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| Long Beach resident Chhom Nimol, is the lead singer for Dengue Fever, a band that is putting Cambodian American psychedelic surf rock on the map. Chhom, took a break from a crowded touring schedule to visit home for Cambodian New Year before she and the band embark on a West Coast Tour to promote their new album "Cannibal Courtship." (Brittany Murray / Press-Telegram) |
MUSIC: Voice of Dengue Fever prepares for release of latest album, band tour.
04/14/2011
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)
LONG BEACH - As Chhom Nimol sits at Sophy's Restaurant, it's a rare slow day for the Cambodian lead singer of Dengue Fever, a unique band with an ever-growing fan base.
The Signal Hill resident has been in a whir of activity as her band prepares to release of its latest album, "Cannibal Courtship," which hits the shelves Tuesday, the same day the band begins a West Coast tour at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.
"My schedule with Dengue Fever is so full," says Chhom, who brings along a friend to interpret but rarely needs help. "Today is my day to relax."
It being the first day of the three-day Cambodian New Year, it's a good time for reflection, something she has little time for with her band's growing popularity and hectic tour schedule.
"I'm very happy with the band," Chhom says. "We travel around the world. Dengue Fever has helped me see the world."
Which is something for the woman who for much of her life was better known as Chhom Chorvinn's little sister. And in many ways, she still sees herself as that.
"I don't know about being famous or making money," she says with a laugh.
The ascent of Chhom and Dengue Fever is an unlikely tale.
Chhom was born in Battambang province in the wake of the Khmer Rouge's regime that left 2 million Cambodians dead.
The Chhom family was split up, and Nimol and her parents fled to a refugee camp. It was there she learned to sing, taught by her brother Monychot.
"There was really nothing else to do in the camp," Chhom recalls.
Chhom's parents, Ou Sarin and Chon, also had been renowned as ayai singers, a popular, playful rural folk style of music.
It was also in camp the Chhoms heard Chorvinn on the radio and learned that not only was she still alive, but had earned fame as a singer.
The Chhom family later returned to Cambodia, and Nimol gained her own renown, winning a national singing contest.
"Everyone knows our family in Cambodia," Chhom says.
In 2000, the singer made her way to the U.S. to ply her trade in the Cambodian music circuit.
Meanwhile, brothers Zac and Ethan Holtzman became enamored of the 1960s rock music that came out of Cambodia prior to the rise of Pol Pot.
In 2001, they chanced across Chhom, who was singing Cambodian songs and karaoke at the Dragon House in Long Beach.
At the time, Chhom spoke virtually no English, and one can only imagine the confusion as the brothers tried to describe the odd idea they had of doing covers of psychedelic retrorock of Cambodia.
"It was crazy, that's what I'm thinking," Chhom recalls. "What are these guys trying to do, playing Cambodian songs?"
Although it was a gamble, Chhom went in with Dengue Fever and hasn't looked back.
Since inception, the band has earned critical raves for its eclectic blend of Cambodian, Afro, garage, surf and psychedelic styles.
With Cannibal Courtship, the band refines its style, while incorporating more English.
Although Chhom jokes she would sometimes have to spend a week to record one line of English lyrics, the music sounds seamless, natural and unique to Dengue Fever.
As the Americanized Chhom prepares to get her nails done and later go to the gym, she hasn't forgotten her Khmer roots.
Chhom and the band still do charity work for Cambodian causes, such as Cambodian Living Arts, the Wildlife Alliance.
Despite a crowded schedule the next day, Chhom said she planned to find time to go to the Cambodian Buddhist temple of Long Beach and receive a water blessing before embarking on tour.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
14 comments:
traveling and seeing the world help broaden your knowledge in life, really! keep up the good work!
Hanging with the crack-addict band does not make you any smarter.
Nothing short of failure; there's no success in this.
2:48 AM,,
You are talking dirty. You are the one who over used drug and should be dead by now. How dare you?
Khmer people don't talk like that, but you, the Yuon bastard is very ugly and thick face.
To 2:48 AM
Nothing would make you happy, unless you get to fuck yourself 5 times per day.
She is much smarter than New Phally in Long beach and Khmer in Sydney CBD. At least she can find herself employment in a real world and is not working for foreigner government to destroy her own Nation.
Look amy singers have left Cambodia because of one reason;
These idiots CPP members have destroy their own country and harming all our people who are working in preserving our National culture and our custom.
They are all famous in Cambodia and these idiots CPP are after them for having sex with them.
Fucken Bitch Ms Rattana Keo , We know you want to be the next Prime Minister Of Cambodia but the world know, your children know, your cheap low life parents in law know, your grandchildren know, your cheap low life husband know that you are a truly extraordinary threesome bitch! Threesome bitch is what you are! You and your group of friends are threesome bitches who created threesome cultures among Khmer communities! Your pussy is heap of men penis fully loaded cum inside you and your cheap low life husband cum after them inside you. Your husband is a fucken moron living off your money.
Fuck you for being shamelessly talk about Koh Tral Fish Sauce brand. Fuck you for creating hatred toward Viet people. Fuck you for being racist toward Viet people. Fuck you for killing Viet people. Fuck you threesome bitch and fuck your threesome friends.
Hey 5:07AM,
You should fuck your Mum and your daughter instead . Your CPP did that all the time.Why not you? CPP are fucking specy and didn't have family and origin at all. They are made up by vietcong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would anyone -- like this poor bitch -- want to join this crack-head band.
Travel the world, my ass.
It sounds like a spoil and rotten band to me.
How disgusting!
Take a REAL look at this group of people that form the band. These people are NOTHING but are crack heads; only losers choose to join this band.
At least she earns a living through her work, unlike many knuckle heads here who make money through kissing the CPP’s asses.
Mr. Sam Rainsy is the sun that shine bright in all Cambodians heart and mind unlike Dr. Hun Sen murdered thousands khmer lives and cut off 30 000 km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam as personal gift.
So Who is the bad guy now?
5:55 AM,
Can you stop that, idiot? Have you ever done some good things to the poor people of Cambodia? Have you even done the fundraising for the charity?
You better watch your mouth. You are very jealous, aren't you?
I think you are very ugly!
5:56 AM,
Maybe someone called you a crackhead instead from day one. I can tell that you are very ugly since people called you a crackhead.
no wonder some of us like to curse because it's a way to deter unwanted people or the enemies, you know! we all are good at cursing the hell out of them all, really! i say if it serves us well, then why not do it, really! after all, we hated bad or evil attitude people, you know!
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