Rock stars rise again

Onstage, Zhang, who studied dance at university and became a pub singer in Beijing, performing as an independent singer-songwriter, displayed confidence with a wide vocal range and energy while singing the new songs, including We and Wave. Fans were obviously taken with the rock beats and Zhang's good looks - he is said to resemble Japanese singer and actor Takuya Kimura.

With Zhang out front, the Black Panther sound has become younger, with drummer Zhao Mingyi, guitarist Li, bassist Wang Wenjie and keyboardist Hui Peng playing with new energy.

Many of the fan reviews from the recent show were positive, though some still miss former vocalist Dou Wei from the band's heyday.

"We are glad that this young man has added fresh life to our band," says Li. "Black Panther has never belonged to or focused on any single member. We are Black Panther as a whole."

When the band members decided to reform and find a new lead vocalist, their first thought was Zhang.

"It's definitely an honor to join the band. The band is significant in China's rock history and being its vocalist is beyond my wildest dreams," says Zhang.

Cui Jian, the godfather of Chinese rock 'n' roll, burst onto the music scene 25 years ago with his song Nothing to My Name. Two Beijing-based rock bands, Tang Dynasty and Black Panther, appeared not long after.

Compared with Tang Dynasty's heavy-metal rock, Black Panther's pop rock tunes are much more popular among fans. With lead singer Dou Wei, the band achieved wide popularity. Their 1992 album, Black Panther, sold more than 1.5 million copies in the Chinese mainland alone.

Their most popular songs were Don't Break My Heart and Shameful. Fans also copied the band's fashion, mimicking their long hair, black leather pants and boots.

The success of the album was unexpected. According to Li, who wrote the two most popular songs, it took only 20 minutes to compose them. "I just had the tune in my head on the bus and played it on guitar when I got home," recalls Li. "We were so young and restless. We were eager to express ourselves."

Rapid success put the band in a strong position, but it failed to meet fans' expectations. The fourth and fifth albums sold poorly. Li admits that having a revolving door of members is devastating for a band.

Having not released an album for nine years, Li says the worst thing for the band was losing its musical direction.

"We don't want to be a band singing the old hits forever at commercial shows. It's easy to make money but it's meaningless," says drummer Zhao Mingyi. "With this new album, we are looking forward to our tour around the country, just like we did 20 years ago."

Related:

Shanghai alive with the sound of music

Second hand rose ready to bloom

Rock 'n' roll godfather aims to spread the music

Music reflects his life

Taking Midi to the max