Rev-Now Music Live House: Music Without Boundaries, a Little Lan Kwai Fong in the Daan Cellar in Taipei

"Love is gone, you should take it with you, then you will never return..." The melody of Cantonese songs is repeated in a Rev-Now Music Live House run by a Hong Kong couple in Taipei.

Young people may be unfamiliar with this song. The song is called "Love Is Gone". It was sung by Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung. A Mandarin album "Love Without Four Returns". The year Jacky Cheung became popular was 1985, the year after the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed. In 1998, he won the Taiwan Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Male Singer in the Pop Music category, and was the first non-Taiwanese singer to win this award. From the 1980s to the 1990s, Jacky Cheung has won numerous awards and is a Chinese-speaking singer that no one knows. The peak period of his singing career reached 1996, and his production has been greatly reduced since then. His singing career can be said to be in sync with Hong Kong's golden age. At that time, probably no one thought about what it would mean if the same Cantonese song played in the Live House run by Hong Kong people in Taipei 37 years later.

This is a night in June, Rev-Now Music Live House held the "Night of Cantonese Songs", and many Hong Kong people in Taiwan also came to join in the evening. . However, this is not a common sight at Live House, because it is not easy to find people who can play and sing Cantonese songs in Taiwan, and in Rev-Now, it is more common to see the faces of Westerners. This is related to the owner Gerald's own music career, as well as the style and network of the musicians he invites to perform.

Taipei's Daan District is quiet and prosperous. There are residences and many national universities. The land price can be said to be the highest in Taipei. Just on Yanji Street, Daan District, Taipei City, you pass a very elegant wooden door that resembles a wine cellar. Don't miss it. What immediately caught my eye was a gorgeous chandelier, and I walked down the long stairs. Is the party going to start?

This is the Rev-Now Music Live House run by Hong Kong couple Gerald and Pamela. As soon as you enter, you can see the decorations of lighting, brick walls, wooden tables, posters, and wooden frame photo frames, which are rock-like. There are different types of live band performances here almost every night, jazz, blues, rock... and "Cantonese Song の Night"! Here, you can meet the most international Taipei, Americans, British, Indians, Germans, Hongkongers... It is like a small Lan Kwai Fong, let us listen to the story of Gerald and Pamela.

▍Returning to Hong Kong from the UK, from English songs to Cantonese songs: a forming youth and a forming Hong Kong

Gerald, the owner of Rev-Now Music Live House, played music as early as the 1970s. Since the second and third grades of middle school, he has often been in the piano shop, practicing guitar, and his love for music probably starts from listening to songs. Gerald laughed and said, "It's a cassette! Have you heard of it?" He pointed out that in the 1970s, many bands had appeared in Hong Kong, but it was the pop music of foreign bands that touched him at first. He put these band-related photos into small wooden frames and hung them one by one on the wall of the Live House, just like his music life team. Ask him whose music is the most inspiring, but he didn't answer very clearly. Probably every person in the frame on the wall has become his nutrient. Looking back decades later, it may not be easy to answer. merged into one piece. Instead, ask him what style he mainly plays, and he can tell you clearly: "There are many kinds of Rock, including Classic Rock, Hard Rock... I play Blues Rock."

Gerald's mother sent his son to study in the UK in 1977 because of his youthful rebelliousness. Gerald's school, Southgate Technical College, was located in north London and was later renamed Southgate College, which was merged with Barnet College in 2011. In the past years, many times were "learn by doing", that is, the so-called "red pants" background, and Gerald studied Studio Engineering at that time, which can be regarded as the first generation of related majors. If you come back from your studies, you can actually be a music producer instead of starting with red pants. But Gerald said with a smile that he didn't go to the UK to study, and he spent the most time playing the guitar. Obviously, the story of life is like human history and progress, and there is no established linear development...

Gerald returned to Hong Kong during the summer vacation of 1982, and often went to the bar of the Burj Al Arab Hotel to listen to songs, so he met Cai Guoquan, one of the few singer-songwriters in Hong Kong in the 1980s. His representative works are "Do Not Decorate Your Dream" and written by Xu Xiaofeng The "Countercurrent" and so on. In addition, Gerald also got to know Cai's manager and some of the behind-the-scenes production colleagues. The singer who happened to be in the bar at the Burj Al Arab immigrated to Canada, and Cai's manager accidentally heard that Gerald's hoarse voice was somewhat similar to the popular singer Xu Guanjie, and invited him to sing. In this regard, he stayed in Hong Kong and did not return to the UK.

Hong Kong in the 1980s was full of restaurants and bars where people could listen to music. There were different types of bars at that time, some invited one person to sing for 45 minutes, and some had the whole band accompany and the resident singer to perform together. Therefore, Gerald not only resides in the sailing hotel, but also sings in places such as Flamingo Bar, Alpine Theater...

