If you haven’t been to the new Checkinn99 on Sukhumvit Soi 33 in Bangkok or even if you have there is no better time to go than this weekend.
Tonight you have the Rock This Way II event happening from 10:00 p,m. til late. The second in this successful series you can follow their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/rockthisway.bkk/
Here are the details:
I’ts Rock This Way BKK: Vol. 2 at Check Inn 99!
Some of Bangkok’s finest local and expat LIVE BANDS and DJS bringing you ROCK music to a party to ROCK your night.
Expect rock music of all ages from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000s-Now!
– Live Bands: The Reapers, Plague Pits
– DJS: Rory Breaker-Morant / Aopsher
Date: Saturday, 25 November 2017
Doors Open: 10 PM
Cost: 300THB – Complimentary Drink*
Location: Check Inn 99 1/1 Sukhumvit Soi 33, Sukhumvit Rd, Klongtan Neua, Wattana. Bangkok, Thailand 10110
How To Get There:
1. Take BTS to Phrom Phong Station and walk to Sukhumvit Soi 33, stay on the left side and it’s just 2 mins inside soi and you’re there.
2. Walk, take motorcycle, or taxi cab
Then tomorrow afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. you have the Sunday jazz featuring the William Wait Quartet. A regular occurrence come hell or high water for over four years now.
The William Wait Quartet are featured every Sunday afternoon at Checkinn99 for the Jazz jam
Photos by Eric Nelson Photography
After the jazz jam a Bangkok premier screening of the concert film “ONE NIGHT IN PHUKET” – featuring performances by JIMMY FAME, COLIN HILL, JEFFREY SEVILLE , PATRICK CHUA & many more of the island’s best musicians. The Rotary sponsored event took place last July at the New Roadhouse, Karon Beach.
Jimmy Fame is also known as the author Jim Newport when he wears his writing hat. Jim is the author of the popular Siam Vampire series.You can check out his author page here.
Jim will be present to introduce the film and a DVD will be available for sale with all profits going to the Rotary Club of Patong Beach’s HELMETS FOR KIDS CHARITY. Stop by and buy a DVD
.
After the film you can check out the Chris Coles art exhibit, which may or may not become a permanent fixture. It’s quite a spectacle and not to missed.
You can read Paul Dorsey’s review of the Coles exhibition in the Nation here:
Blues man Jimmy Fame
If you cannot make it early come at 9:00 pm and catch Keith Nolan’s Cottonmouth. There a rumors that Jimmy may jam with Keith and company for a song or three.
If you are looking for a good time this weekend work Checkinn99 into your rotation. There is something for everybody. It explains to me why the hardest working publican in Bangkok and a great friend of the art scene can be found taking a well deserved power nap at the back lounge between the constantly changing events.
Checkinn99’s Chris Catto-Smith flanked by portraits of noir poet John Gartland and author Christopher G. Moore by the artist Chris Coles as he grabs a well-earned power nap. A portrait of the late Mama Noi is shown above the plush red couch.
So there you have it: Rock This Way, Sunday Jazz, a film premier of Jimmy Fame and Friends with MC and blues singer Jimmy Fame, Chris Coles art exhibit, Keith Nolan and Cottonmouth and a night of the Blues. All in one weekend at the new and neon highlighted Checkinn99.
This is the last week of trade at Checkinn99 located forever between Sukhumvit Soi 5 and Soi 7. The last Sunday jazz jam is this Sunday. If you’re lucky enough to be in Bangkok, get on down. I’ve written a longer piece on its closing but it will run on Sunday, July 3rd.. The last day of trade at their iconic location is Friday, July 1st 2016. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Curiosity may well have killed a lot of cats. But I suspect those cats lived their lives in Sammy Davis Jr. years. Wandering around back alleys and tunnels the sort of which used to exist behind Checkinn99. Those cats didn’t die sitting on or on top of a couch – more likely they were on an awning that gave way in Soi Cowboy. Last Sunday there was a celebration at Checkinn99 and the catalyst was the publication of my very first book, BANGKOK BEAT. Albert Einstein has a few good quotes about curiosity. One is: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
Curiosity is what built Bangkok Beat. From the first time I met Chris Coles on Soi Cowboy over a decade ago to my first two lunches with Christopher G. Moore. The curiosity continued when I met Collin Piprell in Ari neighborhood to discuss writing, among other things, and later had a meet-up at Cactus bar where I met Dean Barrett and James A. Newman for the first time. Memorable meetings for me. For them commonplace.
Newman would later host Night of Noir I in April of 2013 where I would learn of the noir poetry of John Gartland among the many readers that night. James Newman would, a few days later, invite me to a meet-up at Bus Stop on Sukhumvit Soi 4 where I would meet John Gartland and his new friend and photographer Eric Nelson. Through Eric I would later meet a four time Muay Ying champion by the name of Melissa Ray. Through Melissa I would meet other champions.
Newman being Newman he decided to hold a second Night of Noir less than 9 months later. That night I met the novelists Cara Black and John Burdett among others. A photographer was there that night and he took some amazing photographs – his name is Alasdair McLeod.
