Mummy and Daddy gave me this name because I am “treasurably” gorgeous!

Do you think you’re very pretty?
P: No, I am like the Suites class in the A380. I am beyond pretty. There are no words to describe me apart from gorgeous, highly attractive, simply irresistible and sedap!
T: Yeah, I agree totally, sister! But I am the gorgeouser, attractiver, irresistabler and sedaper sister!

Describe your Prince Charming.
P: A millionbilliontrillionkerjillionaire. But don't get me wrong; I am very independent. Very vogue to say that now, right?
T: Ooh my Prince Charming must be rich and handsome, and must obey and listen to me all the time! I like to be in control lah.

What will your wedding be like?
P: It will be the grandest ball in the universe. In fact it will be like a Miss Universe pageant, telecast all over the world but with me as the winner. Got national costume, evening wear and even a swimsuit catwalk! Every year, I'll win. 
T: Wah Precious, you want to get married every year ah? Mine will be a beautiful and big safari wedding held at Marina Bay Sands! Mummy likes to go there mah!

What do you want to be when you grow up?
P: A tai tai. 
T: Hey! Me too! 

See what else the Ugly Step Sisters and damsel in distress Cindy get up to in Cinderel-lah! Through Dec 11, 2:30pm, 8pm. Esplanade Theatre,
1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377. $29-99 from Sistic.

Most prominent DJs grew up surrounded by some form of music, were you one of those?

I grew up in a musical and creative family so it was just a natural thing (to progress into music) I guess. I was collecting records from about 10 and playing guitar from about 12 and then started DJing and making beats in my teens.

And you also used to draw when you were a kid, was that where your moniker came from?

Yeah, all the time when I was younger and kanevils were these little characters I drew. So it was from that, really.

You’re into Jap anime characters Gally and Keroro Gunso…

I love Gally for her strength, determination, playful innocence, confusion and honesty; she's just such an amazing character. Keroro because he's a space frog surrealist…

What about real life heroes?

J Dilla, Timbaland, RZA, Arvo Part, Sufjan Stevens, Toru Takemitsu and A Tribe Called Quest. Why? Because they are all magnificent!

Big hip hop names but what’s hip hop to you?

It's difficult to say now; it has spread its wings so far and wide. But I think it's something to do with drums, with the vibe, the DIY energy and a certain mindset.

What do you think of the current music trends?

It's dope, there's so much crazy music out right now it’s almost overwhelming. It feels like the beats era or something.

2010 is coming to a close. How was it for you?

RBMA has to be a highlight, it was too amazing. The Modeselektor lecture in particular was some next shit. The Soundwave and Outlook festivals were crazy. Man, it has been an amazing year actually. My album coming out was cool too!

And 2011?

I have a bunch of remixes, an EP with Foreign Beggars and a beat tape made from Raymond Scott samples coming out. I've co-produced an album with the group Stateless which drops on Ninja Tune in February.

Catch Kidkanevil in action at Syndicate 12’s Red Bull Music Academy Special feat. Kidkanevil and Daisuke Tanabe on Dec 4, 10pm at Home Club, #B1-01/06 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd., 6538-2928. $15 (includes one drink).

As a child: My life was great. I grew up in London with elder brothers and sisters all playing cool music to me.
First job: In a men’s clothing boutique called Style.
Rule of life: Love life, love family.
Most inspirational person: John Lennon.
Hum this tune in the shower: Miley Cyrus’ stuff.
Can’t leave home without: My iPhone.
Listening to: Broken bells.
Favorite website? Facebook.
Favorite Bangkok noise/sound: Tuktuk.
Most annoying thing you have to encounter every day: Emails.
Best gig you’ve ever been to: Paul Weller.
In 20 years: Hopefully involved in music somewhere.

Catch Steve Smith at Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project