BUILDING THE BRIDGE
On my first couple of trips to China, I stayed at the
China Hotel in Guangzhou. There was a Bus Boy there named Billy. I gave Billy
one of my CDs. He was learning English and told me he would go home, and sit intently studying my lyrics. One morning Billy
gave me the greatest compliment for a writer – he said “Mr Nik, your music is
different, it really makes me think”.
Exploring communications with Chinese people has become a
passion for me. Whether it has been
performing at China’s biggest Universities or major Government Conferences or
in small clubs, getting the chance to cross over languages, find common ground
of entertainment and also open up new ways of communication has been very
exciting. My music career has encountered some very high profile experiences,
but many treasures have also been found in simple moments….
It was a crystal clear morning, just below zero degrees
Celsius. I was on the side of a small mountain, overlooking a tranquil scenery
all covered in light snow and ice. The mountain is actually a graveyard covered
with pathways and small and large tombs.
I had been offered a very special honour to visit
Charlie’s Grandfather’s grave, with the other male members of his family – his
Dad, Uncles and some cousins. It was Chinese New Year’s Day 2012. This was a very
traditional event. For about half an hour they stood relaxing and catching up.
It’s a very interesting group of people – his Grandfather had been part of
Chairman Mao’s inner circle of the Long March and around me were a couple of
Government Ministers, a Chief of Police, Chief Magistrate – but today they are
simply family sharing quality time.
Next they let off a string of fireworks to chase away bad
spirits and to let the Grandfather know they were there. They left some
personal gifts, took a moment each to pray, then we went to the foot of the
hill and burnt some special paper in a raging furnace. This was symbolic of
sending money into the after world. To be included into that family experience
is something I will never forget. Tradition and family underpin so much of the
character of China.
The night before, New Years Eve, had been pretty crazy.
We were in Zibo, Charlie’s family’s home town. In Australian terms you would
liken Zibo to Toowoomba, a smaller regional city with pretty powerful economic
and political ties – except Zibo has about 4 million people.
From about two in the afternoon until midnight, the sound
of fireworks was constant. We had a great meal with the extended family, then
we settled in to watch the Spring Festival Concert on TV. This is China’s most
watched TV program – viewed by more than a billion people. It showcases China’s
biggest names, top up and coming acts – has comedy, dancing – it’s great
variety TV. Watching the show, I had no
idea that quite a few of the people on the show would become involved with me
in the coming months.
After the show, at about 1 am, we realised we hadn’t let
off the fireworks Charlie and his wife Vikita had bought. So Bi Jie picked us
up and there we were, in minus 10 degrees Celsius, lighting fireworks in a City
Square in Zibo.
Bi Jie - is a traditional female singer based in Beijing. Her first pop music
project was the duet she sang with me – Reach Around the World Reach Around The World.
This is the song that went to number 4 on the China National Radio Network
(China’s biggest) chart.
We were in Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong and one of
my favourite cities. I had written Reach
Around the World and it seemed to be an ideal song to show how we can use
English and Mandarin together. We were looking for a female duet partner to
record the song with and there was a young TV star we auditioned in Qingdao.
Her voice wasn’t really right for the song.
At the time, Li Shanxion – who I had performed with at
the second Guangzhou Tourism Festival - was also in Qingdao as a guest for a
regional talent contest. He asked me to join, I did a guest performance on the
show and we then had dinner together at one of his favourite restaurants – it
was a Chinese medicine restaurant. The whole meal consisted of a variety of
insects, roasted caterpillar larvae, never before seen vegetables …. I was
actually glad to drink the rice wine that evening.
Shanxion was pretty well connected in the Beijing arts
community and suggested we talk to a singer he had recently met at a festival
who had greatly impressed him. So Charlie was on the phone talking to this
singer - the conversation became
animated.
It works out that Bi Jie’s home town is Zibo and she and
Charlie went to junior school together. So here, in a country of 1.3 billion
people, through a third party, we had hooked up with a childhood friend of
Charlie who was perfect for our project. OK-
that’s weird.
My whole journey in China seemed to be surrounded by
similar coincidences. Glenn A Baker is a famous Australian music journalist and
had caught up with me in Beijing. Through conversation it came up that he had
been talking about myself and China to his friend Andy Summers, guitarist from
the Police.
Then a few weeks later in Brisbane, Charlie and I were
having dinner with legendary music journalist Ritchie Yorke. Ritchie was a great
mate. He was John Lennon’s publicist, basically broke Led Zeplin in the USA, wrote
the official biographies for people such as Van Morrison, was editor of Rolling
Stone in Canada … respected by all. Like Glenn, he has followed and highly supported
my work in China.
