Cover Zheng Jingru from Taiwanese indie band Deca Joins at Clockenflap 2024 (Photo: courtesy of Clockenflap)
Zheng Jingru from Taiwanese indie band Deca Joins at Clockenflap 2024 (Photo: courtesy of Clockenflap)
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Following their Clockenflap performance, Taiwanese indie band Deca Joins talks to Tatler about their musical journey, the songs they want their fans to listen to and the must-visit spots in Taipei
In the vibrant Taiwanese music scene, Deca Joins has distinguished itself for over a decade. The band, originally formed in 2013 under the name Fubar, has garnered a loyal following with its unique blend of indie rock, lo-fi, jazz and grunge influences.
Given their huge popularity in Hong Kong, it’s surprising that singer and guitarist Zheng Jingru, guitarist Yang Shanghua, bassist Xie Junyan and drummer Chen Huanggu haven’t toured more extensively in our city. Their music evokes a sense of nostalgic romance, capturing the experiences of Taiwanese youth through themes of love and social consciousness.
To the delight of their local fans, Deca Joins made a much-anticipated appearance at Clockenflap 2024 for the festival’s first day. After their performance, they sat down with Tatler to discuss their aspirations, favorite spots in Hong Kong, and the songs that best represent their artistic vision.
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Above One of Deca Joins’ most famous songs, “Wave (海浪)”
After all these years together, what goal do you have for the band?
A part of us wants to remain on the same path: we want to continue to play live and connect meaningfully with our audience. But through the years, we have assembled an exceptional team with excellent chemistry, which means that we can take our art to the next level. We want to continue to evolve musically, and hoping that maybe, it’ll take us to the stage of the Fuji Rock Festival.
Which five songs would you say represent your musical journey the best?
In our early days, we focused on sharp, raw and rock sonorities, like in our track Fashank Chen (乏善可陳). We then started to evolve towards a softer, more laid-back energy–as conveyed in Bathroom (浴室), which still defines us.
Fog (霧) represents another significant milestone in our creative evolution—still laid-back, but with jazz influences and more layered. Even though it wasn't our original song, our cover of WaWa’s Heavy Rain (大雨) took this energy to the next level. And finally, I think Reverie (我和我的遐想), one of our latest releases, showcases our most recent artistic direction.
Above One of Deca Joins’ latest songs, “Reverie (我和我的遐想)”
Taiwanese indie band Deca Joins at Clockenflap 2024 (Photo: courtesy of Clockenflap)
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What should your fans do in Taipei?
For a taste of Taipei’s live music scene, we highly recommend catching a show at Revolver while drinking one of its crafted beers. Par Store on Chifeng Street also offers a great glimpse of the city’s vibrant musical culture.
Another must-visit destination is Yangming Mountain—some of our members have lived at its base, so we frequently explore its trails.
Finally, no visit to Taipei would be complete without experiencing its bustling night markets, as well as having breakfast. We don’t have specific recommendations for the latter, but Taipei’s breakfast culture is particularly fascinating—it’s similar to the cha chaan teng culture in Hong Kong, it’s like a fusion of Western and Chinese cuisines.
Talking about cha chaan teng, is there anything you’re looking forward to doing in Hong Kong?
We’re really looking forward to trying Hong Kong‘s famous roast goose and visiting Bakehouse. But outside of food, we’re excited about hiking in Hong Kong. We’ve heard so much about Hong Kong’s landscapes, and hiking has been allowing us to take well-deserved breaks during our tours. Taking a ferry ride on the Victoria Harbour is also something we like to do.
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
