I don't speak anything very well. The longer that you travel, you find out that you really don't even need to speak the language to get around and get things done, to live in those places. If you're somewhat resourceful and perceptive, you're pretty much going to know what's going on because human nature is human nature: they understand it, you understand it, and it works.
Alan BishopIn terms of perceptions of the culture, most people don't think about music. They're not concerned with it. They don't take their musical legacy seriously.
Alan BishopThere hasn't been a true breakdown or effort to break Thai music into genres. They're not into dicing and slicing everything up.
Alan BishopOld is unwanted. You don't find Thais going to the thrift store. They want new clothes. They want the newest cell phone.
Alan BishopThe lyrics are not an important thing to me. In fact, it can be a distraction. If I knew the language enough to know it was a horrible love song with stupid lyrics - like most of the popular songs are today in the English language that I hear - then it would be much more of a turnoff then if it would allow me to interpret it from the expressive capabilities of the vocalizing or of the sound itself, which allows me to create my own meaning for it, which elevates it into a higher piece of work for me.
Alan Bishop