Shanghai Daily News

A district in the city's northeast has become a hotbed of artistic creation and two of the community's leading lights are a Canadian musician and a Chinese guitarist, Guo Feifei reports.

``Riding around town, On this old bike I found, Boys are walking hand in hand, A kid gives me a smile, There's a million words to say, I know it's hard for me Understand this conversation, I know it will come to me.''

Playing his precious guitar, Wiseman (he identifies himself only by his stage name) appears to be intoxicated by the song he has just created. In June, at the age of 30, he travelled all the way from Montreal, Canada to China. Once in Shanghai, he linked up with a group of young music lovers whose passion for music and life made him decide to stay. Back in Canada, Wiseman was a professional host as well as an actor at various commercial and marketing events. Setting up his own company, Wise Production, he composed music for special events and for children. Most people call him ``Wiseman'' without knowing his real name, which actually turns out to be a literal English translation of his French surname, Lesage.

He came to China at the suggestion of one of his friends who had lived in China and for the first two months after his arrival, Wiseman taught English in a summer camp in neighboring Zhejiang Province. ``Then when I came to Shanghai, I saw some bands playing music in bars,'' Wiseman says.

``So I think that maybe I have a chance to do my stuff here.'' In a guitar store, he met Liu Haishen, the store owner who is also a talented musician. The two came up with the idea of setting up their own band at their first meeting. ``I want to bring our two (Canadian and Chinese) cultures together in a different sound,'' Wiseman says. Their band -- ``Wiseman and the Rock Dragons'' -- was born with Wiseman as lead vocalist and guitarist, Liu also on guitar plus a bass player and a drummer. They usually perform at pubs and universities. Next month, they are off to Beijing to record their demo tapes. ``When I play guitar at the store, people walk in and listen to my music,'' Wiseman says. ``I really feel good at that moment -- sharing experiences with the Chinese and understanding the culture. I never imagined that I would come to China and have a band here.'' Wiseman's business back in Canada is waiting but he has told himself he will stay on in China for at least six months. ``There's something inside me. My soul speaks very loudly that I should stay here,'' Wiseman says.

``I try to be in touch with the people here. It's important to live in an era where we can share messages with one another.'' His partner Liu is very impressed with his new Canadian friend. ``Wiseman has an excellent feeling for music,'' Liu says. ``We share similar concepts and ideas which makes it easier to bring out a more energetic sound.'' Like Wiseman, Liu is also a composer, with more than 100 original songs to his name. His guitar store has become a get-together rendezvous for young music lovers. Liu has been giving amateur guitar classes since 1998, attracting many students from nearby universities. He has a close relationship with the guitar and music societies at Tongji and Fudan universities. ``Though I'm 35, I like to be with young students,'' Liu smiles.

``Playing music with them is great fun, without any commercialism.'' Wiseman and Liu are but two of a group of Chinese and foreign artists who live in the Wujiaochang area, close to several universities in Yangpu District in the city's northeast. Most of the artists don't have regular 9-to-5 office jobs. Aged between 20 and 30, the young people share a passion for music, fine art and literature. They may not be professionals yet but becoming professional artists is their dream. ``This area became a `nomad' center probably in the early 1990s because it's easier for us to meet young and energetic people (from the universities nearby) here to share our ideas,'' says Liu. ``And many of the `nomadic' people are actually graduates from these universities.''

Then foreigners arrived to join the circle, most of them overseas students studying in the area. They get together to exchange ideas, sometimes presenting their own performances or exhibitions. When there's no work contract in their pockets, most of them find part-time jobs. Just like Wiseman and Liu, most of the ``amateur artists'' don't have a formal artistic educational background. What motivates them to stick it out is a pure love for music and art. When at university, Wiseman studied marketing. He quit after one year and started on his travels around the world, first in Canada, then the United States, South America, Europe and Australia. He studied cooking and became a professional chef for 10 years while on his trips. Becoming tired of the hospitality and catering work, Wiseman decided to go back to music. ``Working in different areas has widened my understanding about art,'' he says.

``I have worked very hard to be where I am today and I'm meticulous about music, bringing out the best I can.'' Liu has had a similar experience. A native of Liaoning Province, he quit university (Shanghai International Studies University which is also in the area) in his third year. ``At that time many of my classmates were busy learning how to do business and make money,'' Liu says. ``I realized this was not the life I wanted. I wanted to have an easy life without having to `use' people. I wanted to have a life filled with music.'' Picking up his guitar, he toured around the country and finally back to Shanghai where he played in bars to support himself. In 2000, he opened his own guitar store and started forming bands with friends.

His band has played as part of the Shanghai International Arts Festival for the past two years. Now with Wiseman and a new band, Liu is looking forward to making a musical breakthrough. In their small studio inside Liu's guitar store, the band rehearsed without air conditioning during the dog days of the Shanghai summer. Yet everyone was happy, concentrating on the music they believe in. ``You can't rush things in life Darlin' told me so Tho' I'm so far away I can't be a liar to my soul ...'' And that goes for every artist who lives with a dream in Wujiaochang.