Chinese rock
Encyclopedia
Chinese Rock occasionally referred as Mandorock or Cantorock depending on the language of the song in question, is commonly used to describe a wide variety of forms of rock and roll
music, in connection with the rock bands and solo artists from native Chinese language
spoken region (including Mainland China
, Taiwan
, Hong Kong
, Macau
, etc.). Typically, Chinese Rock is a fusion forms, based on America
, Britain
, Japan and other area, accompaning the grand presentation of traditional Chinese music
.
(西北风, xibeifeng) style of music, which emerged as a main genre in Mainland China. The new style was triggered by two new songs, "Xintianyou" (信天游) and "Nothing To My Name
" (一无所有), both of which drew heavily on the folk song traditions of northern Shaanxi Province in the northwest. They combined this with a western-style fast tempo, strong beat and extremely aggressive bass lines. In contrast to the mellow cantopop
style, Northwest Wind songs were sung loudly and forcefully. It represented the musical branch of the large-scale Root-Seeking (寻根, xungen) cultural movement that also manifested itself in literature and in film. Cui Jian
's Northwest Wind album Rock 'N' Roll on the New Long March
, which included "Nothing To My Name", has been called "China's first rock album".
Many Northwest Wind songs were highly idealistic and heavily political, parodying or alluding to the revolutionary songs of the Communist state, such as "Nanniwan
" (南泥湾) and "The Internationale
" (国际歌). It is, however, associated with the non-Communist national music
side instead of the revolutionary side. The music reflected dissatisfaction among Chinese youth, as well as the influence of western ideas such as individuality and self-empowerment. Both music and lyrics articulated a sense of pride in the power of the northwest's peasantry. Songs such as "Sister Go Boldly Forward" (妹妹你大胆的往前走) came to represent an earthy, primordial masculine image of Mainland China, as opposed to the soft, sweet, polished urban gangtai
style.
. As the nation's capital, the music was highly politicised and open to a range of foreign influences. It was marginal for most of the 80s, consisting of live performances in small bars and hotels. The music was almost exclusively for the domain of university students and "underground" bohemian circles. In late 1989 and early 1990 Chinese rock partially emerged into mainstream music as a combination of the Northwest Wind and prison song fads.
The first Chinese rock song was arguably the Northwest Wind anthem "Nothing To My Name", first performed in 1984 by Cui Jian
, widely recognised as the father of Chinese rock. The song introduced into post-revolutionary China a whole new ethos that combined individualism, direct and bold expression. It soon came to symbolise the frustration harboured by a disillusioned generation of young intellectuals who grew cynical about Communism
and critical of China's traditional and contemporary culture. It also expressed, even for older Chinese, a dissatisfaction with unrealized promises of the Chinese regime.
In the spring of 1989, "Nothing To My Name" became the de facto anthem of the student protestors at Tiananmen Square
. Additionally, in May and July of that year, three of China's famous rock bands were established: Breathing (Huxi, 呼吸), Cobra
(眼镜蛇), and Zang Tianshuo's (臧天朔) 1989. Earlier rock music groups include "Infallible" (Budaoweng 不倒翁), formed by Zang Tianshuo and Tang Dynasty
(Tang Chao, 唐朝) lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ding Wu (丁武), and probably the most famous of all Chinese rock bands: "Black Panther" (Hei Bao 黑豹), originally fronted by China's alternative music pioneer Dou Wei
(窦唯).
(唐朝). The criterion that the organisers set as qualification to participate was "originality", generally a Western artistic ethos.
