Creativity can be contagious...in a good way.

The world is desperately in need of whatever you might want to call it- a reboot, a makeover, a Renaissance period, newness, chutney, a Bento box etc. It’s needed because one day rolls into the next, and it’s one long Groundhog Day with a blanket of boredom, fear, anger and depression covering the world.

Wherefore art thou, Creativity, in all your many forms? And, to some, it’s not what you might have done and who you met decades ago and still living on the crumbs of fading memories, but what have you done lately?

Working from home, it appears, has not only dulled social skills, it’s short-circuited what once might have been inquisitive minds looking for answers in everything around us. You know, trying to find solutions to problems along the way and maybe stumbling onto how to bring that crazy little thing called happiness back into lives.

Almost a year ago, the very small team here in Hong Kong worked on a series of online messages of positivity about how Creativity cannot and should not be locked down.

Produced was a music track and accompanying music video. There was an original short story written and produced.

It was designed to be a Wake Up call to arms and how we need to move away from the somnambulism that had taken over lives and slowed everything down to, not just a crawl, but a numbing and soulless thud.

Thinking back, I guess I was reminding myself not to ever give up. How I had loved everything I was doing, and that even the mean spiritedness of some to trip me up when trying to get somewhere, never dulled my excitement for adventure.

Of course, the more I travelled, the less I knew and this unholy quest for excitement took a toll on my marriage and hurt the only woman I will ever love.

As Dylan sang, “I must have been mad, I didn’t know what I had, I threw it all away”.

Still, they’ve all been lessons learned and, hopefully, helped re-arrange my life by bringing in a new interior designer.

These life changing lessons have also made me adamant not to repeat them and become a dullard commenting on every one of those click bait Facebook questionnaires and living in the past.

Memories are great to have. Often, they’re all we have. But living inside these sometimes throws up a false sense of reality.

Right now, many of us are caught between a rock and a pretty nondescript place, somewhere between Nut Bush City Limits and the soft shoe Lido Shuffle.

Though one can try and create, this adrenaline rush is thwarted midstream when realising that it’s a locked down upside down fruitcake world where everything is functioning pretty much on the downbeat.

So what’s the point? Why bother? Maybe to prove the doubters wrong and still trying to make your parents proud. They’re still living with and without you.

It’s also weaving one’s way through an obstacle course with that green eyed monster known as Jealousy often making its presence felt. But as jealousy must be earned, you must be doing something right.

Though the ironically labelled “Social media”, with those “Like” buttons and emphasis placed on hashtags and upping numbers for sale don’t help, life goes on and needing new challenges to create new opportunities.

Sometimes it’s like being Noah and travelling against the tide of some weird new version of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Scrolling and trolling, scrolling and trolling...

Negativity only shows up character flaws that were perhaps always there- even amongst one-time friends. It was a different and unmasked world back then and perhaps everyone was too busy doing The Macarena and thinking that those good times will last forever.

Today, any morsel of success is often envied. Maybe individual success is in short supply...

Trying to break away from the monotony of mediocrity is often discouraged as, well, it’s easier. It might also actually lead to a healthier and happier place.

We can’t have that, can we? But we can.

Instead of looking at ways to tear things down, surely, we should make it our job to help things grow by inspiring others, and which, in turn, will make a U-turn and inspire us.

Selfish thinking never leads anywhere. Instead, and as Otis Redding sang, Try a little tenderness along with honest to goodness kindness.

It’s all free- and at your fingertips.

#creativity #lockdownscannotstopcreativity #create #imagination #inspiration #motivation #bobdylan

The China Music Market: Rewind and Fast Forward

By Hans Ebert

As usual, when everything else fails in the music industry, those in the business of trying to prop it up and seeing where the money might be, look to the China market.

It reminds me of the early 2000s when some of us at EMI Music’s Regional Office perpetuated the mantra that China was POTENTIALLY the largest music market in the world. Say it long enough and passionately enough at worldwide music conferences and everyone starts believing in it and want a slice of the abalone.

