Pru (Thai band)
Encyclopedia
Pru is a Thai pop
band that formed in 2001 in Bangkok. It was the winner of the favorite artist for Thailand at the 2002 MTV Asia Awards
.
Kamol, better known as Sukie, had founded Bakery Music
, an indie music label that fostered an indie scene in Thailand that included the band Modern Dog
, which Sukie produced. The label was later sold to Thai entertainment and media company, BEC-TERO
, which distributes records through Sony BMG Music Entertainment
(Thailand).
The band played concerts at pubs and clubs around Thailand
and released its first album, Pru on 3 April 2001. Due to their success, the album was re-released as Pru S.E. (Pru Special Edition) containing extra three new songs in late 2001. Among the songs was "Ruk ter jon job chewit", which was dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks
in the United States
.
With its lanky, active frontman, Krissada, better known as Noi, the band quickly built a reputation on its live shows. In concerts, he would dance around the stage while singing. In one incident, he jumped up to a giant speaker, fell, and broke his leg in the process. The band still performed in some concerts while Noi's leg was still in a cast however, with him sitting on a chair and his upper body danced in the same routine.
The band staged an upset by winning the favorite artist award for Thailand at the 2002 MTV Asia Awards
, beating out perennial favorite artists Bird McIntyre
and Tata Young
. Accepting the award at the ceremony in Singapore
, the band wore Thailand's traditional national clothing.
The quick rise to success left the band members burnt out, however.
"We performed countless concerts and had many gigs in pubs and bars during our first album tour," drummer Tab said in a 2005 interview. "By the end, we all reached a saturation point where playing music wasn’t fun anymore."
"I felt like a prostitute," Sukie said. "We were playing the same old songs and receiving money on the way back. My fire was gone. We really needed a break so that we could start fresh for the second album."
The band took what amounted to a four-year break, with Noi acting in two Thai feature films, The Adventure of Iron Pussy
and Bangkok Loco
.
They returned in 2005 with their second studio album, the two-disc Zero. Working with Boyd Kosiyabong as lyricist, the album's release was accompanied by a one-day "lightning tour" of Thailand, in which the band used Thai AirAsia
flights to jet around the country and perform at clubs and small arenas in Chiang Mai
, Udon Thani
and Bangkok
's Suan Lum Night Bazaar
.
The album's promotional blitz culminated with "Pop Life", the band's first full-scale concert on December 3, 2005 at Tossapak Arena in Bangkok.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band that formed in 2001 in Bangkok. It was the winner of the favorite artist for Thailand at the 2002 MTV Asia Awards
MTV Asia Awards
The biannual MTV Asia Awards is the Asian equivalent of the Europe MTV EMA. Established in 2002, the show gives recognition and awards to Asian and international icons in achievement, cinema, fashion, humanitarian, and music. Just like the EMA, most of the awards are voted for by the viewers from...
.
Members
- Krissada Sukosol ClappKrissada TerrenceKrissada Terrence. is a Thai-American pop singer and actor. He is member of the Thai pop band Pru...
("Noi", b. December 26, 1970) - Vocals - Kamol Sukosol Clapp ("Sukie", b. November 1, 1969 - Guitar, keyboard
- Kaninyan Chandrasma ("Tab", b. July 2, 1971) - Drums
- Yodtao Yodying ("Yod", b. November 14, 1978) - Bass
History
Pru was formed in 2001 by brothers Kamol and Krissada Sukosol Clapp, the sons of a Thai mother, Kamala Sukosol, a jazz singer and heiress of the Siam City Hotels and Resorts chain, and an American father, Terrence H. Clapp.Kamol, better known as Sukie, had founded Bakery Music
Bakery Music
Bakery Music is a Thai record label founded in 1994. It pioneered the independent music industry in the 1990s, being the most successful of its time, and inspiring the creation of many other indie labels. The company is now a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Thailand.-History:Bakery Music was...
, an indie music label that fostered an indie scene in Thailand that included the band Modern Dog
Modern Dog
Modern Dog is a Thai rock band, formed in 1992. They issued their first album in 1994, selling 500,000 copies. The band has issued five studio albums, selling a total of 2 million copies....
, which Sukie produced. The label was later sold to Thai entertainment and media company, BEC-TERO
BEC-TERO
BEC-TERO Entertainment Public Co. Ltd. is an entertainment conglomerate in Thailand that organizes and promotes concerts, owns record labels and produces films and television shows. It is a subsidiary of BEC World Public Co. Ltd., which also owns Bangkok Entertainment Co. Ltd., operator of Thai TV...