With the rise of local pop culture, TV dramas have become an indispensable part of Hong Kong people's daily life, and the popularity of Cantonese songs must be remembered as the theme song of TV dramas. Therefore, Gerald sang 8 English songs and 1 Cantonese song in one night, and gradually became 8 Cantonese songs and 1 English song. He pointed out that he was very passive at that time, and he would sing whatever the popular song was. Pamela believes that although Hong Kong is a colony, it is very free. It seems that many things come in, out, and converge in this small place, and the speed is very fast, resulting in a variety of cultures.

▍Reality and Dream: Revolution now but don't quit your daytime job!

Later, Gerald found out that his favorite songs were not Cantonese songs, and he only stayed on the show for 3 years. Gerald has been in retreat for two years, without performing, only returning to simply listening to music. Many of the original Cantonese songs that emerged in the early days actually came from Japan, with only Chinese lyrics. Gerald pointed out that more and more Hong Kong people wrote their own songs, and bands such as Beyond, Da Ming Yipai, Tai Chi, etc. emerged and began to produce more and more original songs. When he went out again, Gerald pointed out that he was no longer so disgusted with popular Cantonese songs, and felt that Cantonese songs were good and gradually developed his own style, and he again performed in bars around Wanchai. Later, with the rise of karaoke, the public gradually changed from listening to music to singing. Gerald pointed out that many bandmates were unemployed at that time.

"Don't quit your daytime job!" Gerald said. For most of the later days, music continued to be his side business. At that time, Hong Kong was facing the newly opened Chinese market. Gerald entered the emerging industry in the 1990s, sold computer forms, and worked as the marketing manager of Global Sources. The company participates in exhibitions in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu and other places every year. Finally ushered in the era of developed networks. When customers can find suppliers by themselves, the industry will decline.......

Later, due to the invitation of overseas Chinese friends in Vietnam, he moved to Vietnam to work and became the general agent of electronic phoenix machine (dart machine). About a decade ago, Vietnamese law prohibited the playing of such online games as illegal gambling. Coincidentally, this type of electronic phoenix machine is considered old in Hong Kong and has been eliminated. Not many people want it. On the contrary, the Vietnamese at that time thought it was quite novel. So they saw such a market and went to different bars in Vietnam to promote it.

Unexpectedly, just three days after returning to Hong Kong from Vietnam, the owner of Revolution Now told Gerald that he had helped him buy a plane ticket to Taipei and wanted to open a store in the Eastern District of Taipei, selling cold shirts, desserts, coffee, and music. , the owner wants Gerald to be in charge. Unexpectedly, Gerald's life has been rewritten since then - returning to the music business, and seeing Taiwan as his base.

▍From scratch, I was moved by the human touch of Taiwan

When he came to Taipei, Gerald recalled how he was "chattering". He didn't know anything, and he didn't even speak Chinese (Mandarin), so he went to see the shops with friends and find someone to decorate them. Gerald settled in and soon met a group of Taiwanese musicians, and some bar owners treated him very well. It can be said that the human touch was the first thing that inspired him to stay in Taiwan. The store in the Eastern District opened on September 28, 2014. Since then, the situation in Hong Kong has been intensified and changed. Gerald suddenly said: "On the opening day, we were already in tears."  …

This time, there is no partner, and the Gerald family of three manages Live House and opened a third store in Daan, named "Rev-Now", and some of them have been inherited from the past. Recalling that it was not easy for Rev-Now to reach its third year step by step, Pamela pointed out that opening a shop involves too many steps, and she has little experience in doing business. . In the past cooperation, they were more responsible for the management part, rather than the administrative part. The first year of Rev-Now's business was not bad, but the second year faced the epidemic. Like many Hong Kong investment immigrants, they were forced to start their own businesses in the face of adversity before they could gain a firm foothold.

▍I came without a choice, or is it unspeakable love?

In the past when Gerald worked in a different place, Pamela admitted that sometimes she was used to taking care of the family by herself. Later, her son grew up. She laughed and said that when her husband was not at home, she had less housework and had a more relaxed life. This may be the voice of many women. Getting married and having children, along the way, she said that she was able to take care of everything in the family, and she felt satisfied.

Once, Gerald's friend called Pamela to persuade her to think that if she didn't come to Taiwan to help, she would give up the relationship between husband and wife, but Pamela also thought that it was Gerald who chose to stay in Taiwan to open a store, so why couldn't she be the one she chose? Speaking of this, Pamela's tone was a little excited, saying that at that time her family and son were still in Hong Kong, and there was not enough time to prepare. This may be a scene that has appeared in many Hong Kong families in recent years. After all, the decision to leave home is not so easy, and everyone in the family has different ideas. Who will compromise in the end? Pamela said she had no choice but to come, but it was probably love that made her let go of everything in Hong Kong and accompany Gerald to achieve this musical dream.

Pamela said that she only worked two jobs in the past, and she is not a person who likes changes very much. She asked who doesn't like being in the comfort zone? From being a large kitchenware company to an executive of a headhunting company, her income was good, but now her work content has undergone a big change. Although she is the proprietress of Live House, she does everything by herself, from administration, outfield, cleaning, etc., almost all the time. Now that she came to Taiwan, she also hoped to get to know this land well, but found that she could hardly squeeze in such time.

