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December 11, 2011

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Marx laughs off boring questions

AMERICAN singer and songwriter Richard Marx has a good sense of humor judging by his website.

There he lists five questions that he would be happy if "no human ever asked me again."

The first is "What's your favorite song you've done?"

His reply: "The most unimaginative, generic and boring question of them all. It forces artists to respond with equally boring musings like, 'My songs are like my children … I love them all equally. I don't have a particular favorite'."

The three-time Grammy nominee is touring Asia in support of the newly released "The Christmas EP." It will bring him to Shanghai this Thursday.

Marx tore up the charts in the 1980s and 1990s with hit songs such as "Right Here Waiting," "Endless Summer Nights," "Now and Forever" and "Hold On to the Nights," which are popular with Chinese fans.

He has sold more than 30 million records.

He's also known for writing and producing records for Daughtry, Leann Rimes, Katherine Jenkins, Emerson Drive, Natalie Cole, Keith Urban, Kenny Loggins, Travis Tritt, Michael Bolton and actor Hugh Jackman.

"The Christmas EP" features the song "Christmas Spirit."

Marx describes "Christmas Spirit" as "really up-tempo and fun - I want people to think Phil Spector (a famous producer) busted out of jail. Its total over-production - strings, bells, girl singers, you name it. That's sort of our key track for the album."

For over 20 years, Marx made his mark on the music industry. His debut single "Don't Mean Nothing" and self-titled debut album was released in 1987 and went on to sell 3 million copies.

Best selling

From 1987 to 1990, he became the first male solo artist in history to have his first 7 singles reach the top 5 on Billboard's singles chart, including the No. 1 hits "Hold On to the Nights," "Satisfied" and "Right Here Waiting." This feat remains unsurpassed.

In 1992, he was awarded Best Selling Adult Contemporary Artist at the Billboard Music awards. He also received the International Song of the Year Award at the Australian Music Awards for his song "Hazard."

That brings us back to the list of questions he dislikes being asked. At number five is "Is your song 'Hazard' autobiographical?"

His sarcastic response: "Yep, I lived in a tiny town in Nebraska, drowned a girl that lived there and have been in hiding ever since. Except for when I wrote a song and made a record about it. Good question."



Date: December 15, 7:30pm

Venue: Shanghai International Gymnastic Center, 777 Wuyi Rd (near Zhongshan Rd W.)

Tickets: 280-2,010 yuan (US$44-314)




 

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