On the rebound: RubberBand's redemption songs
RubberBand annoyed their fans by playing a pro-establishment gig, but have now redeemed themselves
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, .
"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.