Trotted out would be the number of bicycles in Beijing- Katie Melua even recorded a song about this- and how many people in the country had switched from land lines to mobile phones and, therefore, the potential to sell music.

These were probably the first signs of the numbers game and played for very big stakes. It was a fun and exciting game to play as it just could be true and being next door to the motherland and knowing how it worked, it put you in the driver’s seat.

From once being taken for rides in rickshaws, we were now driving Lamborghinis.

Bamboozled by the numbers and What If? scenarios painted, head office, artists management and others seeing dollar signs in being part of this POTENTIALLY biggest music market in the world bought into the dream that was concocted.

Of course, this dream was created through smoke and mirrors, then adding extra value to shaky wavy gravy music companies by bringing in artists management, content providers, the movie business and executives with “brand names”. Some published, some perished rather quickly.

All this was packaged and sold at the right time for huge profits to those who were queuing up to be part of the burgeoning new entertainment industry in China.

They also cashed out before the bottom fell out.

Timing was everything. Still is though time is tight, and though some might disagree, the bowl of char siu fan is almost empty.

Was there ever really any future in the music industry in China?

If focusing on the Chinese audience on the mainland with the right artists- Chinese artists with marketability and smart A&R people behind them- yes. And good A&R is hard to define. One either has it or doesn’t. It cannot be learned.

For those international players who believed that their successes in the West would automatically open doors for them in China were in for a rude shock.

Those controlling television stations in Shanghai, Hainan and the powerful CCTV, didn’t care about what they had done somewhere else. It wasn’t China. They hadn’t even heard of many of these “gweilos” who would waltz into China expecting the red carpet to be rolled out. They were met with great inscrutability, Grasshopper.

Still, these foreigners wanting so much to enter the Middle Kingdom offered some an opportunity to sell themselves as “China experts”.

Many sold themselves as having the right connections in China with radio, television and sponsors. But when it came to deliverables, these were always thin on the ground.

There were, gawd knows, many embarrassing meetings I attended and plenty of expensive dinners. The Martel Cordon Bleu flowed and female company was never in short supply. Despite all this show and tell, nothing came out of any of these projects other than many hangovers and seeing very similar ideas discussed, especially when it came to television programming, quickly produced and screened with no respect for copyright laws. Same when it came to selling music.

While having meetings with “the China team” about the release of a new international release, a pirated CD of the same product would already be on sale in the streets of Beijing- with added discs.

Despite staged attempts at stamping out piracy, it was just showbiz and fodder for the international media.

It was no surprise to see 4-5 Beatles and Elvis pirated compilations sold for around US$2. Us? We couldn’t even get internal approval to get us to Old Kent Road with an official release like this.

In a nutshell, there was plenty of stupidity mixed with dollops of corporate arrogance going around.

Ironically, while the above went on openly in China, there was strict censorship- like taking around three months for an international record release to be approved or rejected.

Before we released the 40 Licks greatest hits package by the Rolling Stones, four tracks had to be removed. We never told the band nor management as there was no reason given for the bans. Today, this China Only release of what is actually 36 Licks is a collector’s item.

For the Stones’ first ever concert in China which was in Shanghai in 2006 at the 8000 seat Grand Stage Theatre- the band later played Shanghai in 2014- their set list had to be submitted months in advance for approval by the Ministry Of Culture.

Five songs were cut- “Beast Of Burden”, “Let’s Spend The Night Together”, “Honky Tonk Women”, “Brown Sugar” and “Rough Justice”. “Street Fighting Man” got through.

It was a minor miracle that a special guest at the Stones concert was Cui Jian, the “dissident” singer-songwriter who was banned from performing after recording what became the anthem for the students revolution that ended at Tiananmen.

His reappearance at the Stones concert was probably a public relations exercise by the government to perhaps show “tolerance”. Who knows?

Bob Dylan performed in Beijing in 2011 and that performance and what he sang and if he towed the Party line is still being debated. It’s 2021, and who really gives a flying f**k?

