Okay. So now all you have to do is practice, right? I know, I know. So little time - so much to do!

Featured Artist at the Cathay Cafe

Greg Ellis is an emerging musician with a very unique sound that combines his rich acoustic guitar work with music from all over the world. He is becoming increasingly popular in Asia in both local and expatriate communities. For 2008, he will continue playing in China under the name, Jian Xiong. More of his music can be found at http://www.gregoriousmusic.com.

"Without music, life's a mistake." Nietzsche said that, me-thinks. The first time my inner ear hairs twitched at the sound of Greg Ellis' rich, clear voice, I literally stopped what I was doing (something meaningful, you should presume), and honed in on the performer strumming and singing his lyrical heart out at an outdoor gig in Qingdao. The sound was good. No, by golly, the sound was more than good; it was the crafting of art. It was an aggressive, percussive blend of country rock, reminiscent of oldies like Grateful Dead, Lindsay Buckingham, Marshall Tucker and Sting. (Sort of.) And it made one feel that the gods were bestowing on us a bit of genuine, old fashioned talent in the form of humble man.

I'd like to say that since that day, Greg and I have had the pleasure of tossing back a few beers together, or better yet, that we've contemplated global solutions to life's potpourri of problems over a fine merlot, but neither opportunity has yet presented itself. But I have heard more of Greg's music, and I was actually able to corner him long enough to force an interview upon him.

Greg Ellis was born in Australia in 1970. He says that anything before that time is a little hazy. He considers himself lucky enough to be from a family where music and performance was, and still is very highly regarded. He has been surrounded by singers, musicians and all manner of performers his entire life. Greg made his stage debut at the ripe old age of six (singing and acting) in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist". From that point on, his love of the stage and performance only increased.

At 13, Greg began studying under the German guitarist, Raymond Weglhener, who prompted Greg to focus on technical skills and the stagecraft of being a performer. At 16, Greg joined his first ‘real' band - "Propane". It started out as a bit of a laugh, but the bookings came in and the band started to get quite busy. When Greg began his studies at university, he had to put his music aside while concentrating on building a career; (he realized he needed something that would pay the bills while he performed in the evenings). In his early 20's, Greg found himself working in professional theatrical productions as a stage manager, sound engineer and lighting designer. Yet sadly, the work in this type of industry is not overly constant, and a lack of shows forced Greg back to college. He soon graduated as a teacher and began working in high schools in south-east Queensland, Australia.

After teaching in Australia for six years, Greg rolled the dice and left for China. That was back in early 2001, and with the exception of 16 months, Greg has been living very happily in the Middle Kingdom ever since.

Greg is currently working as a teacher at an international school; he says it pays the bills and keeps food on the table. The opportunities to play music at a professional level are increasing the longer he stays in China. His style of music seems to agree with folks here, and he has found myself performing as far south as Wuhan and as far north as Beijing.

"I hope to record and then release my re-working of modern Chinese music sometime in the next 12 months. I am very lucky to be surrounded by foreign musicians who have the time, and the sheer musical ability to help me with these projects."

Greg describes his taste in music as overly eclectic. "I grew up listening to a huge variety of very different music. My own collection now includes Rock n' Roll, Blues, Funk, Soul, Metal, Classical (opera) and quite a lot of Ska. I have recently discovered what some call "Cracka" music, which is very bluegrass and normally played on acoustic instruments. I can play electric guitar, but I have sold my soul to the acoustic realm and simply love the sound that comes from wooden instruments. My favorite bands/performers include; U2, The Cure, ACDC, Metallica, Ani Difranco, Sting, and the Australian guitar genius, Tommy Emmanuel.

Apart from music, Greg says he enjoys simply hanging out at home, and when he does go out, it's usually to watch some live music. "I really enjoy living in China, and I must add that I love the food. I also have a thing for building motorcycles . . . it's noisy and fun."

To hear a bit of Greg Ellis' music, drop by the Cathay Cafe's back door: http://www.cathaycafe.com/music.htm, put your feet up for awhile and be assured, life's no mistake. Cheers!

In the News...

Cui Jian: Father of Chinese Rock 'N' Roll

By Asia Pacific Arts

Political rocker and forerunner of China's underground youth culture, Cui Jian, heads a new movement called "Live Vocals" without abandoning his classical roots. Cui Jian is largely known in China as the father of Chinese rock 'n' roll because of his prominence in the music scene and the 1989 Tiananmen Square student movement. His rise as a musician parallels the opening of China to the outside world in the era of Deng Xiaoping and market reforms. Ethnically Korean, Cui Jian was brought up in a musical family - his father is a professional trumpet player, and his mother is involved with a traditional Korean dance troupe. In 1981, Cui Jian followed in his father's footsteps and became a classically trained trumpet player in the Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra. But as the reforms of the 1980s opened China up to commerce, cultural influences also entered the Chinese markets. Western music from across the spectrum infiltrated the country, from the The Beatles in the '60s to contemporary bands like TheTalking Heads and The Police.

By listening to western style popular music, Cui Jian left the traditional classical music world to pursue a different path. Cui Jian incorporated these new styles into his own songs and began playing with his band in 1984. Musically, Cui Jian's music is an amalgamation of '80s rock and traditional Chinese music, employing both western instruments and traditional Chinese flutes and horns. Lyrically, his work is reminiscent of the political songs of the '60s. Growing up in the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, Cui Jian incorporated social themes about liberation and individualism in his lyrics. Contending with the highly restrictive Chinese cultural industry censors, these themes were often thinly veiled through analogies and symbolism.

Despite this, Cui Jian's following increased because fans identified with his lyrics and longings for political freedoms in the wake of the new economic boom. This culminated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square student movement in which Cui Jian performed at the protest in support of the students. His song, "Nothing to my Name" was hailed as the movement's anthem. Since the protest and its subsequent crackdown, Cui Jian was co-opted by the party media apparatus, with his songs produced by the official record label, and pop music artists recording official covers. Though the pop music scene retook its place in the mainstream after rock's demise, Cui Jian is still responsible for influencing the current generation of Chinese underground youth culture. Cui Jian is still an active musician, writing and recording new albums, but his voice is now one among many in the Chinese rock scene and its newer sub-genre branches.

Cui Jian has also toned down the political fire in his songs, still hoping for change for the better and more expressive rights, but choosing smaller battles instead. One of his current pieces, "Live Vocals," addresses the issue of censorship, lip synching, and the lack of live performances on Chinese television, state-run or otherwise. Cui Jian is often compared to, depending on the referenced cultural historian, as the Chinese equivalent of John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and Kurt Cobain, among others; given his central influential role in the startup of China's rock scene, these comparisons are apt. Cui Jian has had a profound impact on the incorporation of styles and the decentralization of current youth culture, and is simply known as the father of Chinese rock 'n' roll.