‘Solitude Is Bliss’ has just completed their 'Head to Toe' tour from north to south of Thailand. This alternative rock band from Chiang Mai is well-known for their unique musical style and masterful live performances, honed from over 11 years of experience in the alternative music industry. They began with their EP album Montage, which features the iconic track 'Vintage Pic'. This song embodies innocence and deeply resonates with fans, prompting enthusiastic sing-alongs at every live show. For their latest EP album 'Such A Vast Sea', they have decided to return to basics in terms of production while maintaining their signature charm for outstanding sound design.
Today, EQ had the chance to visit their base in Chiang Mai to discuss their concepts, lives, and experimental approach to music-making, including their recent experiences touring new places and their aspirations to see their music flourish in their hometown.
What genre is ‘Solitude Is Bliss’ currently?
Pound: It's still alternative rock, just an alternative. We haven't settled on a specific direction yet. We're experimenting with various styles of songs and blending them together, but our main focus remains on alternative rock.
How do you define ‘Solitude Is Bliss' alternative style?
Fender: It's about creating new work by using what intrigues us in the music we've been listening to endlessly at a particular moment to experiment with our own work. This has become our strength. Because we've defined ourselves simply as alternatives and didn't specify our genre from the start, we can try new techniques with our work.
Is ‘Solitude Is Bliss’ an easy-listening band?
Fender: Since it's something we usually listen to, we don't find it hard to listen to. But in Thailand, it might be something that people might not get at first. You might need to listen to it a couple of times, depending on each person. Some people get it in one go, while others are like, 'What is this?'
Has anyone ever said to you, like, 'Hey, your band's music is hard to get!'?
Fender: Mostly from those who aren't our fans. When people we know who aren't familiar with this genre of music say it's hard to listen to, we also want to reply, 'The songs you listen to are challenging for us too.' Every genre has its own complexities. Each album we've worked on has clear changes in terms of sound design and our thought processes. But in the end, we still have to go back and play our old setlist.
Are there songs you get tired of playing but have to play anyway? Are there songs like that?
Fender: Yes, of course there are. But it's like... this is such a hard question! (laughs). There are two types: sometimes it's a decision of the band but I’m not really into it anymore. So I wouldn't enjoy playing that song very much. And also songs like 'Sex' and 'Wanderer Land', it's not as if I hated them but they're not really my vibes.
Heard that the band once made a song called 'Khaya' or Garbage, but it didn't make the cut because it turned out to be real garbage, how did that happen?
Beer: This one, I'll let Fender tell. There's some embarrassment involved.
Fender: You mean my song? (laughs) It just didn't work out. We tried to wrestle with it, which turned it into real garbage. The reason lies within its name. We can't release it.
But if it's real garbage, doesn't that mean it was a success?
Everyone: Hahahaha!
Fender: I don't know. We can say that a garbage song could be a good song, but let's hold that thought.
Are there a lot of demos that haven't made it?
Beer: We want to bring some back too, actually we might. Maybe they could be a bonus track.
Fender: It's incomplete in itself, the lyrics are vague, the direction doesn't match the remaining songs. We usually revise these kinds of songs into something different and use them in a different format. We don't let it all go to waste. It's probably about timing, just not for now. It's like we still need more time to refine the sound design part.
Beer, will you continue with 'Kgreen'?
Beer: No solid plans at the moment, just rough plans. Sometimes I'm like, should we do it? But I'm still confused with myself, so I just take a break and focus completely on 'Solitude'.
In this 11-year journey, how much have you grown up or changed from the start?
Fender: Please ask the new member.
Art: I joined 2 years ago, so it was around year 9. I started as a fan just like everyone else. I've seen the original members for so long. I've been trying to keep up with them. There are still many things I haven't caught up with or haven't reached their level yet. I'm trying to improve to be able to keep up with everyone else.
What are the difficulties of joining the band later?
Art: I can get along with their vibes and energy smoothly but need to adjust some of my techniques to fit more with the band, only in some small parts, to make it more compatible.
How do you feel, Dong, working with Art?
Dong: Um, I...
Art: I'm listening (laughs).
Dong: Well, I had met Art before. I had my eye on him, thinking we would get along pretty well. We didn't need to say much.
What else do you like about Art?
Dong: I like how sometimes when we play, we don't have to say much. Sometimes when we do improvisation and it matches, we smile at each other. There are a lot of things like that. We can keep up with each other in a split second.
What are the hidden messages behind the album cover 'Such A Vast Sea'?
