Happy New Year 2015 in Cambodia

Happy New Year 2015 is the most common word used in conversation and Facebook wish around the world.  Not different from the other countries, Cambodia in the era of the globalization is now a part of the world season celebration for new year, Christmas Eve and Day and Halloween since the young generation seems to adapt to those celebration as the happy time with friends and family. It does make the day special for everyone in Cambodia now to countdown on the night of the old year end and the new year start.

During this occasion, the good decoration is done throughout Phnom Penh to warmly welcome the Year 2015. The Independent Monument Park was lighted with the different color to make city more attractive. People from different countries and locals seem to enjoy walking in the evening chatting, walking, jogging, taking photo and riding bicycles. Many vehicles travel near the park creating an image of the busy and crowded city.

Countdown night is very popular in Cambodia as well. Many people having the party wait for the time to come for countdown towards new year. There were fireworks on the sky to loudly announce the coming new year. People went to Dreamland, Riverside and Diamond Island (Koh Pich City).

Finally, I do wish everyone good luck, successful, wealthy, healthy and may your wish comes true very soon. "Happy New Year 2015! Happy New Year World!"

By: POK Panhavuth (Steung Khiev) 

What is Steung Khiev, iRSSS Cool and Steung Khiev Cool?

Historically, Steung Khiev refers to one of a river in the northwest of Cambodia, Sangker River in Battambang Province. During the glorious era of Cambodia in 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, many famous artists came from the nearby villages along Steung Khiev that was composed in several songs of our oldies. Those artists are Ros Sereysothea, Huy Meas, Pen Ran, Pen Ram, Sinn Sisamouth (used to live there during his childhood), Im Song Seum, Mao Sareth.... Therefore, top ten 2 YouTube Channel for our oldies were created such as Steung Khiev Cool and iRSSS Cool with the meaning as below.

First, Steung Khiev is the first name to put for one of YouTube Channel in early 2012 to promote our oldies songs as the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCro3gcnDIjIGcDvPwac1kkQ. Then Steung Khiev Cool (SK Cool) addressing https://www.youtube.com/user/coolsteungkhiev was created as a new channel to reupload those oldies song collection from various sources. There are playlists containing oldies song from Ros Sereysothea, Sinn Sisamouth.... When you visit the link above, you will find the view photo cover for the paddy field from Battambang taken from the top of Sampov Mountain. This is to demonstrate about soul of very sweet singers from Steung Khiev area; Cool refers to the modernization of our oldies to be online available for everyone to listen at anytime and anywhere. That's why this YouTube Channel was Steung Khiev Cool (Steung Khiev + Cool).

Second, iRSSS Cool is also created to promote the oldies song that you may find the same videos as Steung Khiev Cool. iRSSS Cool does have another meaning and purposes. iRSSS refers to internet + Ros Sereysothea + Sinn Sisamouth while Cool refers to the modernization of our oldies for everyone to listen at anytime and anywhere. You may find the icon for this channel in shortcut as iR only. The website address  is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxOJ2OLHsT-rzrKAZZCUYAA. In this channel, you may find new songs upload and collection hits of our top ten oldies songs.

In short, it is just the ideas to share our oldies song by let you see the face of singers inside the videos as they're singing in front of you. I do hope everyone enjoy our oldies songs with this 2 special YouTube Channel and subscribe to get the alert for new upload. Good luck and Happy New Year 2015. "It's crazy enough for not to start doing what you're thinking and dreaming! Never to think about failure, just start it!"

By: Pok Panhavuth (Steung Khiev)

Don't Think I've Forgotten - Cambodia's Lost Rock and Roll

It has been 4 decades we lost our soul of the past Rock and Roll while most artists vanished just after April 17, 1975; few artists survived until today. Most Cambodian people loving oldies song will never forget the musical treasure of the nation, especially modern Rock and Roll of the past. It is so special to listen to those oldies Rock and Roll songs of the singers such as Ros Sereysothea, Sinn Sisamouth, Pen Ran, Huy Meas, Dara Chomchan, Draka Band....

Even though it seems to be less attention from related ministry in Cambodia, all Cambodian and foreigners are doing their best to recover those oldies songs to life again. Let's do it together to preserve our best oldies and let's our singer live forever even they're not here.

Comparing to today modern music, our oldies is still better in term of musical composition, clear lyrics, good voice singers and the soul of national music. Anyway, we still encourage our young generation to continue their effort to bring our oldies and new music to live without much copying from foreign country, especially those bordering countries. We have to protect our soul of national music and not only think only about the profit. Obviously, singing and music composing practices should be done to promote our national soul for music again. Do not ever forgotten our own precious music even there are plenty of sweet music from those foreign countries.

"Preserving your own value by not copying the complete set from foreign assets! We do have our own value if you're really looking back to the past!"

By: Pok Panhavuth (Steung Khiev)