THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

The business of acting is one of extremes. In China, as elsewhere in the world, actors face ruthless competition and, at times, near unbearable pressure. Of course, there are compensations: money and fame, for example, not to mention the sort of personal satisfaction that comes after giving a fine performance. In short, acting is far from dull. Little wonder then that Qingdao-born Xia Yu – devotee of skateboarding and other extreme sports – is so keen on his craft.

Indeed, Xia Yu thrives on challenge. At 29, he has already worked in a dozen films and several TV-series, with some of the best in the business: upcoming directors Dayyan Eng and Xiao Jiang; seasoned filmmakers, Daniel Lee and Peng Xiaolian; and acclaimed fellow actors, Edward Norton, Ge You, Ning Jing and Jiang Wen. Critics and peers alike attribute Xia’s success, in equal parts, to his love of film and his passion for study. A rare passion. After all, not many actors, after winning the 1994 Venice Film Festival Best Actor Award for In the Heat of the Sun (Jiang Wen, 1994), would think to return to school. But even with recognition from his peers, Xia enrolled at the Beijing Central Academy of Drama to improve his acting chops. And a good thing, too. There, he met another skilled actress, Yuan Quan, a Golden Rooster Award winner and Xia’s current girlfriend; Yuan, by the way, was a classmate of both Zhang Ziyi (Memoirs of a Geisha) and Liu Ye (The Promise).
In 2005, Xia co-starred with Yuan in the hip comedy hit Waiting Alone (Dayyan Eng). They also star in Shanghai Rumba, the latest film from Shanghai-based director Peng Xiaolian (Shanghai Story, 2005). One might say the couple has been typecast. Shanghai Rumba is a multi-layered film, set in 1940s Shanghai, which portrays a couple of actors in love, on and off stage, which, of course, echoes the two leads’ romantic involvement.
Xia’s performance in this film is extraordinary – even by his standards. And with this role, he displays acting chops on par with, or superior to, the Chinese mainland’s best actors: Jiang Wen, Ge You, and Chen Daoming.
We sat down with Xia, freshly returned from Switzerland – where he won a snowboarding competition – to discuss his new film, and much more besides.

that’s: You take roles in art-house and commercial films. What are your criteria for accepting a given role?
Xia Yu: I consider many factors. First, the script: is it impressive or not? Next, I think about the people I’ll be working with, the director and the crew. For Shanghai Rumba, I had advice from my girlfriend [Yuan Quan]. She had already worked with Peng Xiaolian [Once Upon A Time in Shanghai, 1998] and she told me Peng was a good director. In addition, I also saw one of her movies, Shanghai Story (2005), which really touched me. Besides, Shanghai Rumba is about Shanghai and Peng is Shanghainese, and she can tell a Shanghai story better than any other director.

that’s: In the film, your character, Ah Chuan, uses the Stanislavski acting method.
XY: Actually, there are several excellent film acting techniques, from around the world, that all originated in the theater: Konstantin Stanislavski from Russia, Bertolt Brecht from Germany and Mei Lan-Fang from China.
In university, I studied Stanislavski’s method; it’s very influential in China, and of course, in the US. Here though, we combine elements from Mei Lan-Fang’s method. In the period Shanghai Rumba [1940s] covers, both these methods were widely employed and considered the most important techniques in the world.

that’s: In Shanghai Rumba, you wear a moustache, which gives you a mysterious, cool look, something like Tony Leung Chiu-wai’s character in Wong Kar-wai’s 2046.
XY: The character in the movie-within-the-movie is supposed to be an underground communist. Hence, the fake moustache. Then later, he’s supposed to play a street vendor, so he dresses like one and goes to sell stuff on the street to get the feeling of a hawker. He truly follows the Stanislavski method.

that’s: Yuan Quan studied Peking Opera for seven years. What acting method does she employ?
XY: Every actor has his own preference. Today, we use a combination of techniques from Brecht and Stanislavski. But in the 1940s, actors preferred only the Stanislavski method. So in the movie, I have to portray an actor who just uses that [method]. As for Yuan Quan, I was impressed by the way she changed her voice pitch and body language to match the way prostitutes were portrayed in the 1930s/1940s movies. It seemed natural, not the result of a specific method.

