This Man Will Play in Three Bands for His 31st Birthday – What Did You Do?

If you frequent the live music venues then chances are you came across Fred Shi, the happy-go-lucky bassist who relishes showing off his chops on stage when he’s not blowing a puff of vapor smoke to help other bands save cash on buying a fog machine. As part of a whopping five bands, I’d put my money on it that you’ve seen him at least once tearing up a storm, leaning into his bass like no one's business. And don’t go assuming it’s one cover band after another; a hotel residency followed by an impromptu jazz outfit.

No, Shi’s heart is forever indebted to rock and roll, and each of his bands – from the soaring indie rock of Silent Speech, to the groove-steady funk-rock of Joker’s Belief – has a distinctive style that speaks to the musician’s ability to maneuver through various genres all the while adding his personal touch to each of them.

Shi celebrates his 31st birthday this weekend with a blowout show-down at Temple Bar on Friday, Aug 16 where he’ll (somehow) be performing with three of his bands: Silent Speech, Haze Maze, and Joker’s Belief. And if that wasn’t enough – he’ll have to overcome his hangover the next day as he joins Macondo with a beachside showcase at DDC Aranya in Qinhuangdao on Saturday, Aug 17.

I shot the Leo some questions on managing his time, miming Michael Jackson, and preparing adequately for his reckoning this weekend.

Congrats on 31! How does it feel? Would a younger you ever have imagined you’d be celebrating your birthday with coffee shots in Temple whilst putting your arms and fingers through the wringer for three hours? Speaking of which, how the heck do you plan to get through three sets with three different bands?
When I turned 30 last year, I didn’t quite know what it means! But now that my 31st is approaching, it’s the nail in the coffin. But you know what they say… the 30s are the new 20s, the 40s are the new 30s, and the 50s… you’re f**ked. I’m looking forward to this new ride!

I’ve had three gigs on a night before (not at the same venue though) so this shouldn’t be too bad! And although I’m playing in three bands, they’re all close friends of mine. This should be one of those odd occasions where I am excused to have a few f**k-ups during the gig [laughs].

Far as I’m aware, the order for Friday will be Silent Speech, Haze Maze, and then Joker’s Belief last. Really looking forward to seeing the crowd before my eyes get progressively drunker and drunker, as will I.

Could you give readers a bit of background on yourself and your relationship to Beijing?
I'm Fred, from Beijing. I studied in the UK for five years and was pretty involved in the music scene there. I thought coming back would be my goodbye to playing music forever, but after seeing The Harridans back in 2014, it changed my life! They were such a good act with tons of live energy – not sure when, but I’m surely anticipating their comeback!

Now I play bass in five bands that I love: Macondø, Whale Circus, plus the three playing on Friday, and I do a bit of session work with pop artists here and there.

I love this town, it’s artistically vibrant and constantly changing, but it’s also difficult to foresee what’s coming due to that uncertainty. It’ll be an amazing ride however you put it, and I can’t wait to look back in 20-30 years' time and chat to you, Will, over a beer about the music scene.

When would you say you got the musical itch? How has it evolved over the years?
I’ve enjoyed music and wanted to play or sing from as early as I could remember. Back when I was a small child I enjoyed Michael Jackson a lot, so much so I used to mime his songs even before I could read the English alphabet! I also used to play the trumpet when I was a pupil, which I think helped to facilitate my understanding of music, and sparked my interest in playing, over the decades to come.

When did the bass come into your life? What drew you to it?
You won’t believe this but when I was a teenage metal fan in love with Metallica and Iron Maiden, I went to a guitar shop in Xinjiekou back in 2004 with my cousin, with whom I would then form a band in high school. And he went for a guitar straight away. Being a complete amateur, I didn't believe guitars could produce those heavy CHUG-CHUG tones – so I asked the shop owner if those heavy tones could come from the bass. And he simply replied, 'It could,' so bass is what I bought. Bit of a misleading shopping experience, but I’ve since fallen in love with the instrument.

Who are some of your bass heroes?
I’d say, Jaco Pastorius, Flea, Steve Harris, and Geddy Lee have all had been massive influences on me.

When did you get involved in the music scene here in Beijing? Was it easy to embed yourself into or was there a courtship involved?
I played at D22 and Old What? Bar back in 2008 but that was as part of some college Iron Maiden cover band but [I became embedded in the scene] properly around 2014, shortly after I came back from the UK and saw The Harridans.

The then Harridans’ bass player, Ryan, asked me if I wanted to start something with him on the guitar, and we started a project called Jump the Fence (RIP). After some jam sessions at 4corners, I met a lot more people in the music circle, and more and more projects naturally started to come together.

Let me get this straight – you play in four bands, right? How does one manage such a task?
Five at the moment! But nah, next time chat to David from Peking Floyd – he has six. Yeah, it can be difficult, I’ve had weeks that I spent 25-plus hours in a rehearsal room. It’s a bit mental juggling through so many things but that’s also part of the fun.

What thirst does each band quench for you musically? Say you're all stuck on an island dying from starvation, which band would go first?
That’s a good one. I love all of the bands as they all differ a lot in style and that’s a great learning experience for me.

Dunno who’d come first, but Gerald from Macondø is probably the last. He’s an avid vegetarian and eats ‘what food eats,’ so he’s not as ‘resource-hungry’ as the rest of those carnivorous animals.

Finally, what’s the one thing about a bass player that is stereotypically true?
What do you call a bass player who only knows two chords?
A professional.

Catch Fred Shi do his thing not once, not twice, but three times in one night this Friday at Temple Bar (all for free). And make sure to buy him a whiskey shot.

READ: Beijing Wants You to Stay Up Late and Spend Your Money (or See Some Art)

Photos courtesy of Fred Shi, Shang, Car