How long have you been playing together?
We’ve been playing for about 4-5 months now as TRIP. All of us met years ago but during the time we were playing in different bands and working on solo projects. We finally decided to start a band together because we realized how much we all had in common.

You guys are still very new—played any gigs yet?
Not yet but we're looking forward to doing so. We're excited to bring to music fans a fresh sound resulting from all our personalities fused together.

What inspires you?
We like artists who are different and aim to make their listeners feel something, like Queen and Lady Gaga. A lot of people nowadays are inspired by feel-good music. We'd love to achieve that, sure, but we also want to be one of those bands that can make you feel like you're not alone.

What's success to you?
Gaining popularity both locally and internationally. Our biggest dream is to play alongside bands on tours such as the Vans Warped Tour and Australia's Soundwave Festival. We also want to make something that our listeners will hit the play button over and over for.

What's coming up for you other than your marketing efforts on Gushcloud?
Our debut album, a self-titled EP, is coming out soon but we don't have an exact release date. We will definitely update our fans through our social media pages. There'll be six to seven tracks on this EP and we hope music fans everywhere enjoy it.  

When was the last time you went crazy?
We always go crazy when we're together. We never fail to surprise even ourselves whenever we're on an outing or practicing.

Any thoughts on the Singapore music scene?
It's still in its tender stage. There are many talented groups in Singapore that lack exposure. We hope to be a part of the revolution when it comes.

Check out TRIP's profile on Gushcloud.

 
 

I would draw every day and on everything I could find. I never thought that my passion for drawing could become a career until I learned what architecture was all about.

Like other typical parents at the time, mine wanted me to be a doctor. However, it was out of the question once I discovered that I was so afraid of blood. They understood my fear, and wanted me to be an engineer instead.

It was difficult to picture what the future would look like at the time when I began college. People had such little understanding of how a degree could contribute to a specific career.

No one, including me, really studied what they eventually ended up doing. I chose to study architecture because it was the best compromise between art and science.

The architecture faculty’s acting club introduced me to what ultimately became the biggest part of my college life. After my third year, I knew that I didn’t want to be an architect.

An architect’s main job is to convince people, to influence people’s taste. And I knew I couldn’t and didn’t want to do it. However, I think I tried to find issues with being an architect because my heart wasn’t in it anymore.

I was definitely discouraged by the movie Khon Khon’s low gross. But despite the disappointment, I have come to understand today’s society.

There’s no point in explaining to people that my work has nothing to do with politics. Instead, my work now focuses on a smaller group of people, who care about my work for the work itself, and not because of other factors. That’s how the musical project Lung Ka Dang came along.

I used to be devastated when my movies didn’t break even in the past. Experience has taught me to be a stronger person, to find the cause of the problem and to seek a way to solve it instead of just crying my eyes out.

To me, success is when people receive the messages I send through the art I have created. In art, you cannot bluntly say what you want to say. People need to be able to pick up on the messages themselves.

Being both a director and a producer of Khon Khon limited my ability to create the work I had imagined it to be. In Thailand, there aren’t any studios that give a director the freedom to present his messages through his art without having to worry about the business aspect. It isn’t my job to care about whether the movie will make money—that’s a producer’s job.

To live with purpose, you need to accept the consequences of your decisions. I never thought that being involved in a political situation would affect my acting career. But once it did, I asked myself if I still have the same standpoint as when I first joined; and I do. In order to live a good life, I must stand for what I believe in.

Fame does not always come from talent in today’s media industry, but from marketing strategies—how good you are at promoting yourself. In a society where everyone follows or copies everyone else, a few powerful people get to set trends and choose the fate of actors.

The industry gets increasingly narrow-minded every day. Horror and comedy movies keep coming out one after the other because it is the trend and brings in the most money. People continue to do what makes the most money, without considering whether they have sent useful messages to the public.

I want to have an education center, where I can teach little kids about acting. I want to pass on my artistic vision as it has been overlooked. I believe that the business aspect, which draws people’s attention to this industry, should be significantly less emphasized.

My children are my happiness. They are the only treasure that I have created, taken care of, and raised to be valuable assets for society.

I don’t force my family to have the same beliefs as me because I know I’m not always right. However, for a better understanding of each other, I insist that we discuss our standpoints to make sure our decisions are rational.

I believe in karma and the cause and effect of every action. It is the best explanation to life. In order to control your actions, you must first understand yourself. It helps me lead a conscious life.

How does your solo material differ from that of Animal Machine?
Animal Machine is all about drum n’ bass and a little dubstep that can be performed live as a five-piece band. But, as my new single “Let You Go” shows, my solo project is not so limited in scope. It reflects my DJ style since I’ve started incorporating deep house, breakbeat, techno and electro.

What kind of stuff can we expect from Zoo Studio?
Previously all [Animal Machine members] had DJ jobs, so the band was a part-time thing. Now the time has come to get serious with Zoo Studio. Last month, we launched the first single from my friends’ band Funky Gangster and this month we launch mine. And the next single will be from Animal Machine, as even though I’ve got my solo project, the band is still very much active.