that’s: To co-star with your real-life girlfriend is a good marketing coup for the film.
XY: For Shanghai Rumba, it was more like fate than a specific plan; it was a chance for us to act together. Yet the Chinese mass media only cared about our relationship and wrote stories about us. They didn’t really care about the movie. We’ve been together for nearly eight years. At the beginning, we really wanted to work together because we were both so busy and had little time together. Nowadays, that’s not so much of a concern.
Peng really wanted Yuan Quan to be the lead in this film, and initially, she didn’t think of me. Later, when she saw me – I don’t know why – she thought I was the right actor for the male lead. It was just fate.

that’s: Yuan has said that you are a creative actor. What creativity did you bring to Shanghai Rumba?
XY: I changed the script a bit as I found the first draft sounded a little bit too fake. I proposed amendments at the beginning and the end of the story to make the film a bit more realistic. In the beginning of the film, Ah Chuan and Wan Yu [Yuan] are supposed to be happy and in love in ‘real’ life, but it didn’t work for me. Here are these two kids: he’s very romantic, but his life is a mess; worse still, she’s married to a very stubborn husband. In the 1940s, it would have been very difficult for these two young people to find happiness.
So I asked for changes so that the love story happens within the film, and not in ‘real’ life. They kiss, but only during the shooting of a movie.

that’s: Director Peng said that the film is based on the life of actor Zhao Dan and his actress wife Huang Zongyin.
XY: Shanghai Rumba is not a mirror of Zhao’s life; it isn’t a Zhao biopic; it’s about more than just him. To prepare for the role, I watched a lot of movies from the 1940s, not only Zhao’s. I think my character is a mix of Zhao, and other actors of that period [Cai Chusheng, Shangguan Yunzhu and Wu Yin].

that’s: Compared to the 1940s, how is an actor’s life different today?
XY: Today the competition is ferocious, not just in China, but also from abroad. In the Chinese mainland market, we have films from all over Asia – Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan Province, Singapore, Thailand and India – competing with domestic releases. In addition, a lot of actors from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong come to work in the Chinese mainland, which makes for tougher competition. It’s really a very competitive business now.

that’s: Some critics say that Hong Kong suffers from the ‘star syndrome’, which is to say that it boasts a number of big stars but no real actors. Was that your feeling while shooting Dragon Squad (Daniel Lee, 2005) in Hong Kong?
XY: I think they’re all real actors. It’s a cultural difference. In Hong Kong, the movie industry is much more entertainment driven. They produce a lot of commercial movies. You don’t see many mainland actors in that kind of action film. At the same time, in the Chinese mainland, you don’t find many Hong Kong actors who are suited to our more artistic movies.
I think real actors need real life experience. Acting comes from real life, but takes time to develop. In Hollywood, there are a lot of real actors. Before shooting a movie, they’ve time to rehearse and become the character they will portray. In the past, it was like that in China. But to give you an example, we had only one month to rehearse before shooting began on In the Heat of the Sun (1994). And in Hong Kong, a month would be a luxury; everything is just fast food. Most actors there work simultaneously on three or four movies. They don’t have time to rehearse, or to lead a life of their own. They lack sufficient ‘real’ life experience and that’s a problem. You need to experience ‘real’ life to be able to truly build a good character.
What’s more, you need talent, not just a pretty face.

SIDE BOX
Method masters

Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) was associated with Russian dramatic realism. Stanislavski’s “method acting” is commonly used today. Its principle is: ‘the actor must live the life of the character.’ In Shanghai Rumba, Xia’s character Ah Chuan refers to this method.
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was a German poet, playwright, and theatrical reformer. A prominent figure in the twentieth-century theater, his concept of ‘epic’ theater (narrative or non-dramatic) is still widely influential today.
Mei Lan-Fang (1894-1961) was a Chinese Opera star celebrated for his portrayal of ‘dan’ or female roles; he changed the standards of realism in the theater. His acting techniques are widely used by Chinese performers.
Zhao Dan (1915-1980), was the number one ‘people’s artist’ in the 1950s. He was held prisoner for five years during WWII, and then returned to Shanghai where he married actress Huang Zongying. In Shanghai Rumba, Ah Chuan’s background is partially based on that of Zhao Dan.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Photo 1 courtesy Hugo Hu www.huphoto.cdd.cn and photo 2 courtesy Mick Ryan www.mickryan.com.
April 2006 issue

Suicide is no laughing matter, even when it occurs on April Fool’s Day. Indeed, when Hong Kong singer/actor Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing leapt from the roof of Hong Kong’s posh landmark, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, his fans were shocked. And devastated. That grim act was committed three years ago (April 1, 2003), and has not been forgotten. But sad to say, it has become the one fact of Leslie Cheung’s life that everyone knows.

