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If Chochukmo were in North America, Europe, Australia, Japan – even Beijing – they’d be part of a wide movement with a long history of independent music. In Hong Kong, they have to make do with a rickety support structure.

No one can belittle the excellent work of the local gig organisers who strive to provide a platform and community for independent music in the city – but there are clearly gaping holes in the way Hong Kong approaches music that isn’t Cantopop. There are no indie labels of significance; no radio stations that play their music – although the online-only www.hkgfm.com deserves a nod for their efforts – and touring opportunities are extremely limited, in part necessitated by the fact that if bands here want to play outside their home town, they’ll need to use their passports. Critically, there are also few bands with success stories.

“The music companies [in Hong Kong] won’t touch a band,” says Hans Ebert, former executive director of EMI Southeast Asia and now CEO of music-based entertainment company We-Enhance, adding that the last bands (bar one) signed to major labels were rap group LMF, who disbanded in 2003, and Beyond, who played their last concert together in 2005. The problem, Ebert says, is that the labels find bands harder to manage: more egos, more trouble. “It’s much easier to control and market and manipulate a single artist.”

But one band, Mr., have defied that rule, albeit in very commercial fashion. The five-piece pop group have been one of the best performers on HMV’s recent sales charts, suggesting that while the labels have long shied away from band signings, the Hong Kong public at least seem open to the idea of putting band music on their playlists – if it’s promoted well.

“Mr. is definitely, sales wise, on the top – and the numbers are not too shabby,” says Dee Chau, HMV’s Hong Kong marketing and e-commerce manager. She also says that while mainstream sales figures crash, indie band sales, while low, have remained steady. “There’s definitely a market for indie bands. Especially if they’re good, local indie bands.”