Boy bands seem to thrive better on TV screens than behind recording mikes.
Taiwanese boy band F4 was one of the pioneer groups to star in idol dramas (Meteor Garden being the first and most popular of their dramas) and 5566 continued the legacy with MVP Valentine. The acting career certainly set the stage for their foray into the music industry.
It is therefore no surprise that quartet Energy is doing the same, though under different circumstances. They started their showbiz career the conventional way – cutting records.
With five albums to their name, they have finally decided to branch into idol dramas. But why wait till now?
In fact, Energy has received numerous acting offers in the past. They turned them down because they did not want to compromise the quality of the dramas just to join the gang.
It is a well-known fact that the production of idol dramas is usually very hurried. At times, the filming starts even before the entire script is written. As a result, the dramas end up merely showcasing the boy band’s glamour, with little content to speak of.
To the quartet, which comprises Milk, Ady, Joe and Penny, this defeats the purpose of branching into acting. They insist that if they were to do it, they want to make it an astounding success from all aspects, so the script has to be tailored for them.
Such high expectations from them certainly make Michael’s Dance – their first idol drama – something to look forward to. It is inspired by the biblical story of archangel Michael and features the group being resurrected as warriors to fight evil and slay dragons.
While filming was going on, their music company worked very closely with the drama’s production crew to produce the soundtrack for Michael’s Dance.
The theme song of the drama Hey You fuses gospel and rock music with rap – an attempt to highlight the biblical element of the story while allowing the boys to showcase their usual singing style.
But the highlight is really the music video where the boys bared (nearly) all. Except for a pair of skin-coloured tights, what you see is what you get (Girls, get a grip on yourselves).
Was it a breeze? No, definitely not for the boys who were so shy that they requested all female crew to leave the studio during the filming. In the past, the furthest they had gone was baring their torsos. This virgin move not only complements the theme of the song, it is also the boys’ way of showing their dedication to the drama serial.
