It’s My Party

“This extraordinary book is a fascinating account of legendary Hong Kong musical duo Tat Ming Pair, but it’s so much more than that too: it’s an analysis of political change in a postcolonial city, and of how much music can matter in situations where spaces for resistance are closed down. Elegantly drawing on cultural theory, it offers an exemplary model for versions of popular music studies that transcend Eurocentrism.”

— David Hesmondhalgh, University of Leeds

“Melding empirical data, critical analysis and theoretical discourse, this book contributes an important case which has vast implications for a deepened understanding of the intricate relationship between popular music and politics in not just Hong Kong but also the global context. A must-read for anyone interested in Hong Kong as well as Asian popular music, it has not only showcased the authors’ theoretical acumen, but also demonstrated their special commitment to the popular music of the city.”


— Yiu-Wai Chu, The University of Hong Kong


This book is unique in focusing on just one band from one city – but the story of Tat Ming Pair, in so many ways, is the story of Hong Kong's recent decades, from the Handover to the Umbrella Movement to the social protests in 2019. Empirically rich, theoretically informed, this study of Hong Kong’s past, present and future through the prism of Tat Ming Pair is a timely and daring inquiry of the intricate relationship between politics and pop music.

Yiu Fai Chow is Professor at the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing, Hong Kong Baptist University. Chow is also an award-winning writer in lyrics and prose.

Jeroen de Kloet is Professor at the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Leonie Schmidt is Associate Professor at the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.