The mellowing of irrepressible Emil Chau may sound downright bizarre, but Lau Kuan Wei has his testimony in hand

Let's just say this: Emil Chau is a fascinating storyteller with many a good yarn to spin. He is naturally gregarious, the sort who knows how to work a room with self-deprecating humour, amusing one and all with witty anecdotes. His Cheshire-cat grin is plastered on an expressive mien -- a rubber-like face which crinkles up as the body doubles over in response to its inhabitant's own one-liners.

The man's bubbly humour is impossibly infectious, which explains why Emil's got the best rapport with a concert audience among Mandarin pop performers. When you attend an Emil Chau gig, you aren't going just to hear him sing; you go to soak in his intoxicating good spirits. Let's face it, the man is hardly ever at a loss for words -- he always has something to say. And you never get predictable PR spiel from him or frustrating monosyllabic answers. Nope, Emil is always game to share his songwriting inspirations: he laments with dramatic aplomb his son's school results, and even intimates that his wife's reported mid-life crisis has been resolved. "She's taken up painting again, which is good. I think we understand each other better now."

In Mandarin Hotel's presidential suite today, Emil's banter revolves around recurring themes -- searching for a career breakthrough; struggling to escape a creative rut; ageing. What's more, there are no easy answers in sight.

Just as he doesn't bother hiding the flecks of grey in his hair, he seems perfectly at ease betraying his gnawing insecurities. Emil Chau is nothing if not endearingly candid.

You look rather sedate on the cover of your latest album, Storyteller....

I do? And here I am trying to appeal to hip and trendy young listeners!

So you think your latest album has that right amount of hip quotient?

I've spent the last year working on Storyteller, trying to capture what youngsters like these days. And to tell you quite frankly, I think I'm still a little off the mark with this album.

Were you looking for a change in musical direction?

[Furrows brow] I'm not young anymore. In fact I'm 38 going on 39. That makes me wonder if I can change my direction, and if I do, what do I change it to?

I hear you wanted this album to exude a 'Wong Kar Wai feel'. You must be a fan of the Hong Kong auteur?

[Laughs] If it does have such a feel, then it's great. He's over 40 years old, and yet he seems to be completely in tune with young people's tastes and wants.

You sound disgruntled....

Well, no. I can't say I'm unhappy with what I've achieved. Do you know the song Just When I Needed You Most? [Strums imaginary guitar] "Left you in the morning and I / Stared out the window and I...." Most people remember the song, but they don't know that it was sung by a guy called Randy VanWarmer.

A one-hit wonder?

Yes....  

[WBMSTR: Not quite -- the late songwriter was a "several-hit wonder" whose songs reached No. 1 for such well-known groups as The Oak Ridge Boys and Alabama.]  

If I hold a concert right now, I can safely say there'd be at least 20 songs the audience could sing along to. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to come up with all these hits and how long it took.

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And after all those No. 1 hits, it's getting increasingly difficult scaling the next peak?

I guess today I look for commercial success, if not critical acclaim. But I feel I'm running out of ideas when it comes to writing lyrics. What should I write about now? Work pressure? Heartbreak? I've done all that already.

How about fear of ageing?

I'm not afraid, but I am unsure of how to deal with middle age, and I'm just eager to ease into it quickly.

What do you mean?

I wish there was a manual to refer to. If it said that the right thing to do was spend my days in a rocking chair, I'd just go out and buy one... Or that people approaching middle age should get a yacht and sail around the world -- then I'd, um, work towards it.

Is a mid-life crisis creeping up on you?

[Widens eyes] What's that anyway? Not knowing how to adjust your pace of life? When my unmarried pals ask me out, I feel guilty, like I should stay home with the wife and kids. Then when I'm home, I feel I should be hanging out with the guys. [Shrugs] I really don't know...

Have you ever thought of colouring your grey hair black?

I haven't, but [my record company execs] keep bugging me about it. [Waves hand dismissively] I can't be bothered with them. In fact, I told them, if I'm going to dye my hair, I'll colour it completely silver. [Chortles] My wife was keen too -- we were going to do the 'couple thing' [and colour our hair].

You spent the past six months at home relaxing with your family. Ever thought about the cost in opportunities?

I know if I'd been more hardworking, I could easily have made a couple of million dollars -- appear in a few movies, shoot a couple of ads.... But money doesn't hold the same attraction for me the way it used to.

You're saying that you've mellowed, then.

I think so. A reporter was telling me the other day, "When I first spoke to you during the time everyone was calling you "Heavenly King Assassin," you really had a killer look in your eyes."

Sort of like a burning ambition?

Yeah, I was like, 'More fame! More money!'

And now?

The reporter says I seem more benign now. Frankly, I don't envy stars like Leon Lai or Aaron Kwok, who work so hard.... I mean, get a life!

 

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