Okay, everybody. It's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Dave Liang of The Shanghai Restoration Project.
Who are you?
Dave Liang. My Chinese name is 梁文伟 (Liang Wen Wei) for those keeping score.
What are you?
Music producer best known for my work with The Shanghai Restoration Project, a group that mixes Chinese culture with hip-hop and electronica.
Where are you?
I'm based in NYC but spend a good amount of the year on the road. I'm currently writing this somewhere between Warsaw and Tokyo.
Where are you from?
I was born in Lawrence, Kansas and grew up in Upstate New York.
What do you do?
In addition to my work with The Shanghai Restoration Project, I produce projects for my own label Undercover Culture Music and other labels such as Universal, Warner, Yamaha, and Bad Boy. This past year I've had the opportunity to work with musicians from China, Japan, India, Poland, France, Canada and the US.
What are you all about?
My mission has always been to find interesting and accessible ways to share Chinese culture with the West whether it's through my own projects or producing for others. Media coverage of China can often be negative, which unfortunately only tells one side of the story. I believe there are many elements of Chinese culture Westerners can find appealing in the right context.
Some of the projects I've done to date include: (1) Remixed & Restored, an album remixing 1930s Shanghai Jazz recordings (2) Afterquake, a Sichuan earthquake awareness album co-produced with Abigail Washburn and (3) eXpo, a compilation of Chinese electronic artists co-produced with Neocha, a Shanghai-based creative community. Later this month, I'll be releasing Little Dragon Tales, a collection of 12 classic Chinese children's songs with edgy production and beats.
What makes you angry?
Narrow-mindedness. Over the years, I've had the pleasure of meeting people from all walks of life. Singer-songwriters. Entrepreneurs. Reality show hosts. Hedge fund investors. Some are liberal. Some are conservative. Some are religious. Some are not. Some play along with the system. Some do not. Some are in the 99%. 1% are not. What I've learned from interacting with so many different folks is that it often helps to keep an open mind, particularly when it comes to an argument with which we disagree. Those who completely disregard all counter-arguments tend to rub me the wrong way. That being said, I too am sometimes guilty of being closed-minded, so I guess now and then I make myself angry (unintentionally of course)!