Dubstep is everywhere right now. Do you think it’s getting mainstream?
Dubstep is already mainstream. There are huge international acts like Skrillex, and even Justin Bieber says he wants to do dubstep. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing. Trends come and go. And dubstep has been around for over 10 years, anyway. With roots in reggae, the pure stuff will never die or be treated as a fad.

Where do you think the local DJ scene is headed?
All music, not only electronic, is like fashion. It evolves. At some stage, the old stuff will come back in fashion. Lately I’ve seen some leading underground DJs revisit old-school funky house. I like that style, so I’d be happy for it to be the next big thing.

How do you describe your relationship with the music you create?
As with anything I do in life, I put my heart and soul into producing music. All my remixes are very, very special to me, and I’m thankful to everyone who appreciates the music I play and produce.

Who are your biggest influences?
Legends like Michael Jackson and Madonna, to name just two. They’ve inspired me in every way with their music and helped me to become the person I am today.

How different is it spinning Bollywood tunes compared to international hits?
Be it Bollywood or international songs, for me personally it all comes down to having love for the music that I play.

Tell us a little about Hype.
Hype is India’s first and only line of luxury nightclubs, located in three of India’s biggest cities, Bombay, Delhi, and now Goa. They are nightclubs in the truest sense of the word, playing all kinds of dance music with state of the art lighting and sound.

Define your ideal club or place to DJ?
I love what I do, no matter where I play. I play for the people and every time I go out and hit the decks the excitement remains the same for me.

What are you looking forward to the most about coming to Thailand?
A super rocking show and having a great time.

What are three words that describe you?
Passionate, fun-loving and perfectionist.

Why did you start selling honey?
I needed extra money for my family. I usually work on a farm in my hometown of Non Sila in Konkaen province, where I live with my husband, daughter and son-in-law. I come to Bangkok when I have enough honey to sell. Selling honey is what I know best as Non Sila has a great reputation for wild honey collecting. It’s a family business, really.

What’s your typical day like?
I generally work from 8am to 5pm when selling honey. Sometimes I need to take a rest on a corner because my basket contains about eight bottles of honey and many honeycombs so it’s really, really heavy.

What’s your income?
I come to Bangkok about once a month, but it depends on how much honey we can find. This time, I have come with four people: my husband and other relatives. The price of the honeycomb depends on the size. A regular size one is B100 while a bigger one is B120-130. I plan to spend a couple of days here this time in the hope of making about B5,000-6,000. It’s not that much money, but every little bit counts.

Who are your customers?
I get all types, from Thais to Japanese, foreigners to Isaan locals. Often office workers will buy from me. Some people like to buy an entire honeycomb, and squeeze the honey out themselves, while others prefer to just buy a bottle. Each bottle contains honey from about five or six honeycombs, so I sell them for B300 each. The honey can be preserved for more than 10 years if you keep it in the fridge. Seeing my customers enjoy the sweet taste of my honey fills me with joy and makes me proud of my job.

Do you ever get stung by bees?
Yes, of course. It’s just nature’s way that if you invade their hive, the bees will fight to protect themselves. That said, I hardly ever get stung because it’s not my job to retrieve the honeycomb. Sometimes members of my team get stung and their eyes or cheeks become swollen, but they’re generally fine because they’re used to it. The bees I carry around with me are mostly stingless because they are only babies.

Is there a best time to buy honey?
We collect honeycomb year-round, but March is a particularly good time because this is when a flower called dok noon, which Bangkokian call dok ngiew, is in bloom. It has the sweetest pollen which means the bees can produce the nicest honey at this time.

Any parallels between your life and that of your character?
Helmi Fita: Yes and no. It’s complex. My character Man is married and blessed with a child, which he later loses. I am single. But we are similar in our search to understand love, happiness, sadness, anger and lost.

What is the most challenging part about the role?
HF: Trying to understand what it’s like to be married and have a child. To exist in a space and to breathe life into the character while also executing all the physical elements, plus poetry, is a big challenge. One must be fully immersed and focused.

Do you get along well with the rest of the cast?
Eleanor Tan: Yes, it has been an exhilarating process of creation and collaboration. With emotionally charged, intimate issues being explored, it was inevitable that many private feelings and experiences were shared by the playwright, director and cast members. My fellow practitioners bring such honesty, passion and generosity to their work. Experiences like this are the reason why I do theater.

Do you have a favorite scene?
HF: It has to be the death scene of the baby. It’s a roller coaster ride of true honest emotions, without being too indulgent.

ET: I don't want to give too much away, but there is a scene where I do some damage to Helmi. It's not the actual physical violence that resonates with me, but the recognition that rage, hate, contempt and the desire to hurt are normal parts of a relationship, and not incompatible with love.