- Photo by Thomas Podvin -

Which is a tragedy in itself. Cheung should be remembered for the innovations, and the dedication, he brought to his craft. He left behind a substantial body of work: sixty films including Happy Together, Temptress Moon and Farewell My Concubine, ninety albums and numerous live shows, some of which were recorded for posterity. His work on screen and on stage was both daring and deftly performed. Most critics agree that his role as a cross-dressing male opera singer in Farewell My Concubine was his greatest triumph. And that his performance was largely responsible for the film winning the Palme D’Or, and a spot in the top 100 Chinese Films of the Century at the Hong Kong Film Awards this March. In that role, Cheung mastered the art of playing a dan, or female, in just three months of study. Most actors need a lifetime to reach the level of skill the actor demonstrated, but Cheung achieved an expertise almost on par with legendary Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang.

Cheung’s contribution to the entertainment industry was also recognized by Red Mission, a Hong Kong-based fan association that organized “Closer to Leslie Cheung” this February. The exhibition, a commemoration of his life and work, was held in Shanghai, and sponsored by Tomson Film Company and ACT – a magazine financed by the Shanghai Film Group. Five thousand visitors attended the two day exhibition, which featured a display of film memorabilia, film screenings, behind the screen footage, a series of lectures with opera professionals, as well as taped interviews with the late actor and singer.

From the various offerings there emerged a common theme – Cheung’s dedication to his craft. “He placed greater demands on himself than the director did on him,” recalled Cheung’s co-star in Farewell My Concubine, Lei Han, who played his apprentice in the movie.

Lei is not alone in his sentiment. Cheung’s legacy – his joie de vivre, industriousness and creativity – has inspired a generation, and his spirit lives in the hearts of his disciples. On April 1, in Hong Kong – three years to the day of Cheung’s death – an international-fan association, the Leslie Legacy Association – will host a ceremony and candlelight vigil that will gather at the Jardine House podium, in front of the Mandarin Oriental. More than a thousand local and overseas fans are expected to attend the service and pay their respects to this Hong Kong icon.

Italian Nadia Guidetti, the Webmaster of Lesliepillow.com, and an LLA member, notes that Cheung “refreshed the content and the form of the entertainment scene … [yet] he had to pay for his uniqueness.” Which is to say that Cheung was ahead of his time.

In 2001, his Passion Tour concerts, featuring costumes designed by French fashion icon Jean-Paul Gaultier, were roundly criticized. Disappointed by the reaction, Gaultier stated he would never work for any Hong Kong star again. Cheung, too, was deeply wounded by the failure and fell into a prolonged depression.

One might say that Cheung’s quest for perfection was his Achilles’ heel. “He represents perfection in everything: [from] taste … [to his] attitudes towards work and people,” says LLA member Susanna Leung. In the end, his standards were not shared by the community at large. Cheung felt cornered and pushed to the edge. And made his fatal leap. But in doing so, he won a place in the pantheon.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue

This article was translated into Chinese in a Leslie Cheung fan forum

Throughout his life, Ray Robinson Charles (1930-2004) never really escaped the alternating cycle of success and failure, both personal and professional that seemed his fate since birth. He had a rocky start. At five, he witnessed the death of his brother, became blind at seven and an orphan at fifteen. But battling the odds seemed to fuel his genius; he was one of the first artists to fuse gospel and R&B. Still, the struggle took its toll; Charles developed a heroin addiction. Hackford stresses the impact Charles’ childhood had on his adult life in a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards. This editing technique accelerates the movie’s pace; Ray’s quite long (178 minutes) but far from dreary. The film benefits from Charles role as ‘supervisor’ and it’s evident that he didn’t indulge in self-censorship; the singer’s dark side is clearly there for all to see from his drug habit to his adultery. While far from perfect in his personal life, Charles was a perfectionist in his work – he re-recorded some of his songs for this independent production (later widely distributed by Universal, and released in China by CAV Warner). Before dying of liver failure in 2004, Charles was able to sit through the first edit of the film to contemplate his own legend.
CAV Warner

