Singer goes back to the future with new album

When rock singer-songwriter Xie Tianxiao launched his first album in 1999, he soon won popular acclaim as titles like "King of Live" and the "New Godfather of Chinese Rock 'n' Roll" were bestowed by appreciative fans.

The album, Cold-Blooded Animal, saw him experiment by creating rock music infused with guzheng (a traditional Chinese plucked instrument). The grunge music and Xie's guzheng fusion carried the band to rock festivals in Japan and the United States as well as developing a firm fan base in China.

Xie is now celebrating his 20th anniversary with a new album, Drawing Near, which features new renditions of 10 songs from his career over the past two decades, including songs from his debut album in 1999.