Q: Why would you say that?
N: You’ll understand later tonight.

Q: I was moved by the performance in the live video ‘…There And Then’. I remember the opening when Liam came out after ‘Swamp Song’ and shouted the song title ‘Acquiesce’, and then you started playing the guitar. The show started that way.
N: That was a great show, wasn’t it?

Q: What is your expectation for tonight?
N: It’ll be interesting. Our lead singer is in a weird mood right now, so maybe we are getting a ‘car crash’ tonight — that is what we call in English slang. I don’t expect anything before going up the stage. Basically I don’t have expectation for the future, because that always leads to disappointment, doesn’t it? I know I can do great, but I can’t expect the audience to clap and sing along. I can only make sure I play my guitar and sing properly. This is what I try to achieve.

Q: How do you keep yourself in good mood for the show, even if you don’t feel so good at the time?
N: This is a hard question… I suppose you don’t need to be in good mood to give a decent performance. My thinking is that I do what I do, and then worry about it later.

Q: Have you ever felt nervous on the stage?
N: Why would that be?

Q: Let’s say if there are problems with equipments, if the monitor is muted, would that make you nervous?
N: I don’t use the monitor, I never use a monitor, just shut the thing off.

Q: What? Really?
N: I only use a monitor when I sing. I listen to the live sound in performances. What’s the worst that can happen? The audience gets up and leaves. This is not end of the world. You should know what you are doing. Even if there is no sound on the stage I can still carry on playing.

Q: How do you see live performance and studio version?
N: Completely different and you can’t compare the two. You can never play in exactly the same way that you did in the demo or studio version, and you shouldn’t. To me, recording album and playing live are two different things.

Q: What would you like to share with the others who are in music and in a band?
N: Don’t think too much, feel the music with your heart and enjoy it. Don’t get too up tight. I am never good at giving advice, my thinking is that you shouldn’t worry about it and just enjoy it. Soon you’ll be 50 years old and all will be the past. So you shouldn’t worry about things too much.

Q: How do you get inspired?
N: I don’t know, it’s like magic. I was never trained to be a musician, a composer or a lyricist. I just pick up the guitar and write songs. I don’t know where that comes from, it wasn’t conscious.

Q: The new album ‘Dig out Your Soul’ is the debut under your own label ‘Big Brother’. Have you made any plans?
N: A long holiday after the tour. I don’t have any plans otherwise, not on my music or releasing someone else’s albums.

Q: Which tracks from your new album would you recommend?
N: The first track ‘Bag It Up’, ‘Waiting for the Rapture’ and ‘Soldier On’.

Q: Which type of fans do you think would like those tracks?
N: I never think about this. The ‘sound’ is the most important thing, expressing ‘what I am doing’ and ‘who am I’? It is not about ‘who you are’. I believe in what I like, and there will be people out there who like it too.

Q: You mentioned that you like the song ‘Magic Colours’ by 1960S Hong Kong band ‘Teddy Robin and the Playboys’. Your new album is also rather psychedelic. Where did that come from?
N: I saw a 60S Asian record called ‘Love, Peace and Poetry’ in a vintage record shop in London. I bought it because I thought there’ll be something interesting. I heard ‘Magic Colours’ and got so excited! Like Jimi Hendrix, it must be one of the most amazing songs I’ve heard in my entire life. Having said that the inspiration isn’t from there, at least I don’t think my guitar skill is as good as Teddy Robin’s.

Q: Do you know any other Asian music?
N: To be honest I am not very familiar with Asian music. I listen to a lot of American, Indian, Germany, Swedish and French music.

Q: What is your view on virtual media such as computer and video game being such a big part in young people’s lives now?
N: This is just a matter of trends. In my generation, we played music like the young people playing video games today. Maybe they can try to make music with computer. Guitar is a very difficult instrument to learn, maybe the computer is easier. I started playing the guitar because there was nothing to do. Life was quite rubbish then, but anyhow I have already spent fifteen years on guitar. I still spend all my time on anything that’s guitar-related, and I guess it’s easier to play video games. It is amazing to be into music, to be listening, performing and singing. It feels good. It is hard to make someone passionate about music. It’s something you try, and then you know whether you like it or not.

Q: Do you use the computer?
N: Not at all. I tell you one thing. The other day I was at home and my girlfriend didn’t switch off the computer before she went out. So she called me and asked if I could switch it off. I said ‘OK! No problem.’ I went to the kitchen (where the computer is), and realised I really didn’t know how to switch it off, so I un-plucked the socket. My girlfriend went home and she was really mad. She kept telling me what an idiot I am. Actually I don’t know how to turn on the computer either. It’s just that I didn’t need a computer to live all these years, so I never think I need one. I don’t know how to drive nor swim, but it is OK.

Q: Don’t you think you can see other parts of the world on the internet?
N: Not interested. I mean, if you want to see places, you go to the places.

Q: That means you never record your demo on the computer before?
N: I don’t need a demo. I play or sing it, remember it in my head, and then I’m good to record. I just think that there is so much virtual information on the internet. You can’t just click and know what Hong Kong is like, because you have to feel the place. Maybe the internet is educational in some way, for kids to search information with a few clicks. Maybe I’m from a different generation, I don’t need to know how heavy a tiger is, how many toe nail an elephant has, nor the number of bricks in the Great Wall. To me these things are completely irrelevant to my life, but I guess kids like these things now.

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