It may have been three years since Chairman frontman, Guan Yu (冠宇) passed away of leukemia, but the singer/songwriter has recently become the focus of a special tribute album, which itself has become the theme of a mini-tour.
Entitled Solo Flight (
PHOTO COURTESY OF TCM
Forming the Chairman (董事長), or the "Boss Band" as the combo was then known, in early 1997 with guitarist Ah Chi (阿吉), drummer Jing Gang (金剛), bassist Ta Yue (大鈞) and guitarist Hsiao Bai (小白), Guan Yu's ability to pen what were certainly the most fiery and cutting-edge tunes of the day saw the band fast become one of most popular alternative rock acts in Taiwan.
His stage presence and song-writing prowess meant that Chairman gigs, be they in smoky bars or a beach in Kenting, were the closest Taiwan has ever gotten to producing a live band with the passion and clout of The Clash.
Complaining about fatigue and suffering from exhaustion during the recording of the band's debut album in early 2000, Guan Yu battled on regardless. A mere six months after the much-delayed album finally hit the shelves, however, Guan Yu succumbed to leukemia and passed away at home in Taipei on Sept. 22, 2000.
While tribute albums can often be disappointing affairs, the team at TCM has come up with a fitting album that pays a perfect musical salute to the late frontman.
Along with a selection of numbers performed by the Chairman the album sees Back Quarter (
Highlight's include Back Quarter's thumping ska-driven interpretation of BG, a prog-rock styled adaptation of Saturday Night (星期六的晚 ) by the elders of Taiwan's heavy metal scene, The Assassins (
The Chairman's Guan Yu Tribute concert dates are as follows: Saturday, Sept. 27 at 9pm, Underworld (地下社會), which is located at B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei (台北市師大路45號B1). On Saturday, Oct. 4, 9:30pm, at Taichung's Nuno's Live House (老諾咖啡), at 2F, 259 Leye Rd., Taichung (台中市樂業路259號2樓) and finally at 3pm on Saturday, Oct. 11 at ATT Music Shop (ATT秘密基地), which is located at B1, 83 Chienkuo Third Rd, Kaohsiung (
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