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April 2006 issue

Most people would do anything to escape prison. Michael Scofield, on the other hand, tries his best to get inside – to the delight of the audience. Scofield wants to get in the penitentiary to help his brother escape from death row, where he’s ended up after being wrongly accused of the murder of the vice-president’s brother. Of course, the case is more complicated than it seems, with conspiracies unfolding inside and outside the prison. Despite this synopsis, don’t expect prison-genre clichés. There are, of course, the compulsory baddies, corrupt and brutal wardens, and psychotic and perverted inmates. Yet the story is well-written, as well-written as Escape from Alcatraz, for example. For one thing, the series conveys a sense of realism; indeed, Prison Break was shot, in part, on location at the Joliet Prison in Illinois. We’re not giving anything away by mentioning that an escape scene in the program looked so convincing that several US prisons banned the TV series. In short, lock yourself in, get comfortable on your bunk, and enjoy the first season of this highly-suspenseful show. But get ready to do some hard time – the second season will air (in the US) from March to May this year.
Fox Television

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April 2006 issue

During the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in Germany, eleven Israeli athletes were taken hostage by the terrorist group Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government unofficially recruited agents to execute the Black September operatives. Munich is a 165-minute edge-of-your-seat movie experience that examines the emotional and ethical toll upon the members of the Israeli task force sent to execute the terrorists. The film opens with a recreation of the fedayeen abducting and executing the Israeli athletes, followed by the Israelis exacting vengeance, spilling blood for blood. At the time, the Palestinian terrorists were viewed as heroes by their compatriots. The Israeli undercover assassins, employing terrorist methods, were also seen as heroes in Israel. Hero or terrorist? Merely a matter of perspective. This USD 75 million thriller raises some thought-provoking questions, questions that have yet to be answered thirty years later as the tit-for-tat cycle of violence in the Middle East continues. Munich received five Oscar nominations and a Directors Guild of America nomination. That said, the film performed better worldwide than in the US.
DreamWorks

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April 2006 issue

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April 2006 issue

In Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist, the central character is a paragon of stoic endurance. No matter what happens to the kid, he takes it with a smile. Actually, just a barely perceptible shrug of the shoulders. Twist is the center around which all the characters revolve, but he’s the least quirky, exciting, poignant, and human of them all. He’s the one to whom everything happens, but about whom audiences couldn’t care less. After his success with the 2003 Academy-Award-winning The Pianist, Polanski has made one of those rare films where supporting actors are the real stars. Of course, no Twist, no movie. But Oliver, on his own, is rather a boring young lad, devoid of excitement and personality. Reportedly, Paris-born actor/producer/director Polanski made this version of the Dickens’ classic for his children, unlike most of his previous works (including Hook and Repulsion) which children shouldn’t see unless they wish to be afflicted with life-long trauma. Which is not to suggest that Twist is children’s fare. By making Oliver a near-mute cipher, Polanski allows us to focus on his masterly use of the cinematic language, without contrived emotions to distract. In short, a triumph of compassion over sentiment.
SPHE

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April 2006 issue

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April 2006 issue

Following Shanghai Story, a subtle, semi-autobiographical, family drama set in post- “cultural revolution” Shanghai, local director Peng Xiaolian has changed course. Her latest film, Shanghai Rumba, is a multi-layered romance set in the late 1940s. The film is drenched in the cinema milieu. An unhappily-married young woman dreams of genuine love. Later, she joins a leftist film production company, where she meets Ah Chuan, a popular actor. Shanghai Rhumba was released on St. Valentine’s Day this year, a fitting date for this love story which features two real-life lovers in the cast: actors Xia Yu (Waiting Alone, 2004) and Yuan Quan (the stage play Amber, 2005). Peng exploits this element of reality in the film, including subtle references to the romance, on-screen and off. Adding yet another level to the plot, the film was inspired by a 70-year-old, legendary love affair between the ‘Prince of Film’ Zhao Dan (Crossroads, 1936) and actress Huang Zongying. If that’s not enough sentiment for you, Shanghai Rumba’s exquisite production values offer a gorgeous representation of the city as it was (or is remembered by romantics) in its ‘golden years’. With stunning cinematography, gorgeous costumes and old-fashioned music-score, this is one film that lovers anywhere can’t afford to miss.
Shanghai Film Studio

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April 2006 issue

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April 2006 issue

If Duplex were a real-estate property, Miramax producers might have thought twice before investing in a project built on such a shaky foundation. Produced in 2003, this 89-minute-long comedy only reached Chinese theaters this year. Likely to produce forced smiles than real laughs, this film is mercifully short, for which thanks is due to director Danny de Vito. The two-level apartment story lacks both a clear blueprint and quality material. A young, New York-based professional couple, played by Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore, finds their dream home in the form of the downstairs half of a Brooklyn duplex. Unfortunately, their neighbor is a nightmare. Unlike de Vito’s The War of the Roses (1989), Duplex ignores the fact that good comedy is anchored by truth. Instead of offering believable characters in exaggerated circumstance, it relies on a plot twist that rings false. De Vito tries (and fails) to plaster over the holes in the plot with cheap filler. The flick flopped in the US, and Barrymore (deservedly) won the 2004 Worst Actress Razzie Awards for her tasteless performance. Miramax

