FLIPPING through the letters and music pages of Hong Kong's press recently you would have noticed a drastic change in the tastes of the territory's live music lovers.
Forget imported cover bands from the US and Philippines and the Friday night frolics of expats working in the territory. Hong Kong's indie bands are now hauling in the crowds by the truck-load.
Underground outfits writing their own material played in their own original style are now so popular they are releasing their own independent albums and selling them to markets that record industry hierarchies seem to think don't even exist.
Well they do, and the proof is in the huge turnouts for indie bands such as Hot Sauce, Mothership, Heresy and Private Pills, just to name a few, who have come out of the closet to share their own serious music.
But wait a minute! This is Hong Kong, and serious music is the last thing on people's minds - unless, of course, they can make a million bucks out of it.
So what's the attraction of the independent bands now crawling out of the woodwork? They are loud, ugly and write their own material, defying every musical aspect that is accepted here - sex, idol worship and money making.
Let's face it, some of these bands are U-G-L-Y. No pretty boys in suits and ties or gals in bicycle tights. And worst of all, they make virtually no money.