I read Tone Deaf in Bangkok a book of non-fiction written by a middle aged American woman and author named Janet Brown, about her adventures in Thailand as a traveler and expat during those times. There are female expats – Janet reminds us of this with truthful writing. I got to know her via email and we would later have dinner together. She brought her friend along, Jim Algie, author of a book of non-fiction called Bizarre Thailand and a book of short stories called the The Phantom Lover and other Thrilling Tales of Thailand. When I stopped off to meet Janet Brown with my wife in Seattle in the summer of 2014 at Elliot Bay Book Company she introduced me to another Seattle resident, Kevin Conroy, who happened to be a regular traveler to Bangkok and it turns out Checkinn99 for over 35 years. There is a picture of Kevin in Checkinn99 from the 1980s in Bangkok Beat which he allowed me to use.
At Checkinn99 I met for the first time Chris Catto-Smith, Jerry Hopkins, Kevin Wood, Ted Lewand, Keith Nolan, William Wait, Clifton Hardy, Chris Wegoda, Peter Montalbano, Steve Cannon, Mark Fenn, John Daysh, Bernard Servello, MOTH, Mama Noi and Uncle Wat. I introduced Timothy Hallinan to the place because he asked me to and I was delighted to do so. I introduced the author Matt Carrell to Checkinn99 because I wanted to. Tim and Matt are both curious people. I like that about them. Before long I realized I had enough material to write a book. So I asked Colin Cotterill, the well known novelist and talented cartoonist living in the south of Thailand if he could draw a book cover for me. And he did. Right away. Damn him. Now I had a great book cover, plenty of material but no book. Life is in the details. I needed a hook for my book. An anchor really. The Checkinn99 history was my anchor – ably assisted by Thom Locke with his great short story – The Beauty of Isaan. Thom and I shared some early and fun times at Checkinn99, just as we did last Sunday when he and his family flew in from Northern Thailand especially for this event. The same James Newman noted above did the introduction for Bangkok Beat while John Gartland compiled an excellent chapter of noir poems. I cannot imagine the book without the contribution of any of these three writers.
I am going to let the pictures tell the rest of the story of a remarkable run of events that really took off when I created this blog four days before Night of Noir 1 and wrote my first blog post: I Am Not A Writer And Why The World Needs Them. That was less than 2 1/2 years ago. Last Sunday, my friend and actor John Marengo, whom I also met for the first time at Checkinn99, read that post, which is included in Bangkok Beat, to a good crowd who came to what was much more than a book launch – it was a celebration of the people, history and stories of Checkinn99, Bangkok and important people and events in my life. Better now than later. I know what’s waiting for me in the long run.
Bangkok Beat became available for purchase as an eBook on Amazon today – the paperback came out June 8th, 2015. But what I learned from writing this book is that it has very little to do with selling books. What it has to do with is more aptly described in Jim Algie’s story, Tsunami – found in his Phantom Lover and Other Thrilling Tales of Thailand. You’ll learn to appreciate the value of friends and a campfire in Jim’s book and be reaffirmed that in the end it really does come down to good friends, family loyalties and the simple dignity of doing honest work and receiving honest pay. When I think of Chris Catto-Smith, Mook, Kiko, Cherry, Donna, Grace, April, Jesse and all the staff at Checkinn99 I’d say they are batting 1,000.
It’s not about tweets or Twitter followers. I’m certain of that.
Okay, enough with the sentimentality. The following is Bangkok Beat – the Live Version – July 26th, 2015. If you weren’t there, enjoy. If you were there, enjoy it again.
Anatomy of a Celebration
Welcome to the time tunnel
Have the Sunday Jazz going on when you start – no down time when Clifton Hardy and Dr. William Wait are in the house. Both Clifton and William are featured in Bangkok Beat with William getting his own chapter.
Be very pleased when the author who wrote your back cover blurb, Dean Barrett shows up early along with Alan Parkhouse of the Bangkok Post. Dean Barrett has his own Chapter in Bangkok Beat: Man of Mystery? Yes and No. Thanks to all the media members who came early and stayed late.
Sign some books now …
and again …
Turn the show over to some old show biz veterans – John Gartland and Kevin Wood
Let Kevin Wood and John from Queen Bee do their thing
Make sure the guests get along – author, journalist and editor Jim Algie speaking with retired Muay Thai Champion Melissa Ray. Both guests are featured in two chapters each of Bangkok Beat
Make sure your friend and photographer Alasdair Mcleod is never far away. Alasdair’s photographs are featured in Bangkok Beat and he has one of his poem’s published in there – City Pulse.
Have another friend and photographer, Eric Nelson in the house in case Alasdair’s battery dies. Eric gets a Chapter in Bangkok Beat called – Keeping Photography Alive in Bangkok and his photographs are also featured.
Convince the affable Keith Nolan to hang around in-between his two paying gigs that day. Keith shown with Guest of Honor Mama Noi
Have John Fengler fly down from Chiang Mai on a Saturday, wear his timeless cotton shirt to Checkinn99 and create some Bob Hope buzz on social media
Try not to be boring while talking to Jim Algie and Chris Wegoda. Chris is featured in The Rocky Horror Show Chapter as he starred as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the Checkinn99 adaptation. Jim is the author of Bizarre Thailand and The Phantom Lover and Other Thrilling Tales of Thailand and is one of five major contributors to Americans in Thailand.