Gerald does not shy about saying that it is hard work to do this, but everything will be hard and happy, not all happiness. In the past two years, I have seen some Hong Kong people immigrating and also visit Rev-Now, which will accumulate more and more friends, and also have good music to accompany. He recalled that when his wife first came to Taiwan as a helper, her eyes blew up when she was cooking in the kitchen on the first day. That was when he thought, "It's miserable! I seem to have affected her." In fact, he had struggled inside. Later, while the new store was being renovated, they drove around the island with another Hong Kong couple, hoping to relax. Pamela admits the trip made her start to let go of her grudges and hope to enjoy what's going on. In fact, for many people leaving Hong Kong, there is only the road in front of them, and there is no one behind them.

▍All the encounters in the world are reunions after a long absence?

Having stayed at Rev-Now several times, it is not difficult to find that Gerald and Pamela often bicker like no one is around. It was a little embarrassing at first, but after a long time, it was full of fun. Maybe every couple has their own way of getting along. unique way. How did the two meet and fall in love?

As soon as the camera turns, it is time to return to Hong Kong in the 1980s. A bar, a bar where everyone can listen to music, was the place where many couples dated at that time. Pamela's suitor, knowing that she likes to listen to music, will meet at the lounge bar and introduce her friend Gerald, who has returned from the UK, to her. Gerald's personality impresses Pamela, and she is very good at chatting with her about movies and music, but ignores the original suitor. But at that time there was no IG, Facebook, or even a mobile phone. Gerald joked that he was still using a home phone at that time, so he would not "copy the card" (leave the contact number of the other party). Pamela and Gerald never met again as Pamela didn't develop with her suitors.

About a year later, another mutual friend between them threw a birthday party and invited the two of them separately, and the two never expected to meet again. Life is like a play, play is like life, and life is like a movie occasionally. Pamela laughs, "This is probably the most romantic moment we've known each other in decades!" Gerald recalls drinking two Heinekens first to reinvigorate him.

"Hi, Pam! I'm so patient."

"Yes."

"Babe, do you know that I actually have a crush on you, so how patient?"

At that moment, Pamela was already in tears. In retrospect today, she laughed at how stupid she was, and of course she would believe this kind of movie plot. After 6 years of dating, the lovers finally got married. After two years of marriage, they had a child. They are the first couple to get married in the circle of friends, so Pamela is often called "sister-in-law" by friends. Gerald shared that when he was working in Vietnam, Pamela once came to visit the class. At that time, a Dutchman was very angry when he heard everyone call Pamela "Sister-in-law" and asked Gerald "What the fuck! Why did every one call your wife "asshole"? How come you are so happy?”

Pamela suddenly came to a short summary: "It's a relationship. It started like this. Then it's a lifetime." There were also many crises in the long marriage. Later, the church caught them and let them usher in the second honey moon. It's time for music to play again. At this time, Gerald once formed a band in the church to catch young people with music.

▍Time will give this generation of Hong Kongers the best answer

...... With the tightening of immigration policies in Taiwan, the Gerald family started to apply for investment immigration relatively early. Relatively speaking, the situation is relatively lucky. As a new resident, Gerald said that every place has its own good and bad. But he is very saddened by Hong Kong, whether it is the changes in the quality of people or the atmosphere of life. His son Grant said that life in Hong Kong is too urgent and prices are high, while life in Taiwan is relatively easy. The problem is that he has not fully established his own life circle. Pamela agrees, but she feels that she has no sense of belonging, and the thing she cherished most in Hong Kong is "freedom". But now people are in different places, and they still have a lot of struggles. They can't put themselves in place properly, and they don't seem to feel completely at ease. Perhaps, time will give this generation of Hong Kongers the best answer, and let's see how music and Taiwan are intertwined in this family's second life. Their family message to Hong Kong people, no matter where they are today, life still has to be lived, and the most important thing is to find a balance. As Gerald said: "We did the best, and God did the rest".

In Gerald, he has witnessed Hong Kong, which is full of money, singing and dancing, and opportunities everywhere. He has also gone through the economic transformation in the 1990s, and today is the wave of immigrants coming to Hong Kong. Gerald's personal history can be called a history of Hong Kong. Of course, there are a lot of Pamela, and the love between the two who are "harmonious until old age does not depend on luck". In the past, because Gerald worked in other places from time to time, they got together less and more. Now the three of them are in different places, facing each other day and night. Even though they are noisy and contradicting each other from time to time, they are enough to be called a "home", just to be together. And a Cantonese song played in the Music Live House run by Hong Kong people, probably nostalgia, but also a connection.

Some excerpts from: https://everylittled.com/article/171029

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Text: Patricia Cheung @someoneswandering

Photo: SaiHo@_hortra.120

PR: @ip_tszyeung

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