Chinese rock reached a peak of creativity and popularity between 1990 and 1993. In 1991, the glam metal band Black Panther released their self-titled debut album. With glossy production and hard rock melodies backing the sincere voice of lead singer Dou Wei, it featured hit singles such as "Don't Break My Heart and "Ashamed". A year later, the album went onto sell more than 1,000,000 copies in China, a standard never before achieved in Chinese rock history. Another band, Tang Dynasty, whose style was comparable to British heavy metal, successfully broke another barrier. Their singles "9/4 (a reference to the song's time signature)", "The Sun", and "Choice" climbed the charts. Once again, it was not until 1992, that their debut "A Dream Return To Tang Dynasty" sold over 2,000,000 copies throughout Asia, including Japan, Korea, and the Southeast. From there, other previously formed rock bands, such as the first all female band, "Cobra", and hard rockers "The Face" (each established in 1989), achieved greater success than ever. In addition, dozens of newer bands formed during the peak of their success, and rock music was performed on a regular basis. Big name artists and bands were featured in media such as CCTV
and MTV, while other lesser known acts made a presence in small-scale, underground rock parties. The core participants in rock subculture adopted characteristic nonconformist appearance and behaviour. These included glam rock styles: pretty face, long hair, jeans, silver metal ornaments, black leather coats, as well as emerging grunge
styles: Flannel shirts, and do it yourself ethics
, coupled with a carefree, hippie-style behaviour. The decline of Northwest Wind and simultaneous rise of rock music represented a shift in the attitude of many of China's intellectuals. Nostalgia changed into an unequivocally fierce negation, a sense of alienation from China's traditional and rural culture.
by the Communist party
, such as the banning of rock from television and restrictions on performances. More importantly, the decline of rock reflected the general lack of interest in politicised cultural products, thoughts, or behaviour. People became more interested in engaging with the market economy, making money and improving their living standard. Cross-border cultural exchange facilitated by increased economic openness, and the radical commercialisation of the music industry in the mid-90s both lead to the import of overseas music, particularly from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Cantopop
singers such as Andy Lau
were backed up by well-resourced record companies and could raise revenues from film-making and advertising, two sources usually rejected by Chinese rock musicians. Moreover, the level of censorship imposed on c-pop
was less damaging, since gangtai
culture is more independent from mainland culture. With the tragedy of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain
's death, a whole new scene had emerged in the underground.
During 1994, former Black Panther frontman Dou Wei released "Dark Dreams" with his new band "The Dreaming". This album marked a complete departure from his "glam metal" days. Instead, this album put more emphasis on thicker, and more jangly guitars. Another change was that Dou started singing in a thin, almost apathetic drone-like voice. He also began experimenting with gothic and electronic sounds, and earned a whole new kind of respect, as well as credibility in the alternative nation. Another unlikely figure in the scene was the father of Chinese rock himself, Cui Jian
. A rare compilation album, titled "Rock Pioneers" was also released. The album showcased raw, rather unorthodox playing styles, as well as a rejection (even sometimes a mockery) of mainstream rock music. With the exception of Dream, the only band on the compilation to achieve mainstream success was Thin Man, who went on to revitalize rock back into the masses. Self-styled punk He Yong fiercely resisted mainstream culture and their cantopop
imitators on the mainland. His only album, "Garbage Dump", was embraced by troubled Chinese youth, and earned him an enormous cult following. In 1995, a handful of younger punk bands (Brain Failure
, Reflector, A Jerks, and 69) produced an album called "Wuliao Contingent," (无聊军队, better translated as "Battalion of Boredom") representing the boredom and frustration collectively felt within the urban landscape. At the forefront was Brain Failure, the most successful of these bands, who continue to tour the world with their ska/punk sound. English is used to both express what Chinese lyrics cannot, and also to crossover to the western music market. One of the significant turning points for rock was Cui Jian
's performance with The Rolling Stones
in 2003 at the age of 42. It opened the genre to the rest of the world for the first time.
entered the underground scene and ascended among the fans. In 2004–2005, Beijing's Joyside went on their first tour of China. American
filmmaker Kevin Fritz followed them to make the film Wasted Orient. It was released on DVD in 2007 by Plexifilm
. The film is China's version of Decline Of Western Civilization. It depicts comically the pitfalls associated with trying to tour a country that has little taste for Rock n' Roll music. In this film the original line-up of Joyside including Bian Yuan, Liu Hao, Fan Bo, Yang Yang, & Xin Shuang shows these colorful characters drowning away in alcohol
is both hilarious and depressing at the same time. The film also includes some of Joyside's early music, which brought them some recognition. The film Wasted Orient is non-political, and strays away from making any superficial social commentary. While Joyside is not particularly known for the talent, the film present Chinese rock music in the new millennium in the most authentic, raw, and genuine form.