Have MOTH come out and do three quick songs. Chris Catto-Smith, Melissa Ray & Kevin Cummings
Including one rap number from Fast & Furious – Featuring the fast and fabulous Grace
Chris Catto-Smith on the microphone. Kevin Cummings enjoying the show.
Try not too talk to much. Can’t win them all.
Bring up Muay Ying Melissa Ray and present her with her All Time Hits Award for most traffic on this web site for a single-day and all time. Melissa Ray to steal a line from Muhammad Ali, is simply, “The Greatest of All Time.” On Thailand Footprint and I’m sure her Mom would agree.
Next up was Jim Algie being presented with his Reincarnation Lifetime Achievement Award – well earned
Music of the Heart Band were then presented with copies of Bangkok Beat – No one in the audience looked at the book
Bring back the Big Dog for the evening John Gartland as the readings began
James A. Newman reading his introduction to Bangkok Beat.
Terrific job by John Marengo reading I AM NOT A WRITER and Why the World Needs Them written by Kevin Cummings
John Gartland reading The Beauty of Isaan as the author Thom H. Locke and others look on followed by The Eye AKA The Mamba Hotel loosely based on Checkinn99 and its characters. A Chapter of John’s verse is contained in Bangkok Beat
Have a packed and appreciative audience which included the author of a stellar novel, Hunters in the Dark, sitting at the bar
Bring Back Kevin Wood and MOTH
K Wood killing it – long time now. L to R: Jesse, Cherry, Donna, Grace, Kevin Wood, Kiko
Check in on special guest Victoria Kirkwood and her date to see how they are doing
John Fengler and John the owner of Queen Bee during a break in the action
Collin Piprell an author, an editor, a mentor and a friend with another friend, Eric Nelson
Allow for a moment at the end of a long journey
My wife and family who had been upstairs having dinner with Melissa Ray finally arrive. It was a good night. One I have no plans to repeat for 2-3 years anyway. If you got this far you deserve some music from Music of the Heart Band. Go back and have a listen if you haven’t yet or do it again. Why not? If you buy Bangkok Beat today or whenever that would be great. If you don’t that will be okay too. But if you find yourself in Bangkok city and have never been to Checkinn99, do stop in. You never know when greatness will be in the house. Thanks to all the great people who came out on July 26, 2015. Another memorable date in Checkinn99 history, which began in 1957.
Special Thanks to the numerous Bangkok Soi Dog #1 Tshirts in Checkinn99 that night – art by Chris Coles
AND A SPECIAL SPECIAL THANKS TO PHOTOGRAPHERS ERIC NELSON AND ALASDAIR McLEOD
I’ll get attribution right one of these days.
Selected highlights from Bangkok Beat book launch as put together by Alasdair McLeod. Very useful guy, Alasdair is …
“I want to write about sex and about death.” That was the opening sentence written by Christopher G. Moore on August 20th, 2010 on his great blog http://www.internationcrimeauthors.com for an essay titled: Sir Frank Kermode and Shigeo Tokudo: Scholor and Porn Star. I remember the essay, so I thought I’d borrow the opening line today. I had a pretty good week this week. More good stuff happened than bad. I’ll take that. I want to write about frogs, dogs, books and comedians. It’s just that it doesn’t make for quite as good an opening line. Are you still with me?
Frogs:
Last night I celebrated America’s Independence Day at Checkinn99 with my wife. Our server’s name was Gop. I took that as a good omen given that this blog has a prominent cartoon character by the same name.
Our server was much better behaved than this one.
Dogs:
Starting today we will be selling Bangkok Soi Dog #1 Tshirts at this web sight and a limited supply at Checkinn99 as well.
Books:
People have been sending in their pictures wearing the Bangkok Soi Dog #1 Tshirts and reading my recently published book, Bangkok Beat. Thanks for that. Here are some of the latest:
John Fengler of Chiang Mai showing that the former Emergency Medical Technician has not lost his ability to multi-task
Trevor Bide, fellow blogger and all around good guy
Muay Thai Champ Melissa Ray sent in a picture from one of two chapters she is featured in
Peter Lenderink pulls double duty in his Bangkok Soi Dog T while holding a copy of Bangkok Beat
Special thanks to Chris-Catto Smith for allowing Bangkok Beat to be sold at Checkinn99 beginning last night. Demand was brisk when Chris was in the house. Thanks a bunch. I’ll be there this afternoon during the jazz. Drop on by if you’d like a copy or just want to listen to good jazz music.
Comedians:
I made a list of my TOP TEN FAVORITE COMEDIANS this week and it made me remember the importance of laughter and the importance of those who made us laugh in the past. Here is one I had not thought of in awhile but I am glad I did:
#4 – Dick Gregory
Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory is an American comedian, civil rights activist, social critic, conspiracy theorist, writer and entrepreneur. Wikipedia
Born: October 12, 1932 (age 82), St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Spouse: Lillian Gregory (m. 1959)
Children: Yohance Gregory, Ayanna Gregory, Stephanie Gregory, more
Books: Nigger: An Autobiography by Dick Gregory –
Great to read that Dick Gregory is alive and well in St Louis, Missouri. Dick never got the credit he deserved as a comedian because he was much more than that. But he was damn funny and a ground-breaking comic, author and civil rights activist and a fine track and field man back in his University days …
And … I am finally able to give proper attribution to one of my favorite morbid jokes of all time. Every syllable is important. Pay attention:
“When I die, I want to go peacefully like my grandfather did – in his sleep. Not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car.’
