1) First of all, can you introduce yourself as a musician ?
I jokingly call myself ,multi-talent less’ as I play a lot of instruments, not very well, mainly guitar but also bass, keyboards, harmonica etc.
I don’t even consider myself to be a fantastic singer, but I like to think of myself as a showman or entertainer. I also occasionally do stand up comedy and acting.
2) What do you think of the Beijing Underground music scene ?
I really like the Beijing scene, I used to play often in London, and as you would expect thats a big underground scene but considering the size of the population we have a small and very friendly underground scene here. Also because of so many foreigners ( like myself) in that scene, it has an added international feel to it.
3) What’s your favorite music to listen to ?
I listen to many types of music, I suppose in many ways I’m an old punk, I met and played with some of the founders e.g. Deborah Harry (Blondie) whom I sang and toured with http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTEyNjQ3Nzc2.html , Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, The Fall etc. I also like indie music , my UK band the Velvet Underpants supported Mogwai , Belle and Sebastion, Simple Minds and others.
I enjoy Country music,folk, techno, – I really like the Beijing scene and often go to see and listen to live music here.
4) How long have you been doing music ? What was your first instrument and why did you start playing music ?
I started playing guitar around the age of 14, I been performing in bands I guess since the age of 18, I didn’t become the front man in a band until around the age of 24, it took me a while to build up the confidence.
5) What are your other musical projects ?
I’ve had different themed bands,in the past. Shaking Hugh and the Sideburns – a fifties style Rock n Roll band, ‘The Punk Priests’ which was a covers band, I would dress up as a Bishop and the rest of the band were Priests, ‘Danny Boy and the Derriers ‘ which was a country covers band.
6) Any music you want to share ?
Here’s some video links to some of my songs
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI2ODc2NTU2.html Wode Che
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTc4MzUxMzY2MA==.html?from=s1.8-1-1.2&spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0 Wode Che – live in Beijing.
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE4MjgwNjUy.html Technodrugs
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE4Mjc5Mjg0.html Six to One (621)
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTAyNzkxODM2.html NEXT
Here’s some video links to some of my songs
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI2ODc2NTU2.html Wode Che
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTc4MzUxMzY2MA==.html?from=s1.8-1-1.2&spm=a2h0k.8191407.0.0 Wode Che – live in Beijing.
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE4MjgwNjUy.html Technodrugs
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTE4Mjc5Mjg0.html Six to One (621)
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTAyNzkxODM2.html NEXT
7) How did you come to be in the movie Trainspotting ?
I’ve done a bit of acting, only small parts, most famously in Trainspotting, I appeared in TV adverts and different TV, dramas , movies in Scotland, I used to do music full time so I was always looking for any sort of work that was interesting, with the band, I appeared on TV in Scotland and became a little well known and this helped get some small parts. I’ve also been in a few movies and TV shows here in China including the Jackie Chan movie ’12 Zodiacs’ .
8) You use a lot of props on stage like a horse head and a miniature doll of yourself, it’s very funny, how did you come up with this idea ?
I’m always looking for ways to enliven the show and dress up as different characters , I just saw the horse’s head here in Beijing and thought it would go well with a Country song. The miniature doll of myself has been around for a while , one time back in Scotland, after a show it disappeared then I started to get photos of it through email in different locations , it seemed to be having a more exciting life than me at the time. Eventually I got a message to meet mini Hugh in a bar, there he was with a small whisky and the culprits who had kidnapped him, some local Goths who used to watch my band.
