Prophetic words from Brad Ferguson:
I think live music in Shanghai is going to continue to suck progressively less and less over the next few years, and eventually it won’t suck. [source]
Elegantly put.
It’s too bad about Windows Underground, though. Without either live music or Brad’s presence (and music collection), I’m pretty much out of reasons to go there. (Their 10 RMB “special hamburgers” are pretty good, but not that good.)
Controversy sells. If Brad set the bar on fire, it’d be front page entertainment news! =) Brad: I’m sorry to hear about the firing. Being ahead of the times sometimes works against. Too bad the bar manager didn’t compromise and lessen the number or have a “local music” theme on certain nights and “cheese cover band dice shaker” theme on the others.
Because Brad was the epicenter for bringing live music to those venues, he can set up shop elsewhere and the talent will follow. Good luck, Brad! Thanks for the heads up, John.
Source: http://shanghaiist.com/2008/08/02/windows_underground_fires_its_manag_1.php
August 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pmJohn, is this the same person who managed the bands we went to see in Shanghai? If so then I think he will be able to do well else where. I thought he had alot of talent.
By the way, my Asian BLOG is up and running now. You can see more at http://www.GregPasden.com
Take care always Greg Pasden The World Explorer
August 4th, 2008 at 12:14 amIt’s pretty hard to have sympathy with someone who was fired for gross insubordination. When the boss says something, you do it, even if you don’t agree.
I suppose he probably did it because he knew he was getting kicked out of China anyway. The glory days of working on an F visa are over.
August 5th, 2008 at 12:15 pmKrovvy, I’m not asking for sympathy, and I fully expected to be fired. Maybe we just have different priorities, but I’ve worked in a wide variety of companies, large and small, in the US and China, and when my boss tells me to do something that’s not only bad for business but also morally wrong I won’t agree to do it. I have my principles and I do my best to stick to them.
Not that it’s any of your business, but in my six years in Shanghai I’ve always had the visa appropriate to my situation — in this case, a Z visa.
August 5th, 2008 at 1:21 pmSo, that’s why I’ve never heard anything from Shanghai! Seriously, I’ve heard good music from the Mainland (or at least some good music, most notably from Fusion乐团, not 花儿!), Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, but I’ve never heard anything from Shanghai except for that rapping flight attendant! I must admit, though, that the flight attendant rapping in Shanghainese was quite funny.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:36 am