Grooves of Life: Gap—Jesada Teerapinan on Reggae, Dub, Ska, and Life in Sriracha
At a wooden house by the sea, EQ sits down with Jesada Teerapinan, or Gap from T-Bone. He's a singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the reggae-ska band, and he also has a solo project called Ga-Pi, which explores reggae dub (a subgenre of reggae that emerged in the 1960s). He describes this project as a space for creative freedom.
The mixing room at Jahdub Studio is surrounded by trees, with the sounds of barking dogs and chirping birds. A gentle breeze carries a mix of warm and cool air from the distant sea into the room. A middle-aged man with dreadlocks and a warm smile greets us with his deep voice. All of these elements make us wonder if Gap considers himself a Rastafarian. (Rastafari is a Jamaican culture with a unique way of life. They embrace peace, reggae music, and are known for cannabis use.)
"If I were Rastafarian, I wouldn’t drink beer. I’d only eat Ital food. No meat, just vegetarian food. But I eat everything. The Rastafari part about me is just the hairstyle."
We all laugh at his joke before diving into a conversation about reggae, ska, and dub music, as well as his past life and his current life in Sriracha.
What was your childhood like?
I was born in Betong and grew up in Songkhla and Phetchaburi. I was a country kid before coming to study in Bangkok. My dad worked in the government, so we moved around a lot (laughs).
I don’t remember much from those days, but what sticks with me are the memories from Phetchaburi and Songkhla. I loved the food, the atmosphere, and the people there. It's what I’ve been familiar with since childhood.
When I was in Bangkok, my parents were still in the provinces, and I came here to study. I lived in a house near Khlong San, on Thonburi side. All I learned was that I didn’t like school at all. When I took the bus past the College of Fine Arts at Wang Na, I felt like I wanted to draw. That's when I thought I had to study art because it gives freedom to my mind.
I did well in school and at work, but I didn’t finish my studies. When I was about to graduate and take the entrance exam for university, I was already older than the other students in my class. When I got to Silpakorn University, I didn’t like the SOTUS activities at all, so I just skipped the classes. I told the professors I wasn’t going to study anymore. Instead, I went to work as a clothing designer for a while. I got to work with some really talented people. I started out as a sales assistant at Greyhound, then I got into silkscreen printing and designing clothes.
Back then, the places to hang out were around Lang Suan. There was Brown Sugar, Old West, and a few other cool spots. The nightlife scene was centered there. After a while, I realized I really liked the nightlife. So, I started living that life and just got lost in it.
Why do you enjoy the nightlife?
When you're a teenager, you can't sleep (laughs). Back then, we didn’t have the internet or anything to watch online. We had to go out and experience everything in person. If you wanted to buy something, you had to go get it. If you wanted to listen to music and find vinyl records, you had to go look for them. It was like a quest, but it was inspiring.
Actually, I started playing music with Golf—Nakarin Teerapenun and Num—Phirasut Patthanajindaruk from T-Bone back when we were at the College of Fine Arts. But Golf was more dedicated, so he went on to study jazz, formed a band, and started playing blues. I just joined in to jam. That’s how it all started.
Was the band already called T-Bone back then?
No, it wasn’t. We only got the name T-Bone after the audition. It came from a pair of jeans under the brand T-Bone, just like T-Bone Walker, the blues artist. I was wearing those jeans that day, and when someone asked us what the band’s name was, I just said, “Okay, we’re T-Bone.” That’s how the name came about—nothing else.
Why did you decide to start a reggae band?
When I was a kid, my uncle had a lot of vinyl records, so I listened to a lot of Western music instead of Thai music. I grew up listening to The Beatles, Queen, Stevie Wonder, and then I got to know the music of Black artists. When I started playing music, I wanted to focus on improvisation. For example, if we played a Stevie Wonder song, we would just improvise it and make it our own way. It was like a jam band, and the songs we chose were mostly soul music, mostly by Black artists.
