Does the name “No Luck Club” set out to challenge or honour conventional Chinese superstition?
None of the above. NLC is simply a cheeky reference to Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club. We didn’t put much effort or thought into the name of our project – it was more like a joke in the studio. However, we got a record deal right after that so now we’re stuck with the name! But I will say this about superstition – there are thousands of great Chinese folk tales, parables and legends. However it seems like the old stories that resonate the most with Chinese people today all involve luck, fortune and prosperity. As opposed to say, love stories. So perhaps in a subliminal, ironic way we are commenting on this aspect of our culture. I figure we’ll let the audience decide on the meanings. Happiness tracks like “Beatnik Communism” and “Hong Kong Swinger” seem to deal most directly with questions of race, identity, and politics. How would you describe the function of humour or irony in your work? I like funny songs so that’s the type of music I want to make! Besides, I figure if you’re going to comm