Bob Monkhouse (1928-2003)
That’s my blog post for Sunday, July 5th, 2015. I want to write about sex and about death. Maybe next week. Until then, you’ll have to do with frogs, dogs, books, and comedians.
To go to the Bangkok Beat Big Cartel Store to purchase a Bangkok Soi Dog #1 Tshirt or a copy of the paperback of Bangkok Beat for Thailand delivery click the cartoon image of the big guy or the coconut shell
People who wonder what the attraction is to living in a place like Bangkok, Thailand need only experience the options available on a typical Thursday night in Bangkok City. Not Friday or Saturday, Thursday.
I had made plans to see Clifton Hardy at Above Eleven Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 11.
A classy venue where reservations are definitely recommended, located on the 33rd Floor of the Fraser Suites.
The Clifton Hardy quintet is the featured entertainment every Thursday night going on three years now – again reservations strongly advised.
Kevin Conroy from Seattle, Washington has time to get a picture with his friend and singer Clifton Hardy at Above Eleven
Another photo opportunity for Thailand Footprint blogger Kevin Cummings with singer Clifton Hardy
Clifton was a gracious host in many ways including providing a tour to my friends Kevin Conroy and Thom Locke of the stunning panoramic views found on the rooftop.
There is a dress code of casual elegance at Above Eleven so unless you can fit into these size 10 medium beige beauties it is recommended you not wear sandals to Above Eleven. A mysterious mystery writer is seen here with the legendary loaners.
Big Jeff Thompsen of the Soi Dog Blues Band
After a couple hours of Clifton’s vocals and musical accompaniment we headed down the road to Apoteka where the Soi Dog Blues Band and Jeff Thompsen plays every Thursday night. By now we were a much larger group. I dropped the name of a well known, traditionally published phantom author and the VIP room was offered to us. In like Flynn. Why not?
The Soi Dog Blues Band comes on every Thursday night at Apoteka Bar on Sukhumvit Soi 11 starting at 9:30 p.m.
Meanwhile the Night of Noir was concluding and all the feedback via Line App and SMS messages was positive.
The poet noir, John Gartland decked out in sartorial splendor for a Thursday night reading at Bangkok Fiction Night of Noir knows how to get a party started.
John Daysh was a hit with the crowd while entrepreneur Chris Catto-Smith attends to business.
The Dean of Bangkok mysteries, Dean Barrett was the usual crowd favorite. If there is anybody in Bangkok City who doesn’t like Dean Barrett I have not met him.
The SRO crowd at Check Inn 99 at Night of Noir III 2015 on a Thursday night. Chris Coles Crazy Hour painting in the background.
The weekends get started on Thursday in Bangkok City. For some people every day is Friday in Bangkok. Or Thursday for that matter. (All Check Inn 99 photos by Alasdair McLeod).
Portrait art of Thailand Footprint’s Footprint Maker of the Year by Chris Coles
What a year in Thailand, eh? Last year was a tough call for who made the biggest impression on this web site. Chris Coles and Chris Catto-Smith were the Co-winners of the 2013 Footprint Maker of the Year Award. The prestigious award. I forgot, prestigious.
This year it’s an easy call. Politics was not Henry Miller’s favorite subject. Mine either. But they had an effect on the arts in a small way. I wrote my first parody, ever and had my first ever poem published. They are attached again, herewith for your viewing and listening pleasure. So without further ado, the 2014 Footprint Maker of the Year Award goes to, The Yammerer of Bangkok.
The Yammerer of Bangkok … Sung to “The Wanderer” by Dion and the Belmonts … 1961
Oh well, I’m the type of guy who will never compromise
When I whistle and I yell, you know that I’m around
I hate ‘em and I hate ‘em ’cause to me they’re all the same
I squeeze ‘em and I squeeze ‘em and everybody knows my name
They call me the yammerer
Yea, the yammerer
I roam around, around, around, around
Oh well, there’s Lek on my left and there’s Noi on my right
And Jasmine is the girl that I’ll be with tonight
And when she asks me, which one I love the best
I tear open my shirt, where my face is tattooed on my chest
‘Cause I’m the yammerer
Yea, the yammerer
I roam around, around, around, around
Oh well, I roam from street to street, I go through life without a care
And I’m as happy as a clown
I with my two fists of iron but I’m going nowhere
I’m the type of guy who likes to meet and greet
I’m never in one place, I roam from street to street
And when I find myself a fallin’ for some facts
I hop right in that ‘Benz of mine, until I’m back on track
Yea, ’cause I’m the yammerer
Yea, a yammerer
I roam around, around, around, around
‘Cause I’m a yammerer
Yea, a yammerer
And my poem about the politics of hate:
A BANGKOK BLOGGER’S OBSERVATIONS
“Walk across the soi, you’ll save 10 baht.” He said
Seems like a lot of trouble on a street known for the dead
Illusions are flying like bullets and hot air
Children are dying, does anybody care?
