China Crisis ......

It must be the best part of 20 years since I was last in Hong Kong, but as you cross the Harbour from Kowloon to Central Hong Kong you are greeted by that familiar sight ........

But since the British relinquished the lease over Hong Kong back to the Chinese, there was always the wonder how Hong Kong would be transformed. I don't claim to be an academic nor wise and knowledgeable about Hong Kong and Chinese history, but like most I have been able to read the history books. Equally I don't claim to be an adept orator on Chinese / Hong Kong political affairs but what struck me more than anything was the wealth and opulence exhibited on the streets of Hong Kong.

There is a lot of debate currently abound how many Hong Kongers reject the notion of greater and greater interference by China's state Council. But considering that Hong Kong has been considered a special administrative region of China since 1997 it appears to be thriving. Everywhere you look there are designer shops cheek by jowl, and the busy streets adorned with super cars whether they be Ferrari or Lamborghini ..... In fact central Hong Kong appears to be wall to wall designer shops and malls.....

Even the Apple store was thronging ...... it seems that Hong Kongers are as much as in love with Apple products as the rest of the world are .......

To say that it has one of the freest economies in the world and low taxation it was a damn sight more expensive than when I was last there, and £6 for a pint was not the communist price I was expecting ....

I did notice a building across the road from the Apple Store that
was marked ...... General Post Office

I did get to wondering if there is another building somewhere in Hong Kong
marked ...... Very Specific Post Office ....

And so here I was walking around Hong Kong, thinking this is so not what I was expecting under 'Chinese Rule', and no wonder the controlling elite want to get a bigger slice of the cake ....

But as a casual outside observer, 

if there is a China Crisis, 

I couldn't see it,

Last time I saw a China Crisis

was at Nottingham Rock City

in the 1980's

Joy Division .......

.... more than once I have been caught out when looking at the TV listings and seeing the Movie Joy Division scheduled .... and each time I have flicked it on ....... to be greeted with the movie about a German boy who ends up working for the Russians and not the music band .... I knew there was a movie about the band, but that's what wrong footed me ...... I could never remember what it was called ......

Don't get me wrong the movie Joy Division is a very good movie and well worth the watch .... in my case more than once .... but when you are expecting love to tear you apart.... well ......

So a couple of weeks back, on the plane en-route to Hong Kong and flicking through the movie listings .... [I don't normally watch movies on planes simply because the acoustics are shite] ..... but as I flicked through...... up popped ..... Control ...... of course ........ that's the name of the movie about Joy Division the band and not Joy Division the war movie..... funny that ..... "Control" is about Joy Division and "Joy Division" is about control ........

So shite acoustics or not, I decided to watch the film ..... well if you have ever seen real footage of Ian Curtis, then Sam Riley could be his doppelganger ......

The film is based on the book by the wife of Ian Curtis, and their somewhat troubled marriage, but it is never maudlin nor sensational  ..... to me it gave what appears to be a honest account of a young man troubled ..... and if you grew up in the 1970's and locked into the music of the 1980's...... this is a movie you can appreciate ..... It tells a very honest account of the short life of Ian Curtis and the rise of Joy Division.

In light of Ian Curtis untimely death at his own hand, Joy Division were not around very long, but you only have to listen to some of their music to see the wider influences they created.... I am not sure you even have to like all of their songs, but you can see just how one song leads to another ..... and if like me, you hear a song and think .... fook .... or as the Hong Kongers might say .....

Lukfook .....

Then how can you not stop and listen to this song

and think Ian Curtis went too soon

This my SoD .....

I remember first listening to this song when it came out in 1980

and I was 17 years old and thinking ......
wow

there I was on a plane to Hong Kong 35 years later
52.9 years old and thinking ........
wow