Clive Chin in Hong Kong October 2010

Chinese Jamaican Reggae producer Clive Chin (Randy's Records, 17 North Parade) is back touring China this Autumn. The tour begins in Hong Kong, 7th October:

Happy Mid Autumn Moon Festival

Hope you enjoyed your moon cakes this week. Here's a nice lantern pic. Next year is the year of the rabbit - my year!

I'm On Youtube!

I was flattered and delighted when I stumbled across this clip on Youtube of an excerpt from my Lucky Cat radio programme. It's on The Styler's Band Channel - the 1960s/70s Singaporean band (who along with the Quests were very big on the East Asian music scene). I am playing their groovy tune I Love Boh Boh Cha Cha and you can hear Joey Leung from Terracotta Film on the clip too (he was on the show to discuss the upcoming Terracotta Film Festival).

Oh, and by the way I wasn't googling myself, I found the clip because I was searching for the amazing Chinese Reggae singer Cha Cha, and I cam across it that way - honest guv!

Learn more about The Stylers:
@ Questing Bandstand
@ Radiodiffusion
@ Singapore 60s Andy's Pop Music Influence

Where It All Began Part 1

People often ask me when my fascination with Chinese and East Asian culture began and I am still working on a suitable amusing anecdote to tell. There was no great epiphany and as with so many things in life it just sort of happened. It was gradual and accumulative, starting most likely with food. My parents have been eating out regularly in London’s Chinatown for nearly 40 years. I was taken as a baby in my crib and I must have loved the smell of char siew pork and steamed rice from an early age! Another influence were the books I had as a child that were around the house. In particular there were 3 important ones, the first was given to me by some family friends when I was born (“for baby Baxter” is written inside); Pictures by Chinese Children. It’s a wonderful book full of illustrations of everyday life in China, as drawn by kids. I have scanned in some of my favourite pictures for you below.
There are two other books that were also influential; I shall post about them soon. I hope you enjoy looking at these pictures.