WHY BANDS AND BRANDS SHOULD WORK WITH THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB

Two years ago, I was in Perth at a music conference listening to panelists talk about a topic called “Bands And Brands”.

After a few minutes of, largely, talking heads making empty noises, I started sending SMS messages to mates.

I wasn’t hearing anything new except for a few brand managers reciting their Job Responsibilities and promoting their brands.

How were these people helping bands with their brands? No idea.

It was, basically, panelists blowing smoke up their own asses.

Fast forward to 2010 and 2011 and the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Happy Valley, and when its daft-sounding Sassy Wednesday gave way to what is now known as Happy Wednesday.

From an “open-house” in the Beer Garden, there was and is- suddenly- a very welcome venue for ‘live’ music.

The Weathering- and I wait with great anticipation and perspiration for their first record- Dear Jane, those good-time “mature” Rockers that are Uranus, Ryan Hui, Eugene Pao, Jun Kung, Killer Soap, Mr, 24 Herbs, FBI, they have all played at the racecourse.

A few years ago, ‘live’ music- or even dead music- and horse racing would have been unheard of.

It would have been two different worlds colliding.

But we live today in a world in change and the Hong Kong Jockey Club knew it had to change.

If only others do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Ogy9pbC-c

Sure, the HKJC will always have that captive market of hardcore punters, but this target group is not getting younger.

Horse racing had to- and has to change- and the Club has stolen a march on every other racing club in the world by tapping into the younger and/or casual race-goer .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NExis8tjwY

Yes, Melbourne’s Spring Carnival has fashion, hot people and ‘live’ music but that’s once a year- and not, as is the case with Happy Wednesday- every week.

Plus, no racing club anywhere has a track as unique as the one in Happy Valley.

There were teething problems and some who refused to buy into this change.

Some trainers complained, horses got stirred up and owners got hot under the collar.

But like “Sassy” giving way to something more understandable, cool heads prevailed and now, attending a Happy Wednesday event is a win-win situation and the biggest party in town.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiiZkjVwVkg

The HKJC has the infra-structure, the facilities- and key- the venue.

We’ll look at the Shatin racecourse as another venue for ‘live’ music another time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AXO0JJ0yMg

When at Universal Music and later EMI, we’d always be looking for the “right venues” for showcases- especially those by new International acts.

We never even thought of a race track and we are sure the HKJC never ever thought of us.

The day when artists from Hong Kong start making music- ‘live’- International acts HAS to happen.

It’s so obvious, it’s stupid if it doesn’t.

Today, if with a music company, I would do some serious homework and learn how horse racing has changed and how “gambling” on the sport is not the dirty word it once might have been.

Welcome to the world of gaming, and gaming is where horse racing belongs.

It’s a far more consumer-friendly word.

Ask any regular who attends a Happy Wednesday event and you might be surprised at what they will tell you about how racing, music, beer, food, fashion and a truly international group of people can “co-exist” very well in a Beer Garden and a race course.

Like the music industry found out too late, one learns today from the consumer.

Forget about wondering what this music company and that music company, or this radio station or that radio station, and this band and that band is doing.

Most are doing nothing and Hong Kong is too tiny a music market for that sh*t.

It comes down to what are YOU doing and how WELL are you doing it.

Gone are the days of speaking from two sides of your mouth and trying to please everyone and losing the respect of many:

This just shows a lack of balls and more than a glob full of phoniness.

And no one will do business with you or bother helping out.

As someone far wiser than me put it, Mate, if they cannot help you, why bother?

Performing at Happy Wednesdays is not the panacea to cure the ills which have affected the Hong Kong music scene for too long now.

But it’s a start and with Fast Track being very involved with this concept, we know how and where and when it will be expanded.

And it could not happen sooner as the so-called Hong Kong music scene has never been as dire as it’s been.

Hong Kong has already lost Branded’s Music Matters to Singapore as many in Hong Kong simply didn’t seem to care or support it.

And here, I am talking about all the local “lo bans” who control this scene/business and to whom music has been very good to them through back-handers.

They’ve made their money and wanted nothing to do with what was fobbed off as a “gweilo event” despite the number of Asians who flew in from other parts of this region.

If only we had Happy Wednesdays when Music Matters was trying to find its feet.

At least we have my mate Jasper Donat from Branded making cameo appearances on Bass as part of Uranus.

With Music Matters lost to Singapore, here’s hoping that the television shows produced by people like Tom Brown help promote local talent.

It comes down to what NOWTV does with Tom’s new show, how it’s promoted, and how it’s accepted.

And with the HKJC re-opening their club Adrenaline- also at Happy Valley- watch this space and watch what happens and can happen at that venue.

Also, who knows.

Perhaps, working with people like Scottie Hui, Tom Brown, Ed Bean at Siren- and Uranus- and, yes, band and brands like Burberry and truly International creative directors like Burberry’s Christopher Bailey, and with the HKJC having opened its clubhouse in Beijing, making music together can become fun again and with some genuine good talent emerging from out of all this.

Plus, all of this being a win-win situation for all.

Passion and favours don’t pay the bills.