Yol Aularong & Liev Tuk | Lyrics, Song Meanings & Music Videos

Yol Aularong (Khmer: យស អូឡារាំង; also romanized as Yos Olarang) was a Camb… Read Full Bio ↴Yol Aularong (Khmer: យស អូឡារាំង; also romanized as Yos Olarang) was a Cambodian garage rock musician, and a leading figure in that country's rock scene of the 1960s and 70s. He is presumed to have been killed during the Cambodian Genocide that took place under the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.

Aularong was from a family of notable Cambodian musicians: singers Sieng Vanthy and Sieng Di were his aunts, and classical violinist/composer Has Salon was his uncle. His father was a member of Cambodia's diplomatic corps and he spent some of his childhood in France.

Embarking on a music career, he stood out from the typical Cambodian pop music of the time by focusing on self-expression and social commentary. His public persona was that of a "bad boy" who flirted, sang sarcastic songs about everyday life, and claimed not to care about money or fame. The Guardian called him "a certifiable maniac" and The New York Times described him as "a charismatic proto-punk who mocked conformist society." He often utilized Vanthy and Pen Ram (younger sister of Pen Ran) as backing singers.

As with many of his contemporaries, a great deal of the information about Aularong's life, as well as his creative output, was lost during the Khmer Rouge regime. He was last seen shortly after the Khmer Rouge seized control in April 1975 and ordered all residents of Phnom Penh to evacuate the city. He left with his mother, although in an interview for the 2015 documentary film Don't Think I've Forgotten, which profiles Aularong, his aunt speculated he was likely killed. A member of the Cambodian royal family who knew Aularong explained that as a non-conformist musician with western influences, Aularong was likely targeted for imprisonment or execution immediately. His fate has never been confirmed.

Aularong was regarded as an original artist, incorporating elements of soul, funk, and rock into his songs. His lyrics were often humorous or sarcastic, based on everyday life and current styles. According to Rebeat, his "subversive, satirical style and distorted psych guitar makes him the joker/rebel of the Cambodian rock scene." According to LinDa Saphan, "In the 1970s, Yol Aularong and Meas Samon were the only singers and songwriters who were making social commentary through their songs. Aularong used irony to comment on Cambodia's bourgeois conformist society."

Liev Tuk (sometimes spelled Liv Tek) was a Cambodian rock and soul musician active before the Khmer Rouge. Tuk's music incorporates elements from a variety of American popular genres, such as rhythm and blues, soul, and rock. Critics and historians have drawn comparisons with Wilson Pickett and James Brown, both important figures in American soul music.

He was an animated "rock star" performer, combining his loud, fast music with colourful movements and dancing. LinDa Saphan described him as having "sultry looks, swinging arms and dynamic vocal style that drove teenage listeners wild."

Tuk was featured in Norodom Sihanouk's 1968 film The Joy of Life. A performance from that film was later included in the 2015 documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten, juxtaposed with a clip of Wilson Pickett to show influence and similarities.

Western audiences were introduced to the work of Yol Aularong and Liev Tuk through compilation releases many years later. Cambodian Rocks, released on the New York-based Parallel World label in 1996, contained 22 uncredited, untitled tracks of pre-Khmer Rouge psychedelic and garage rock music.