Futon

A Futon is Born

In 2002, David and Bee were putting on Bangkok’s first ElectroClash night at Ministry of Sound (Bangkok). Most new tracks were released on vinyl and took weeks to arrive by post, so they decided to start making their own songs to play in the club.
“Gene & Momo were so perfect at the audition for a singer that we went with them both and released the audition session our first single.” Bee

Dog on a Futon

“I wanna be your dog”, sang in Thai, Japanese and English, was championed by radio DJs in the UK, Australia, Singapore, and (bizarrely) Croatia. It was also used in the HBO documentary, ‘Thinking XXX’. Futon’s debut album, “Never mind the Botox” (2003) went massive in Thailand and secured them shows in London at ace clubs like Nag, Nag, Nag, and Mark Moore’s Electrogogo.

A Sleazy Futon

Present at that very first audition, Peter Sleazy Christopherson (Throbbing Gristle, Coil) would play an integral part in the Futon story. He not only remixed the first single, mixed the live sound at the early shows, built their first website, oversaw & edited most of their videos, his nurturing presence was a constant blessing.
“In the early days, Sleaze used to say he was ‘the fifth Futon’.” Bee

A Suede Futon

After seeing them headline a Thai Festival, Simon Gilbert (Suede) met them backstage and said they were great but should ditch the drum machine and get a real drummer. They cheekily suggested that he could become a Futon and, as Suede were on a hiatus, he joined the band. OH+, who previously played bass for Thailand’s biggest rap artist, Joey Boy, joined them on bass.

WHAM BAM FUTON!

Japan, Marc Bolan, and Wham! Manager, Simon Napier Bell was a big Futon supporter. As well as hooking them up with UK record companies and penning an article about them for the UK’s Observer newspaper.
“Simon is such a stellar chap, plus he was one of the few people that partied harder and faster than we did!” Bee

Calling Planet Futon

Futon went on to play shows all over the world, from Ireland to Vietnam, Paris to Shanghai, and to over 350,00 people at Berlin’s CSD Pride festival. Russell Brand spoke lovingly about them and played their ‘Strap it on’ single on his Radio Show. Tim Simenon (Bomb the Bass) produced their final album, ‘Painkiller’. They wrote songs for Japanese legend Maki Nomiya 野宮真貴, (Pizzicato Five), remixed Billy Ray Martin and were remixed by Chicks on Speed.