This weekend is a huge weekend for all of us in Hong Kong. After 959 days of being subject to fines of HK$5000 (US$637) to HK$10000 (US$1274), this absurd, draconian, nanny state mask mandate has been lifted for all situations. Yes, we were subject to, until today for not wearing masks, even outside, in the oppressive heat and humidity of the sub-tropical climate here, to these kinds of fines.
The newly granted agency of allowing the wearing of a mask to be an individual choice could not come at a better time, as this weekend marks the return of Hong Kong’s biggest music and arts festival in Clockenflap.
The excitement in the city is palpable, and not just because we are allowed to actually breathe. Anticipating, this epic weekend with friends, I am releasing this week’s newsletter early, with a musical bend.
When I was young my “dream job” was to be a radio DJ. So much so that in the 7th grade, I cold-called around to local radio stations in Columbus, Ohio to ask if I could ‘shadow’ a DJ for our yearly job-shadowing day. The local indie station, at the time, having the call sign CD101, was kind not just kind enough to say yes, they put me on the air for the morning drive-time show. It was such an incredible experience that has stayed with me for the past 28 years.
This little taste of show business and the magic of radio would go on to inform my musical tastes, nicely coinciding with the rise of the Seattle Grunge scene. Throughout high school and university, I dabbled in a number of ways to be a sort of amateur music journalist. Starting with AOL Instant Messenger mini-blogs I would make listicles of things like The Top 10 Vocalists in Rock and would later produce my own segment called Indie Passport that featured little-known indie bands from outside the US for a friend’s internet radio station…remember those?
Even as all of that faded, I was constantly seeking new ways to discover music, as I swore to myself that I would never become one of those people who loses that exploratory spirit when it comes to music. The most recent was a few years ago when Spotify released its collaborative playlist feature. With a gaggle of artistically inclined friends in Hong Kong, our monthly rotating playlist called “Scoots Honor”…an inside joke, brought a steady stream of amazing new music that kept things fresh. Every month, we would delete the whole list and each person could add 5 songs, they could be the same 5 as the previous month but everyone wanted to bring fresh tracks, so it was a great way to crowdsource new tunes.
I miss that list, but as time went on the enthusiasm tapered off, and I let teenage Jordan down in yet another way. My playlists became pretty repetitive, mostly focusing on the artists I loved way back in the 90s with a few random things sprinkled in from other decades here and there.
That was until January of this year. One big reason that I think my energy for discovering new music has waned is that I spend way too much time on YouTube. Much to my girlfriend’s chagrin, as she cannot stand what to here is the monotonous delivery of the edutainment content that I love to consume. One of the channels that I have grown to love is Justin Hawkins Rides Again where the frontman from The Darkness mostly reacts and opines on music content.
On his channel, in January, he reacted to a video called Hi Ren by an artist that goes by the name Ren. In the video, he encourages the audience to watch the video first before seeing his reaction. And before you go further you should do the same. In recommending this to friends, I try to give as little detail as possible, only telling them it is the most incredible piece of art that I have seen in a very long time.
Before you go any further, stop and watch the video, see you back here in 10 minutes!
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR HI REN
I hope you enjoyed that sort of gypsy-folk rap mindfuck as much as I did. I’ve been listening to it and other Ren tracks ever since I saw this video for the first time and I have been badgering my closest friends to check it out, with varying degrees of success.
The byline of this post is: “The Devil is in the Details” and so far I’ve talked about myself quite a bit, a little about music and not at all about tech or business which are the themes I try to marry in this newsletter, so let’s get into where these themes converge.
On the first watch of this video, you are likely too captivated by the back and forth of the externalization of Ren’s internal battle between the voices in his head, to notice some of the deeper details that make this so incredible, I know that I was. When I immediately went back to rewatch the first detail that emerged was that when the “dark side” of Ren’s mind was speaking, the lights in the back would flicker like something out of an old scary movie. Also, the tone changes in the guitar riffs from light to dark were more pronounced.
A few listens later I realized that in the final crescendo of empowerment where his light side ‘stands up’ to his darker self, he physically stands up and belts the lines:
“SO COWER AT THE MAN I’VE BECOME
WHEN I SCREAM FROM THE TOP OF LUNGS
THAT I WON’T RETIRE, I’LL STAND IN YOUR FIRE, INSPIRE THE MEEK TO BE STRONG”
Even after dozens, if not hundreds of listens, that part still gives me chills. This amazing piece of art found me at just the right time, and I am not alone. The comment section on this video and the plethora of reaction videos has an uncharacteristically positive tone. So many of us are struggling with mental health issues that spill over every other aspect of life including our physical health.
I am no different in this way. I’ve struggled my entire life with ADHD, a deep feeling of insecurity, and social anxiety. The last one surprises so many given that I do so much public speaking and even dabble in stand-up comedy, but I assure you it is very real. I’d rather be asked to speak in front of an audience of 1000 people than go up to a group of 3 or 4 at a networking event.
So like Ren, I struggle with that inner voice telling me what I cannot do and the dramatic swings between thinking I can conquer the world and the ever-present imposter syndrome. I mean hell, I think I can be a founder, a blogger, a podcaster, and stand up all at once. Unlike Ren, I haven’t found the best form of expression, yet, to be able to have the right blend of confidence and competence. But, I won’t stop looking. I won’t retire, I’ll stand in your fire, inspire the meek to be strong.
The hardest part of the journey has only just begun, but anytime I start to feel the voice of insecurity taking over, I fire up this song and it helps keep it at bay. Power to you all.
Bonus Content!
If you enjoyed Hi Ren as much as I did, then you have to check out this video next. Both songs have made it into my regular rotation and likely will be in yours too!
Have an amazing weekend and if you are in Hong Kong and at Clockenflap, please say hello. I should be easy to spot with my bald head and “face for radio” that pushed me in that direction in the first place.