LapSap Blues Band
The LapSap Blues Band formed in Hong Kong in 1991 as the collaborative weirdness of John Michael Pocock (aka Harper John) and Traveling Ed Teja. The band has played in Hong Kong and the US, and individually they have performed in The Philippines, Canada, Venezuela, Trinidad, St. Martin, Bequia,The Bahamas and Bermuda (John won the "Keep Bermuda Beautiful" songwriting contest). Both are published book authors as well as musicians.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Starting at Hong Kong's famed Fringe club, home to numerous international stars, The LapSap Blues Band has endured despite more than 14 years of globe trotting, other (somewhat tangential) endeavours and the best efforts of officials worldwide.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
We play live whenever we get a chance, wherever we get a chance.
Your musical influences
Blues, improvisational music. Frank Zappa, Big Bill Broonzy, The Animals, Leonard Bernstein, Leonard Cohen, Mozart, T-Bone Fisher, Screaming Lord Such, Phil Ochs, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir....
What equipment do you use?
Anything cheap and rattly that will survive mobile lifestyles that tend to be in the tropics for long periods of time.
Anything else?
We focus less on creating something trendy and more on ideas and the little bits and pieces that lie inside ideas--the potted history of worlds apart + Cabalistic messages that may (or may not) riddle the songs