Fender: Actually, the concept name came first. It came along with our new ways of working. We wanted to experiment with new ideas and methods. We feel it's like a vast sea, and the way we interact and the materials we use in the rehearsal room are different. We don't know where it will take us. It feels like we're all diving into the sea together, the five of us.
A sea of alternative music?
Fender: (laughs) For 'Such A Vast Sea', we aimed for visuals that people could understand, not just based on our work process. We did our best with the visual concept. Currently, with the 'Age of A.I.' approaching, we don't know its direction or impact. So we connect it to labor issues, the uncertainty of jobs. That's why you see the robot removing its colors and redrawing itself in black and white. The color on its hand completes everything. That robot truly is a robot. It's A.I. or, in reality, it could be a struggling creative worker.
Why increase the alternative rock degrees? Is it less complex than the previous one?
Fender: From my perspective, our approach to music production has changed since the old days. We used to record our thoughts immediately. Now, we're trying to get back to basics because when it comes to music recording, it's about brainstorming and practice. We rehearse until we can play and then record. All the splashing sounds come naturally.
You didn't use the metronome, right?
Fender: The metronome? Oh, how did you know? (laughs)
Art: It's even more fun!
Beer: The way Fender explained has its natural essence to it. There's a flow.
Do you record together?
Beer: Not at the same time. We start with the rhythm section, maybe two guitars and drums, and then follow the rhythm.
Pound: Once the rhythm part is complete, I handle the coloring. Some songs are done before the guitar, but typically keyboard licks are fifty-fifty from the guitar, waiting for the signals to be converted.
Fender: After you color* it, do you give it a scratch too? (laughs).
(*Fender was making puns because 'color' sounds the same as the word for 'feeling itchy' in Thai.)
Beer: The fun part in this EP that I personally like are the songs where we can improvise or jam together.
'Solitude Is Bliss' likes to jam together, right?
Beer: Mostly, we jam before rehearsals. It's quite fun.
Fender: We don't jam much during live performances, but it usually happens naturally before proper rehearsals. Then we record them in tiny bits. We never took jamming seriously because we're not sure if it would still be natural if we did.
It's like a research project. Like a sound research organization in Chiang Mai.
Fender: Organization: Pound, Dong, Beer.
'Such A Vast Sea' credits everyone involved with the lyrics on streaming platforms. Are there many people involved in writing the lyrics?
Fender: Hmm, I'm not sure about that. It might be a system error. Actually, it's still the same. The lyricists work separately. Then, Beer and I, and the rest of us arrange and compose the music together.
Dong, Pound, Art, would you like to try writing lyrics?
Dong: Writing lyrics? Not anytime soon for me, because I don't have any clear ideas for writing my own lyrics yet. I don't have my own writing style.
Pound: Same here. I don't have many ideas for lyrics either. Mostly, I listen to instrumental music and music with just the melody.
Art: I don't have ideas for lyrics either. I just throw everything into the same place and let it flow (laughs).
How was the Head to Toe project, the north to south tour?
Art: Oh, our butts were sore from sitting in the vehicle. It was really fun. A bit tiring because of the long distance. We spent two full days on the minivan. But once we got to different places, everyone was so lovely. The fans were all the same. Everyone was so nice when singing along enthusiastically. It was awesome!
Fender: This time, the technique and atmosphere are becoming clearer. We've been on tour together twice before. The Northern tour was our first experiment. We brought our own team, equipment, and everything. The second tour was in the Northeast. We learned lessons from these tours because the results were not very effective. So we used our findings to adjust for this tour. Essentially, it's about techniques, team agility, equipment, and our experiences. The more we have, the less shy we feel.
This time you guys went down to the South, quite challenging. How's it there?
Fender: It was like a dark map back then, similar to the game ‘Yuri.’ But as we drove down, the map gradually revealed more. Nowadays, there's more hope. Like in Hat Yai, they're starting to have their own community. There might not be enough bands creating new songs, but there are more audiences, and they know where they can go to listen to those songs. When we talk about the South, we can clearly refer to Hat Yai. Because we see their urbanization. It looks promising, feeling like the people and atmosphere there are similar to Chiang Mai. It's chill, and people seem to understand the same jokes.
How's it going with more new bands coming on tours like MAKARA, VELS., Suan Dinosaur and Chala Deen?
Fender: It's fun and continuous. Last year's hosts, the first tour was with two friends who do electronics. In the Northeast, they have bands in their own provinces. It's been really eye-opening for us. This time, MAKARA joined us for 4 shows, and we feel we've grown closer to them. We can see that their shows have really improved. We also need to adjust ourselves at the same time. Chala Deen has a good show too, they are such entertainers. Suan Dinosaur is also impressive, they bring such great vibes, and the sound they create is so cool. As for VELS., their electronic music has been composed to be like a sonic sound.
