The story of Storyline

The story of Storyline

The story of Storyline

• Published: 3/08/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section:

Under the guidance and patronage of the Chatree Band members, Storyline must have learned a thing or two about making catchy pop songs. And as graduates of Mahidol University's College of Music, Akarachai Sathaworrarith (vocals/guitar), Wasawat Vanapitakvong (keyboard), Wuthikiat Chaicharna (bass) and Kittipong Tamsuay (drums) surely know a thing or two about playing with well-honed skills. Storyline brands itself as an alternative pop outfit with distinct vocals accompanying piano. And the group's latest single, Pen Arai, is a top 5 track on the playlists of many popular radio stations in Bangkok.

This is their success story.
How did you get started?
AKARACHAI: Wasawat and I went to the same school. One day we got the chance to work for other musicians, and after working for them for awhile we decided to start our own band. At that time I had relationship problems so he [Wasawat] helped me convey my feelings into music just by playing the piano. So I started writing some lyrics and he came up with the melody, and it became our first single - Chan Bok Ter Leaw. After the first single was done, we decided to add more band members.
How involved are you with the production process?
WASAWAT: I think we all equally contribute to creating our songs. In the studio we all work very hard together to make our songs special and unique.
What is the inspiration for your music?
AKARACHAI: Our inspiration comes from our daily lives. I think writing lyrics is like writing a diary. Our songs are just like the name of our band ... they are the storylines of our lives - everything from relationships to friendships.
What's the idea behind your new music video Pen Arai?
WASAWAT: We talked it over with the director and all thought that we should choose something that represents a guy, so we picked a robot. This song relates to our first song, Chan Bok Ter Leaw, which is about sadness and disappointment concerning love. For our second single, Pen Arai, we wanted to portray a robot who is lost in the world from all the disappointment, but when he meets someone new he feels something different - he feels happy that he finally found someone to love again.
What has the reaction been like from your fans?
AKARACHAI: The second single got a better reaction from our fans. We toured around campuses and people started to recognise our songs. We got good reviews on Youtube and from people who came to see us when we played at different venues outside of Bangkok as well. In Surat Thani, we phoned in to the deejay and he said that our song had stayed in the top charts for the last six months. I was very happy to hear that.
What obstacles, if any, do you face working together?
WUTHIKIAT: Our biggest obstacle is getting budget for the band. We are a small band and because there are so many pirated CDs out there we don't get a lot of profit in return. I just want our fans to buy our original CDs instead of illegally downloading them online, because the rating and success of a band or artist is largely based on how many CDs you sell or make in profits.
Walk us through Pen Arai, your latest single ...
WASAWAT: We learned from the first single that we didn't put enough into the song - there is nothing really unique or catchy about it. So for our second single we decided to make the piano and vocals the main elements of the song. Pen Arai is a lot more catchy and unique than any other song playing right now.
Do you have any advice for the younger generation of musicians?
KITTIPONG: I know how it feels to be a teenager and what it's like trying to start a band - we've all gone through it. It took lots of hard work and patience. I don't believe in giving up, I believe in moving forward. So to all the teens out there who want to form a band, remember to keep trying. And if you fail, don't stop, because you've already started and come this far - no matter what the result is.