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April 2006 issue

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April 2006 issue

Alex Cortiz almost single-handedly launched the Netherlands’s dance scene in the 1990s. What’s more, he was the first Dutch artist (under the name D-Shake) to score an international hit, with “Yaah/Technotrance”, which made it into the UK’s top twenty House music list. Throughout his career, Cortiz has been changing aliases as frequently as he’s changed his music styles – from enigmatic stage names (D-Shake and Dr. Nunu) to self-mocking monikers such as House of Nachos, Electric Sweat and Cat Scanner. On this latest release the man uses the name Alex Cortiz, but he departs from the down-tempo to mid-tempo sound of his most recent works. Phoenix features fourteen up-tempo tracks, compressing hours of studio time into 76 minutes. The music is still sexy and sophisticated, but faster and livelier, with a dash of Detroit and progressive techno. Cortiz delivers some serious beats, from slick, sonic, urban tempos to trance rhythms (“Twinkies”, “Field of Motion”), but the real gems – “Ketamine Dream”, “Frenetic”, “Mystic”, and “Funkaloid” are brilliant examples of electronica: mesmerizing, playful, carnivalesque and funky. In short, we’re going Dutch tonight, honey.
High Note Records

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April 2006 issue

Here’s an artist whose musical wit comes across no matter where she happens to be and no matter whom she plays with. With One Sweet Day, Brazilian lyricist/composer/singer Pat C. offers one sweet travelogue, from France to Japan. This release is an effervescent melting-pot of bossanova, electro and funky Carioca (or ‘Rio funk’, the product of Brazil’s favela party scene). Back in 1989, Pat C. upped sticks from her home in Sepultura, Brazil and settled in Germany, home of Le Hammond Inferno. This change of locale proved to be an inspiration; her music has more breadth and depth. No wonder her two first albums, Saudade Suite and Sunshine Suite received such critical and popular acclaim. Her success is repeated here; One Sweet Day blends Pat C.’s unique and charming vocals with the electronic music production expertise of France’s Minigroove Orchestera; Germany’s Le Hammond Inferno; and Japan’s Yosuke Hoguchi. Clearly, this disc has an addictive, international array of beats, including the Brazilian bossanova number “Oco Do Vazio”; the German technoid cut “Klapprad”; the uplifting English dance tune “I like Chopin”; and the je-ne-sais-quoi French pop tune “Jamais Imaginei”. With a fourth album in production, Pat C. shows no sign of putting down roots – and that’s a good thing.
High Note Records

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April 2006 issue

Coldcut’s Sound Mirrors has nothing to do with shards of glass, or sliced, assorted cold meats. Rather, it’s a cut-and-paste sound montage. DJs Matt Black and Jonathon Moore’s seventh album offers twelve eclectic tracks arranged in a polymorphic musical collage. The British duo, established in the mid-1980s, shift without blinking from mellow, pop folk tracks “Man in a Garage” to bizarre techno/jungle/post-punk cuts “Sound Mirrors”. But the pair’s penchant for diversity isn’t limited to musical styles, this release features a range of guest artists, including the Blues Explosion’s Jon Spencer; DJ Robert Owens; Mpho Skeef, to name but a few. While the wide choice of artists and genres seems to offer something for everyone, the overall effect is a lack of theme. In art, the inharmonious incoherence of avant-garde collages sometimes works, but here the patchwork of styles and rhythms clashes on the ear. Still, this approach is Coldcut’s trademark; they’ve been cutting and pasting beats for twenty years. Long-time fans will likely appreciate more of the same. Coldcut is famous for establishing the independent label, Ninja Tune, and signing acts such as Roots Manuva, Kid Koala and DJ Food (who performed in Shanghai last March and will return for an encore in the near future). If that weren’t enough, Sound Mirrors has won critical acclaim in the British press; NME describes it as “a master-class in beat science from start to finish”. Anyone for a slice of bologna?
Ninja Tune

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April 2006 issue

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Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
April 2006 issue

