Local rocker Joey Tang
Back in the 80s, music director Joey Tang was the lead guitarist in local rock band Taichi. Fresh from his “Guitar Hero” solo concert, the veteran rocker chats with Johannes Pong.
I like having long hair. I tried cutting it short but I didn’t feel comfortable with it. It’s not that I’m trying to keep an iconic rocker look.
Hong Kong summers were cooler back when I was young. I don’t remember it ever being this hot and muggy. Too many cars now, I guess. And there were dragonflies, and frogs. Nature’s still there, but you have to search for it now.
I was an only child.
We lived in a poor neighborhood, with four families in one flat. But I think my family gave me the best education possible.
My dad bought a radio when I was six.
All the stations were playing English songs back then, mostly bands.
When I was in Form One, I got into vinyl. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, the Eagles.
I was determined to get a guitar. Father refused. To him, guitar players were unruly, rebellious youths. I was only allowed to play the xiao (flute) in my school’s Chinese orchestra.
But mother bought me a wooden guitar, and let me hide it under the bed. I practiced whenever father wasn’t home.
When I graduated from secondary school, I bought a black electric Fender.
My first actual job was as a settlement clerk at Jardine’s InterBank but I was also in four bands at that time. We jammed four to five times a week.
Right after work, we’d book a band room. It’s not like we had video game centers or the internet back then.
Taichi was formed when I was 22; basically three bands merged together.
Our bandleader dreamt of the taichi symbol. He took it as a sign and named us after the image.
It nurtured and represented us. We’re quite balanced as a rock band; there was never hatred between all of us.
We all became good friends. I can say that we are really brothers, not in that tacky phony kind of way.
Taichi was just on the side. We all had fulltime jobs. I was that clerk for two years, then a studio session player.
I enjoy the adrenalin rush while playing onstage. I also enjoy producing. It’s more subtle, but you get to touch people in a different way.
My only regret is the first song on the first Taichi album. I can sing better now.
I would never tire of music but the most important thing in my life now is my family. Wife, son, and me. Just the three of us.
My family gives me power and strength. It’s also challenging because I can’t screw up. If I screw up, my wife will yell at me. And my son will yell at me.
My kid, he’s now an advanced African drummer at age eight. He’s been doing it for three years at the YMCA.
He’s also a big fan of Queen, because he likes the drummer. He’s got all their DVDs, and he’s been listening to Queen nonstop for five years.
No Maroon 5, no Green Day, no Cantopop, just Queen. It drives me nuts when we’re in the car. But I don’t force other music genres on him. It’s his choice. He’ll move on when he’s ready.
It would be nice if I’m still holding hands with my wife when we both have white hair.
I’d tell my kid to treasure a relationship. It’s not just for play. It’s a friend for a lifetime.
Nowadays, kids go “teach me guitar.”
I ask why? They say, “for work.” Guitar is for playing, not work!
You have to PLAY music first, then go into the music business. Nowadays, it’s unfortunate that kids know nothing about music, and then they’re in the Cantopop industry.
My advice to people who want to get a career in the music industry is, first you need passion, then lots of practice. If you get a chance to be an assistant engineer, do it. Learn how to run a studio. Learn the technical stuff, arrangement, but don’t rush it.