Beer: It's very deep.
Fender: Yeah, quite deep and emotional. It fits with the journey we've taken together. We really enjoy whatever the opening bands perform.
What's the status of each member after 'Head to Toe'?
Pound: Jobless. Back then, we played at night, but now we've stopped and only focus on touring.
Still playing games?
Pound: Absolutely! We play every night. Currently, I'm playing computer games with Dong. We're trying to relive our childhood.
You still play PUBG, right? I searched for your channel and saw you playing PUBG.
Pound: Yes, yes. I used to play with Frank (ex-member) back then. We played on an iPad, about 10 years ago. It was a mobile game, but now we play on PC.
Okay, let's talk more about the games Pound plays later. What about you, Dong? What are you up to now?
Dong: Apart from the band, I'm freelancing, working on sound, mixing, mastering, and checking live sound for musical bands in Chiang Mai. Not much else. I play games with Pound when I'm free. Mostly just chilling.
What about you, Fender? (He's asleep) Oh, already asleep?
Fender: Oh, I'm mainly focused on the band's projects. There's 'Solitude Is Bliss' and 'View From The Bus Tour,' the latter one is my personal projects, and other things I need to clear out. I also help produce songs for friends. Mostly just catching up on pending work.
Art: I still play at night, focusing on 'Solitude Is Bliss' and 'Chiangmai BLUES.' Now that the tour's done, I'm back to my usual routine.
Beer: My main focus is 'Solitude Is Bliss.' Right now, it’s a break from the 'Head to Toe' tour. There are many things to do, such as teaching, producing music, composing music, giving private guitar lessons, and also playing games.
When will 'Solitude Is Bliss' have a big concert?
Dong: (Answering sadly) We used to talk about not having a big concert. I don't know. A big concert needs to be continuously improving each time. We might not have that kind of big concert (shouting). But who knows about the future.
Like a 50-year 'Solitude Is Bliss' reunion or something?
Dong: Could be (laughs). I haven't really thought about it.
Fender: Elaborating on what Dong said, the expectations around a 'big concert' among Thai people right now come with a lot of extra pressure and requirements. Like, who do we need to invite, the stage needs to be like a theater. Our concert won't be like that, but once it's announced, expectations will definitely rise. Like, who's going to jam with us, or whatever. We just don't know.
Or maybe you don’t need to jam with anyone else?
Fender: It's possible either way. But we feel that using the term 'big concert' creates a lot of unnecessary pressure. We might actually do a larger-scale concert for real, but we won't call it a big concert. If we try to do something on that scale, we might need to keep doing it, not just do one big show to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. It's not a one-time thing where we just feel like, "Ah, we are so proud of ourselves because we had this once-in-a-lifetime concert." Yay!
And if there needs to be a big concert for 'Solitude Is Bliss,' would you prefer Live in Chiang Mai or Live in Bangkok?
Pound: I'd prefer going straight to Bangkok. Because the fan base in Bangkok should be larger than here. But if it's at home, it might be more like a mini-concert. Oh, but you said big right? (laughs).
Fender: A mini-big concert?
Pound: Like a concert 1.5 or something like that. Same thing but held in two places.
Dong: Honestly, I would prefer having it in Chiang Mai. Make it full-scale, unique, and big in Chiang Mai for once. There's a possibility for Bangkok already. If it's in Chiang Mai, it would be a bit more thrilling.
Beer: Speaking of a big concert, it's quite possible in the future. But for now, we should focus on the tours around the country and gain experiences from the audiences in different regions and provinces. Someday, this group might expand. If, hypothetically, there's the biggest-ever concert in our lives, we still haven't thought about where it would be, in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.
Art: Mine would probably be Bangkok because for me, Chiang Mai is much more exciting than anywhere else. The last time was the most exciting for me. Some people have seen us perform for a long time, and some even get to jam with us. So it's more exciting.
Fender: Do you know the word 'Kee Piak'?
Art: It's like teasing but in the Northern dialect. It's like giving playful eye contact. If possible, I would like to play both places. But if it's Chiang Mai, it would always be exciting.
Fender: This is only because I like Chiang Mai. I would prefer to do it mainly in Chiang Mai. People in Bangkok earn more, so it might be better for them to come to us. Because if we go to Bangkok, people in Chiang Mai will have to pay more because the wages here are lower. If we can, both places would be good. But if we need to choose the idealistic one, it's Chiang Mai. Only Chiang Mai with no second show in Bangkok.
