the friday cinco 5 – archie hamilton [godfather to the Chinese hipsters]

archie hamilton is out-of-his-fucking mind. see, he wants to make a difference in China by bringing in good music, and promoting the stuff they already have. I beg him every time we talk to get out, to give up, to move somewhere nice and cozy but he insists on doing something…something, to make a difference. I usually loath people that are driven by a need to ‘change the world’, but with Archie it’s different. he’s smart, very smart, and not afraid to take on the bamboo bouncers that constantly bottleneck his efforts. he’s also funny, but only if you really get British humor. he’s lucky as well, if you’ve ever met his family. he also came in at #16 of CNN’s ‘hot list’. and he’s one of those guys I haven’t spent much time with, but don’t need to either – and I mean that in the most wonderful of ways.

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your Scottish, but sound like you’re from London. surely that angers both cultures – explain.

I am what would be called a posh colonialist.  My parents moved from London to Edinburgh when I was 6 months old and they are both very English.  They speak like the Queen.  I have spent many years roughing up my accent for this biz.

I used to get into bar brawls in Edinburgh for being a posh English wanker and get called jock at my very smart boarding school, so now I live in China where no-one can understand what I say at all…

in a short few years, you’ll be credited with being ‘the godfather of bringing foreign bands to China’ – how’s that going?

Thanks man.  In a few short years, trying to bring foreign bands to China will have killed me.  So will Godfather be posthumous?

Honestly, it’s fucking hard.  We were very lucky in our first couple of years – the economy was flush with cheap cash and lots of people were spending it on China.  We were the beneficiaries on occasion and thought it would be relatively easy.  Since November 2007, the cheap money has gone and China has localized quite radically, so we have had to redefine our model more than once.  We are slowly puliing this ship around, but at great personal cost, both physical and financial.  Having said that, I do subscribe to Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hour theory and I firmly believe that hard work wins the day.  How are you doing on those scores Mr. A…??

The key is that I get the chance to do something different, and the opportunities for the few foreigners that survive in China will be intense. Plus, it is an amazing experience to watch something like this grow so rapidly (China and the music scene).  I feel privileged to be here doing this.

didn’t you once almost die, or, think you were dying?

Australia when I was 17.  I was on the barrier reef and stood on something.  My foot started bleeding.  I had been a big fan of the Willard Price “Adventures” when I was a kid – 2 handsome guys get into scrapes in the wild – Safari Adventure, Underwater Adventure, Arctic Adventure.

Check out the description:

One of Willard Price’s adventure stories featuring Hal and Roger Hunt. The boys have a new quarry – the big-game poachers who threaten to wipe out a huge African game reserve. They capture a band of poachers red-handed, but the leader, Blackbeard, continues to elude them.

Anyway, in Diving Adventure, Hal Hunt stepped on the deathly venomous stonefish, and it sticks in my memory whenever I paddle.  I was convinced my leg was going numb from the poison and lay with my leg raised and asked my friends to take a photo of me and give it to my mother, with a message that I loved her.  10 minutes later I could walk around again.  It was a baby ray, completely harmless, if slightly painful.

which Chinese bands do you think have a chance in this cruel western world?

I think there has been a very interesting contrast with two recent tours of the US by the two premiere indie labels in Beijing.  The bands from Modern Sky were completely unprepared for the experience, believing the hype that has built around them in China, and I think the label probably did too.

Maybe Mars, on the other hand, have taken hardworking, original sounding bands under their wing and developed them.  I am actually writing a thought piece for the Radar about it – Modern Sky are Chinese run, successful in China, a long way to go in the West, Maybe Mars, Western run, struggling in China, lots of potential in the West.  An analogy for most businesses???

what would you tell a band that is keen on touring the mighty p.r.c.?

Strip down your traveling party (1 or 2 works best – it pisses me off when a 3 piece feels the need for 20 crew), lower your expectations (comfort, transport, safety) and open your hearts and minds.  You will leave with a lifechanging experience in your hearts….

…now, we usually have you put your iPod on ’shuffle’, but considering you’ve been a d.j. and make millions from the music industry, why not tell us 3 bands not worth listening to, although we’ve probably heard of them.

I blame the press.  They build up bands to such a degree before they are ready and then shoot them down when they fail to live up to expectations.  Anyone remember Black Kids.  Trumpeted to the skies by Pitchfork, who then gave their debut album a one line review – We are sorry.

What not to listen to.  Well, personally I think hip hop has had its heart ripped out, and the perps have replaced it with a giant wad of greenbacks.  So don’t listen to the R&B flava-ed drivel that clogs most commercial airways these days.  I’m also struggling a bit with this new rock ‘n rave style, which is essentially mashup, which was great when 2manyDJs started doing it at the turn of the century, but is just too common these days.

What I am liking at the moment.  I have to say I am loving UK Funky at the moment, which is like house and grime together – Geeneus is big in that scene.  Sounds rough, but it’s very catchy.  Dubstep is pretty mainstream now, but I’m loving some of the more spaced out versions of that genre.  Check out Shackleton (we are working with the Shelter on bringing him to China in April), Also liking a lot of punk music (Kid D and the Kitchen Table anyone?) and there is some amazing crossover dubstep and pop – check Chase and Status who have just produced Rihannas imminent new album.

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follow archie’s ’split-works’.

his blog on music in china

his chinese music podcast

or, should you be in his area, treat yourself to:

Owl City [holding the current #1 song in the U.S.], playing 4 nights in China