Shark, rattle and roll
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Ask the four members of Queen Sea Big Shark, one of China's most popular bands, for their definition of "rock music" and you'll get four different answers.
"Rock is a kind of attitude toward life," says guitarist Cao Pu.
"It exists in your heart, rather than on your clothing and accessories," adds drummer Xiao Wu.
"Rock music is just a channel to express your spirit," says female lead singer Fu Han. "A person can have typical rock characteristics even though he or she does not play rock, like Che Guevara."
Bassist Wang Jinghan struck a philosophical note. "Rock musicians have pure souls and are serious in their lives, even if some of them look weird," he says.
These Sharks certainly have different personas offstage. Two have master's degrees and two have bachelor's degrees. Fu designs digital pictures; Cao works for a real estate company; Xiao is responsible for recording in a TV station and Wang works in English- Chinese translation.
The quartet formed the band in 2004 and its name is as original as its music, which is dance rock or rock with a lively rhythm.
"I was walking around Houhai one day," says Fu, "and found a cool billboard which said 'Don't steal my belongings. There are sharks in the water.' Queen Sea has the same pronunciation as Houhai in Chinese, and I came up with the band's name, Queen Sea Big Shark."
The Sharks performed their first live show in April 2005 but their most memorable performance was just one month later.
"Everyone was leaving the club because they didn't know we were performing," recalls Cao. "We weren't on the billing but we ran onstage and used the mic to call them back and they all got into our playing. Everybody was energized that night."
Now, Queen Sea Big Shark has built up solid experience in nightclubs and outdoor venues. They have also posted five demos online. By December 2006, their popularity aroused the attention of Modernsky Entertainment, the largest independent record label in China.
Modernsky manager Shen Lihui saw the band playing in Nameless Highland, a former Beijing pub famous among rockers. He said he was attracted to the Shark's freshness.
"Live shows are the life of rock music," he says. "I was touched most by their lead singer's sexy, free and rebellious vibe, which Beijing girls love, as well as their lively rock style, which made people get up and dance."
The Shark's lyrics are in English and their themes revolve around love and adolescence. Their type of music began to emerge in China around 2007.
"The Shark's unique style reflects young people's tastes. They have an individualized lead female singer, retro style, meaningful and exciting lyrics, as well as a lively rhythm to tantalize people to dance," Shen says. "They represent a refreshing rock style, dance rock, instead of imitating older people's indignation and cynicism."
"We believe the audience can dance to our music," Cao says. "The period of suffering bitterly and nursing deep hatred is in the distant past. Rock is essentially a form of entertainment which is used to express people's thoughts freely, so we are unwilling to make our music over oppressive."
The Sharks play several songs expressing those sentiments.
"What are 21st century youth against?" That's their favorite lyric. They say it illustrates the wide zone between young people and political ideology.
"Young people feel lost and lack basic persistency or belief in this colorful consuming epoch," says Fu. "But they are still full of dissatisfaction. We just wonder what they are opposing."
Cui Yuanshuo, a university student in Beijing, has been keen on "dance rock" for four years. He was drawn to the Sharks because of their stage performances.
"I was really touched when I watched their live show for the first time. I had to dance to their rhythm," he says. "They also have a special and sexy lead singer."
Whether it's their looks or their sound that is responsible, the band produced one of China's three best-selling albums, of 2008, Queen Sea Big Shark.
That sort of statistic doesn't drive them, though. "Music is not competition. What we care most about is producing high-quality music," Xiao says. "Achievements are ignored during our creation process. Queen Sea Big Shark is unique. We do not hope to be anyone. It's enough to express our thoughts through music."
Every member has room to play their own role.
"I can sing in my own way without other members' interruptions and I also do not teach them how to play guitar or drums," Fu says. "A song just collects all our skills together. Sure, we negotiate if we have any differences of opinion during rehearsals."
Fu Han and her guys are forging their second album, which has yet to be named. "Apart from adolescence and love, we will try to express our puzzlement at this fast-paced era" says the 27-year-old Beijinger.
"Sometimes we feel confused and even forsaken. People tell us that we are the future of society, but the future becomes the past instantaneously."
Modernsky is trying to arrange time for the band to discuss their thoughts on the new album with senior staff members. "We aim to support bands to help make their ideas come true and produce the best music with the least intervention," Shen says.
The Sharks have never discussed how long they will stay together, but hope they are still strutting their stuff when they are 50 years old.
"It will be extremely cool - no band on the mainland, as far as we know, has ever come back on the stage once they step into old age," he says.
(China Daily 01/01/2009 page9)