Who is Yi Jiun?

Yi Jiun is the latest tooter to join Studio 188. We ask the tough questions to find out about the man behind the horn.

What is your earliest memory?

I cried a lot

What was the first record you bought?

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

What profession did you escape from?

Pizza delivery

What song do you wish you wrote?

Miles Davis - So What

Teach us something in another language.

Xui bien

If you weren't playing trumpet, which other 188 member would you replace?

Percussion

Who is your favourite Beatle?

John Lennon

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

The Carpenters - Close to you.

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

Yi Jian said:

Adam Sandler

The band said:

Kevin James

Macleen Interrogated

Our guitarist Macleen loves being in green light, We put a bright white light in his face and asked him some probing questions.

What is your earliest memory?

My First guitar

What was the first record you bought?

Stevie Wonder - Songs in the key of life

What profession did you escape from?

Carpenter

What song do you wish you wrote?

Phil Collins - If leaving me is easy

Teach us something in another language.

“IK p dire?” = What’s up?

If you weren't playing your instrument, which other 188 member would you replace?

Drums

Who is your favourite Beatle?

Paul

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

Glen Medeiros - Not Me

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

Macleen said:

Jamie Foxx

The band said:

Jason Alexander

Manny Toma Cuestionario

Manuel Tappias Berrio is chief Brass Monkey. He answers our questions honestly below.

What is your earliest memory?

Want to buy ford truck

What was the first record you bought?

Girl from Ipenamema

What profession did you escape from?

Selling pineapple on the street

What song do you wish you wrote?

Earth Wind and Fire - September.

Teach us something in another language.

Mamá mía estoy cansado

If you weren't playing your instrument, which other 188 member would you replace?

Keys

Who is your favourite Beatle?

George

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

Macarena

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

Manny said:

Rowan Atkinson

The band said:

Wanda Sykes

Bass Player Pen Portrait

Shun has been playing bass and bobbing his head for 188 for as long as his hair used to be. Today we get his answers to the 2023 questionnaire.

What is your earliest memory?

I went swimming in the ocean and my dad got angry

What was the first record you bought?

Cui Jian

What profession did you escape from?

Air Conditioner Engineer

What song do you wish you wrote?

Van Halen - Jump

Teach us something in another language.

你吃了吗 (Ni Chi Le ma) - Have you eaten?

If you weren't playing your instrument, which other 188 member would you replace?

Sax

Who is your favourite Beatle?

John Lennon

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

John Denver - Take me home Country Roads

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

Shun said:

Benedict Cumberbatch

The band said:

Jared Leto

El Ray Fronts Up For Some Q&A

El Ray has been a Studio 188 frontman since the very genesis of the band in 2004, when we think he was around 14 years old. He has a day job bringing the biggest sporting events to China. Today he takes our 2023 Questionnaire.

What is your earliest memory?

I must have been around 4 years old…watching my dad dancing to Mariachi music and then Santana. This must have influenced my lifelong passion for music. Later I learned he loved to drink Diet Pepsi and vodka. This must have influenced my passion for Vodka!

What was the first record you bought?

My first record was given to me by my sister Susie. It was Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life”, I was about 11 I think? The song “Sir Duke” and “I Wish” were just epic and Stevie’s vocals were brilliant.

What profession did you escape from?

I was very close to becoming a printer. I had a part-time job (I was always working) delivering printed goods like business cards, letterhead, envelopes etc. One of the off-set printer operators ask me if I wanted to help him out on the press. It was super cool and I was a natural. We have a very rich lady boss (actually her husband was rich…she was kind of a trophy wife..very hot) who sent me to trade school for three months in the evenings. This must have been in 1983. I was making like ten dollars an hour…a small fortune at that time.

What song do you wish you wrote?

Journey’s “Lights”. It will always remind me of my first love.

Teach us something in another language.

Amor lejos es amor de pendejos.

“love from afar is love for shitheads”

If you weren't playing your instrument, which other 188 member would you replace?

If I was not the lead singer, I would be playing drums!

Who is your favourite Beatle?

Sir George Martin. Let’s face it….he was the man.

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

The band will play anything I tell them too! And like it!

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

El Ray said:

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas

The Band said:

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek

The Sound Guy

First to take the 2023 band Questionnaire is Neal who has been twiddling knobs for Studio 188 since a few weeks after the invention of the phonograph machine.

What is your earliest memory?

Playing with the RT in my Dad's truck

What was the first record you bought?

The Who - Who's Next

What profession did you escape from?

Unemployment

What song do you wish you wrote?

Morning from Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg

Teach us something in another language.

"Waiata" - Maori for song or to sing and my daughter's middle name

If you weren't mixing, which other 188 member would you replace?

It’s only a matter of time before they need a teleprompter.

Who is your favourite Beatle?

Mal Evans

Which song is your guilty pleasure which you're too ashamed to ask the band to play?

KLF - Justified and Ancient or anything by Kylie

Which actor should play you in the Studio 188 movie?

Neal said…

Melanie Lynskey

Melanie Lynskey

The band said…

Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson

El Ray

Vocals & Cowbell

El RAY was a world-ranked tennis pro in his youth, he is a Mexican-American, a native of Santa Ana, California, he grew up in a Catholic household with strong Hispanic roots. He is a drummer and has been playing since he was 13. Not only is EL RAY a fantastic musician and tennis pro, he has been instrumental, along with his long-time business partner, Charles Smith – who lives at Shanghai Centre, in bringing the sport of tennis to China in a big way. They achieved this first through the Heineken Open, and the Tennis Masters Cup a few years back and then more recently through the Rolex Masters. It is the same story for the Chinese F1 Grand Prix.

EL RAY is a promotion and marketing firestorm in Shanghai and has been for almost twenty years. If there is a major sporting event in the city then he’s most likely involved. And it’s not just sporting events he promotes and manages, through his role as Executive Director of JUSS Events Management, but musical acts as well. He had a hand in bringing Elton John in 2004 and the Rolling Stones to town in 2003 & 2005.

With passion for everything he does, you can hear his drive and conviction when he performs with Studio 188 and feel the positive energy in the events he promotes and manages.