China Crisis rides again

MANILA, Philippines - In 1983, when the music video phenomenon was in its infancy, I pioneered a weekly MTV show on Channel 2 called Eurorock which featured music videos by artists from the Second British Invasion and the New Romantics movement that swept Europe. The show featured artists like Duran Duran, U2, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Tears for Fears, The Cure, Pet Shop boys, The Smiths, Style Council, Bananarama, ABC, Human League, Go West, Simple Minds, Paul Young, China Crisis, Depeche Mode and the like.

Although our production budget was so limited at that time, me and host Steve Ball augmented it with personal funds and traveled to London to get interviews from artists like Tears For Fears, Paul Young and a few others. As early as 1983, I already dreamed of bringing the artists to Manila. Who would know that two decades later that dream would be fulfilled?

That’s me (center) with (from left) Richard Gabriel of Pagcor, Gary, Eddie and Jon Yauder of Café 80’s.

Last January, the two frontmen of China Crisis — Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon — quietly slipped into Manila and performed before a select number of fans at the Eastwood Mall and McKinley Hill. The well-attended mini-concerts, which saw some of Metro Manila’s young movers and shakers in attendance, toted Guccis, Louis Vuittons, Channels and Hermes bags and were garbed in Armanis, Paul Smiths, etc. They were impervious to the wet and damp weather and the party-like atmosphere lasted hours after China Crisis sang its third encore.

Inspired by the response, China Crisis is returning in September in full force with its all-British lineup plus special guest X Simple Minds. 

China Crisis was born in Liverpool in 1979 with vocalists Eddie Lundon and Gary Daley. In 1982, they became a full band and released their first single African & White under upstart British label Virgin which was started by then struggling businessman now billionaire and airline tycoon Sir Richard Branson. From the release of the first album Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, there was no looking back. Career-wise, China Crisis released over a couple of dozen albums, majority of which got certified gold status. Singles-wise, China Crisis charted at least 30-plus songs including African & White, Christian, Working With Fire & Steel, Black Man Ray, Hanna Hanna, King In A Catholic Style, You Did Cut Me, The Highest High, Best Kept Secret and Wishful Thinking.

The band performing on stage

Although personnel changes occurred throughout the band’s odd 30-year career including stints by Walter Brecker of Steely Dan, the original core of Daly and Lundon remained intact. China Crisis still tours actively around Europe. When not on tour, they work at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts and their boss is Beatles legend Paul McCartney.

China Crisis, together with X Simple Minds, will be performing on Sept. 9 at the SMX Convention Center of the Mall of Asia. Tickets are available at all SM Ticket outlets, National Bookstores, Robinsons Malls, Ayala Malls, Ticketworld outlets and Cafe 80’s Ortigas and Timog.

Presented by Steve O’ Neal Productions, MS for Men, Manila Bulletin and RJ100.3FM in collaboration with Business Mirror, Hard Rock Cafe, Cafe 80’s, St. Francis Square, Lazer Music, Istanbul Cymbals, Taye Drums, Mall of Asia, SM Supermalls, Mings Pei Pa Koa and Magic 89.9.

China Crisis with my daughter Russell