Once I became the leader of T-Bone, my behavior started to change. My identity began to influence the band. And then, little by little, the stuff I liked started to come out.
And it came out as reggae?
It was clear that reggae was truly me.
At that time, I started traveling more, and the islands were still unspoiled. I met so many people, foreigners and hippies. They were also travelers but they truly knew who they were deep inside. I learned a lot from them. So, I was exposed to their culture. But to be honest, I had known about reggae music for a long time because I had listened to music since I was a kid. My younger sister used to send me tapes of Bob Marley. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I knew I liked that style of music. I started with Bob Marley’s songs, and from there, my style became clearer.
How did you make reggae work in Thailand when it wasn't popular back then?
When we started, it was hard to make it popular. For example, when we tried to make Thai songs as reggae, it wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t what we had in mind, and honestly, we didn’t really know how to do it. We couldn’t express exactly what we wanted. Reggae wasn’t widely known back then. Even though there were references and Western songs we could listen to, it wasn’t the same. You needed someone who knew reggae really well to do it. So, I started doing other things to get the sound I wanted, like mixing music. As we gained more knowledge, our work became clearer because we understood it better.
So, to fix it, you need to invest your time?
Yes, exactly. At first, I wanted to do everything myself because I thought I understood the sound I was hearing better than anyone else. But no one is perfect. You have to be clear about what you’re doing. You have to be good at the genre you enjoy listening to. Your identity truly shows in what you do. If you’re clear about who you are, it will come through. I’m not good at everything, like other music genres or things I don’t understand. If I can’t do it, I’ll accept it. I’m not stubborn. But if I’m good at something, I’ll do it myself.
How do you write your songs?
First things first, I set my goal to write songs that could last as long as possible. I don’t want to write songs that are just hits for three days. I don’t use trendy slangs or current buzzwords in my songs, nothing like that. And there must always be something related to nature in the song. That’s the concept I’ve followed from the very beginning.
Why do you need to include nature in the songs?
That’s a good question. I’ve been writing songs about the environment for a long time. And even today, I’m still talking about the same things. It helps, but it doesn’t have a big impact on the masses. Our lifestyles have changed. Everything has become much more convenient now, and there’s more waste, too.
I still use a tiffin box. I always bring my own food container when I buy lunch, or if someone else buys it for me. I carry my own coffee cup everywhere. My car is full of tote bags, and I separate my trash. I don’t even talk about this stuff anymore, I just do it. If I talk about it and don’t follow through, that’s pointless. So, I don’t bring it up anymore. Writing songs about environmental conservation is tough. Really tough.
As a musician, do you want to use your songs to help nature as much as possible?
Yes, it’s definitely something I care about, and it naturally comes out in my music. But when I write songs, I don’t start with lyrics. I begin with the melody and the music. I focus on how I feel about the sound and the melody I’m hearing, and then I add the lyrics later. Sometimes, the ideas come from conversations with someone. Other times, it starts with just two words. If those words hit me hard, I’ll jot them down.
What makes reggae music unique?
I think reggae and ska are happy music. The rhythm is bouncy. Reggae tends to slow down a bit, but the roots are nice. It’s all about the rhythm. You could say I like the slower rhythm.
Are you a slow person?
No, I’m not. I’m always on fire. I mean, I have a lot of energy, and I’m always fired up.
Does reggae music calm you down?
Yes, a bit. But mostly, I separate myself from it. For example, T-Bone plays roots reggae, but we don’t do dub reggae. So, with T-Bone, I focus more on Rocksteady Ska. For deeper stuff, I have my solo project Ga-Pi, where I explore reggae dub music.
What makes T-Bone unique?
I think it’s the band itself. T-Bone has many instrumental songs now. Even if you don’t see me on stage, it still sounds like T-Bone. T-Bone is a band with diverse musicians, some of them are really good at jazz. Reggae and ska are simple with just 2-3 chords. It’s just tom, tom, tom, and you keep doing that for 3 minutes straight. For professional musicians, this can get really boring and even torturous. That’s why T-Bone is all about freedom. We don’t limit our ideas. We live for improvisation. We’re all about live performances. Every time we play, it’s different, depending on the vibe and where the music takes us.
