AV Okubo Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 7th 2010 8:00AM by Sean Woosley
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Lu Yan, frontman of the young and energetic Chinese rock band AV Okubo, says when he heard that the band would be traveling all the way to Austin, Texas this year, it sounded too good to be true. "One day Nevin, the agent of Maybemars, called me and said, 'Congratulations to you. You're going to tour in the United States for a month and play SXSW.' Frankly, I thought it was only a joke."

Listing Gang of Four and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as influences, Lu Yan describes his band's sound as "cultish, unstable and excitable." It's fitting that their name is borrowed from the avant-garde Hong Kong film, 'First Love: The Litter on the Breeze.' The cult film features jarring cuts, radical plot twists and an odd narrative. One only needs to witness the opening moments of AV Okubo's glorious cover of Gang of Four's 'To Hell with Poverty' to see the similarities. There's a dance-party rebellion going on, and it's served with a healthy dose of cutting, buzzing rock guitar. Lu Yan says, "We are a rock band, and we are all Chinese. We hope to push forward the rock music in modern Chinese culture, just like giving a shot to the rock monster, to make it crazier."

It took a few days to track down the band online. Fortunately, Lu Yan was able to take a few minutes to answer some questions.

Is it tough to get a passport to leave China, being a young rocker? What's the music scene like in your part of China?

It's a little troublesome for Chinese to go anywhere, but there is a solution to every problem. Born in the 1980s, we all are the testing subjects of China's one-child policy. We are the members of the biggest group in the world who has no brother or sister. Wait and see the music these lonely grown-ups make! It will be beyond your expectations. There will be six bands from Maybe Mars to tour in United States. My hometown, Wuhan, is a city where the hot summer usually lasts for two months. It's the origin of the 1911 Revolution. People here are hot-tempered. That's why there are many punk bands. We haven't played in other countries yet, and we're all really looking forward to the tour this time.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

The craziest experience was a gig at a light tower, the Bund Shanghai, introduced by Li Sisi. We were frozen into ice sculptures. When we played 'To Hell with Poverty,' the fireworks began. Suddenly I felt a kind of phantom sensation in my mind, in such a square of capitalism.

Who was the first artist you saw that made you want to rock?

In high school I first watched the play of a local band SMZB, which is also the earliest Chinese old school punk band.

I had a tough time contacting you. What's the best way for fans to keep up with any news of releases or tour dates?

Later we will establish an official website. For now you can find our tour route in the website of Maybe Mars, or check the update in SXSW.

Sean Woosley is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.