More than an accomplished jazz vocalist with a silken voice, Alexia Gardner is a true entertainer. This live recording suitably titled Jammin' from the Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel in March 2005, showcases Gardner's rapport with the audience and her command of the stage. This British singer, with Jamaican roots, began her career touring cabarets and clubs in England and Wales with her sister Paula in a sophisticated, a capella act. After going solo, she spent five years singing in various posh venues from Hong Kong to Jakarta, before arriving in Shanghai in late 2001. Since then, her groove-laden, funkified brand of jazz has done much to enliven the local scene. In short, Gardner is a stage veteran and her experience shows; she has developed an undeniable jazzy rapport with her band, and a genuine interaction with the audience. She literally jams with listeners and musicians on this release, and transforms a selection of rock, reggae and pop classics into jazzy, rhythm and blues-influenced gems (Marley's Jammin' ; Clapton's Change the World; Lennon's Fool on a Hill). Then there's a brilliant rendition of another classic, the Chinese number "The Moon Shines on my Heart." Buy this disc, or better still, catch Gardner live around town.
Available at www.alexiajazz.com

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Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue

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Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
April 2006 issue

Unlike her fresh and innovative debut, Playing My Game – which went platinum from Norway to Italy – Lene Marlin’s highly-anticipated third album is only half brilliant; the other half is uninspired mainstream pop. The Norwegian singer/songwriter wrote and engineered this CD, without the knowledge, or help, of her record company. When the 26-year-old Marlin delivered the finished product to her producer, he is said to have listened to it in awe. In awe of what, we’re not quite sure. The CD opens with the sexy rock ballad “My Lucky Day” featuring electric guitar bursts and emotional vocals. Then there’s the radio-friendly, catchy numbers such as “Wish I could” and “What If”. So far, so good. Unfortunately, most of the remaining tracks are inferior. Marlin’s creativity seems to have hit a wall, the hooks have dried up and the listener is left with nothing to hum, never mind sing. Some cuts are ruined by inane lyrics; in addition, Marlin is beginning to sound too much like the gloomy Dido, or put another way, an anemic Avril Lavigne. In short, Marlin appears to be suffering an identity crisis. Unlike her previous efforts, this record lacks distinction and, in fact, most of the qualities – adventure and imagination – which won her acclaim in the first place. Lost in a Moment is just that – lost.
EMI

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April 2006 issue

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Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
April 2006 issue

After a two-year hiatus, the five Irish lads are back. Well, four actually. Westlife’s one short of a quintet since Bryan McFadden left the group. Not that a 20 per cent loss of vocal power has affected the band’s international success – as evidenced by their packed Shanghai promotional showcase last March. Indeed, this chart-topping Irish (members hail from Dublin and Sligo) band sounds better than ever. And with a wide range of musical styles, they’ve expanded their fan base from teenage girls to grown-up girls (and boys). “She’s Back”, with its pulsating beat, recalls Michael Jackson at his best (“Billie Jean”); the pop ballad “When You Tell Me That You Love Me” featuring Diana Ross surpasses the overrated Secret Garden’s cover “You Raise Me Up”; the Eagles’ cover, “Desperado”, is a soulful cut with plaintive, husky vocals that could have appeared on a CD by Jon Bon Jovi or Brian Adams; and “Color My World” is a prime vehicle for Westlife’s new, larger vocal range. Finally, don’t miss the exhilarating and sexy piece of electronica “Hit You with the Real Thing”, which by rights should lead off the playlist. Westlife, co-managed by Boyzone’s Ronan Keating, has ruled the UK charts since 1999 with thirteen UK number one singles. Reportedly, their goal is to chalk up a total of twenty one. With this release, they may just succeed.
Sony-BMG

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Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue

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Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
April 2006 issue

http://www.dogster.com/

With individual incomes on the rise and new pet laws, China’s city dwellers have welcomed more furry, fluffy, four-legged friends into their homes than ever before. According to government statistics, there are more than one million dogs in Beijing; and at least that many in Shanghai. Experts estimate the pet products’ market will reach RMB 6 billion in sales China-wide by 2008. So it’s no surprise that the number of monthly visitors to Dogster.com - the fastest-growing pet destination on the Internet – is also in the millions. And no wonder. It may be chic to walk a fluffy poodle in the streets of this city, but when it comes to dogged indulgence, the Yankees rule. Genuine dog lovers will enjoy surfing this canine website - funded by US dog freaks – who share pooch photos and stories, make new doggy friends, with nary a pooper-scooper in sight. International members are welcome, and have the same access as their American counterparts to pup pals and play dates. Check out the extensive dog database or other services, including forums, pet-friendly travel destinations, pet-friendly job ads; well, you get the drift.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue