Rock 'n' Roll is Killing My Life
(Independent)
For independent musicians, having their own albums released is often the fulfilment of a dream. Electronic duo Videodrome - former rock musicians Julian Lai and Hoiwai Lee - decided to make it happen themselves, paying for Rock 'n' Roll Is Killing My Life to be pressed ready for music store shelves.
Their sound is unusual. While most indie bands in Hong Kong concentrate on guitars, bass and drums, Videodrome rejects traditional instruments for electronic bleeps and programmed beats.
But Videodrome's electronic music is not cheerful dance. The opening track, Long Live The New Flash, immediately creates an atmosphere of fearful darkness, a mood which permeates the whole album.
Local bands Site Access, Nerve and Dylan Art have all been involved in the album, supplying help on vocals and production, which makes Videodrome's music more solid. The group's influences appear to be British rock/dance acts such as Vanishing Point-era Primal Scream, with its hard-edged sound.