What’s it all about? Power and greed
There is no glory in doing the good deed
I hate you. But I hated you first
But I hate you more
But you are the worst
Liars call people lunatics
To try and save face
Everyone has a Plan B
To get out of this place
Burmese Fortune tellers tell a good tale
While Rohingyan refugees face rotting in jail
Is this a farce? Can this be happening now?
Don’t burst my illusions and I won’t burst yours, pal.
Best wishes for a great New Year from Thailand Footprint
Sunday, December 14th 2014. A day that will live if not in infamy than in incredulity. For it was on that day that the bureaucratic battle by Chris Catto Smith and his wife Mook was lost and the historic Check Inn 99 sign, seemingly forever located between Sukhumvit 5 and 7 was finally taken down by workmen to make more headroom available for bicyclists. Because as everyone knows, bicycling is one of the great recreational activities Bangkok is famous for on Sukhumvit Road. As Chris drove home the point so clearly last night as he recounted his horror tales of dealing with the Thai government: he thought he was dealing with a psychopath when in reality it turned out it was the creation of a cycle path. (See Check Inn 99 Facebook page for details).
Psychopath or cycle path on Sukhumvit Road? You be the judge.
A piece of history is now gone – The iconic Check Inn 99 sign
Workman follow orders of Thai government and remove historic landmark
Nothing Lasts Forever
(All photographs courtesy of Chris Catto Smith and Mook at Check Inn 99)
But fear not. The memories of the Check Inn 99 sign will live on in the imaginative rendition by noted novelist and cartoonist, Colin Cotterill in the soon to be released book, BANGKOK BEAT detailing the colorful history of Check Inn 99. Over the past 7 months a lot of time and effort has been taken by members of the Check Inn 99 family to properly compile the needed information and pictures. For the first time the written and photographic history of Check Inn 99 will be detailed in book form, along with previously published popular essays from this blog. It will be released initially as an E book and then as a paperback, the latter which will be available at Check Inn 99, this web sight and other sources by early 2015.
The table of contents will follow closely the foundational quote of Thailand Footprint by Henry Miller:
Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.
In addition to the storied history of Check Inn 99 the book will delve into the interesting people, things, literature and music of Bangkok and the region.
The Check Inn 99 sign is no more. But it will live on on the cover of BANGKOK BEAT. Stay tuned to this new page for more details including a complete Table of Contents coming soon. The artwork is so good by Colin Cotterill, I’m posting it twice:
Everybody has biases. Mine involve Check Inn 99 and Chris Catto-Smith. Watch the video produced by the video team from BangkokNightlife.com and click the link at the top of the video to take you to where you can vote for Chris for Expat Entrepreneur of the Year by clicking Like. You can also go to the Facebook link at http://lnkd.in/bhcZg_R
James A. Newman – The nattily attired Master of Ceremonies for Bangkok Night of Noir 2014
For the second time in less than 9 months author James A. Newman, artist Chris Coles and company decided it would be a good idea to hold a Bangkok Night of Noir. It was. The purpose was to have an evening of music, readings, art and photography depicting the numerous sources of noir found in Bangkok, Thailand. The Check Inn 99 is the perfect venue for such an event. A place where Bob Hope, Dean Martin and Raquel Welch relaxed after USO shows during the Viet Nam War. A colorful history understates the facts of the Check Inn 99 by a long shot. It’s a place where, for anyone who had forgotten, Christopher G. Moore reminded us in a finale reading that a dwarf once worked as the doorman for years at the entrance to the Check Inn 99 tunnel leading toward the door. And then one day he disappears. How does a dwarf go missing? It’s Bangkok, that’s how. Just down that tunnel a previous owner of the establishment was beaten so badly, over creative financing rumors, he died the next day. It happened on the eve of one of Thailand’s many political coups, decades ago.
The entrance to Check Inn 99 located on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: Courtesy)
The very day of Bangkok Night of Noir, Sunday January 5th, 2014 there was a film crew shooting a Karaoke scene in the morning for an upcoming movie regarding Thailand’s infamous last executioner, Chaovaret Jaruboon, a drinking buddy of Bangkok author, Jim Algie and a living noir legend until he died in 2012. If you were looking for a setting to read dark fiction and show the neon noir world of Bangkok’s nightlife, you were in the right place. The 2014 Night of Noir kicked off, reading wise, later than some guests had anticipated. There was a full house, much more crowded than the one held in April 2013.
Photo Courtesy Check Inn 99 – Two Hours Before Tip Off. Veteran Waiters Rest While They Can
Music of the Heart Band came to the rescue as people were still buying books and getting them signed. Highlights for me, before readings began, were talking with Cara Black about some of her SoHo Crime colleagues and meeting John Burdett, author of the Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep series, which started with Bangkok 8. Just when I was getting impatient, Music of the Heart Band broke out into a song in French, known for its dedication to the fighters of the French Foreign Legion: Non, je ne regrette rien, which caused out of town visiting, New York Times best selling author and Francophile, Cara Black to smile broadly and sing along.
