"We are not old. Today, one can live to 100 and beyond, which means we are still young," Lo Ta-yu says. Provided to China Daily

Taiwan's Lo Ta-yu has influenced generations of Chinese music fans since the 80s. The 57-year-old will present a selection of his classics at an upcoming concert. Chen Nan reports.

After nearly three decades of singing about youth, love and responsibility, legendary Taiwan singer-songwriter Lo Ta-yu will take audiences down memory lane with a selection of his classics at his upcoming Beijing concert, titled Love Song 2100. The 57-year-old, who has influenced generations of Chinese music fans, will present these old favorites in a new light.

Although the title of the concert, Lo says, may bring to mind the songs Love 1980, Love 1990 and Love 2000, it speaks to the future.

"Time flies and I am glad that I recorded the past through music," Lo says. "The past 10 years have been like a dream, like riding a roller coaster. I am now looking forward to the next 10 years.

"Many people have asked why I haven't written a song called Love Song 2010 or Love Song 2011. I can't, because the society we live in is in disarray. I am in no mood to write about love," he says.

It's been seven years since Lo released his last album, Beautiful Island, in 2004. However, his love of music and his eagerness to express himself have pulled him back to the stage.

The concert, divided into five parts, designated blue, red, yellow, green and transparent, purports to take audiences through a time tunnel of a past, present and future.

The colors, reflecting the many moods of Lo's music, correspond respectively to his inner world, vibrant metropolitan life, his concerns about society, his hope for the future and the nostalgic moments he cherishes.

Songs such as Childhood, Master of the Future, 72 Transformations and Tomorrow Will Be Better, will be performed in each segment, forging a common thread through the concert.

Lo says writing music and moving from place to place are the two things that have dominated his life in recent years.

"Maybe (now) I need a sense of security. I am a restless person and want to find the most comfortable place to live in," Lo says.

Dubbed the "Godfather of Chinese pop music", Lo, along with late singer Teresa Teng, has played a significant role in popularizing Taiwan pop music across Hong Kong, Taiwan and the mainland. Besides the 15 albums under his belt, Lo has also written songs for many other pop singers.

Born to a family of doctors, he learned to play music at an early age. Although he studied medicine at university, he never stopped writing music and soon established himself as Taiwan's first rock rebel.

His nostalgic musings on modern-day life and social problems won him instant attention. Although some of his social commentary attracted controversy, Lo insisted on mirroring the changes in society through his songs. His versatility found him at equal ease in a variety of genres - from rock and pop, to reggae and jazz.

Lo's last Beijing concert in 2005, Zhi Hu Zhe Ye (a random selection of words from ancient Chinese literary texts), from the title of his 1982 debut album, was well-received by the older generation as well as young music fans. His upcoming concert though, Lo says, is aimed particularly at his middle-aged fans.

"My world may be lost on some young audiences because the emotions in my songs reflect the times I lived in," Lo says. "But with others, I want to share our old days and look forward to the future.

"We are not old. Today, one can live to 100 and beyond, which means we are still young."