Beer: Where should we do it in Chiang Mai? That stadium? The 100-year-old one (laughs)?
Fender: I don't know... We can think about the venue later.
Dong: But we agree that we won't have the big concert.
Everyone: Hahahaha.
Have you ever thought about moving to Bangkok?
Fender: I don't think I'd settle down there. Have I ever considered this? Yes, I have. But when I ask around, no one's ready. They still feel like, "We don't know how long we have to face this toxic environment until we feel comfortable with it." We would say it's good there, and we could totally live there. But we were thinking about what's the point when we can do the things we love right here. And everyone is doing music right here.
Why hasn't 'Solitude Is Bliss' gone outside of our country yet?
Beer: Actually, we've started planning on that recently. We think it's about timing. We should do it well at home first, make our work good, keep up to our standard, and then it will reach people. We don't want to go abroad and end up having to use our own budget for it. Otherwise, we could have gone to many countries already. I don't know, I want to go when there are actually fans based there.
Fender: The plans to go abroad have been there for so many years, but then COVID happened. If that is out of the equation, then it's like we get to improve ourselves internally first. Make our domestic shows amazing, and by that time, going abroad wouldn't be so hard. We don't want to just go, but we want to get something back from it too.
If you were to play abroad, where would you like to go, Pound?
Pound: Probably Japan, because I want to buy toys.
Oh, what about music?
Fender: Um, I also want to go to Japan. I want to go shopping for toys.
Pound: There's something over there that we feel connected to since childhood. I want to see the real things over there.
What do you want to see for real?
Fender: (Responding for Pond) I want to hold hands with Ultra Man for real.
Pound: Basically, it would be toys, old-school games, classic games.
Art: We are not there to play games!!!
Pound: I want to know what it's like when Japanese watch us. When I see it on YouTube, when Japanese come to see live bands, their hype, their ways of clapping hands, their reactions are not the same as here.
Has each of you discovered ‘Bliss’ (ultimate happiness) now?
Fender: Not yet, it's more like moment after moment. We can't just say that everything is blissful for us. Our 'bliss' is more about growing older and being calm. We shouldn't hold onto our expectations of reaching the bliss level. We prefer to go slow but steady. It's not like we're desperate to reach that point."
Pound: Just like the band's concept, finding 'bliss' on our own is the best. Being alone, thinking about what to do on your own. We shouldn't let anyone set boundaries for us or tell us which direction we must go. Contemplating it by ourselves can be 'blissful' as well. 'Playing games is the ultimate 'bliss'.
Dong: For the moment that I immediately recognize as 'blissful', it would probably be when I don't have problems with myself. I'm the type of person who can't manage my own thoughts. But when there are moments that I can manage them, that's probably my happiest and most comfortable moment.
Beer: I think everywhere can be 'blissful.' It's all around us. It can be within us, in our consciousness, or in our mind. It usually comes together with its opposite, which is suffering. These two things are almost the same. When you want to be 'blissful', you need to trade it with suffering. I don't think these things last forever. It can go on and on or stay still. We will have to live with it.
Okay, here comes Art. Give me a funny one. The last person is the one who ends with a joke.
Art: 'Bliss'? What does it mean?
Everyone: Hahahahaha.
Art: For me right now, it's when you are in a good relationship, being with people and family who make you feel warm and complete.
I wonder (turning to Dong and Pound), will you shave your beard?
Dong: I shaved a little bit here (pointing to his chin), but I don't think I should shave it. It doesn't suit me.
Do you have anything to say to people who are following you or people who don't know you yet?
Fender: Our bassist is handsome (laughs). Our routine these days is quite broad. We do more tours, our own tour. Besides our songs, we want you to come and experience our live shows with proper lighting and sound. We want you to come and experience it.
Art: Please open your hearts for this new band 'Solitude Is Bliss.'
Fender: Very new. If the big scale is 100 years.
Last but not least, Do you have anything to say to the Thai music industry?
Fender: Let the new generation play the Thai traditional xylophone!
Everyone: Hahahahaha.
That's really Thai music.
Fender: All the traditional string instruments, or E-Saan bamboo mouth organ.
Beer: If you listen to something and it gives you faith, please share it so other people can know it too. Please help share 'Solitude Is Bliss', we are interesting.
Dong: Let's help each other to improve the music industry.
Pound: Please support us, because I want the band to be with us for a long time. Amen :)
Fender: The real rock star is 'Sek Loso.'
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