The readings started shortly thereafter with screenwriter, actor and presentation coach John Marengo reading from James A. Newman’s latest, The White Flamingo. Marengo has decades of acting and voice over credits. Newman’s fictional Fun City, AKA Pattaya never sounded better or bleaker, depending on your perspective, coming from Marengo’s microphone. That was followed by his reading of the Charles Bukowski poem, Dinosauria, We. A dark Buk special about death, decay and pessimism for mankind.
Tom Vater read next, publisher of Crime Wave Press, author of Devil’s Road to Kathmandu and The Cambodian Book of the Dead. The latter I have reviewed and recommend. When Tom Vater talks, I listen. He always has something interesting to say. He prefaced his reading with some fascinating history regarding the world’s busiest airport up until 1975, run by the CIA in Long Cheng in Laos. Tom is the co-author of the screenplay, The Most Secret Place on Earth – The CIA’s Covert War in Laos. That background will make his upcoming novel, The Man With The Golden Mind – a Detective Maier novel, which Tom read from, invaluable. It was a riveting read.
The Dean of Bangkok fiction was up next to read from a book I am proud to say is in my library: The Go Go Dancer Who Stole My Viagra and other Poetic Tragedies of Thailand. I am a fan of Dean Barrett’s writing and poetry. I am also a Dean Barrett fan. I’m going to go out on a limb here and make what could be misconstrued as a political statement, but what the hell: the world needs more Dean Barrett’s. A lot more. Always entertaining, gracious and humorous. All of Dean’s readings are good but it’s tough to beat the classic, No One Wants to Boom Boom, Anymore.
John Burdett was in the house and that was a pleasure to see and to listen too as well. Mr. Burdett read from his latest Sonchai Jitpleecheep series, VULTURE PEAK about organ trafficking. He starts off with these two quotations from the beginning of Vulture Peak, juxtaposing the two, which gets one thinking about morality and unintended consequences:
What you do to yourself, you do to the world.
What you do to the world, you do to yourself. – Buddhist proverb
If a living donor can do without an organ, why shouldn’t the donor profit and medical science benefit? – Janet Radcliffe-Richards, Lancet 352 (1998), p. 1951
John then read a wonderful passage regarding the murder investigation from Vulture Peak, which I have only included the very last part of the brilliant conclusion :
“Really? That will be helpful. By the way, what genders are the victims?”
“Two men and a woman.”
Now I notice something else. “No blood?”
“Somebody cleaned up meticulously. They even used some chemical that neutralizes our tests. I tell you, whoever did it were professionals. There were certainly more than one.” I nod.
“Any ideas?” the doctor asks when we have replaced the sheet.
“You mean whodunit? Only in the more general sense.” She raises her eyes. “Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, Adam Smith. Capitalism dunit. Those organs are being worn by somebody else right now.”
Cara Black wearing her Crime Fiction Writer’s Reading Glasses
The out of town guest of honor for the evening was Cara Black. John Burdett handed Cara the copy of Vulture Peak from which he read, after he finished. Cara seemed genuinely thrilled to receive the copy. Likewise, Chris Coles presented Cara Black with a copy of his book, Navigating the Bangkok Noir. I would learn later, the copy of The Marriage Tree, which Christopher G. Moore read from last, now resides with Cara in The City by the Bay. Charles Bukowski got it all wrong. This was a congenial, generous and optimistic group of noir scribes.
Cara Black, deemed Madam Noir by M.C. James A. Newman was next up. Her protagonist is Aimee Leduc, half-French; half-American. Aimee is an computer fraud expert, can dress fashionably in Paris or in disguise for the job. She can handle a Beretta when need be. Her partner is a 4’0″ dwarf and computer genius, named Rene. Together they could probably team up with Vincent Calvino and solve the mystery of the missing Check Inn 99 doorman in two weeks time. But that was not the task at hand. Cara Black read from her first of 13 Aimee Leduc Investigations, MURDER IN THE MARAIS, but she did need the assistance of Calvino’s creator as she wore Mr. Moore’s spectacles to get the job done. I find her writing style eloquent and tense where it needs to be. Cara lives in San Francisco with her husband and son. Paris, the City of Light, is always a central character in her novels. I got the feeling Cara likes a good adventure and she got one at Night of Noir. She seemed to appreciate every moment and be in the moment.
Bangkok Noir artist Chris Coles – Author of Navigating the Bangkok Noir speaks about: The Stuff That Lies Beneath Bangkok and South East Asia – Click the Photo to take you to the Chris Coles Blog
A Night of Noir is incomplete without a Chris Coles presentation. Enthusiastic about the where and when of Bangkok and what lies beneath the city. The where being almost anywhere after dark and the when being, now. Please take the time to click the above picture to take you an excellent review of the presentation Chris put together, complete with copies of all the pictures flashed onto the screen at 4’x5′ size. You can also go to his blog by clickng here: CHRIS COLES NIGHT OF NOIR TALK AND PICTURES. Chris also had the honor of introducing the final author of the evening, Christopher G. Moore, well known for his over two dozen novels, including the Vincent Calvino Crime Series, The Thai Smile Trilogy and his cultural books of essays, among others.
