It wasn't the like-minded, classical-meets-pop band Bond that gave Wang Xiao-Jing the idea for Twelve Girls Band, it was Chinese numerology according to the man himself. When the "father of Chinese rock music" decided he wanted to create a female ensemble, he knew it needed 12 members. In ancient Chinese mythology it's the 12 jinchai (12 hairpins) that represent womanhood. The 12 women that Xiao-Jing brought together were veterans of the People's Republic of China's top orchestras, played ancient Chinese instruments, and all were in their twenties. For this new project, the women were inspired by the art of the Yue Fang, the female ensembles that played in the royal courts of the Tang Dynasty, a period that spanned the years 618 to 907 A.D. The group debuted their modern compositions on ancient instruments in China and Japan during the Northern summer of 2003. Word of mouth spread, show after show were sold-out, and in Japan their debut album topped the charts for 30 weeks. Their self-titled debut was released in North America in August of 2004 with cover versions of Coldplay's "Clocks" and Enya's "Only Time" included, and a massive television advertising campaign announcing the group's arrival. ~ David Jeffries