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Wayne Hsu, Singer/Songwriter
By
tien mao
Published Jan 17, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
tien mao
Published Jan 17, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Born in Taipei and currently based out of Philadelphia, Wayne Hsu's music is "the kind of music your mom will like too!" Tomorrow, Wayne will have a release party for his debut EP, "A Boy Named Hsu" at Coda in Manhattan.
How would you describe your music? Would you compare it with anyone else?
I would like to describe it as organic elevator music; it's lounge-tastic, and we call it "Lounge-Core" music. If I have to compare it with someone else I would say Burt Bacharach meets Jack Johnson.
You recently started playing shows with a backup band. Has that changed your approach at all? How has it changed your sound?
I don't really think of them as a "backup band". Instead of having them simply just play as my backup band, I give them lots of space to do whatever they need to do and we end up sounding much bigger because it becomes this big composition.
You came to the United States for High School - does your Taiwanese background influence your music at all?
I'm sure it has one way or another but I never really listened to much Taiwanese music when I was young.
"Making it" in music is hard enough, do you find being an Asian musician makes it even harder or does it open up doors?
it definitely has opened up doors for me. There aren't that many Asian singer-songwriters in this area so people definitely would remember me; it makes me stand out a lot more.
What is your favorite/least favorite memory involving New York?
One time in this hotel room on 45th street... Oh wait, are you talking about musically?
Is there a difference in the New York music scene from your own local scene?
New York fans seem to get more excited.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about playing shows in New York?
The fact that you can go home and say " yeah so we did a show in NYC last night..."
What's the most played song on your iPod (or an equivalent music playing device) in the past week?
Bird of Beauty- Stevie Wonder
What was the first/last album you bought on the day it was released?
A Time to Love- Stevie Wonder
If Josh Schwartz, creator of the OC, asked your band to perform on his tv show (as Modest Mouse, the Killers and the Walkmen recently have) would you?
Yes please.
Wayne Hsu's CD release party is tomorrow, January 18th at Coda (34 E. 34th St.). With the $10 admission fee comes a CD of Wayne's music. You can listen to some of his music on Wayne's myspace page.
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