The Prodigy perhaps leery of Thai tradition

WE’RE NOT SAYING that a good rubdown gives you an energy boost, but apparently part of what puts the live-wire spunk in concerts by British hardcore rave-rock outfit the Prodigy is the fact that they always have a massage before their gigs. The trio – making their Bangkok debut with a much-anticipated show tonight at Bitec in Bang Na – actually tour with personal masseurs.
Bringing masseurs to Bangkok might seem like “hauling coals to Newcastle”, as the ancient expression goes (the English city is a coal-mining centre, you see), but if that’s what it takes to get a properly loud, head-banging, mega-energetic show out of these guys, bring ’em along!
The Prodigy flew into Suvarnabhumi Airport from Seoul yesterday afternoon, not on their usual private jet but on an airliner (first class, of course), ready for the last gig on their Asian tour. The fans were out in force to greet keyboardist-composer Liam Howlett and singers Keith Flint and Maxim.
Then the guys each rode in a separate Mercedes Benz S Class, with their personal masseurs, to a five-star-hotel on the Chao Phraya River, where they promptly tucked into some Thai food and commenced soaking up the culture.
They’re in a bit of a spot, though: How can they sample the marvels of the traditional Thai massage when they already have masseurs in their entourage, watching them protectively? We can only hope they can sneak off when their personal rub persons aren’t looking to rectify this gap in their cultural education.

A song on the Nose
Comedian Udom “Nose” Taepanich, who’s already practically a national hero, just keeps getting more loveable. Now rapper Nattawut Srimok – who actually wants to be known as Golf [expletive] Hero, though presumably not by his parents – posted a photo on Facebook showing the contents of an envelope that Note had handed him. It was a handsome wad of thousand-baht notes.
Golf, uh, Hero explained that he recently “had a chance” to play for Nose a song he’d written for his daughter Chujai.
“He asked me when it would be released. I told him I’ve been trying to raise enough money to buy the rights to a song I’d sampled for the track. The fee is quite high, but I’m expecting to get a lot of money next month from a commercial song I made.”
Nose heard him out and Golf went off to do some errands, and when he returned, the comedian handed him the envelope. When I got home, my wife Belle and I opened it and found this stack of bills and a letter saying, ‘Golf, your song is not just a song for your baby girl. I was really moved when I first listened to it and I knew it would be a song for our nation, for every father and mother, for the children of millions families out there. Well, I would like to take part in this work of art and you cannot deny me the chance. Please take this as a gift for my niece Chujai.”
Overwhelmed, Golf could only promise that he’ll do his best with the tune.