Presently, Chinese Rock has a new forum in the popular Television program, Pepsi Battle of the Bands, 百事群音 http://pepsi.sina.com.cn/index.php a weekly Live program featuring top 10 Rock bands from all over China who compete for weekly survival. Each Episode features guest Celebrities such as, Cui Jian (崔健), Paul Wong (黄贯中), Richie JEN (任贤齐), Wang Feng (汪峰), Fan Van (范逸臣), Jolin （蔡依林）, Mayday (五月天), and Show Luo (罗志祥）to name a few. The show is sponsored by Pepsi, and produced by Ato Ato Integrated Media.
in Beijing
. Established 1993 by Zhang Fan, it was the first school in China offering classes for jazz music and rock music. Started as a school festival in 1999, the Midi Modern Music Festival
advanced to the largest rock music festival in China with up to 80000 visitors and over 100 bands. Both the school and the festival supported the underground scene in China and opened the door for over 18 foreign bands in 2006 to perform at the festival and throughout the country. (i.e. Alev, Monokino, Yokohama Music Association, The Wombats, etc.). 1
In addition to the Midi school, the Painkiller Heavy Music Magazine
started efforts to bring bands such as Edguy
, Lacrimosa
and Hatesphere
to China and organized China tours for them. Especially in the metal and gothic genre these tours are considered milestones in China.
. The 2008 Midi Modern Music Festival was cancelled (cancellation note) and delayed to October 2008, the Soilwork gig (preannouncement) had to be cancelled, as the band did not receive their visas and the German Esplanade in Chongqing was stopped by the organizers (change note).
The Sichuan Earthquake in general shook the music scene and spawned dozens of "We are together" and "Think of Sichuan" gigs and charity events throughout Beijing and other cities. London Chinese Radio made a Special Earthquake Edition on their New Sounds of China podcast to cover this.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
music, in connection with the rock bands and solo artists from native Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
spoken region (including Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, etc.). Typically, Chinese Rock is a fusion forms, based on America
American rock
American rock is rock music from the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and country music, and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music. The creation of American rock music was highly influenced by the British Invasion of the American pop...
, Britain
British rock
British rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by The Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the development of American music and rock music across the...
, Japan and other area, accompaning the grand presentation of traditional Chinese music
Guoyue
Guoyue is a modernized form of Chinese traditional music written or adapted for some form of grand presentation, usually through a large orchestra of Chinese instruments. It was created in mainland China beginning in the early 20th century and is frequently broadcast on radio and television in the...
.
The Northwest Wind (1980s–1989)
Chinese Rock had its origins in Northwest WindNorthwest Wind
Northwest Wind is a style of music which emerged on the popular music scene in mainland China from the northwestern or xibei portion of China specifically from the Shanxi, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The style is a western-style fast tempo, strong beat and extremely aggressive bass lines that is...
(西北风, xibeifeng) style of music, which emerged as a main genre in Mainland China. The new style was triggered by two new songs, "Xintianyou" (信天游) and "Nothing To My Name
Nothing To My Name
"Nothing to My Name" is the English title of a 1986 Mandarin-language rock song by Cui Jian. It is widely considered Cui's most famous and most important work, and one of the most influential songs in the history of the People's Republic of China, both as a seminal point in the development of...
" (一无所有), both of which drew heavily on the folk song traditions of northern Shaanxi Province in the northwest. They combined this with a western-style fast tempo, strong beat and extremely aggressive bass lines. In contrast to the mellow cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
style, Northwest Wind songs were sung loudly and forcefully. It represented the musical branch of the large-scale Root-Seeking (寻根, xungen) cultural movement that also manifested itself in literature and in film. Cui Jian
Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist. Affectionately called "Old Cui" , he is considered to be a pioneer in Chinese rock music and one of the first Chinese artists to write rock songs...
's Northwest Wind album Rock 'N' Roll on the New Long March
Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March
Rock 'N' Roll on the New Long March is a 1989 album by Cui Jian, the so-called "Father of Chinese Rock". It is technically his second album , but he considers it his first and does not acknowledge the previous one...
, which included "Nothing To My Name", has been called "China's first rock album".
Many Northwest Wind songs were highly idealistic and heavily political, parodying or alluding to the revolutionary songs of the Communist state, such as "Nanniwan
Nanniwan
Nanniwan is a revolutionary song written in 1943 with lyrics by communist playwright and poet He Jingzhi and music by Ma Ke. It was made popular by the Communist Party of China and continues to be one of the most recognisable songs in the People's Republic of China.Nanniwan is a gorge about 90km...