, which distributes records through Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was a recorded music company, which was a 50–50 joint venture between the Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann AG...
(Thailand).
The band played concerts at pubs and clubs around Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and released its first album, Pru on 3 April 2001. Due to their success, the album was re-released as Pru S.E. (Pru Special Edition) containing extra three new songs in late 2001. Among the songs was "Ruk ter jon job chewit", which was dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
With its lanky, active frontman, Krissada, better known as Noi, the band quickly built a reputation on its live shows. In concerts, he would dance around the stage while singing. In one incident, he jumped up to a giant speaker, fell, and broke his leg in the process. The band still performed in some concerts while Noi's leg was still in a cast however, with him sitting on a chair and his upper body danced in the same routine.
The band staged an upset by winning the favorite artist award for Thailand at the 2002 MTV Asia Awards
MTV Asia Awards
The biannual MTV Asia Awards is the Asian equivalent of the Europe MTV EMA. Established in 2002, the show gives recognition and awards to Asian and international icons in achievement, cinema, fashion, humanitarian, and music. Just like the EMA, most of the awards are voted for by the viewers from...
, beating out perennial favorite artists Bird McIntyre
Bird McIntyre
Thongchai "Bird" McIntyre is a Thai pop singer who released his debut album in 1986. He is also sometimes known as Bird Thongchai, Pe Bird or simply Bird....
and Tata Young
Tata Young
Amita Marie Young , better known under her stage name Tata Young, is a Thai singer, model actress and dancer....
. Accepting the award at the ceremony in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the band wore Thailand's traditional national clothing.
The quick rise to success left the band members burnt out, however.
"We performed countless concerts and had many gigs in pubs and bars during our first album tour," drummer Tab said in a 2005 interview. "By the end, we all reached a saturation point where playing music wasn’t fun anymore."
"I felt like a prostitute," Sukie said. "We were playing the same old songs and receiving money on the way back. My fire was gone. We really needed a break so that we could start fresh for the second album."
The band took what amounted to a four-year break, with Noi acting in two Thai feature films, The Adventure of Iron Pussy
The Adventure of Iron Pussy
The Adventure of Iron Pussy is a 2003 Thai musical-action-comedy film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Michael Shaowanasai and starring Shaowanasai as the main protagonist – a transvestite Thai secret agent whose alter ego is a gay male 7-Eleven clerk...
and Bangkok Loco
Bangkok Loco
Bangkok Loco is a 2004 Thai comedy-musical-fantasy film directed by Pornchai Hongrattanaporn, written by Sompope Vejchapipat and starring Krissada Terrence. The story involves a gifted young rock drummer named Bay who commits a grisly murder and becomes a fugitive from the law...
.
They returned in 2005 with their second studio album, the two-disc Zero. Working with Boyd Kosiyabong as lyricist, the album's release was accompanied by a one-day "lightning tour" of Thailand, in which the band used Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia is a joint venture of Malaysian low-fare airline AirAsia and Thailand's Asia Aviation. It serves AirAsia's regularly scheduled domestic and international flights from Bangkok and other cities in Thailand....
flights to jet around the country and perform at clubs and small arenas in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
, Udon Thani
Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a city in Isan, north-east Thailand, and the capital of Udon Thani Province.-Location:The province of Udon Thani has a population of 1,467.200, the city alone 500.000. Geographical location and is approximately 560 km from Bangkok...
and Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
's Suan Lum Night Bazaar
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
Suan Lum Night Bazaar was a market in Bangkok's Pathum Wan district, at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless/Sathorn Roads, opposite Lumphini Park at the Bangkok Metro's Lumphini Station. Located on land owned by the Crown Property Bureau. It opened in 2001, and had closed by early 2011.The...
.
The album's promotional blitz culminated with "Pop Life", the band's first full-scale concert on December 3, 2005 at Tossapak Arena in Bangkok.
Discography
- Pru (April 2001)
- Pru Single #01 Romeo & Juliet (July 2001) - Single with 7 versions of the song Romeo & Juliet
- Pru Special Edition (2001)
- Raw Velvet (concert VCD, June 2002)
- BDay - The Album Volume 1 (various artists compilation, celebrating Bakery Music's 10th anniversary, 2004)
- Zero (2005)
- D.S. (Double Single) (2005)
Famous songs
- Thuk sing (Everything), Pru
- Pru, Pru
- Romeo & Juliet, Pru
- Nang fa (Angel), Pru Special Edition