...and cuz some may have missed it or are new to this space, I just had to re-post.
In 1996, the Parallel World label released the LP "Cambodian Rocks", a collection of Cambodian psych and garage music from the 60s and early 70s (probably), compiled by an American tourist named Paul Wheeler from some cassettes he bought in Phnom Penh. No information on the songs was provided at all, no artist names, no song titles, and no recording dates. Four years later, Parallel World reissued this compilation on CD with a few extra tracks, but still without any identifying information. Unfortunately, it is more than likely that many of the featured musicians, showing a definite Western influence in their music, were murdered by the Khmer Rouge regime which took over power in 1975. Certainly none of them ever received any money from the sales of this compilation. However, the music is wonderful, and here it is for your enjoyment.
This album is a TREASURE! I have had some tracks from it on a homemade CD that was made for me a few years ago and I have been fascinated by this music ever since. But more importantly, I would love to hear the stories of these artists, if anyone who survived that holocaust who knew these artists could tell us more about them, it would do much to help bridge the gaps and possibly put faces and names to these songs and give them the recognition they deserve.
Before the Khmer Rogue, Cambodia was far ahead of most other Asian countries in Western influenced pop music and culture.
But during the Khmer Rogue regime, hundreds of thousands were slaughtered for even the mere ACCUSATION of having any Western influence WHATSOEVER (be it looks, possessions, music, anything at all.) Like the Jews of Hitler's Germany, no words could possibly explain the hell they went through.
And considering every item, book, photo, record and tape from the West or had any real or percieved Western influence that the Khmer Rouge could find in Cambodia at that time was destroyed en masse, the very fact these tapes survived at all so we could hear them today is a miracle. And through the internet, I can only hope interest in this music will grow.
Thank you WFMU for helping share this music with the world. Because the world needs to hear it. It's the very best way we could show we have not forgotten the people who made it and that in the final words of that bloody history, THEY won.
All Via WFMU's "Beware Of the Blog" as well as FREEEEEE downloads!!!!
Go to today's Podcast for a taste.
and by the way, Dengue Fever are just a cheap copy albeit with some good songs.(mostly kiped from the original artists and THEIR aesthetic.