The show has dark themes. Are you generally drawn to such pieces?
ET: I think exploring darker themes can take an actor to very frightening vulnerable places but any actor worth her salt should be willing to go there. Bleeding Grace intimately explored some issues very close to my heart, and made it necessary for me to make my peace with a few personal demons. It has definitely been a memorable fascinating journey.

What would you like audiences to take away from the performance?
ET: I leave that to them. What excites me most about art is that it is not possible to predict all the responses you will get. I have been surprised frequently by audience reactions, amazed by how even something which seemed small and incidental to me could touch someone deeply and provoke recognition, reflection and even revelation.

Helmi Fita and Eleanor Tan star in Bleeding Grace July 5-7, 8pm at the Esplanade Theatre Studio.
 

What inspired you to start the Green Singapore Sale?
Everyone knows about the annual Great Singapore Sale from May 25 to July 22. I thought it would be great if we could have something similar within that sale period for environmentally conscious shoppers and to support local green retailers.

What were the biggest concerns putting this event together?
Initially, we were worried that retailers wouldn’t be interested in TGSS. But in the end, 66 retailers signed up, surpassing our target of 50. We were also worried about marketing as we did not have the resources to promote the event. Fortunately, we managed to enlist the support of 14 partners to help us spread the word.

Why don’t more Singaporeans buy environmentally friendly goods?
There are three common barriers: Consumers don’t know where to find the products, they have the impression that such products are expensive and they question whether green claims are really true.

Why did you decide to make this an online event?
This is the first year for TGSS so we decided to keep it simple. We provide an online map with the location of green retailers and the discounts they offer. Consumers go to the actual stores to buy the products or buy them online.

What kind of response do you expect?
We hope to see 10-20% more customers visiting participating retailers.

The Green Singapore Sale (TGSS) runs through July 22 at The Green Singapore Sale website.

Can you give us an example of what you do?
We came up with Swaytrain, a site that directs a portion of your online shopping dollars to a charity of your choice, and recently showcased a photography exhibition that discusses the meaning of poverty here.

Has it been tough starting out?
It’s not just about being able to financially sustain the business. There is the emotional side of constantly dealing with rejection, especially when your commitment and passion for a new concept is not necessarily shared by everyone.

What do you aim to achieve?
We believe “doing good is good business” and Singapore is the perfect place to pilot new concepts. Hopefully, our on-going initiative UP Singapore, which works on improving urban environments through the creative use of technology and data, will have a positive impact.

Why do you admire those who help the under-served and isolated?
Time is priceless; it’s not something you can ever get back, which is why it’s important to recognize the people who dedicate their time to helping others.

It’s interesting that your bio says you “hustle those less fortunate on the squash courts of Singapore”.
My co-founder Jason was having some fun when he wrote that. It just means that I love squash, compete a lot and am very supportive of its development here.

Any tips on sustaining a start-up?
Be very clear on what you’re out to achieve and what success looks like. This makes it easier for you to keep your feet on the ground during the good times and get through the tough times.

Sexy is… sleeping nude in a freshly made bed.

I get turned on when… I buy new lingerie at Victoria’s Secret.

I would kill for… dinner at Megu in New York. I adore its entire menu.

I like singing in the shower… because no one is recording it.

The most embarrassing I’ve ever done was… greeting someone “Hello, sir” when it was actually a woman.

My worst habit is… chocolate. I constantly crave it.

If I had a million dollars… I’d buy a little island away from the madness of life.

Zouk punters can expect… some fresh edits and new tracks within my set.

Miss Nine spins on July 13 at Zouk.

What turns me on? A perfectly grilled piece of lightly salted saba fish because it is not easy to make. It is an art form.

MSG, which I fondly call “MSN,“ makes me sick because it is so pervasive in Asian cooking, particularly Chinese food.

I see the funny side of everything in life and I try not to take myself too seriously either. This is evident in all my work—from my stuff in MTV to my films and in the TV series that I’ve created.

After watching one particularly tear-jerking Taiwanese movie, my mother with eyes swollen from crying said to me in Cantonese, “Life is bitter enough. Why did I pay to watch something so bitter?” She made a lot of sense.

I never understood why I was constantly told to be more serious when I was young. The ability to laugh at myself is probably one of my better qualities. I hope.

Memories and dreams make me soar.

Shoes bring me back down to earth.

Anything that requires dedication, concentration and skills to reach perfection is sexy to me.

As a kid, I wanted to change the world for the better through revolution. I still do, but now my revolution is creating unique entertainment content that increases the happiness quotient of global viewers.

Happiness is infectious. The positive energy that it creates, relaxes and energizes me and often the byproduct is really creative thoughts.

I live to create more stories, characters, different worlds and ideas that entertain while making viewers pause and think about various issues in life.

The TV pilot that I have just completed for new TV series Almost is a good example of my work. It deals with characters that, unbeknownst to them, are living in an alternate universe.

This oyster smells funny… oh well, you only live once. Here goes. Slurp.