" (南泥湾) and "The Internationale
The Internationale
The Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
" (国际歌). It is, however, associated with the non-Communist national music
Guoyue
Guoyue is a modernized form of Chinese traditional music written or adapted for some form of grand presentation, usually through a large orchestra of Chinese instruments. It was created in mainland China beginning in the early 20th century and is frequently broadcast on radio and television in the...
side instead of the revolutionary side. The music reflected dissatisfaction among Chinese youth, as well as the influence of western ideas such as individuality and self-empowerment. Both music and lyrics articulated a sense of pride in the power of the northwest's peasantry. Songs such as "Sister Go Boldly Forward" (妹妹你大胆的往前走) came to represent an earthy, primordial masculine image of Mainland China, as opposed to the soft, sweet, polished urban gangtai
Gangtai
Gangtai is a term derived from the shortened word of "Kong" and "Tai". It is generally used to describe C-pop songs, artists or music from Hong Kong or Taiwan.-Terminology:The term is synonymous with post-1960 cantopop or post-1970 mandopop...
style.
Prison songs (1988–1989)
"Prison Songs" (囚歌) became popular in 1988 and early 1989, parallel to the Northwest Wind style. The fad was initiated by Chi Zhiqiang (迟志强), who wrote lyrics about his time in jail and set them to folk melodies from northeast China. In contrast to Northwest Wind songs, prison songs were slow, "weepy" and invoked negative role models, often using vulgar language and expressing despair and cynicism. Their non-conformist values are apparent in such songs as "Mother Is Very Muddle-Headed" and "There Is Not a Drop of Oil in the Dish". The popularity of these songs reflected the fact that many people in China during the 1980s became tired of official artistic representations and discourse. The patrons of prison songs were the urban youth, and private entrepreneurs, who at that time were mostly from marginal backgrounds.Birth of Chinese rock and roll (1984)
The birthplace of Chinese rock was in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. As the nation's capital, the music was highly politicised and open to a range of foreign influences. It was marginal for most of the 80s, consisting of live performances in small bars and hotels. The music was almost exclusively for the domain of university students and "underground" bohemian circles. In late 1989 and early 1990 Chinese rock partially emerged into mainstream music as a combination of the Northwest Wind and prison song fads.
The first Chinese rock song was arguably the Northwest Wind anthem "Nothing To My Name", first performed in 1984 by Cui Jian
Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist. Affectionately called "Old Cui" , he is considered to be a pioneer in Chinese rock music and one of the first Chinese artists to write rock songs...
, widely recognised as the father of Chinese rock. The song introduced into post-revolutionary China a whole new ethos that combined individualism, direct and bold expression. It soon came to symbolise the frustration harboured by a disillusioned generation of young intellectuals who grew cynical about Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and critical of China's traditional and contemporary culture. It also expressed, even for older Chinese, a dissatisfaction with unrealized promises of the Chinese regime.
In the spring of 1989, "Nothing To My Name" became the de facto anthem of the student protestors at Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
. Additionally, in May and July of that year, three of China's famous rock bands were established: Breathing (Huxi, 呼吸), Cobra
Cobra (band)
Cobra is an all-female rock band from Beijing, China. The band formed in 1989, becoming the first all-female rock band in mainland China. With only one album out, they disbanded in the late 1990s. Their style was a gloomy type of blues rock with a slight touch of New Wave dreamscape...
(眼镜蛇), and Zang Tianshuo's (臧天朔) 1989. Earlier rock music groups include "Infallible" (Budaoweng 不倒翁), formed by Zang Tianshuo and Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(Tang Chao, 唐朝) lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ding Wu (丁武), and probably the most famous of all Chinese rock bands: "Black Panther" (Hei Bao 黑豹), originally fronted by China's alternative music pioneer Dou Wei
Dou Wei
Dou Wei is a Chinese musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Dou Wei is a multi-instrumentalist and produces music across many genres. He first came to prominence as a member of the heavy rock group Black Panther . His album Dark Dreams draws influences from The Cure and Bauhaus, was a landmark...
(窦唯).
