Upbeat boys out to have a Fantastic Day

Taking your name from a Haircut 100 song isn't common practice on the local music scene. But with their keyboard-fuelled new-romantic pop, Fantastic Day are delightfully out of step with the musical climate - and loving every minute of it.

'We're very proud of what we do,' says drummer Simon Hui Kin Onn. 'With all the nu-metal and grunge bands around, we consider ourselves the antithesis to all that. There's so much anger and aggression in bands today. I like a bit of sissyness in music.'

Former singer and now manager of the band, Giorgio Wong Jin Vui has similar tastes. 'Really, we laugh at the music scene here in Hong Kong,' he says. 'We want to do something bigger - something they can hear in England and take notice of.'

Singaporeans Hui and Wong were brought together by their mutual love of music. 'Giorgio was very much my mentor at the time,' says Hui. 'I think he

gave me my job because of my vinyl collection.'

A mutual friend introduced the duo to guitarist Chan Chi-wai. He and vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player Dee Chen Wai-yin met by chance in 2000 at a Primal Scream concert. Having created, then disbanded their previous band Mushroom, the two were looking for something new.

Completing the line-up, bassist Law Wai-lun joined the group having had no experience on the instrument. 'I was very nervous at first,' he says. 'I always played guitar at home, but this was my first time on bass.'