How Does China Rock? Jon Campbell's Here to Tell Us

When asked about the unsung heroes of Beijing’s rock scene, the bassist from Wudaokou-spawned band Reflector blurted out, “Jon Campbell. The Dr. Bethune of China’s rock scene. Absolutely.” If that’s not enough of an endorsement for you, I don’t know what else to tell you.

After dredging himself in the Beijing music scene for a good decade, Campbell found he had a wealth of insight on a community so charged and explosive yet so unknown to the rest of the world that it was time to edjumacate the rest of us.

Red Rock: The Long Strange March of Chinese Rock & Roll is the definitive narration of how rock music has gripped China since the 1970s. This week, Campbell talks about the book and the wild stories within its pages at The Bookworm International Literary Festival. But first, he shares with us his thoughts …

… on what makes Chinese rock ‘n roll Chinese
Yaogun is a product of China. It’s an obvious statement, but there’s meaning to it beyond the geographical. It doesn't mean that it has erhu or guzheng (though some does), or that it is necessarily sung in Chinese (some is). It's the product of a very particular set of circumstances, the circumstances that make China China – the massive transformation that’s occurred since the '70s (not to mention since the IOC passed Beijing the Olympic torch), the social transformation, the recent emergence from isolation, the population’s struggle to deal with all of that (or their refusal to do so).

It’s the stuff that you may not realize you can hear in the music, but it’s there just as much as the guitars and drums (in the good stuff, that is). Like a lot of other contemporary phenomena (film, visual arts, etc), yaogun looks similar to its overseas counterparts, but it’s not – at least, the good stuff isn’t. That’s why I made the conscious decision to call Chinese rock and roll "yaogun" through the book.

… on why he writes
Almost as much as I am inspired by folks that write really well, I am moved to action by seeing mediocre work. Particularly in the realm of rock in China, I saw a lot of disappointing and uninformed things being published and knew it was high time that I stepped it up. My thinking has always been that if I didn’t, someone else would and it wouldn’t be as good.

… on his intended audience
I hope that the international music community reads it. Serious consideration has to start with serious critics. I’ve been lucky to get the book in front of some serious people, and have gotten some great response thus far.
It has to get outside of the China/yaogun community. Of course I want the China/yaogun community to read it: I am, after all, a part of that community. But it needs to get further out there, because yaogun ought to get further out there.
Who I’d really like to read it most of all is the folks that have heard about it and said “There’s rock music in China?” There are too many of those people, and I want to personally change that.

… on who’s making world-class rock in China
Cui Jian has made good and important yaogun from day one (his pop material is important too, but in a different way). Lonely China Day’s latest record, This Readily Assimilative People, (and everything before it, for that matter) is fantastic; the band is amazing and perpetually overlooked. Omnipotent Youth Society’s self-titled album is also an amazing record that’s like nothing else that’s been done. Subs is getting better and better, PK 14 too. Rustic is a blast, and there are other new bands looking to that traditional cock/hair rock that are finally having a good time with it. Duck Fight Goose and the Miniless posse …

Going back in time a bit … Zhou Ren’s 1996 album Squeeze is too often overlooked, and his recent festival appearances blow a lot of the younger bands away. The Wild Children didn’t do a bad thing ever. Glamorous Pharmacy, Ruins earlier years, Wooden Pushmelon, Ping Pong Party, Sound Fragment’s earlier albums. Perdel makes great fun and straight-up pop rock. Second Hand Roses’ debut album was so much fun and they can be so great; Zi Yue is overlooked and in a similar vein to SHR.

I could go on, and then still forget to mention everyone I think should be mentioned. Point being, there’s a lot, but it’s not all out there and/or easily available. I’m trying, slowly, to change that by posting links/samples on my website, which I see as a companion to the book: www.jonathanWcampbell.com.

To hear Jon Campbell talk about his book live and in person, get to the BLF this Saturday, March 17. This event is also sponsored by the JUE Festival. RMB 80. 4pm. The Bookworm (6586 9507)

To hear him play a reunion gig with his old band, Black Cat Bone, head to 2 Kolegas on Friday, March 16.

Photo: Jonathan Campbell