One of Beijing’s most talked-about new(ish) bands, The Big Wave, signed with indie label Modern Sky in 2014 before hitting the festival circuit and touring the country. Having released a full-length debut last month, the trio are on the road again. We chat to frontman Li Jian ahead of the band’s 35-city tour.
So, when we saw you perform in Shanghai last year, you were all dressed in lab coats...
The white coats were inspired by our song ‘No Such Disease,’ where we describe fussiness as a kind of illness. For the show I’m the incarnation of the doctor telling the audience to follow my instructions.
Given that you hadn’t released an album at the time, were you surprised by how many people turned out for your tour?
It was originally supposed to be an album release tour but after we delayed the album we still went ahead with it. It was a pretty good turnout. I also think that Strawberry Music Festival helped give us a bigger platform.
How did your Strawberry experience influence the band?
I had performed at Strawberry with my previous bands, and those experiences had a big effect on the formation of The Big Wave in terms of how we approached performing and recording. Also, from early on, we made sure to be in control of the business side of things, based on the experiences of my past band.
So how did this band come about?
At the end of 2012, I had the idea of forming The Big Wave. We’d gone through a couple of drummers and bassists, but even when the lineup wasn’t stable, it still included people who shared common values and outlooks on life. The band began to play shows in Beijing in August 2013. The drummer from Queen Sea Big Shark, Xiao Wu, often played with us in those early days, which helped us improve much faster. Then things really took off after we recorded a single about Mainlanders living in Hong Kong and filmed a music video.
And now you’ve released a debut album – it must feel like a long time coming. What was the process like?
We began working on the album at the end of 2014 but most of the songs were created between 2012 and 2014. At the beginning of last year, we recorded with Xiao Wu at our home. The album was produced by Wu Tao, the former guitarist of The Dada.
The album’s sound is deeply rooted in synth-pop. Who were some of your influences?
Classic bands like Joy Division, New Order, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, The B-52s and Gang of Four had a huge impact on me. Their music changed my life. In our songs, the synthesizer relies on a lot of hardware devices and computer-assisted recording. That equipment gives us unlimited inspiration, and thanks to the recording process, we can record anytime we’re inspired.
What’s the significance behind your tour’s name, ‘See the Sun’?
When you see the sun, it means the start of a new day. Life isn’t easy – there is no birth without pain. It’s inspired by the Spanish poet Luis Cernuda, who said: “For some people, living is like walking barefoot on glass. For others, life is like being face to face seeing the sun. Everything is the same. I reach out my hand, no rain. I stepped on the glass, there was no sun. I look at the moon, there is no beach.”
Are there any cities you’re most looking forward to playing on this tour?
Tanggu! It’s my hometown.
Your Beijing show will be the last stop of the tour. What’s next?
At the end of December, we’ll begin working on our second album and hope to have it finished by next May.
Fri Dec 9, 8.30pm; RMB80; Modernsky Lab.
Image by Jeff Yiu, courtesy of Modern Sky
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