Zhou Xun has landed on the 30th anniversary cover for renowned British magazine, i-D, the only Asian chosen. In it she takes the magazine on a tour of her favorite rock and roll spots in China. Go to i-D’s website for the making-of video.
More pictures and a guide to the best Beijing rock spots from i-D and Zhou Xun below the cut.
SuperVC and Laure Shang on MTV True Live
In a world where music can be produced with computers, and singing often means lipsynching, there’s something precious about live music – especially on TV. MTV True Live is a series that I’ve really enjoyed. It has the perfect atmosphere for live music (not that it’s really live since we’re not there) – enough audiences for artists to get excited in, but not concert-like, so the artists can really feel comfortable and interact with the music and band.
Artists who have gone on include Yoga Lin & Jeno (Jade) Liu, Kay Tse & Chen Chusheng, Jane Zhang & Zhang Yadong, Zhang Jie & Tan Weiwei, Laure Shang & Super VC and Shin & Li Yuchun. Some highlights from each show, including Jane Zhang’s beautiful cover of Sting’s Fragile, cute duets between Yoga Lin and Jeno Liu, and a powerful duet by Tan Weiwei and Zhang Jie. Laure Shang and SuperVC’s episode is not on YouTube, but you can watch it on tudou here.
Extra points for figuring out what all of the pairs have in common other than the boy-girl pairings!
Jane Zhang with Zhang Yadong:
Fragile (Cover of Sting) ft Zhang Yadong and Impressions West Lake Rain (印象西湖雨):
Tang Dynasty, whom some called China’s first “heavy-metal” band, finally returns. The band’s first album sold over 2 million copies, and then their second album was released seven years later. This time, after an eight year wait, they will be releasing their 3rd album, an EP on March 28, at a special performance concert in Beijing. It is worth nothing that the EP will only be sold at performances venues, and not in stores, and that there will only be 1000 copies available.
Modern Sky is, presently, one of China’s largest and fastest growing labels, housing many indie rock and pop artists under its banner. To celebrate the company’s twelfth anniversary on 12/27/2009, they threw a “home party” at their new Beijing headquarters with hundreds of artists, press, sponsors, the heads of fellow music labels, and other such guests in attendance. Given their humble beginnings, Modern Sky has proven to be a testament to the development of the Chinese music industry, and has much worth celebrating.
This post is a bit late too, sorry!
On Dec 24th Xie Tian Xiao (incidentally also from Shandong for those keeping tally) gave his fans a memorable Christmas Eve, coinciding with the release of his new EP Chinese Zither Reggae Vol 1, with four new songs. XTX, who started off grunge, influenced by Bob Marley later became fascinated with reggae, and incorporated it into his latter albums. In this new EP he blended in zither instruments like the Gu Qin to create a style of “Chinese reggae”. A full album of “Chinese Zither Reggae” is in the works to be released later.
Acoustic Peng Tan!
While some of my favorite idols/actors/etc have been releasing, there’s an interesting mix of other news about singersongwriters aka really artists I like or respect but have a hard time making a full post on because it’s harder to find their songs/vids for recently releases on youtube.
I wasn’t whether I should wait for Kimi’s other two MVs to post but I decided to anyway because thematically, this MV is different from the others. This one reflects Kimi’s deal with promoting Windows 7 in the China market, which might give some knee-jerk reaction, but commercialism is rather embedded in Asian pop culture, even for rock bands (see Mayday’s Fang Si). It also got Kimi appearances on Hunan TV, promotion he needs because Chengtian reportedly spent a ton on perfecting the album.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVtC4ptRPmg]
Mini Pic-spam below of Kimi from his release because he has such pretty Chinese Opera-like features that always makes me stare.
Kimi in the MV for Window of Dreams on his upcoming album
Releases from mainland female Chinese artists were spread out throughout this year, but a considerable portion of the male side seem to have waited until the last minute to release, causing an massive pileup of both albums from the soloists to the boybands, ranging from pop to grunge. Despite the spectrum in musical styles, this still can’t be good for the artists, nor the companies involved which I listed alongside the artists, and as you can see, there’s a lot.
Late November
Yu Haoming – eeMedia
KeNT – ? (EP)
December Releases:
Jacky Xue Zhiqian – Universal/SMG
Anson Hu Yanbin- Gold Typhoon
Kimi Qiao Renliang – Chengtian (Orange Sky Entertainment)
Chen Kun – ?
Peng Tan (four new songs/acoustic album)- Tai Rye Music
Xie Tian Xiao – Thirteen Month Records
Li Jian - ?
Sha Baoliang -
Top Combine – eeMedia
One of my favorite Taiwanese indie bands 1976 released their new album “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” today. I haven’t listened to it yet, but considering I’m usually the late one on the block with indie news I thought I would seize the moment, in keeping with their theme of, in this fast-paced world of today, emphasizing the moments as we travel through time rather than trying to reach a particular destination . You can listen to the 10 tracks from the album here. Buy it at yesasia here.
1976 – 流浪者之路 MV (Their main plug )
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd2jdHsnMkk]
More release and concert news below on Milk@Coffee, SuperVC etc.
After Chen Lin’s death, there was a general sense of loss amongst the mainland community over the “Golden Age” singers, the singers from the 90s. However Na Ying, after a 7-year break suddenly released her new single, called Love’s Journey which she first revealed at the 2009 Mid-Autumn show and will be one of the big draws of her upcoming New Years concert. Na Ying, also Faye Wong’s best friend, is one of China’s most famous artists and perhaps the symbol of the “Golden Age” singers. Her return was a very welcome, comforting thing for many.
This is not from the same era, but Age of Water and Wood have been going strong early 2000s despite some member changes, and used their success to help other singer-songwriters like Wang Zheng emerge. And this new song and beautiful MV are so befitting for this time, post-Chen Lin’s suicide.
Age of Water and Wood - The Meaning of Life MV
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwdTxq-UhlA]
There seems to be a lot of music releases converged in the next few months whether they be the younger soloists, newer indie artists, or the boybands. But with how warmly Han Hong’s return was welcomed along with the excitement over Na Ying’s comeback it’s nice to know that the Golden Age singers are welcomed whenever they feel like returning.