Last year was pretty rough for Hong Kong pop-rock quartet RubberBand. Known for their socially and politically conscious lyrics, the band came under heavy fire for performing at the Hong Kong Dome Festival, a concert at Kai Tak on July 1 last year. Many believed the four-hour festival, subsidised mainly by pro-establishment parties, was merely a tool for drawing people away from the pro-democracy protest on the other side of the harbour. Although the band decided to go ahead with the gig, they made their political position clear by performing songs by the likes of Tat Ming Pair and Beyond that have become associated with the pro-democracy movement. They later donated HK$72,000 from their fee to the organisation Equal Share Movement, which gives free meals to the homeless of Hong Kong. They also reportedly volunteered to deliver meals to the needy themselves. Their record label may not have been happy with the band's political gestures, but they have endeared RubberBand to their fans and provided the creative spark for their latest album, Frank . "We started making the album in January," says vocalist Mau Hou-cheong, commonly known as Luk Ho, adding that the band slowed down the process to take stock of the controversies affecting the city. "Through this album, we wanted to ask ourselves and our listeners a simple question," says Mau. "Is it possible to honestly face ourselves and the world amid all the things that are happening now?" Released in April, the 11-track album covers topics such as the communication breakdown among the smartphone generation and employs metaphors to comment on Hong Kong's political scene. During the recent political unrest in Hong Kong, band members have been seen outside government headquarters in support of the protesters. Members also contributed to the song Hold High Our Umbrellas , which was released in support of the "Umbrella Revolution". Drummer Lai Man-wang says that while everyone is free to share their opinions online, there is the chance that these opinions will be misinterpreted. The current war of words on the internet reminds him of the Cultural Revolution, he says. "We are lucky that we can deliver our ideas through music. We have to be careful what we say and how we express ourselves, but we should not be afraid to speak up for ourselves," he says. "Some people think it's dirty to express your thoughts," he says, adding that it's important to do what you think is right. Mau, who wrote most of the band's lyrics with his wife, Tim Lui, agrees: "Definitely — if we censor ourselves, our music won't mean anything any more." Their upcoming two nights at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai will see RubberBand get back to basics and distance themselves from the theme-based projects they have done before. The idea was suggested by guitarist Clement Fung Tin-ching, who says: "We didn't want to constrain ourselves. We just want the audience to feel our music." The band are scheduled to unleash a five-track EP before the concerts and, according to the vocalist, the release will be an even more direct response to our times. One of the EP's tracks, The Arts of Speech , is a pun on the Cantonese for "weasel words", a term often used to describe the government's spin these days. Originally formed as a quintet in 2004, RubberBand were signed by major label Gold Typhoon in 2006 on the recommendation of hotshot producer Mark Lui Chung-tak. They quickly released their debut album Apollo 18 , yet their first breakthrough didn't come until 2009 with the hit ballad Apollo . Since then, they have named their albums in alphabetical order: Beaming , Connected , Dedicated to ... , Easy and the latest, Frank . Keyboard player Sum left the band in 2010 during the promotion of Connected , and the band has remained a four-piece. Musically, the band members have different tastes, something that has been reflected in their albums. Fans heard solid, rock-oriented sounds on the past two albums, compared to the more groovy and laid-back direction of the band's earlier music. Although RubberBand are one of the most popular groups in Hong Kong, they claim they can hardly make ends meet. Mau directs music videos and RTHK TV programmes as his day job, while the other members give lessons in playing instruments, and occasionally take acting jobs to secure their income. "Above survival, below living" is how Mau describes the band's status — pretty much the same way many people in Hong Kong live. "International bands often release an album every few years and spend time touring. We can't afford that luxury. We have to keep releasing records, or people will forget we exist." What about releasing a Mandarin album to expand their audience base to Taiwan and the mainland? But the band have more to think about than securing their market share, and the drummer doubts that releasing a Mandarin album would win the band more attention. "Look at how Korean music has become so popular. If we can expand our audience base with Cantonese songs, that would be a bigger breakthrough for the band," he says. "I hate to cite Beyond as an example, but they took their music all the way to Beijing with Cantonese songs. Our culture is something we need to protect and fight for." RubberBand, Nov 8-9, Queen Elizabeth Stadium, 18 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai, HK$300, HK$500, Urbtix. Inquiries: 3761 6661