China’s indie electro poprockers NEW PANTS return with their latest album Equal Love.
新裤子 / New Pants: Formed by four teens – Peng Lei, Pang Kuan, Lo Bo, and Shang Xiao – from the hutongs of Beijing in 1996, New Pants are one of the most revered bands in China’s contemporary music history. The band’s early sound was influenced heavily by New Wave and early Punk Rock, particularly the Ramones. In recent years their sound and style has tended more towards an 80’s disco/electro/indie-rock collage of sorts.
Band leaders Peng Lei and Pang Kuan studied film and graphic design at Beijing Art University – Peng is an accomplished filmmaker/animator, Pang a renowned graphic designer. Peng’s clay animation film “Beihai Monster” from 2006 was a hit in the Chinese indie-film world, while Pang, a commercial designer, is responsible for some of Modern Sky Records’ best album artwork. New Pants’ flamboyant, theatrical live shows are representative of Peng and Pang’s artistic backgrounds.
New Pants’ self-titled debut album in 1998 ranks among the best-selling rock/pop albums ever in China and was listed second in the “Top Ten 90’s Albums” list compiled recently by prestigious Hong Kong magazine “MCB”. Their follow-up album in 2001, Disco Girl, garnered “Best Music Video” and “Best Rock Single of the Year” awards at the Channel V/ Pepsi Music Awards. She’s Automatic, New Pants’ third album, brought home the “Best Video” award from the 2003 MTV Asia Awards for the single “She’s Automatic”.
In 2006, the band released Dragon Tiger Panacea in China and Australia, which won Feng Yun Music Awards honors for both Best Rock Album and Best Rock Band. The record’s success fueled a sold-out tour of China, as well as a six-week tour of Australia in late 2007. The following winter, the band was invited back to Australia, this time as the sole Asian performers at the Andy Warhol Retrospective “Up Late” at the Brisbane Modern Art Gallery. The band headed to London soon after to perform at the Victoria and Albert Museum of London’s “China Now” series.
“Equal Love” is New Pants’ latest album, released to high-acclaim in China late 2008. After touring China in support of the album, New Pants is now gearing up for another tour of Australia and US dates later this year.
NEW PANTS – EQUAL LOVE album V107 out APRIL 10 includes bonus music video DVD
out now on VALVE through MGM.
Features the radio tracks GRAND PANDA, GOLDEN IDOL, MR DIRECTOR, DOUBLE HAPPINESS and more…
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