Is Ga-Pi very different from T-Bone?
Yes, it’s different. Ga-Pi is so limitless. I don’t have to worry about anything. With T-Bone, I have to maintain the band’s standard and make sure it stays true to T-Bone’s identity.
When I started Ga-Pi, I wanted to create something I enjoyed. It’s roots reggae, which is why it became a dub project. The first thing I thought about was keeping the vocals to a minimum. My solo work ended up being mostly instrumental because I didn’t want it to overlap with T-Bone’s music. Luckily, since it’s dub reggae, I could use my imagination to create the sound I wanted to express.
What did you learn from reggae music?
The most important thing is that it has helped me understand who I am and what I want to do. I've been doing this for a long time, and over the years, I’ve met international artists and even legends who came to visit us here. I’m really proud of that. It all started with just one person, and it has grown from there. Now, I have guests visiting me every year.
What’s your life motto these days?
Living artistically. I studied art, but what I really gained was the art of living. I try to be true to myself and understand what I’m capable of. I know my limits. I’m actually a bit greedy, but I won’t let that greed change who I am. I won’t do things I’m not good at, which is why I’m not rich.
These days, I choose the artists I want to produce music for. I don’t just take on any project. I’m not going to listen to music I don’t like just to make money. Because to do that, I’d have to listen to the same track 100 times. And if that happens, I don’t think the outcome will be good. So, the first condition for me is that I have to like it. When I like something, the ideas come to me. I can see the big picture, and that’s when I can enjoy the work. It’s about choosing work I enjoy, but unfortunately, that doesn’t always mean making money. Many of these projects are done from the heart, for free. But as long as I like the work, that’s all that matters.
But if I were a different type of person, I wouldn’t lie to myself either. For example, some people believe that success means fame and having hit songs. The definition of success differs for each artist. If they accept who they are, then go for it, make the most money out of it. No need to talk about ideals or principles. Just focus on making money. I respect that. But if you claim to have strong principles and the only thing you care about is money, that’s like people who use religion to make money. I have more respect for people who truly respect their work.
How’s life in Sriracha?
Living here, I spend most of my time by myself. Some days, I don’t talk to anyone. If I’m alone and there’s no one around, I can stay silent the whole day. And when I try to speak again, it’s like I’ve forgotten how to open my mouth, but I’m happy. I like it this way. I’m someone who plays loud music, but in real life, I enjoy the quiet. Sometimes, I don’t even listen to music at all. It’s kind of strange, but that’s just how it is.
I’d say life here is great, really. It’s so different from Bangkok. The hardest part is forcing myself to stay productive and keep working. That’s the real challenge. Also, when you visit a place, it feels nice. But when you actually live there, you start to ask, “What should I do now?” It’s like having a house in the countryside. It’s so peaceful when you go back, but what do you do there? Especially if you’re still building up your career, that can be tough. But now, with everything being possible online, you can work from anywhere, right?
The reason I’ve created the life I have and become the person I am is because of all the experiences I’ve had while traveling and meeting new people. Those experiences have shaped my thoughts and my inspiration. But now, I’ve stopped seeking out new things, yet the inspiration is still there. The energy is still there.
What do you think about being human, after seeing so many different kinds of people?
Honestly, I think humans are here to learn about life. There’s nothing more to it than that. We’re here to learn how to keep going, how to keep living. And that’s natural. I believe everything is connected.
Right now, I respect Buddhist teachings more than anything. I try to understand how I should behave, what’s wrong, what’s right, what to do, and what not to do. To become the person I am now, I had to let go of a lot of things. I just let it all go. It wasn’t until I let go that I found myself, but I also know that in the process, I took advantage of some people along the way.
For example, when I was a kid, I once pawned something that belonged to my friend and never apologized for it until I was older. I still feel bad about it. There are things you can’t take back. That taught me how to survive without becoming a mess. Life might be crazy, but I know how to protect myself. I think that’s the basic rule of life. Everyone is looking for answers, especially now. People want shortcuts to get rich, they want to be someone, they want this, they want that. We all need to slowly figure out who we really are. Some problems come from the outside, not from you, but we still get involved anyway.
How do you handle problems that come from within?
I stay calm. I’ve become calmer and don’t have many problems these days. Sometimes, when I look at people my age, I feel like I understand them more. As you get older, it seems like everyone else is ready to support others, but that’s not always the case for me. Still, I also have things that they don’t have. I think I’m content with who I am. When I stop comparing myself to others, I can be happy with my life.
What’s your next goal, after 30 years in the reggae music industry?
I’m not sure. I am who I am, and I think I’ll just keep being that way. I’ll probably continue doing what I’ve always done. I don’t think people would notice if I ever changed.
How's it like working with the new generation?
There was a time when I was really bored. I was bored because they weren’t mature enough, and I was already experienced and professional. I kept thinking, “Why do I have to work with them?” It felt boring. But then, their work was really good, so it was still worth it. It made me feel very lucky to get to work with the real deal. Actually, I’ve worked with many talented people from the new generation, and I’m happy I could help them. Honestly, it’s been amazing for me. And every time I work with them, it feels like I'm improving my own sound-mixing skills too. It’s not just about doing things my way.
It’s their world now. The future is theirs, not mine. If I ignore it, I’ll fall behind. At least, that’s how I see it.
In the past 30 years, has there ever been a time when you’ve gotten bored of reggae music?
Actually, I knew about Depeche Mode and 80s electronic bands before I knew about Bob Marley. When I was a kid, I wanted to be like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, or Pink Floyd. I was even into punk when I was studying at the College of Fine Arts. I listened to everything, and I read a lot too. I wanted to learn about Zen, Taoism, and all kinds of things. It helped me become more open-minded.
The thing about the reggae world is that it doesn’t really evolve. I mean, people don’t usually want to listen to anything outside their own genre. But I’ve always listened to different kinds of music. Sometimes, I don’t even play reggae at all. I’ll put on jazz, African music, or whatever. It has helped me develop this genre. Nowadays, reggae in Jamaica has become something else. It’s hard to even describe. But the people who continue pushing the roots and dub music forward tend to be from Europe, Japan, or other parts of Asia.
What do you think the reggae industry in Thailand still lacks?
Not really. There are plenty of good opportunities. It might seem quiet right now because there was a time when reggae festivals were happening everywhere, and there were so many bands. Now, only the real ones have survived, which means we have a strong community. And if anyone wants to organize an event, we can easily be a part of it. We’ve been able to play at some great concerts. I’ve also had the chance to work on dub music and perform in Japan near Mount Fuji, as well as at events like Maho Rasop and Wonderfruit. I’ve met a lot of international artists, and it's all been great. Everyone is interested in coming to play in Thailand now.
How was it when you played at Glastonbury back in the day?
It was tough. It wasn’t easy at all. We were in tents, and it was all muddy. Wherever we played, we had to walk through the mud with our guitars. It was great, though. It was an experience.
Last but not least, do you have any advice for those who are still finding themselves?
It’s hard, right? But it’s better than not finding it at all. Sometimes, you might succeed and become wealthy, but you don’t get to do what you love. That’s fine, too. When you balance things properly, it helps with your mental well-being and your overall life. I’ve met many people who didn’t study art, but they love it passionately. These things can truly nourish your soul. It takes patience. Nowadays, everyone can be whoever they want to be. The question is, how do we express it? Success doesn’t happen in two days. It takes a long time. Time will tell if you’re truly on the right path or not. But if you’re afraid of that, you’ll never find anything, right?
I’m not trying to teach anyone here, because everyone is different. But I believe that if someone wants to truly be themselves, it takes a lot of time and effort to prove it.
