Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: The Story of Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll from Daniel Littlewood on Vimeo.

There was laughter, more often tears. Some from me.

Many of the surviving people featured in the film were there for a frustratingly brief panel afterwards.
Each one was worthy of a full evening  on stage: the sister of Ros Sereysothea, Sin Si Simuth‘s son, Vann Molyvann, David Chandler. We got a half hour.

The concert following was cathartic and gratifiying. (Click for video)
I haven’t seen the the arts community come together in such numbers since, well, Ingrid Muan‘s funeral in 2005. And this was for a much more positive evening.

As with other films supported by the Documentation Center of Cambodia, I’m hoping it will tour Cambodian villages as well as get a theatrical release.

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/a-lost-but-not-forgotten-rock-n-roll-legacy-50440/
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/7days/long-awaited-film-tells-tale-cambodia%E2%80%99s-musical-%E2%80%98golden-age%E2%80%99
https://www.facebook.com/CambodianRock/
http://cambodianrockblog.tumblr.com/
Postscript:
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/lifestyle/%E2%80%98golden-age%E2%80%99-singers-endure-bittersweet-screen-tribute
http://theadvisorcambodia.com/2014/01/remembering-cambodias-lost-rock-n-roll/

If Tep Boprek “Don’t Need A Man“, could that man please be Richard Marx?

In the club: Chhorn Sovanreach, without rapping over the breaks.

Well, at least it’s not Bryan Adams. More breaking karaoke excitement as it comes in.

Foreigners are generally NOT keen on Cambodian pop.

Maybe they should pay more attention, as this savvy article spells out.
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/song-and-dance-hun-sens-other-power-play/

This music forms a constant background soundtrack to life in Cambodia, where the majority party oversees the vast majority of the media as well.

Of course, community advocates engaging with the powers that be also use music – beyond the highly public offerings from The Messenger Band and legendary Chapei player Kung Nei (a former resident of Dey Krahom) to ‘Gagnam Style’ – the latter used when delivering an anti-evictions petition.

Note the sunglasses and kramas. Protests are photographed and recorded studiously by the police. Which is why there are protest songs but very few singers who will publicly associate themselves with ‘controversial’ lyrics. For sharing topical songs, it’s all about context, as seen above.

There is a large body of colloquial Cambodian songs and slogans that have not been documented, arising from communities experiencing land grabs and economic distress. If you’re an anthropologist or ethnomusicologist, know Khmer and have a digital recorder, there’s a PhD thesis topic for you.

For the next Cambodia election, it will be fun to explore the aesthetic approach of candidates and platforms. It sure reveals a lot about their underlying perspective. But a dance-off or Cambodian Idol competition to choose representatives is probably off the cards.

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/the-smiths/ask.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_%28song%29
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Smiths/_/Ask

The Cambodian Space Project is doing a fundraiser for BuckHunger soup kitchen!
Sounds like a fun event all around.
Buck Hunger is going like gangbusters to provide free food on a very simple model.

One recommendation that would make the whole operation more palatable: if the organization targets children, I’d be a lot more enthused if it was a registered ‘ChildSafe‘ organization. Individual and large-scale donors could give with even greater confidence.

If BuckHunger can get this accreditation as a part of their menu of future activities? That’d ROCK.     : )

More:
http://buckhunger.com
http://www.childsafe-international.org/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cambodian-Space-Project/102538263132453

Postscript: Phnom Penh Post, June 22
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012062256975/7-Days/cambodian-space-projects-rescue-landing.html