Christopher G. Moore – Author of the Vincent Calvino Crime Series
Christopher G. Moore read from his latest Calvino caper: The Marriage Tree, the 14th in the popular series, which has Calvino dealing with some cumulative trauma issues regarding the deaths of close friends in Rangoon and Bangkok. Christopher’s reading was appropriate as he chose a scene where the fictional Calvino walks down the real life tunnel of the Check Inn 99 to find Colonel Pratt playing the saxophone near some white flamingos. It was art imitating life and it was fun. Even the ancient waiters were smiling.
Check Inn 99 owner Chris Catto-Smith
Chris Catto-Smith was coaxed onto the main floor one more time to recount the colorful history of the Cabaret Club. I never tire of listening to Chris speak about the history or seeing the old black and white photos of the club and Bangkok of an earlier time flashed onto the big screen. Among the things I learned, those white flamingos may like to hang-out around plastic flowers but they are made of cast iron and Chris even hammered the point home for the audience. Music of the Heart Band came back on to perform. Some stayed but it was late and many headed for home or wherever into the Bangkok night.
Could the readings have started a little earlier? I suppose they could have. But for one night some of the top noir stars from Bangkok and San Francisco aligned just as they were meant to align – perfectly. James A. Newman, Chris Coles, Chris Catto-Smith and all the authors are to be commended, once again, for pulling it off. Anyone who plans to live or stay in Bangkok for any length of time would be well served by the words of Alan Watts: “Things are as they are.” Since the group picture was taken late some of the authors had already left due to commitments the next day. When asked to join in for the group photo, no one had to ask me twice. I’m not a noir writer or a noir artist, but the world still needs them. And as Chris Coles stated more than once, enthusiastically, during his presentation, this is a city with an almost infinite source of inspiration for noir. It was a memorable evening. As I was headed up the elevator to my condo around 1:15 a.m. my telephone vibrated. It was one of the authors: “Back at the bar!” it read. I smiled as the doors opened to my floor. The beat goes on in Bangkok City.
L to R John Marengo, Dean Barrett, Christopher G. Moore, Kevin Cummings, James A. Newman, Cara Black, Chris Coles
All Photographs shown, with the exception of Check Inn 99 Entrance and waiters, taken by Alasdair McLeod of Bangkok, Thailand. Permission for the reproduction of these photographs is needed from Thailand Footprint if used for commercial purposes.
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“Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.”
― Henry Miller
Everything starts with an idea. I have long believed that. The thing is, it doesn’t even have to be an original idea. In the case of this blog the genesis came from the Henry Miller quote, above. I figured Henry was a lot smarter than me. Being around people smarter than I am has never bothered me. In my business I seek them out and hire them. With friendships it’s an added bonus.
Let’s take a look at Thailand Footprint’s first year, Miller style. You can click on most of the pictures to take you to the discussed post or do a search on the site, if you like.
PEOPLE:
Henry Miller would have liked Malcolm Gault-Williams, shown with his three sons. I am sure of that. Malcolm now lives up country near the Laos border, he is engaged in a life long project, LEGENDARY SURFERS. Malcolm was featured in the first ever interview at Thailand Footprint: EACH ONE HIS OWN DIRECTION EACH ONE HIS OWN WAY kon-lá tít kon-lá taang / คนละทิศคนละทาง
Mook, the smiling waitress at the Soi 4 German restaurant in Pattaya whom I recounted the rather remarkable story of having my gold chain ripped off my neck by a 150 lb katoey as I drank a cup of coffee by the sea, only to get it back twenty minutes later, in the middle of a growing crowd, which included a few men in brown or Pattaya Policemen. A memorable evening where I explain why I love Thailand and learn that the word Mook in Thai means pearl.
There was the essay I wrote about Henry Miller called, Forget Yourself, What did Henry Miller mean? In that essay I pay tribute to an old friend, Dick, that passed away of a heart attack at age 76. I discuss that forgetting yourself is never easy but almost always worth it.
Two of the three most popular posts, traffic wise, had nothing to do with literature or music. It was all about Muay Thai. They both featured Muay Ying Champion Melissa Ray and the second one featured charismatic MAX Muay Thai Champion Hotchilli Ntg, who recently took home a $15,000 US purse in a four man tournament in which he finished second to a long time Champion. A special thanks to Bangkok photographer, Eric Nelson for those two posts in particular.
Author, T. (Thom) Hunt Locke
Author, Matt Carrell
For me personally it was a great year as I was able to get to to know many of the Bangkok authors whose books I had read over the years. But equally rewarding was making contact with out of town authors face to face after I had featured them at Thailand Footprint. One thing we can be sure of, Henry Miller would have preferred face to face over Facebook every time. My author collection has grown and so has my friendship collection. There are a lot of benefits to following Henry’s advice. I have gotten to know American , Thom Hunt Locke, whom I did an interview called, Jim Thompson is Alive! A Sam Collins Mystery. Thom has a new novel out now, The Chiang Mai Chronicle, with a new protagonist, Declan Power. I was also able to meet British author, Matt Carrell author of Thai Kiss among others, whom I featured in an essay called, Nobody Loves Goliath, about Amazon.com. Both are interesting men with second careers other than authors and a passion for writing and living life to the fullest.