Popular Chinese rock (1990–1993)
After the Tian'anmen Square protests, rock became part of general urban youth culture in China. Its rise from marginality was celebrated on 17 and 18 February 1990, when Beijing's largest ever all-rock concert was held in the Capital Gymnasium, one of the city's largest halls. The concert featured six rock bands, among them are Cui Jian's ADO and Tang DynastyTang Dynasty (band)
Tang Dynasty is a Chinese ethnic-art rock and prog-metal band that is often credited as being the first heavy metal band in China.-Biography:...
(唐朝). The criterion that the organisers set as qualification to participate was "originality", generally a Western artistic ethos.
Chinese rock reached a peak of creativity and popularity between 1990 and 1993. In 1991, the glam metal band Black Panther released their self-titled debut album. With glossy production and hard rock melodies backing the sincere voice of lead singer Dou Wei, it featured hit singles such as "Don't Break My Heart and "Ashamed". A year later, the album went onto sell more than 1,000,000 copies in China, a standard never before achieved in Chinese rock history. Another band, Tang Dynasty, whose style was comparable to British heavy metal, successfully broke another barrier. Their singles "9/4 (a reference to the song's time signature)", "The Sun", and "Choice" climbed the charts. Once again, it was not until 1992, that their debut "A Dream Return To Tang Dynasty" sold over 2,000,000 copies throughout Asia, including Japan, Korea, and the Southeast. From there, other previously formed rock bands, such as the first all female band, "Cobra", and hard rockers "The Face" (each established in 1989), achieved greater success than ever. In addition, dozens of newer bands formed during the peak of their success, and rock music was performed on a regular basis. Big name artists and bands were featured in media such as CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
and MTV, while other lesser known acts made a presence in small-scale, underground rock parties. The core participants in rock subculture adopted characteristic nonconformist appearance and behaviour. These included glam rock styles: pretty face, long hair, jeans, silver metal ornaments, black leather coats, as well as emerging grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
styles: Flannel shirts, and do it yourself ethics
DIY ethic
The DIY ethic refers to the ethic of self-sufficiency through completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are more experienced or able complete them for one's behalf. It promotes the idea that an ordinary person can learn to do more than he or she thought was possible...
, coupled with a carefree, hippie-style behaviour. The decline of Northwest Wind and simultaneous rise of rock music represented a shift in the attitude of many of China's intellectuals. Nostalgia changed into an unequivocally fierce negation, a sense of alienation from China's traditional and rural culture.
Rock goes underground, earns newfound respect (1994/1997)
By 1994, mainstream popularity of Chinese rock slowly began to decline. This can only be attributed to strict censorshipCensorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
by the Communist party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
, such as the banning of rock from television and restrictions on performances. More importantly, the decline of rock reflected the general lack of interest in politicised cultural products, thoughts, or behaviour. People became more interested in engaging with the market economy, making money and improving their living standard. Cross-border cultural exchange facilitated by increased economic openness, and the radical commercialisation of the music industry in the mid-90s both lead to the import of overseas music, particularly from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
singers such as Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
were backed up by well-resourced record companies and could raise revenues from film-making and advertising, two sources usually rejected by Chinese rock musicians. Moreover, the level of censorship imposed on c-pop
C-pop
C-pop is an abbreviation for Chinese popular music , a loosely defined musical genre by artists originating from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Others come from countries where the Chinese language is used by a large number of the population, such as Singapore and Malaysia...
was less damaging, since gangtai
Gangtai
Gangtai is a term derived from the shortened word of "Kong" and "Tai". It is generally used to describe C-pop songs, artists or music from Hong Kong or Taiwan.-Terminology:The term is synonymous with post-1960 cantopop or post-1970 mandopop...
culture is more independent from mainland culture. With the tragedy of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
's death, a whole new scene had emerged in the underground.
During 1994, former Black Panther frontman Dou Wei released "Dark Dreams" with his new band "The Dreaming". This album marked a complete departure from his "glam metal" days. Instead, this album put more emphasis on thicker, and more jangly guitars. Another change was that Dou started singing in a thin, almost apathetic drone-like voice. He also began experimenting with gothic and electronic sounds, and earned a whole new kind of respect, as well as credibility in the alternative nation. Another unlikely figure in the scene was the father of Chinese rock himself, Cui Jian
Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist. Affectionately called "Old Cui" , he is considered to be a pioneer in Chinese rock music and one of the first Chinese artists to write rock songs...
