The Honeys

THE HONEYS are one of Shanghai's oldest and most popular alternative music groups. They were first formed in 1997 after lead singer Yu Tian - formerly of Lunar Eclipse, one of the first rock groups in Shanghai and whose other members went on to form Crystal Butterfly - had moved to Hangzhou to attend the prestigious China Art Academy. There, he met drummer He Lao and bassist Zheng Yu, and the band was born. Fellow Lunar Eclipse alumni Wu Qingyong joined the band in 1998. In between studying and playing, the band in 1998 also opened Soho, Hangzhou's first rock bar. Yu Tian and He Lao are both now art professors by day. The Honeys returned to Shanghai after graduation, and cut their debut album "Zai Jie Shang" ("On the Street") in 2002 with Fanyin Records. It was the second ever album released by a Shanghainese band, and the first on a Shanghai-based label. The eleven original tracks range from heavy riffs to crooning ballads; their catchy pop-rock buzz and Yu Tian's irresistible charisma have made them integral to the Shanghai soundtrack. In 2003 they were nominated for "Best Band" by listeners of East Radio. They have been profiled by the BBC and in the South China Morning Post. The band's line-up has changed, with Wang Zhe now on guitar and Dai Zhe on bass. Last year, The Honeys entered the studio to record several new tracks with UK producer Safta Jaffery and sound engineer George Shilling, where they also combined traditional Chinese instruments with modern rock rhythms. The Honeys just had their international debut during MusExpo in Los Angeles.