INDEX
Is the Determining Factor in Uncovering Emerging Artists if They Have “Red Eyes”?
As a co-founder of Maybe Mars Records (兵马司唱片), a prominent Beijing-based label that has been releasing Carsick Cars since their inception, you also played a role in establishing Ruby Eyes Records (赤瞳音樂) in 2015. What distinctions can be drawn between these two record labels?
Qing (Dr.): Maybe Mars Records was founded in 2007, and since its inception in the early 2010s, we discovered a lot of cool bands in the post-punk rock genre and built a scene in Beijing. Ruby Eyes Records’ policy is to bring new artists to the surface, regardless of genre.
Shouwang (Vo&Gt): The artists you deal with at Ruby Eyes are multidimensional, but they still carry on the spirit of Maybe Mars, don’t they?
What do you focus on when discovering new artists?
Qing (Dr.): As the label name suggests, do they have “red eyes,” in other words, hot eyes? And, does the work have strength? That’s what I mean. Even if an artist is not famous, there is a sense of shock when you see them live, isn’t there? We want to support such artists. So when I meet an artist that I feel is promising, I always go to see him or her and talk with him or her in depth. Once they are on the label, we support them as if they were our best friend so that their activities can take off.
Beyond mainland China, you’ve curated a tour for the Taiwanese psychedelic surf band Crocodelia (鱷魚迷幻). What prompted you to venture into touring in China, especially considering the relatively modest fan base for psychedelic rock in Taiwan?
Qing (Dr.): Because they had such “hot eyes” too. In some aspects, our connection with Taiwan has been a little weakened by the Corona disaster, but a Taiwanese band that we have been paying attention to recently is “The Murky Crows”. Their music is romantic, so please give them a listen.
What do you learn from the label business and young bands?
Qing (Dr.): The most important thing is to keep listening to new music. Nowadays it is very difficult to create new sounds, so if you are not careful, you can get stuck in a pattern or old values. I think it is important not to become like a “dementia.”
