Chet Lam
Singer-songwriter Chet Lam broke into the music scene a decade ago and has since carved an unusual path in the industry; he has never signed with a record label and he organizes his own shows. Lam leads the charge for young artists, most notably by launching his own production company to promote indie music in Hong Kong. He talks to Grace Tsoi about music, travel and self-indulgence.
I don’t see any changes in myself [compared to 10 years ago]. In terms of the quality of music production, I have improved significantly. But my attitude towards music has always been the same. I understand that music and the music industry are two different things.
I have grasped the fact that the Chinese don’t really listen to music itself. A lot of Chinese listeners would say, “The lyrics really strike a chord!” But you never hear them say the same thing about a guitar solo. The listeners place lyrics above the music.
Oh, I’m not depressed about it—I love words.
Sometimes, I feel bad for some of my fellow musicians. They complain about the audience’s lack of musical knowledge. In fact, the listeners do not need to know about music. A pilot won’t lament that the passengers do not know how to fly an airplane. The most important thing for a musician is to provide an emotional outlet, a solace in life and even entertainment.
Every generation likes to say that the younger generation has deteriorated. Things in the past are always better because people want to be nostalgic.
Actually, live music dominates [the Hong Kong music scene] now. I wouldn’t say I am a pioneer because a lot of people are doing it too. I was only doing it at the right moment.