It’s like today and all the talk about what’s happening in Hong Kong. Who knows? And if it’s become unbearable and one can leave, exit, stage right.

The fact is that the future of Hong Kong is in the hands of China. This is a given.

Who knows anything about what those in Beijing are really thinking about the role of this city?

As for the entertainment industry on the mainland, other than a thin veiled announcement recently about the government wanting to see less “sissy” artists- something aimed at the K-Pop-inspired industry that’s caught on in China- there really doesn’t seem to be a helluva lot happening or being discussed.

There’s apparently a booming EDM scene in Shenzhen. Who knows whether this is true, and if it is, for how long it would be permitted to continue before falling foul of the law?

Of course, The Curse of Covid has put most of the world on hold and this includes China. Planning tour dates can always take place, but...

Simon Napier Bell was the first person I know who put Mainland China on the international music map and consciousness.

This was when he drummed up a helluva amount of publicity by taking an unknown duo called WHAM to the Middle Kingdom.

I interviewed SNP when having an entertainment column in the Sunday Post and found him to be a savvy manager and marketing man.

He was in Hong Kong on a holiday and talked about WHAM, his other band Japan, and book, “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”. This was autobiographical and with the title based on the English lyrics he had written for the Dusty Springfield hit song of the same name.

Touring China was never easy and seldom profitable for international acts.

Like Simon Napier Bell did, it was more of a public relations exercise than anything else and a business write off somewhere down the line.

Think the Stones and Dylan made money through their concerts in China? It was good to have on their portfolios.

Truth be told, little known Danish band with the unlikely name of Michael Learns To Rock and Croatian crossover classical pianist Maksim were far more financially successful in China.

Why? The music, the overall package and constantly touring the country. One can only guess that this touring showed the government a certain commitment to the motherland.

Kelly Rowland, formerly with Destiny’s Child, was always touring China and a far more popular name there than Beyoncé. Smart management. She could go up and sing the hits of Beyoncé and no one would know the difference.

It reminds me of a Filipino friend mentioning performing at a club gig somewhere in China as a former member of Westlife.

Today, it’s still about television singing competitions, but the interest levels in these karaoke shows for the masses have waned rather badly. Just as in the UK and the States, scams and little lies have been revealed.

Remember Jessie J appearing on one of these shows some years ago?

Open to established artists, she won the competition named “Singer” with a bombastic version of a Whitney Houston hit.

The plan was to tour China on the back of that television success. According to some in the British Pop press, the finale alone which she won was watched by over a billion people. Maybe...

As for the tour of China, did it happen? No idea except for a couple of shows in Shenzhen where many perform just to have China on their portfolios.

Did any of this lead to anything? No. Jessie J’s journey into The Middle Kingdom ended abruptly. It was a quick fade.

At least with Maksim, promoters and artists management know what they’re getting and exactly where they stand.

With pretty much everything everywhere at a standstill, perhaps now is the perfect time to take stock.

All the deal making looks to have run its course. It could be time to take a breather. Hurtling headfirst into where everyone else is and what everyone else is doing leads nowhere.

Staying with where this started, is there a role for entertainment in China?

With its population, only a fool would say there isn’t.

The big question is when normal transmission resumes, how “normal” this will be and how ready we are for the new abnormal.

China will always huff and puff. Often, it’s false bravado to do with trade talks and show whose wang dang doo is bigger.

Entertainment will always be here. Audiences will demand it.

Talking with friends in the entertainment business over dinner, the discussion turned to the recently released film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings” that stars pretty much an all Asian cast led by Simu Liu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung.

To describe this film as being “groundbreaking” is easy.

What “Shang-Chi” does is point the way forward. It shows a commonality amongst audiences and also the need for entertainment that brings together music with film, storytelling, history, gaming and fantasy.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so it’s now time to strengthen this chain.

Without trying to second guess or kowtow to China, it’s about offering entertainment that acknowledges the Middle Kingdom and introducing Chinese Super heroes.

It’s working with people like the Marvel Comics brand, but giving it something it doesn’t have. Bruce Lee should have been a Marvel Comics Super Hero decades ago. It’s still not too late to bring him back, but one very much doubts that his Estate would approve this.

