Going Underground: Rockabilly
By Sophia Pederson
There’s nothing cooler than leather jackets, tattoos and bass cello. Luckily, there’s no shortage of those in Beijing, especially when it comes to Rockabilly. This small but burgeoning scene has been alive and kickin’ for quite some time now. Musically, it is a bit of a precursor to standard rock, and draws inspiration from southern country, blues and jazz. It’s not all about music though – rockabilly, arguably more than any music genre, runs a pretty tight culture game, where fashion is as important as the sound itself. Looks-wise, think Grease, Great Balls of Fire, The Outsiders or American Graffiti.
Rolling Bowling
Recently signed to indie record label Modern Sky, Rolling Bowling are probably the most recognizable name in Chinese Rockabilly. They tour relentlessly and can often be seen around town at Jianghu or School Bar, as well as festivals – and even the occasional European tour date for good measure. These decked-out boys are all killer (fedoras, leather shoes, white wife-beaters and dark pressed slacks), no filler when they hit the stage, but that’s only half of it – pay special attention to the audience too. Their fans – sporting leather jackets, bright scarves, polka dots, and lots of eyeliner and tattoos – are equally as mesmerizing to watch as the band themselves. Listen: rollingbowling.bandcamp.com
DH & The Chinese Hellcats
The best-looking rockabilly band in China. Front woman Dizzy Hemmy is a sight to behold in both Western and Eastern vintage dresses, backed by a band of men in pinstripe suits and slicked back hair. Listen: site.douban.com/dh
Mr. Honey
Relative newcomers to the rockabilly scene in Beijing, these young upstart gunslingers started in November 2013 and are a sweet, but all-too-rare treat when spotted around town. Listen: site.douban.com/mrhoney
Two minutes with Davie Wen from rockabilly band Ice Whiskey
How did Icy Whiskey come about?
We started the band in January 2013. I’d been playing in various bands for a while, and then I saw Rolling Bowling (then known as ‘Defy’) in 2012 for the first time, and they just spoke to me, you know?! Changed everything!
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Elvis Presley and Stray Cats. Those guys are untouchable.
Do you think fashion is important to the rockabilly culture?
It’s especially important. Leather jackets and shoes, white shirts, hairstyles. It’s more than just music, its a lifestyle choice. You go all in. But it’s not restricting, it’s really free. There’s a lot of innovation too. A lot of room to be yourself… and rock out.
Listen: site.douban.com/icywhiskey
> Going Underground with Wooozy is a monthly column written by Sophia Pederson, exploring the Chinese rock scene. Launched in April 2009, Wooozy.cn is a Chinese-language online specialist music site, focusing on the latest and best underground and mainstream sounds from China and beyond.
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