Tomorrow, 9pm, The Wanch Billy Dean-Cochran believes finding the best rockabilly music is like hitting a good golf ball. He admits he's 'hopeless' at the game, but a friend once took him to a driving range, where he tried to hit the ball as if he were wielding a baseball bat. The balls went nowhere, then, somehow, one flew straight and high. It was a revelation. 'I went, 'That's how it's supposed to be',' says the New Zealander with a distinct Australian twang acquired from years of living in Sydney. 'That was what it's like to experience the best rockabilly. That's what I chase.' Cochran (above centre), who arrived in Hong Kong about a year ago, fronts a band called El Destroyo, a three-piece with bassist Maggie Chang (also of Bone Table, who will be appearing alongside El Destroyo tomorrow night), and her husband, drummer Babatunji Heath, more commonly known as Bam Bam. They're probably the only rockabilly - 'sometimes psychobilly' - band in Hong Kong. It's a music Cochran loves. 'There're so many bands out there that are fabulous, but they're all searching for the fourth chord.' That chord is to be found in this genre, he says. Rockabilly is a fusion of rock and hillbilly country that came to prominence in the 1940s and 50s. Though it endured a quiet period in the 1960s, it resurged in the early 80s and has retained a strong cult following ever since. Cochran is a fan of rockabilly troopers such as the Twisting Tarantulas (his band take their name from one of their songs) and the Bellmont Playboys. He's no slouch himself, having played guitar for a high-profile Elvis Presley show in Sydney, and for a band called 30-Odd Foot of Grunt, fronted by actor Russell Crowe. El Destroyo mostly play covers of songs Cochran has picked up over the years, with a few originals thrown in for good measure. It's not a tribute band, he says, but it's a tribute to some of the bands he's seen on his travels. The band still don't have a singer, but they're looking. They'd also like some dancing girls. Nothing fancy, says Cochran. 'All I want you to do is dance like I do, but with some talent.' 54 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai, free. Inquiries: 2861 1621
