Beijing band Carsick Cars feels that travel broadens its music

Beijing experimental rock trio Carsick Cars have probably been feeling a little carsick themselves these days. In the lead-up to their latest show in Hong Kong on April 20, the band have been undertaking a month-long road trip of North America, performing in more than 20 cities — from San Francisco on the west coast of the US, to major Canadian cities, and then back to New York for the finale — to promote their third album, simply called 3.

Carsick Cars are about to cross the Canadian border and return to the US as we speak, and the crew have stopped by a post office to send some vinyl records to fans who ordered the new album. And although they have been frequent visitors to Austin's South by Southwest music festival in recent years, this is the first time Carsick Cars have toured Canada and the US back to back.

Frontman Zhang Shouwang considers the road trip a little dream come true. "We have been driving all day and night. It is like I'm writing my own version [of Jack Kerouac's Beat Generation novel] On the Road," the 28-year-old vocalist says in a calm and shy voice. "We were driving along the Rocky Mountains the other day and the scenery was so beautiful."

But the fact is that Carsick Cars have always been on the road — and they won't be applying the brakes any time soon. After the North American tour, they will embark on a two-month tour of China that, following the Hong Kong show, will include a headline performance at Beijing's premier Strawberry Music Festival in May. In July, the band will travel to Britain to play cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

This constant travel has inspired the band's songwriting — most of their songs are written while on the road. "We feel really lucky to be able to play overseas. It is very important for bands like us to broaden our horizons and let more people hear our music. Eventually we take what we have learned and our experience back to the country," Zhang says.

When he's overseas, Zhang is often amazed when audience members sing along with their tunes. "It surprises me that people know the words to our songs when we go to some smaller cities in the US," he says. Although the fact that most of the band's songs are written in English helps, "I think that music is an international language and they feel our energy," Zhang says.

Credit should also go to the band's label, Maybe Mars, which constantly takes mainland bands overseas for tours and festivals. Carsick Cars' label mates, which include, Re-Tros, Duck Fight Goose and Pet Conspiracy are also about to launch a five-date European tour as part of the China Drifting Festival.