ZON_P said:
after this Superband event.. the local chinese band scene seems unstable and doubt.
back in the 90s we hve lotsa of gd band performing ie, Tian Di Hui, Lighthouse, Retro Groove and lotsa more.
in this millenium seems like we've got notin much.. abit of here n there.
I think more gigs (Chinese Band) should be brought to the crowds and mass, by hving more Gigs. i think we should show ppl in singapore its not just wat thy see in TV.
so Organisersss plss help out on this.
i'm really lookin forward chinese rock band performing in places like taka, youth park, plaza sing,
let ppl noe that its more thn wat thy hear n see in the tv.
Here is a brief history on Singapore indie Chinese rock bands and the scene:
In Singapore, Chinese rock started to grow around in 1996. In 1997, Roy Ong from Mouse Records did a Chinese Rock compilation tiltled "破岩石 破岩时" (po yan shi poyan shi) featuring some of the now defunct Chinese rock bands like Lighthouse, Zexus, Luan Dang and Mushroom. The music from these bands are awesome which include Hard-Rock and Alternative stuffs. Gigs on Chinese rock also started and I can say there are the godfathers of Chinese rock in Singapore.
Slowly after 2 years, more youngsters started to form Chinese rock bands mainly influenced by Beyond and some China bands like 黑狍(Black Panther)and 唐朝(Tang Dynasty). And Roy again did another compilation titled "Sound Detour" which focus more on the mainstream music and he said in the CD sleeve that this may be the last compilation he doing as the scene is bleeding and did not get much support. The compilation featured new bands like 梦游(Dream Journey) and 迷幻拼图(Mystical Puzzle). To my surprise, I heard one of the song by 梦游(Dream Journey) being aired thru radio FM93.3 one day and I think it was the first local Chinese rock band song being aired on national radio. But again Chinese rock bands then were still not being able to break thru.
In 3rd October 1999, Singapore had its first and longest Chinese Rock concert till date. At over 8 and a half hours, ROCK FEVER '99 was being held at Ngee Ann City's Civic Plaza to celebrate the now defunct NTUC Radio Heart 8 and a half anniversary, it bring together 15 home-grown Chinese bands like Dream Journey, Freeman, Gu Shi, Heaven And Earth, Hei Shi, Helistone, Hysteria, Lighthouse, Music Garden, Mystical Puzzle, V's, Vinyl, Yang Wa Wa, Zhen Shi and Zone. The gig was featured in a full page on The Sunday Times (See picture below). Most of the bands were unearthed in a programme on Radio Heart 100.3FM called 透明摇滚风 (Tansparent Rock Fever). It airs on Friday between 5 and 6pm and features compositions by bands here, as well as from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Malaysia. But the programmme stopped in 2001 after the DJ Yongmei resigned and the station closed down.
The revoulution started in late 1999 after Jack Neo went to the "Sound Detour" compilation launch gig in Orchard Cineleisure. He was surprised by how good and professional the performing bands were and decided to fork out money from his own pocket to do another Chinese rock compilation. This time he said will be more professionally produced and marketed. It was distributed by What's Music and was under Jack Neo's label, J Team Productions. The compilation titled "给我摇滚风" (Give Me Rock Fever) features bands like Vinyl, Lighthouse, Helistone, Zhen Shi, Hysteria, San Bu Guan, Music Garden, Hei Ying, Zone and V's. The compilation was released in 2000. And at the same time, there was one particular indie band called Hysteria make yet another history in Chinese rock scene by producing their own 5 songs EP called "Hallucination". Forging out more than $8000 from their own pockets to D.I.Y the EP from recording to mixing to CD cover design to marketing and distribution. And they also did many gigs here and in Malaysia. They also get interviews in radio stations and features in magazines and newspaper (See Below). Another band, 天地会(Heaven & Earth) also came out with an EP in 1999. They are also one of the best and technically skilled progressive-rock Chinese band here. Till today, they are still together and even participated in SuperBand. But maybe becoause of their age, they didn't manage to got into top 18. It's never easy for Chinese rock bands to self produce their own albums coz its never a profit earning thing and often make a lose in it. But because of the passion in doing it and to let people know there really is Chinese rock here.
Some of you may be shock to know that few of the Chinese bands here have appeared in national TV before. This band, V's being the first band in history to appear as guest band for Jack Neo programme "搞笑行动 "(Comedy Night) way back in 2000 I think and even get to perform in big concerts like the Youth Concert@South East together with big names like Rui En, B.A.D, Cai Yijie and the Singapore Fireworks Festival 2004 with Tanya Chua, Energy, Zhang Zhenyue etc. Chou Pi Jiang also featured in a drama series "美梦成真" (Dream Come True) and MV for Channel 8 trailer "看电视" playing behind Stephanie Sun, Mavis Hee and Tanya Chua. Chou Pi Jiang, I can say they have made it the furthest so far. Having featured in a Malysian Chinese rock compilation, 1 full length album under Mouse Records, 1 EP under Warner Music and getting recognisation in Hong Kong as well as performing with Hong Kong Rapcore-Hip Hop outfit LMF. Can I say V's and Chou Pi Jiang are the indie SuperBand now?
The last compilation I have seen was in 2000. The last one from Mouse Records, titled "InSound". Featuring bands like Luan Dang, Tiet, Cubic Bootle, Zhen Shi, Wang Yong, Haze, Music Garden and Zone. After that, Chinese rock scene started to bleed again and nearly die down. Majority of the bands that featured in most of the gigs and compilations disbanded. No more Chinese rock gigs can be seen after that compare to at least 1 in every 3 months in 1999 and 2000.
During 2001 to 2005 some of the bands like Chou Pi Jiang, Heaven & Earth, Music Garden and Tiet have not gave up and continue to rock with some of the new bands coming out like LGF, L'ze.fier, Amber, Sound Alchemy, Revv, Cubic Bottle, GeneXis, Mayfair etc.
And these 2 years, I have seen quite a number of Chinese bands forming like Marionette, 77, Black Forest, KEN-Z, Lucify, Jade, Rusty Nailz, Infinite Sound, Crysan't etc.
Recently, Sound Alchemy has released their album thru Mouse Records. Its available for listening at HMV Heeren as well. But how many people outthere knows that? How many people actually knows there is this indie rock band outhere?
As for gigs nowadays, it's really difficult to organise. I have failed once last year. Only less than 15 people turn out for that gig and we make a huge loss. Just this year, I organised the Chinese New Year gig at Hougang Mall Celebrations and was better but the audience was 95% of the bands friends, families and relatives who came. This may be the last time I doing it. Unless we can get sponsors, we can do it free and an outdoor gig rather than hide inside a pub and nobody knows that there is Chinese rock gig going on and we don't have the capital to promote the gig thru newsapapers or TV. Besides me doing it, Rui of Guitar 77 has also been doing Chinese gig for the past 2 years.
at least that's what I tot. 