. A rare compilation album, titled "Rock Pioneers" was also released. The album showcased raw, rather unorthodox playing styles, as well as a rejection (even sometimes a mockery) of mainstream rock music. With the exception of Dream, the only band on the compilation to achieve mainstream success was Thin Man, who went on to revitalize rock back into the masses. Self-styled punk He Yong fiercely resisted mainstream culture and their cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
imitators on the mainland. His only album, "Garbage Dump", was embraced by troubled Chinese youth, and earned him an enormous cult following. In 1995, a handful of younger punk bands (Brain Failure
Brain Failure
Brain Failure is a punk rock band that is based in Beijing, China. The band's music is influenced by bands such as The Clash and Rancid. Their lyrical subject matter covers politics and personal politics. They have toured with Dropkick Murphys, The Business, and The Unseen from Boston,...
, Reflector, A Jerks, and 69) produced an album called "Wuliao Contingent," (无聊军队, better translated as "Battalion of Boredom") representing the boredom and frustration collectively felt within the urban landscape. At the forefront was Brain Failure, the most successful of these bands, who continue to tour the world with their ska/punk sound. English is used to both express what Chinese lyrics cannot, and also to crossover to the western music market. One of the significant turning points for rock was Cui Jian
Cui Jian
Cui Jian is a Beijing-based Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist. Affectionately called "Old Cui" , he is considered to be a pioneer in Chinese rock music and one of the first Chinese artists to write rock songs...
's performance with The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in 2003 at the age of 42. It opened the genre to the rest of the world for the first time.
Rock Revival (2000–present)
From 2000 to 2004 post punk and extreme metalExtreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
entered the underground scene and ascended among the fans. In 2004–2005, Beijing's Joyside went on their first tour of China. American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmmaker Kevin Fritz followed them to make the film Wasted Orient. It was released on DVD in 2007 by Plexifilm
Plexifilm
Plexifilm is an independent DVD label and film production company co-founded by Gary Hustwit and Sean Anderson in 2001...
. The film is China's version of Decline Of Western Civilization. It depicts comically the pitfalls associated with trying to tour a country that has little taste for Rock n' Roll music. In this film the original line-up of Joyside including Bian Yuan, Liu Hao, Fan Bo, Yang Yang, & Xin Shuang shows these colorful characters drowning away in alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
is both hilarious and depressing at the same time. The film also includes some of Joyside's early music, which brought them some recognition. The film Wasted Orient is non-political, and strays away from making any superficial social commentary. While Joyside is not particularly known for the talent, the film present Chinese rock music in the new millennium in the most authentic, raw, and genuine form.
- Director Kevin Fritz:
Presently, Chinese Rock has a new forum in the popular Television program, Pepsi Battle of the Bands, 百事群音 http://pepsi.sina.com.cn/index.php a weekly Live program featuring top 10 Rock bands from all over China who compete for weekly survival. Each Episode features guest Celebrities such as, Cui Jian (崔健), Paul Wong (黄贯中), Richie JEN (任贤齐), Wang Feng (汪峰), Fan Van (范逸臣), Jolin （蔡依林）, Mayday (五月天), and Show Luo (罗志祥）to name a few. The show is sponsored by Pepsi, and produced by Ato Ato Integrated Media.
The Beijing Midi Modern School of Music and Music Festival
Another important step in the development of Chinese rock music had been the Beijing Midi School of MusicBeijing Midi School of Music
The Beijing Midi School of Music is a music school in Beijing, China, established in 1993. It is the first music school in China whose curriculum focuses on such modern musical genres as rock, jazz, blues, pop, Latin, country, funk, and fusion.The school's mission is "to promote an artistic and...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Established 1993 by Zhang Fan, it was the first school in China offering classes for jazz music and rock music. Started as a school festival in 1999, the Midi Modern Music Festival
Midi Modern Music Festival
Midi Modern Music Festival is China's largest rock music festival. Since its inauguration in 1997 it has been held each year in Beijing during the May holiday , with some breaks in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
advanced to the largest rock music festival in China with up to 80000 visitors and over 100 bands. Both the school and the festival supported the underground scene in China and opened the door for over 18 foreign bands in 2006 to perform at the festival and throughout the country. (i.e. Alev, Monokino, Yokohama Music Association, The Wombats, etc.). 1
In addition to the Midi school, the Painkiller Heavy Music Magazine
Painkiller Magazine
Painkiller Magazine is China's first heavy music magazine and a legally registered enterprise for print media productions by Chinese State Authority....
started efforts to bring bands such as Edguy
Edguy
-Demos, AFM years :Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for Mr. Edgar Siedschlag, their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of...
