Noughts and Exes

Noughts and Exes were an indie folk rock band that was active in Hong Kong during 2007-2015. The band first consisted of Joshua Wong (vocals, guitars), Gideon So (piano, keyboards, glockenspiel, melodica, vocals), Alex Bedwell (drums, vocals, percussion), Winnie Lau (bass, violin), and Alix Farquhar (vocals, percussion, glockenspiel). In the latter years of the band the live line-up consisted of Adam Robertshaw (synthesized bass guitar), and Violin virtuoso Yue Ke for live performances only. After a successful run with the band 'Whence He Came', singer Joshua Wong recruited a group of musicians to accompany him during live performances of his new solo project Noughts and Exes. This would eventually become the first incarnation of the band.

Joshua Wong passed away on 25 December, 2020. The news was announced on his wife and the band's facebook.[1]

Act One, Scene One

After leaving successful band Whence He Came, singer Joshua Wong began working on a new solo venture called Noughts and Exes. Wong began recording new material, Nic Tse Jo Yum on electric guitar and Jennifer Skidmore on cello and piano. On 22 April 2008 Act One, Scene One was released. Appearing on Act One, Scene One are; Marcy Masashi (Buddhistson, Oceanlane) (drums) Martijn Groeneveld (bass), Jennifer Skidmore (cello, piano, vocals), Nic Tse Jo Yum (unwed sailor, TSTGU, thelovesong) (electric guitar), and Joshua Wong (programming, keyboards, bass, guitars, effects, vocals). Ah Ding (drums), Benson Looi (bass), and Gideon So (keyboards) joined Jennifer Skidmore, Nicholas Tse, and Joshua Wong performed live for Act One, Scene One.

After the album's release, the band went on hiatus. Eventually, Joshua Wong and Gideon So got together and began working on new material and the next incarnation of Noughts and Exes performed at The Underground 83 on 8 August 2009. This was the first performance for the band with Alex Bedwell (drums, vocals, percussion), Kerrie-Anne Butler (vocals, glockenspiel, percussion), and Marianne Bunton (cello). Winnie (Wizza) Lau (Tacit Closet) was recruited to play bass shortly after.

The Start of Us

In 2010, the band began work on their next record with producer Martijn Groeneveld. The album was then mastered at Groeneveld's Mailmen Studios in the Netherlands. On 22 December 2010, The Start of Us was released to wide acclaim. The band were gaining increased commercial popularity, with their songs being played on numerous MTV programs. Additionally, they were said to have one of Hong Kong's best albums of 2010 by Time Out magazine, as well as being named number 2 on a list of the top 5 bands to watch in 2011 by Time magazine. In 2011, Marianne Bunton left the band. Later Winnie (Bago) Lau (Modern Children, False Alarm, Daughter) joined the band to play on the violin in 2011. Winnie (Bago) joined to sing and played on the keyboards later in the 3rd album as well.

In August 2011, the band began a tour in support of the album. They played venues in various countries across Asia such as Kuala Lumpur, China and Singapore, in addition to playing the Ocean Midi Music Festival, Clockenflap, The People's Party Tour, and the Singapore Baybeats Festival 2011. They also completed a Tour of Canada playing at several venues and Envol et Macadame Music Festival in Quebec. Guest vocalist Karmen Cheung was brought in on some of these dates as Kerrie-Anne Butler was unable to attend. Kerrie-Anne's permanent departure from the band would be announced in September 2011, was then replaced by Alix Farquhar. On 23 September 2011 Noughts and Exes announced their signing to US Spectra Records.

Noughts and Exes (self-titled album)

In 2012, the band launched a campaign on crowdfunding web site Kickstarter to raise funds to make a new record. Their goal was to raise $10,000 and, not only did they achieve their goal in May 2012, they surpassed it. On the closing date of their campaign, 5 May 2012, Noughts and Exes had raised $12,278. In doing so, they became the first band from Hong Kong to ever successfully complete a Kickstarter campaign. Outside of studio recording in 2012, they played shows around Hong Kong including Clockenflap where they released the EP A Fine Line as a prelude to the upcoming album.

The band finally launched their self-titled album at the Vine Centre in Hong Kong on 14 September 2013. With ever more harmonies, interwoven melodies and intricate drum beats, the latest songs have been described as 'epic' with 'sunshine vitality'. The first single from the album, "Hearts", reached number 1 in 903 radio charts and drummed up a large wave of publicity from their music video: a music flashmob with 50 musicians from the local indie scene shot in Times Square despite tight security control.

2013-2015 - Live shows and end of the band

In 2013 both Winnie (Bass) and Winnie (Violin) left the band, and were replaced with Adam Robertshaw (synthesized bass guitar) and Yue Ke (Violin) to perform live shows. The band played Clockenflap 2014 main stage on the Sunday with Nitin Sawhney, Flaming Lips, and Tenacious D. The band's last performance was in 2015 to a sold out venue in Wanchai.. The band split up after this last show due to personal life commitments.

Awards and accolades
  • Number 2 on Time magazine's Top 5 Bands to Watch.[2]
  • The Start of Us named top ten album in HK for 2010 by Time Out magazine.[3]
  • Vapor Music Artist of the Week[4]
  • CNN Best Hong Kong Band to Hang Out With[5]
  • September 2011– Noughts And Exes win the PlanetRox selection for Hong Kong and perform with other winners the world in Quebec City, Canada at the Envol & Macadam Festival
  • Music video for "The Start of Us", directed by lead singer Joshua Wong, is screened at 2011 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival[6]
  • Selected by the HK Government to represent Hong Kong by performing at the Berlin Wasser Musik Festival 2013

References
  1. "本地經典樂隊 Whence He Came 主音 Joshua Wong 逝世". Stand News. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  2. "Eastern Promise". Time. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  3. "China's Best Albums of 2010". Time Out. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  4. "Artist of the Week: Noughts and Exes". Vapor Music. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  5. "Best Hong Kong bands to rock out with". CNN. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  6. "The Start of Us [Noughts and Exes]". Retrieved 3 June 2014.
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