CW: How’d you get into organizing MusicMatters (MM)? I used to organize events in Glasgow. When I arrived in Shanghai I met quite a lot of talented musicians. One night I was having a party at my flat and an American friend started rapping–and I hate that genre of music–and he was absolutely fantastic. That’s when I decided to organize the first party out in Minhang.

CW: Minhang? Did anyone come? I managed to get 120 people to come. Impressive. It really was! I got a lot of good support. We had a saxophone act, a couple of guitarists and a rapper. It’s grown from there.

CW: What’s so great about MM that you could drag people down to Minhang and now expand like you have? The thing about MM is that it’s so eclectic. Anything you want to happen really can happen.

CW: So you take theme suggestions? I do take suggestions from people, but, honestly, most of the ideas are mine. [Laughs.] I’m only kidding. I do take suggestions from people, like the Beatles night we had.

CW: Working with MM has given you a broad view of the local music scene. What are your thoughts on how it’s developing? It’s definitely still developing and has a long way to go. Although there’s good stuff here now, it’s nowhere near where it will be.

CW: Finish this sentence. Music matters because … Because it brings people together and that is what I’m good at.