At the dinner was
a guy named Mike Howlett. Mike lectured in Brisbane, but as a producer he
created albums for acts such as Flock of Seagulls, Martha and the Muffins, Joan
Armatrading. But probably most
importantly, Mike was the guy who brought together Sting, Andy Summers and
Stewart Copeland – The Police.
Next thing you know I am getting emails from Andy and
chatting on the phone with him. He had a new band in LA called Circa Zero and
wanted to do something in China.
We decided to hook up and spent a wonderful week hanging
out and showing him the music industry there.
My friends from the band Blue Tomato helped me look after
Andy that whole week. Taking him to the Great Wall, music shops, clothes shops,
fantastic restaurants. Andy made the mistake of saying he loved lamb at our
first lunch. I think we went on to visit every major lamb restaurant in
Beijing. He was over lamb by the end of the week.
We stopped outside one of Beijing’s few punk music clubs.
There was a Chinese punk standing outside – done up like he had just stepped
out of 1977 Britain. Andy went to take his picture, to which the guy screamed
at us “f….off”. We burst out laughing. Great punk reaction. If only he knew
that he was talking to one of the real developers of that musical period.
Not many Chinese know much about the Police. Or the
Beatles, Led Zeplin, Hendrix. China only started opening up to the west in the
early 80s. So they know people like Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Sting as a solo
artist. Before you think that’s strange, remember they have major stars who in
terms of real numbers are actually more successful than most western acts, yet
hardly any westerners know about them. So in reality we know less about them
than they do about us.
Of course the musicians in China know these artists and
Blue Tomato were well aware of Andy and they had been greatly influenced by the
Police.
A couple of days before Andy was to leave, he made an
offer to play Every Breath You Take with the band at their club. I have never
seen people more excited. That night the club was full. We walked in. Photos of
Andy were on the walls, he was on the video screen, cameras were everywhere.
Many top local musicians were there. While various western major artists visit
Beijing, none join in on a local level. I sang with the band. Then Andy got up.
It was great.
After the song we ushered him out of the club and into Li
Jie’s Hummer and headed to a Jazz/Blues club called CD Blues. There Li Jie had
organised for a string of Beijing’s top recording musicians to be there. Andy
went on to jam with them. In the west it would be like having Eric Clapton,
Stanley Clarke and Phil Collins jamming with him. It was awesome.
Angie was with me on this trip and she sang Bleeding
Valentine with me.
Andy left Beijing amazed at the level of musicianship, the
size and scope of the industry, but also at how disconnected the Chinese and
western industries are and how unique my position is being at the center of it
all.
We have encountered the same feed back when working with
people such as Shakira and Extreme or industry gurus from companies such as
Warner Music. I am constantly amazed at
the gulf that exists between China and the west in many ways. The music
industry, between big companies, between Governments. The bridge we are
building into the heart of the major media centres that run out of Beijing is
very substantial. I think my main point
of difference has been that I haven’t been meeting people with business
agendas in mind.
Most Australian companies and Government people go to China with agendas in place. They swap cards. They meet Chinese who also have agendas in place. Everyone is wary, cautious ….. and generally little is achieved beyond positive statements of good intentions with little or no real results. Very rarely do both sides really understand or communicate what they actually want and need – or know how to achieve mutual results. And at the end of the day most people want the same thing, a fair and equitable result based on a strong relationship.
Most Australian companies and Government people go to China with agendas in place. They swap cards. They meet Chinese who also have agendas in place. Everyone is wary, cautious ….. and generally little is achieved beyond positive statements of good intentions with little or no real results. Very rarely do both sides really understand or communicate what they actually want and need – or know how to achieve mutual results. And at the end of the day most people want the same thing, a fair and equitable result based on a strong relationship.
I however meet people at music events and social gatherings and I am surrounded by
friends who are major stars with high credibility. This delivers me quick credibility
and acceptance with the group I am meeting. Its only after sharing music, food
and wine that I then discover that the people there are major Government
Officials, TV producers, Heads of the biggest Music and Media Associations,
owners of power stations or coal mines or build satellites! I am a novelty to
them and they see that I am supporting the development of Chinese Culture. They
like that.
Often in the days that follow such get togethers, I will
be re approached with a question like, “We are in this business. We know you
have connections in Australia. We have never dealt with Australia before….we
would like to. Can you help us”?
And it’s not always about business. Sometimes people just
want to be better friends.
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