In an exclusive interview with Chinese pop-rock sensation and accomplished music producer Ce Liang, we delved into the multifaceted world of his musical journey. Ce Liang, a prominent figure in the Chinese music scene, shared insights into his creative process, influences, and the evolution of his musical style.
From his early days studying music at Wuhan Music Conservatory and Beijing Contemporary Music Academy to his current role as a trailblazing musician and producer, Ce Liang has continually pushed the boundaries of pop-rock music. Currently, Liang is the bassist, lead, and music producer of the renowned Chinese pop-rock band HAPPY WHEEL, and he also handles the synthesizer, sampling, and vocals of most of their songs.
Formed in 2015 in Wuhan city, HAPPY WHEEL is considered one of the most iconic Chinese pop-rock bands. The band name HAPPY WHEEL originates from a video game. While the band likes to playfully engage with popular culture, their songs carry remarkable depth. Their music delves into the lives of ordinary and lower-class people in Wuhan, documenting the complexity and conflicts of this “jianghu” (martial world) and, more importantly, the emotional state of people in this space and time.
HAPPY WHEEL’s musical style is predominantly rooted in pop-rock, incorporating elements of psychedelic and electronic music, with a focus on expressive musicality and current events. Fierce riffs, intense drumbeats, aggressive and robust basslines, sophisticated composition, clever use of Chinese traditional and local cultural elements, and highly provocative live performances have made this band a representative of Chinese contemporary pop-rock music.
During this interview, Ce Liang discussed his creative influences and how he shaped HAPPY WHEEL’s music style, a breathtaking fusion of Western rock with Chinese traditional and local cultural elements and the intention behind that.
“I spent my formative years living in Wuhan, one of the largest and most complex cities in China. I’ve been fascinated by this place and found it to be an ongoing source of inspiration. I have a keen interest in the people in Wuhan, especially people from middle and lower-class. They live in such an authentic, brave, resilient and flamboyant way that I haven’t seen in any other places. Just observing how the locals interact with each other, deal with conflicts and stake out their values in a very heroic way gives me chills. And I feel this urge to document their life and their “Jianghu” spirit through my music.” Says Ce Liang.
Indeed, the city of Wuhan is known for its “Jianghu-style”. It is believed that the Wuhan people developed their strong and spicy personality from over 300 years ago when Wuhan was a famous port city and the dockworkers needed to fight and argue a lot in their daily life. Gradually, Wuhan’s conflicting and fiery temperament became its signature, making it a mega-city with the utmost “Jianghu” flavor. (“Jianghu” is this Chinese traditional cultural concept used in a lot of Martial Arts movies and novels that often involves the pursuit of justice, honor and moral principles in a chaotic time. As a major part of Chinese traditional culture, “Jianghu” has influenced Chinese literature and movie industry profoundly.)
Liang’s music attempts to capture this unique “Jianghu” spirit of Wuhan city and its people. For example, in HAPPY WHEEL’s 2020 album “Hoax”, the most popular song “Prince” features the story of a wanderer in Tongxingli, a deprived neighborhood in Wuhan. Despite being homeless, this wanderer fearlessly intervenes in situations he finds unjust, and helps other lower-class people fight for their rights like a hero in his own “Jianghu” (an alternate world often portrayed in Chinese traditional Martial Arts novels or movies). In Liang’s eyes, people like him represents the true “Jianghu” spirit of Wuhan, and he made a series of deliberate musical choices in the song “Prince” to convey this “Jianghu” spirit. Specifically, by using synthesizers, rock, and pop melodies, along with local dialect recitations and ancient Wuhan folklores, Liang builds up the conflicts and contradictions in the music while reaching a strange harmony amongst that. His montage-like arrangement between seemingly irreconcilable musical elements, creates an oddly satisfying “fusion” style for his music, mirroring that all-encompassing, ambiguous, rule-defying, reckless “Jianghu” spirit he felt in Wuhan city and its people. Liang’s ability to tell stories through one-of-its-kind music composition and arrangement, and to create modern pop-rock music that brings old Chinese “Jianghu” culture to life, is truly extraordinary.
“I feel it’s my mission to document the current-day “Jianghu” spirit of Wuhan through making music. It certainly has western influences as I’m a classically trained musician and music producer and I studied western music. But underneath, I’m still telling an Oriental and local story.” Says Liang himself.
Liang’s creation showcases his commitment to a sound that resonates both locally and globally. His innovative approach to music production and his ability to craft melodies that capture the essence of contemporary Chinese life and its living “Jianghu” spirit, have made him not only a standout musician, but also a well-respected cultural icon who uses music to preserve and re-interpret Chinese traditional and local culture in a refreshing way.
Looking into the future, Liang Ce envisions himself collaborating more often with global artists, as he sees the opportunity to weave more diverse cultural threads into the fabric of his music.
Liang’s perspective reflects a commitment to creating a culturally rich yet universal musical language that transcends borders, allowing listeners worldwide to connect with the rich tapestry of Eastern narratives.
Liang also plans to co-create new types of fusion-style music with fellow musicians from “Yishi” band, another well-known Chinese independent band that reinvents Sichuan Yibin folk music by combining it with music elements such as jazz, folk mountain songs, local operas and sailors’ work songs, etc. Through these collaborations, Liang will take his musical experimentation to the next level and infuse his work with more cultural richness and diverse perspectives.
Ultimately, Liang aims to bridge cultural divides and elevate the global appreciation for the depth and beauty of Oriental storytelling through the language of music.
