Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rubbrheads. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rubbrheads, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

We’re Rubbrheads, a Chinese rock band sojourning in Los Angeles, with current lineup including vocalist Yunxuan “John” Yuan, guitarists Changheng “Arthur” Zhao and Qingye “Billy” Gao, and drummer Haoyang “Harry” Li.

It all began in the summer of 2020. Amidst the peak of the Covid lockdown, I (Arthur) graduated from high school unceremoniously. Meanwhile, my schoolmate John, who had jumped to college a year prior, was making his way back from the States as the campus shuttered.

The sultry monsoon of August swept through the stillness of our hometown, Shenzhen, China, as we remained mostly confined to our parents’ houses, inhaling the scent of stale air conditioning. It was the idlest period of our lives — a time craving action. Thus, we chose to return to our trusty guitar and microphone to continue our high school rock endeavors.

We started to jam in John’s basement, joined by two other high school friends: guitarist Yuhang “Ktulu” Zhou and bassist Haoyu “Davy” Zhao. Two weeks of unceasing loudness saw us four inebriated youths finishing three demos, including “Redhead Beauty,” the song that changed everything. I remember that it took just one night to write. At first, we were unaware of its potential, but when we hit pause on that night’s recording, it dawned on us: our riffs and vocals went miles beyond pedestrian rock. It sparked a belief in us that perhaps, we could really live up to the legends whose albums lined our walls.

Several days later, we presented our polished recording of “Redhead Beauty” to a renowned manager. Impressed, he emphatically urged us to “just go for it.” Taking his words to heart, we resolved that very night to establish a professional band. And that was the birth of Rubbrheads, a venture John and I have been devoted to ever since.

Rubbrheads, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

We crafted our debut album Butter Supply (2021) during the height of the pandemic chaos, capturing a year of paradox that may come to define our generation. As the world quieted and masks veiled expressions, angst surged with amplified fervor. Butter Supply hence delves into the surreal and the carnal with a hedonistic hair metal sound. Songs like the yearning “Redhead Beauty,” the flirting “Tough Candy,” and the liberating “Take Them Back” project our raw passion and juvenile libido. The bizarre comes alive in tracks like “Don’t Take the Highway,” a nod to Chinese parental cautions, “Same Ol’ Faces with the Same Ol’ Crowd,” a self-ridicule on banal gigging, and “Live for A Laugh,” which mocks the quest for meaning. “Concrete Jungle” critiques urban existence, rounding off an album that’s both a narrative of these strange times and a manifesto of our hopes. As the album cover suggests, Butter Supply stands as our defiant emergence in rock’s twilight years, a bold, fleeting mark we intend to leave on the canvas of history.

After wrapping up the album recording sessions, John and I headed to Los Angeles in fall 2021, where I attended UCLA and he went to the Musicians Institute. We two soon started gigging on the sunset strip, frequenting Whisky a Go Go with fill-ins auditioned from John’s school. After two years of LA thrill, our sound has matured. With the induction of lead guitarist Billy and drummer Harry, we are gearing up for our anticipated return to China in 2024. Beyond the glamour of Butter Supply, Rubbrheads is now embracing a compelling arena rock sound, complete with Chinese lyrics and generous melodicism. Our recent material draws heavily on the influence of Beijing hard rock forefathers, Lunhui (Again).

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Beijing Worker’s Stadium. That’s where we fantasized of headlining one day, and that’s what our next album is written for. Since Cui Jian ignited the flame of Chinese rock there with the strident “Nothing to My Name” in 1986, the stadium has stood as the ultimate honor that few rock bands have graced. Far from eschewing the desire for fame and recognition, we are crafting new songs with profound resonance and affect that deserve the ears of thousands, and nothing less than the pinnacle will suffice. We wish to bring the electric stage presence of Tina Turner (John’s inspiration) and the guitar inventions of Yngwie Malmsteen (Billy’s guide) onto that stage as an answer to last century’s “Nothing to My Name.”

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I’m an avid movie fan. David Lynch’s Eraserhead (1977) inspired me to come up with our name, Rubbrheads. Also, I’ve noticed uncanny similarities between our band’s episodes and scenes from This Is Spinal Tap (1984). Indeed, we all carry that “turn it up to eleven” spirit, which does foster great music and occasional drama.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/rubbrheads
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubbrheads
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rubbrheadsofficial
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/rubbrheads
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCGBD8uYWQKk6U5KIYMLzcw
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0bTRQRWM36MjgDkTWQcrg3?si=9SoQUCfwRY-rdnBEty-ljA