Alternative/indie

RIP Taylor Hawkins, a tribute by Hong Kong Beat

Sadly the World has said farewell to another leading musician at a too early age, Taylor Hawkins of the band Foo Fighters. As the band’s drummer since 1997, Hawkins was more than just the man driving the rhythm, he was as much the spirit and soul of the band as its founder and former Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl.

Among the post-grunge parody of itself that a lot of rock music had become during the latter half of the 90s, the Foos were one of the handful of bands that stood out and shaped a sound that was both new and fresh as well as a throwback to the hard rockers of the 70s and 80s, Hawkins being a key component to that sound offering backing vocals and of course meaty beaty big and bouncy fills that challenge you to jump out of your seat and kick out the jams.

Always one to acknowledge his influences both in drumming and performance style, he pointed to a handful of drumming greats in various interviews. From 60s icon Ringo Starr to punk and new wave giant Budgie (Pete Clarke), there were many notable influences including Alex Van Halen who he covered at a school concert performing ‘Panama’; the late Neal Peart of Rush who Hawkins acknowledged had ‘provided’ him with some of his favourite ‘borrowed’ beats; Steve Perkins of Jane’s Addiction who, along with the stage intensity of Police’s Stewart Copeland and inventiveness of Phil Collins, had greatly influenced his performance style; and last, but not least, Roger Taylor of Queen who he described as “so visual, the ultimate in cool and collected”. After watching Queen at the age of 10, Hawkins realised that this was exactly what he wanted to do with his life. In one interview he recounted how the Foos were listening to Queen and David Bowie’s ‘Under Pressure’ on the car radio when Dave Grohl just turned around and said with a laugh, “Why are we even trying?“ While the final version of ‘Under Pressure’ was an organic collaboration between the band members and Bowie, it was based on a Roger Taylor composition ‘Feel Like’.

So, as tribute to Taylor Hawkins, Hong Kong Beat offers this collection of tunes by his influences alongside some of his own best.

RIP Taylor Hawkins, you will be missed.

Hong Kong Beat wedding and event disco celebrates St Patrick’s Day

Wishing all my Irish friends and followers a great St. Patrick’s Day with a 90 minute eclectic rocking-and-reeling mix of reels, pop, and rock songs by Irish sons and daughters from the past 5 decades.

May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead!

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco tributes 90s rock played back then by Filpino cover bands at Dusk Till Dawn bar

One of the great things about the Hong Kong night life scene is the number of bars offering live music by locally based and often part-time musicians, from folksie-blues rock and rollers at pub venues around Wanchai and LKF/SoHo, like The Wanch and Backstage, to local indie hip-hoppers, usually in almost “underground” or, at least, limited exposure venues hidden among the higher floors of commercial and residential buildings of Mongkok and other former industrial areas of Kowloon, providing a mix of their own music or remakes of old classics.

The jazz scene in particular is of a very high standard with traditional, Dixie and smooth jazz being offered by rolling acts at The Fringe and Grappa’s Cellar, and some very well known international acts love the scene in Hong Kong because it is so intimate. If you haven’t rubbed shoulders over a pint with Georgie Fame in between sets in a Hong Kong jazz bar, you must be living in a monastery!

In many of the more commercial bars though you will find many cover bands made up from highly accomplished Filipino musicians and singers, who often sound as good, if not better, than the originals, and covering everything from Black Eyed Peas to Nirvana in terms of commercial and style spread.

During the 90s, a group of friends and myself used to frequently hang out at Hong Kong’s Dusk Till Dawn bar, which had a rotation of two or three bands a night and was one of the best venues for these cover bands, especially with a happy-hour two-for-one deal from 6 to 10 pm, then again from 1am until closing, all with great live music throughout the night.

I put this 90s alternative rock and grunge set together as a tribute by the real acts to the wild nights in Dusk Till Dawn and the great music played by those cover bands.

For more info on Hong Kong’s great live music scene, pick up a copy of HK Magazine for free at any coffee shop or most bars/pubs, or go to their website.

For now, sit back and enjoy a little rock and rolling, 90s style, for Sunday Selection 🙂

90s rock set inspired by live music at Hong Kong's Dusk Till Dawn bar by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco puts on some 90s alternative rock for Tuesday Chill-out

The 90s were looked on at the time as a decade that you either hated or loved the different directions that music was developing in.

R&B had gone down the road into hip hop and rap, inspired in turn by social dissatisfaction and gang culture; pop and disco had evolved into europop, house music and the rave culture inspired by new age thinking and, well, drugs; while rock music had gone dark and grungy, inspired by whatever demons rested in the minds of the musicians.

In the rock World however, there was still something of a melodic vein, and sometimes more ambient chilled sound coming from the indie/garage and alternative rockers, often fusing sounds of urban music, with folk, pop and hard rock to create new, fresh sounds.

Hong Kong Beat takes a listen to some of these tunes for a 90s alt rock chill-out.

90s alternative rock on Tuesday Chill-out by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco gets experimental with indie rock

Sunday Selection this week finds Hong Kong Beat in an experimental mood, listening to some off the track indie and alternative music.

Indie and experimental rock for Sunday Selection by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco presents Millennial rock this Wild Wednesday

Some say rock and roll is dead and there’s no good music these days, well here’s 10 tracks since the turn of the Century from (mostly) Millennial rock bands that would suggest otherwise.

Wild Wednesday wakes up to Millennial rockers by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco chills with some alternative and indie rock

Chilling out this Tuesday with a revisit to some of the best alternative and indie rock artists and bands, so kick of your flip-flops and grab the 6-string.

Alternative and indie rock for Tuesday Chillout by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco moshing with 90s/00s alternative and indie rock

Sometime back in the 80s rock musicians became fed up with the corporatization of rock music by the major labels, and began to break away, both in terms of the sound and control of their music, producing some of the best rock music acts and, in my opinion, rock music since the 60s/70s.

Hong Kong Beat leaps into the mosh pit of alternative and indie rock with a selection of personal favourites from the nineties and noughties for this Wild Wednesday.

Excellent!

Wild Wednesday jumps into the mosh pit of 90s/00s alternative and indie rock by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud

art source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/169236898468655336/

Hong Kong Beat mobile disco reaches back and flips the bottle top off with Gen Y indie and alternative music for Chill-out Tuesday

Gen Y indie and alt-rock for Chill-out Tuesday by Hong Kong Beat on Mixcloud