, Lacrimosa
Lacrimosa
Lacrimosa is a duo led by German Tilo Wolff, the main composer, and Finnish Anne Nurmi, currently based in Switzerland, but originally from Germany...
and Hatesphere
Hatesphere
Hatesphere is a Danish death and thrash metal band from Aarhus. The band was formed in 1998 by guitarist Peter “Pepe” Hansen. As of 2010, the band consists of vocalist Esben "Esse" Hansen, guitarists Peter “Pepe” Hansen, and Jakob Nyholm, bass player Jimmy Nedergaard and drummer Mike Park. The band...
to China and organized China tours for them. Especially in the metal and gothic genre these tours are considered milestones in China.
The 2008 Olympics and the Sichuan earthquake
A major drawback for the music scene in general was the cancellation of several events leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games, including the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
. The 2008 Midi Modern Music Festival was cancelled (cancellation note) and delayed to October 2008, the Soilwork gig (preannouncement) had to be cancelled, as the band did not receive their visas and the German Esplanade in Chongqing was stopped by the organizers (change note).
The Sichuan Earthquake in general shook the music scene and spawned dozens of "We are together" and "Think of Sichuan" gigs and charity events throughout Beijing and other cities. London Chinese Radio made a Special Earthquake Edition on their New Sounds of China podcast to cover this.
Artists
Solo
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Wang Feng (singer) Wang Feng is a Chinese rock musician. He was the founder and lead singer of the band No. 43 Baojia Street. After two albums "No. 43 Baojia Street" and "No. 43 Baojia Street 2" , he signed a solo contract with Warner Music Beijing Co., Ltd. The third album "Fireworks" was the beginning of his... Wang Lei Wang Lei is a Chinese professional Go player.- Biography :Lei started to learn Go a little late in Eastern terms, at the age of 9. Lei became a pro in 1989 when he was just 12 years old. He has risen up the ranks and currently sits at 8 dan. He is a disciple of Nie Weiping.- Titles & runners-up :... Xu Wei (musician) Xǔ Wēi is one of the best known rock musicians in China. He was born and raised in Pangliu village, near Xi'an.In 1984, Xǔ Wēi began learning to play the guitar at the age of sixteen, when he started high school. In April 1986, he attended the first guitar-singing competition in Xi'an, and won... Yang Pei-An Yang Pei-An , also known as Roger Yang, is a Taiwanese rock singer known for breaking out as an "undiscovered" talent at the age of 35 in the Taiwanese music industry with the hit song, "I Believe" that established his powerhouse, octave-jumping vocal skills, leading him to be dubbed as the "Iron... (杨培安) Zhang Chu Zhang Chu is a Chinese musician who was born in Xi'an, Shaanxi.Lauded by many as "the most lonesome singer-poet", Zhang Chu has remained a prominent figure on Chinese rock scene despite not releasing a new album since 1997... Zheng Jun Zheng Jun is Chinese rock music singer. Originally from Xi'an, he attended university in Hangzhou. His first album, entitled Naked , was released by Red Star Productions in 1993, achieving immediate success... |
Bands
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Lonely China Day -Music:The marquee band of the Tag Team Records label, Lonely China Day has a sound that has been compared to that of Sigur Rós, due to a use of methodical, droning guitars and non-English lyrics. Lead singer Deng Pei performs in the Mandarin language, drawing some of his lyrics from ancient... Overload (Chinese rock band) Overload is the first thrash metal band of Chinese rock. Gao Qi , the former guitarist and songwriter of the band The Breathing , set up his own band Overload with guitarist Han Hongbin , Li Yanliang , bassist Wang Xueke and drummer Zhao Muyang , who were said to be the most talented heavy rock... ("超载" Chaozai) Ping Pung Ping Pung is a Hong Kong-based Cantonese pop-rock group. Gathered by Gold Label in Summer of 2003, the group consists of four members: Kary Ng as the lead singer, Jan and Jerry Lee and DJ Tin "Tim" Ho... P.K. 14 P.K. 14 is a Chinese rock band composed of vocalist Yang Haisong , Xu Bo on guitar, bassist Shi Xudong , and drummer Jonathan Leijonhufvud . Their post-punk, indie rock musical style has been influential on the Chinese rock scene since their