It’s the musical version of the Calgon commercial; an Asian face appears on stage or in a music video, rocking out among the non-Asians. Whether its Phil Chen flowing in silk outfits in Rod Stewart’s “Passion” or James Iha submitting to Billy Corgan’s stone fist, here are some of the most famous token Asians in rock. —Todd Inoue
INSTRU-
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EXTRAC-
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LOW
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WHERE ARE
THEY NOW?
BAND
PHIL CHEN |
JAMES IHA |
CHI CHENG |
TONY KANAL |
JADE LEE |
KIRK HAMMETT |
JEFF LIN |
MATT WONG |
FONTAINE TOUPS |
Rod Stewart |
A Perfect Circle, Smashing Pumpkins |
Deftones |
No Doubt |
Book of Love |
Metallica |
Harvey Danger |
Reel Big Fish |
Versus |
Bass |
Guitar |
Bass |
Bass |
Keyboards, vocals, percussion |
Bitchin’ Guitar |
Guitar, piano, violin |
Bass |
Bass |
Chinese Jamaican |
Japanese |
Chinese |
East Indian |
Korean |
Pinoy/Irish |
Chinese |
Chinese |
Honorary Pinay |
Playing with Bob Marley, Skatalites |
Siamese Dream (1993) |
Bachelor’s in English lit from UC Davis (2000) |
Rock Steady (2001) |
Lullaby (1988) |
Master of Puppets (1986) |
“Flagpole Sitta” (1998) |
“Sell Out” (1997) |
Touring with Ear of the Dragon (1995) |
Suffering through Rod Stewart’s disco period |
Let It Come Down (1998) |
Cutting his dreads |
“It’s My Life” cover song |
“Oranges and Lemons” |
Intraband meltdown and psychiatry sessions captured in Some Kind of Monster. |
Getting caught in the label shuffle, ensuring they couldn’t build off the momentum of “Flagpole.” |
With ska punk rode the fuck out, the band was dropped from their Jive label in 2006. |
Versus break-up in 2000 |
Master Class instructing at L.A. Music Academy. |
Playing with A Perfect Circle and working in fashion design. |
Headlining the Taste of Chaos tour 2006. |
Starting Kingsbury Studios label with first album by reggae artist Elan Atias. |
Participated in 2001 reunion, working in graphic design. |
Recording new Metallica album with Rick Rubin. |
Finished his computer science degree. Rocks and blogs at jeffjlin.typepad.com |
Planning and masterminding a comeback. |
Headlining shows with her own band The Fontaine Toups. |
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