There are also three fellow bloggers who helped me out a lot in 2013 before I ever published a single post and have always been supportive. I thank Robert Carraher of The Dirty Lowdown, a book and music review site, Voicu Minea Simamdan of http://www.Simandan.com – Writer, Archer, Travelor and Trevor Bide of http://www.engagingthailand.com , a site about Thailand culture, travel, cooking and much more.
THINGS:
Some of the memorable things in 2013 included the couch at The Living Room located at the Sheraton on Sukhumvit 12 in Bangkok. It was from a couch that we watched Steve Cannon play another thing, the trumpet. I wrote an essay about earning the couch. Henry Miller earned the couch most days, I reckon. It is always a worthy goal. One I will shoot for more often in 2014.
Thai University uniforms are things. I didn’t write the popular satirical essay on the Thai University uniform, Kaewmala did. She of http://www.thaiwomantalks.com . She kindly allowed me to re-post it. Henry Miller would have been against University uniforms and in favor of short skirts, if I had to take a guess.
Parks are some of my favorite things and I wrote about them in 2013 in The Parks of My Life. This is Suan Rot Fai, my favorite local park in Bangkok.
The fountain at Hemingway’s restaurant on Sukhumvit 14 is a thing and a perfect meeting place for friends. Owner Craig Bianchini and General Manager Damian Mackay have always been helpful and friendly about the restaurant named after the famous American writer, which is modeled after his Key West, Florida home.
Shrines are things and no one finds more interesting things than Jim Algie, one of many Footprint Makers featured on this blog. His book, Bizarre Thailand, is filled with things Henry Miller or anyone would find interesting.
A toilette is a thing of necessity. Who could forget a personal favorite of mine in 2013, Gop’s interview with that prickly protagonist, Joe Dylan when he decided to go tubing at Koh Samui Health Resort and Spa after taking a slide on Zone ice after solving the White Flamingo caper down in Fun City? Quite a few of you, apparently. That’s why I am here, to remind you. The White Flamingo novel by James A. Newman has been charting regularly in the noir rankings at Amazon, no doubt due to Gop’s probing questions and the piles of publicity it created.
Two more of my favorite things in 2013, speaking of famous plastic birds. This one is at the Check Inn 99 alongside the painting, Soi Cowboy by Chris Coles.
LITERATURE & MUSIC:
We’ve covered literature already this month with my list of favorite fiction and non-fiction for 2013. A revue of musical venues will be done in April. So I now turn to the first annual Thailand Footprint Makers of the Year Award. To the persons who have promoted literature and the arts of Thailand above and beyond the call of duty for the betterment of anyone with a dram of common sense and sense of appreciation. Drum roll please …
FOOTPRINT MAKERS OF THE YEAR FOR 2013 at Thailand Footprint
Let me tell you what these two men share in common, before I discuss them individually. Neither of them could have predicted 15 years ago what they are doing today. They get up most every day and get to work. They also have time for fun. They both love Bangkok and do not get back to their home countries that often. They both capture moments at every opportunity. They appreciate what the other one does. They have the same first name. They are Check Inn 99 owner, Chris Catto-Smith and artist and author of Navigating the Bangkok Noir, Chris Coles.
2013 Footprint Maker of the Year – Chris Catto-Smith
Just some of the highlights for the former Royal Air Force jet fighter-pilot from Australia, Chris Catto-Smith in 2013: hosting Night of Noir; bringing The Rocky Horror Show to Bangkok; The Blues Brothers Show featuring Keith Nolan and company; Casablanca Night; Dean Barrett China Night and of course, Music of the Heart Band pretty much 7 nights a week. If you’ve never been to Check Inn 99 when you get to Bangkok, go. If you’ve been, you know. He could not do it without his wife, Mook who runs the show while raising their two children. Two full time jobs, done well.
2013 Footprint Maker of the Year , Chris Coles (Photo Credit Aroon Thaewchaturat)
American, Chris Coles is a former Ivy League guy, a former Hollywood big budget movie production manager. He has now been making a documentary on the Bangkok Night for over a decade one painting at a time. Author of Navigating the Bangkok Noir, Chris has spoken at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Bangkok, had art gallery showings in several different countries and can always be counted on to give an entertaining presentation highlighted by his own art and commentary. Chris is as comfortable in front of a camera as he is in front of a canvas. Google some of his YouTube interviews. You will be entertained. Chris Coles expressionist art works are impressive in volume and content. More impressive to me is that I have seen Chris Coles be encouraging to people in the arts time and again and to me personally.
His Soi Cowboy painting at Check Inn 99 is already iconic. Chris Catto-Smith received a big bucks offer for it and to his credit refused to sell it. It’s hard to imagine the place without it now. Like the plastic flamingos they all found a perfect home. Likewise, I cannot think of two better Footprint Makers to be singled out in 2013 at Thailand Footprint. Thank-you, gentlemen. Your gift certificates for a foot massage and dinner at Hemingway’s restaurant await you. Congratulations.
Thanks for reading Thailand Footprint in 2013. May 2014 be the beginning of a beautiful year for everyone. With no civil war in Thailand, for everyone’s sake.
Thailand Footprint: Impressions left by the books, people, places and music of Thailand and South East Asia 