|
Lay Phyu |
The good news for Burma’s music scene is that popular rock star Lay Phyu is back in the spotlight. Lay Phyu’s comeback performance with his backing band, Iron Cross, has been booked for Mandalay in late January and is sure to be a sellout. The enigmatic rock star mysteriously walked out on the band in 2006 after a concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of the band’s founding. He reappeared in August last year at a Cyclone Nargis fundraising relief concert, but has never explained why he stopped performing for two years. Lay Phyu’s new album,
Bay of Bengal, has hit the top of the Burmese charts, which he has dominated for years. On several previous albums, Lay Phyu sang cover versions of foreign tunes with Burmese lyrics. Later, songwriters—including composer Maung Maung Zaw Latt—helped free him from his reliance on popular heavy metal bands such as Metallica. Lay Phyu has since produced four albums of original songs, winning critical acclaim and wide public support.