Around a decade ago, James Cameron captured the imagination of audiences in China with “Avatar”.

Much was anticipated, but little happened despite the backing of the Chinese government. The 3-D technology became the idea- and the idea got lost in the clutter.

Moving forward, using “Shang-Chi” was a blueprint for the future makes business sense. There are plenty of different business streams.

Worked effectively, it could achieve something badly needed: elevate the image and add extra value to music.

Another thing: the word “potentially” might finally be dropped and China could very easily become the new Hollywood. Or at least, Hollywood’s greatest asset and most important partner.

If not a gamechanger, it’s time to change the game.

#China #chinamusicmarket #rollingstones #bobdylan #censorship #JessieJ #maksim #mltr #shangchi #avatar

The mistakes of settling for average

by Hans Ebert

It’s not unlike Bob Dylan singing about being Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again. Except, more and more, we seem to be stuck with, well, Stupid.

The less we travel, those frequent travel points are reduced to Barney Rubble whereas the art of conversation dries up so badly that one can actually hear the sound of one hand clapping. Why? Because you’re with the same old people and going around and around talking in circles.

We’re all grounded and locked down. It reminds me of a t-shirt I used to wear that said, “How can I soar with the eagles when I am down here with the turkeys?”

Nothing personal, but we’ve all had to downsize every facet of our lives to a point where we’re now happy to receive the crumbs. Or pretend that we are happy to receive the crumbs because what are the options? Sirloin? No one seems to be baking or breaking bread anymore.

Some of us try to create something- let’s say, music or a short film. But where’s the team? Where’s the Yin to your Yang? Where’s the Milli to Vanilli? Where’s the beef to give it some fat?

As that old song went, Kicks are getting harder to find- and this is because our “network” is shrinking.

We’re often working with whatever is out there, and, most of the time, what’s out there is what the cat dragged in.

There are those moments when there’s the urge and Silent Scream to call the Samaritans hotline, but even there, who’s going to be on the other end? Yoda?

Who’s on the line anywhere? Whose line is it, anyway?

Ever called someone recently, and after less than a minute, wondered why you bothered? Waaaaiiii? Hello? Is there anybody out there to feed one with even a soupçon of wafer thin inspiration? Or even a droplet of perspiration?

Right now in Hong Kong, we’re having something of a Feel Good Renaissance period with a Gold and a couple of Silvers at the Tokyo Olympics. How do we make these good times last?

Before being grounded, we would have known. It would have come naturally.

Today? The government will probably drag out Canto Pop boyband Mirror once again to be Hong Kong’s serial cheerleaders.

When all else fails, there’s always Mirror. Isn’t this all getting tedious? All this Mirror time?

Shouldn’t these fabulous victories be celebrated throughout Hong Kong with some creative snap, crackle and pop that’s not confined to a tweet or a staycation message on Facebook?

Talk about ideas and what could be done- if you find someone who understands what the hell you’re saying- and what you hear is Ronan Keating singing how you say it best when you say nothing at all. There’s only a roaring silence.

It’s effing eerie out there, Muldur and Scully. Is The Truth really out there or is it just more gummy bears walking through the woods wearing hush puppies and reminiscing about the good old days?

It’s like being so desperate for something to happen that one waits the whole day to watch Stradivarius run at “Glorious” Goodwood.

It’s something that some of us did earlier this week only to have Stradivarius withdrawn half an hour before it was to race.

Who cares, right?

The thing is that nobody really cares about anything except perhaps being vaccinated as this is going to make everything better and we’re all going to get out and sing about letting the sun shine in even though this is hardly The Age Of Aquarius.

Often I think we’ve regressed into being kids who are waiting for mummy to kiss our ouchies and make them better.

Meanwhile, anyone wanna send me some chain letters from Nigeria?

I have plenty of time on my hands. And hands on my time.

#truth #muldurandscully #chainletters #tokyoolympics #mirror #bobdylan #hansebert