2010 Feb 04 The Molds Are Back: An Interview with Liu Ge
"('A Cowboy Never Saw A Horse') is the sense of embarrassment when Chinese people try to play Western music."
- Liu Ge
The Molds are: Liu Fang (bass), Liu Ge (lead vocal/guitar) and Jia Wei (drum)
They love The Cramps, they draw inspiration from blues, rockabilly and psychedelic rock - The Molds (www.myspace.com/themoldsband) have been keeping away from the spotlight since they released an EP called A Cowboy Never Saw a Horse in 2008. This Saturday (Feb 6) at Club Obiwan, the trio will be performing with fellow rockers Ourself Beside Me (www.myspace.com/ourselfbesideme) as part of the collaboration between Obiwan and Maybe Mars. We had a small chat with The Molds' frontman Liu Ge before the show.
the Beijinger: How did The Molds come together?
Liu Ge: It was simple. Jia Wei has always been my friend, and Liu Fang is my cousin. I wrote some songs, and they felt like we should start rehearsing so more people can listen to those songs. So we had a band.
tbj: Where are The Molds come from?
LG: Does this really matter? Anyway, Jia Wei and I are from Beijing, Liu Fang’s from Langfang (Heibei Province).
tbj: Are you members of other bands?
LG: Jia Wei is a member of hip-hop group In3’er (www.douban.com/artist/in3), and Liu Fang plays bass for a punk band called The Triggers.
tbj: When did you start to listen to rock music?
LG: Since high school. It was the late 90s, and I listened to what my friends recommend, but I’d say I was more influenced by punk.
tbj: Does that mean it’s where your inspirations come from?
LG: We took inspirations from roots rock, namely blues, folk, rockabilly and where rock n roll came from really. I also like The Cramps since they are fully aware of what their music should sound like.
tbj: You guys seem not so keen on playing gigs…
LG: Well yeah, because it’s not a big part of our lives. The Molds is more about having fun, plus I have always been busy with some of my own bullshit.
tbj: A Cowboy Never Saw A Horse, how did you come up with that name?
LG: Lou Bega has a song called “You Wanna Be Americano”, I guess that's what we wanted to say with this EP title. It’s the sense of embarrassment when Chinese people try to play Western music.
tbj: Is Beijing the right place for you to make music?
LG: I can’t live without Beijing. There’s too much I want to say that can’t be expressed by words, and that’s probably why we make music.
The Molds rock with Ourself Beside Me at Obiwan on February 6 (Saturday). RMB 40. 8pm. 4 Xihai Xiyan (300m from Jishuitan subway station), Xicheng District (8322 1231) 西城区西海西沿4号
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