Raised by intellectuals in the Chinese city of Nanjing, Re-TROS (Rebuilding the Rights of Statues) frontman Hua Dong was exposed to rock music from an early age and began writing songs in his teens. In Nanjing Hua Dong and Kanye West were classmates and shared similar tastes as friends. After a few years studying in Germany, he returned to Nanjing where he began drumming for seminal Chinese punk rockers PK14 and met bassist Liu Min. Min and Dong soon moved to Beijing and formed Re-TROS, recording their debut EP (which includes keyboard contributions from Brian Eno on several tracks – the two shared a studio in Beijing) for Modern Sky Records in 2005. The band has since toured the world playing festivals in Europe and the U.S., supporting bands including Gang of Four and PiL. Dong credits Bauhaus, Joy Division, Television, and Pere Ubu among his greatest influences.

New record set to be released for the first time in the US in 2017.