Formed in the year 2020, the band “Bye-Bye-Club” (分手俱乐部) has its unique story, composed of four members; leader singer Jin Cheng, guitarist Sun Sitong, bassist Xiantong (stage name) and drummer Tianhao.
As most of the bands interviewed for this column, Bye-Bye-Club was established by main singer Jin, with whom I spoke. He came from Zhejiang Province to Nanjing for college in 2014 and formed a band with his classmates in that year, playing mostly rock music. At first, they covered songs from professional singers, but soon started composing their own music. However, the group was eventually disbanded after Jin and his classmates graduated from college, which is common, expected, but still regrettable.
“Most of the people I know from my hometown went back to work and accompany their family, but my dream to form a band in Nanjing has never changed in my mind. In the first few years, my parents also wanted me to go back and live in the same city with them. However, after they discovered that I had found my own place, realised my dream, and met many intimates in Nanjing, they agreed on me to stay”.
Jin explained that his persistence in remaining in Nanjing was because the city’s music atmosphere is much better compared to cities in Zhejiang. Here, there is more encouragement for independent artists, thus he is more willing to live here rather than anywhere else. Moreover, he emphasised that all of the band’s members are here in Nanjing. As they are alike in their minds, he does not want to stop collaborating with them and instead turn to people with whom he may not be in harmony.
Some encounters were like a miracle. Indeed, “destiny” can be the word used to describe the process by which Jin found his guitarist. Remember the singer Gao Chuanzi from last time? He is a teacher at Ninghai High School in Nanjing and also a friend of Jin. Hearing that Jin was looking for a guitarist, Gao said, “There is a student who plays really good guitar in my class! I can introduce him to you if you want”. Therefore, Jin went to Ninghai High School, and saw Sun recording a song with a guitar in the studio. Jin thought that the boy played really well, so he invited Sun to join his band, to which Sun gladly agreed. It is such an unexpected coincidence for a band of 20 somethings to have a juvenile joining them.
Such differences in the members’ ages provide inspiration for the band’s creative process. As Jin mentioned, people of different ages have entirely varying experiences and feelings. For Tianhao and him, they mostly write songs about their working experience and the people they have met in society, while Sun, now in college, writes songs about their confused emotions back in teenage times.
As a result, Jin suggests that the audience should not be blinded by the band’s name. Yes, they compose pieces about breakups in romantic relationships, but they also publish songs under the theme of saying goodbye to all the negatives in life, including difficulties and stress at work, and the troubles of youth.
The Bye-Bye-Club also encourages its fans to let go their upsets and embrace a rosy future through active initiatives. Setting up “Just Tell the Tree Hole” on Weibo, there people can send messages about the unhappy things they have met in life to an official private inbox. The band will reply to each message, in hopes that people will be comforted to walk out from the shadows sooner.
The Bye-Bye-Club has always been a caring band, both to its own members and to their fans. Kind of like a friend to all, the Bye-Bye-Club will continue to maintain its original intention and love for music, while retaining their mission to try and heal those soul wounds among the public.