first album was released in 2001, making them "elder... Queen Sea Big Shark Queen Sea Big Shark are a Beijing based Chinese indie rock band. The group consists of lead singer and keyboardist Fu Han , guitarist Cao Pu , bassist Wang Jinghan , and drummer Xiao Wu . The group formed in 2005... ("后海大鲨鱼") Second Hand Rose Band Second Hand Rose is a Chinese rock band from Beijing, China. The band is known for its bold combination of traditional Chinese instruments with solid rock & roll fundamentals. The influence of traditional Chinese folk music can be clearly felt in the singing of leadsinger Liang Long and the usage... ("二手玫瑰" Ershou Meigui) Shin (band) Shin is a Taiwanese five-man Mandopop rock band who debuted in 2002 with their self-titled album, Shin . The name 'Shin' came from the groups's former lead vocalist, Shin. Other members include guitarist Chris, bass player Max, keyboard player Tomi, and drummer Michael... (信乐团) Silver Ash Silver Ash is a visual kei band from China. They formed in the year 2000 and are located in Beijing. Their music is a mix of British rock, hard rock, glam rock and goth rock. The original line-up included Ling , Lucy , Nancy , Hong , and Zhen . Despite some members using feminine names, all... ("银色灰尘" Yinse Huichen) Tang Dynasty (band) Tang Dynasty is a Chinese ethnic-art rock and prog-metal band that is often credited as being the first heavy metal band in China.-Biography:... ("唐朝" Tang Chao) Yaksa (band) Yaksa is a Chinese nu metal band that became active in the Beijing Rock scene in 1997.Yaksa was among the first of the wave of metal bands that appeared on the largely underground rock scene in Beijing in the late 90's. Its original members all came from the interior province of Sichuan... ("夜叉" Yecha) |
See also
- Midi Modern Music FestivalMidi Modern Music FestivalMidi Modern Music Festival is China's largest rock music festival. Since its inauguration in 1997 it has been held each year in Beijing during the May holiday , with some breaks in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
- Beijing Pop FestivalBeijing Pop FestivalThe Beijing Pop Festival is a rock music festival held in Beijing, China's Chaoyang Park each September since 2005. It features rock bands from China as well as from overseas....
- Modern Sky FestivalModern Sky FestivalThe Modern Sky Festival is an outdoor rock music festival in Beijing, China, organized by the Modern Sky record label....
- C-popC-popC-pop is an abbreviation for Chinese popular music , a loosely defined musical genre by artists originating from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Others come from countries where the Chinese language is used by a large number of the population, such as Singapore and Malaysia...
- CantopopCantopopCantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
- MandopopMandopopMandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...
- Hong Kong indie
Compilations
- 2003 - Beijing Band 2001: New Rock Bands from the People's Republic of China. Kemaxiu Music.
External links
- Band forming timeline since 1984
- timeline of all Chinese rock/punk/metal records over the last 20 years
- Chinese Rock Database (Japanese, some English)
- Rock in China (detailed archive about Chinese rock music in English)
- Rock in China - Wiki (wiki system about Chinese rock music in English)
- Heavy Metal Magazine from China: Painkiller Mag
- Beijing Beat Regular column on the Chinese Music Scene.
- Live at the Forbidden City Musician/author Dennis ReaDennis ReaDennis Rea is an American guitarist, writer and music event organizer currently living in Seattle. Rea first came to prominence as a member of the electronic music group Earthstar in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is probably best known in the West as a musician for his work with the quintet...
's memoir of the early Chinese rock scene. - "A History of Chinese Rock: Post-Punk, Post-Politics and Post-Putonghua" An analysis of the stylistic development of rock in China
Radio stations playing Chinese rock
- 华流另类AllChinaAlternative http://www.live365.com/stations/bluemonty2
- 伦敦华语 London Chinese Radio http://www.londonhuayu.co.uk/
Listening
- Interview with Dennis Rea about early Chinese rock, from KUOW, November 9, 2006
- "A History of Chinese Rock: Post-Punk, Post-Politics and Post-Putonghua" An analysis of the stylistic development of rock in China Paul Kendall April 2009