It all started in a town high on heart but short on musical integrity. Four guys from opposite corners of the globe – bound by birth or by destiny – to Bangkok, Thailand, pounded out a rough itinerary to the rock soundtrack for their great city. Fed up with easy-listening Nu Soul parading as 'indie' and unlistenable Rap Core posturing as 'extreme' music, they set about crafting songs that reflected the manic, stop & go, boom & bust pace of Bangkok. The project would involve grit, rice gruel, late-night kebabs, fights with 6-foot-tall ladyboys, public incomprehensibility and over a hundred gigs on barely functioning backlines, but it would be their own soundtrack to the teeming, sultry metropolis in which they were immersed.The ensuing, car-crash loud noise pop menace was named after the Jerry Reed song about raising a law-breaking ruckus (aka, the 'Smokey And the Bandit' song).For the first two years, The Eastbound Downers were synonymous with Noise Pop, a roving gig showcasing local bands, with a focus on the city’s underground, DIY scene.After several false stars, the band released their debut album 'Deleted' (Bama Records) in 2003. Dino can now be found scouring the bins of every CD Warehouse in town in a rush to destroy any surviving copies of this reminder that Eastbound Downers were – at one point – a ‘punk rock’ band. Our true sound will be unleashed in the forthcoming LP, 'Broken Hearts & Paper Cuts', to be released on June 10.We're currently at a crossroads, with members -- respectively -- moving to different continets, contemplating hard-to-turn-down job offers, working stupidly intense hours and wondering what the hell to do with themselves upon waking up. No matter what becomes of this, the Eastbound Downers (as entity and people) will no doubt resurface in equally earth-shattering guises. And, stay tuned for a very loud party for Jan's departure to distant shores.
...what a party it was...until next time.
