1 + 1 = ?

Abstract

This chapter concerns Tat Ming Pair’s legacy as much as the more fundamental question of how to investigate legacy in pop music studies. The chapter title is not only an admittedly self-indulgent twist of a title of Tat Ming’s song “1+4=14”; it necessitates thinking on how to discuss the legacy of music practitioners in general. Shelving the titular reference to 2+2=5, the Orwellian dystopian caution of brainwashing and thought control, we are wondering how much Tats + Ming amounts to. 1+1=? Reminded of the “bias” of legacy studies, in which the effective is highlighted—in the sense of how the “man” and/or the “music” have effected into something, the legacy, we argue to pay attention to the emotional, what we will call the affective, side of any influence and impact any music practitioners may exert. We move our gaze towards cultural intermediaries, whose affinities with Tat Ming enable numerous afterlives and cultural translations of Tat Ming’s music and life. We invited eleven people to share with us; most of them are working in popular music, and a few in related fields of music and culture at large. We will first discuss Tat Ming’s legacy in terms of effect, of how Tat Ming as music makers have effected—entailed, enabled, brought about—cultural productions in music and wider cultural scenes. Tangibly, we observed how Tat Ming effected in them the very burgeoning of an interest, a passion, and a dedication to a career in music, as well as their own music and other creative works. Intangibly, we noted how Tat Ming left a yardstick for these later generations of music makers to evaluate their own music: Tat Ming’s impact on what counts as good pop—it has to be relevant and urgent, subtle and nuanced, honest and alternative. When we investigate their legacy in affective terms, these cultural intermediaries talk even more poignantly, passionately, and personally about the way they experience Tat Ming as persons. Their narratives could have resourced so much more, but we follow three protagonists: as good mentors, as good Hong Kongers, as good human beings.