S/D: Chinese pop

"Are there any Chinese bands that have any sort of influence from VdGG, even a bit?", No, not to my knowledge.

Indeed, there's no native original rock music in (Mainland) China until mid-1980s. I'm not really into prog/psych style but still aware of bands from 70s/80s in a lot of "exotic" places, say Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia...but not in China. It's even more interesting (or non-interesting?) that they almost did not exist in Taiwan or HK where western culture had a prominent presence.

There were a few kinda alternative/art-rock releases in China in late 90s/early 00s, which are so obscure that most Chinese rock fans do not know their existences...not to say foreigners.

Are Hang On The Box still going?

What is the current status of political Chinese popular music - both pro-government and subversive? I'm particularly interested in any state sponsored music/releases and how distribution works if you don't mind giving me a little primer (or pointing me in the direction of some good writing about it)?

Are Hang On The Box still going?

I couldn't care less about them but happen to know that they might have a one-off reunion a few months ago, with only the singer from the original lineup.

What is the current status of political Chinese popular music - both pro-government and subversive? I'm particularly interested in any state sponsored music/releases and how distribution works if you don't mind giving me a little primer (or pointing me in the direction of some good writing about it)?

I don't quite get what you mean...and how much you have known about it. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of "pop music" in China. One is just like what peopl have in any country, and another one might be what you called "pro-government" pop music, which has a much longer history in PR China. This particular genre/style is usually called "minzu changfa", which literally means "national/ethnic singing", high-pitch folky stuff. Most of them, if not all, are employed in country/province/department/ministry/PLA-owned musical organization as public servants or officers. They usually perform at various festival gala/concerts. However, I don't think their songs are "political". Some of them could be perceived as "uninspiring gospel-like propaganda" at most.

For "subversive" song, umm...I suppose that you know the band pangu (punkgod), who's in exile now. After them, I don't know any existence of explicitly anti-government/communism songs...

What is Sa Dingding's domestic reception / reputation like?

Are some of the minzu changfa more interesting / more "canonized" culturally than others? Who should I check out?

opecimmac, what do you think of this thread 萨顶顶 (Sa Dingding)

What is Sa Dingding's domestic reception / reputation like?

My impression is that average people take her as something in between a joke/fraud/shaman and Dadawa (a more legitimate/less popular singer in similar style to some extent). For more avid music fans, they don't really care about her music much.

Personally I find her earlier stuff (electro bubblegum pop) under her original name, more interesting...

opecimmac, what do you think of this thread 萨顶顶 (Sa Dingding)

Haven't touched this album yet. I will let you know later.

Are some of the minzu changfa more interesting / more "canonized" culturally than others? Who should I check out?

Hard to say since I'm not an expert either. To be very honest, I don't think this kind of music is really worthy of digging...However, for some introduction I would suggest (all surname first):

Guo Lanying - Female. Kind of like the "Queen" in this genre.

Hu Songhua - Male. More like Bel Canto. (Forgot to mention that Minzu Changfa is indeed sort of Bel Canto variation in Chinese folk style)

Guo Song - Male. Less famous but pretty interesting imo, more folky in Northeast China style. And he composes.

Li Shuangjiang - Male. He's dominant (even politically) but not so interesting imo.

Li Guyi - Female. Important figure, one of the first who connected with modern popular music.

Yan Weiwen - Male. Regarded as the best male singer in recent decades.

Song Zuying, Peng Liyuan - They are really famous...you could just google them.

opecimmac, any thoughts on 朱之文? also, the winners of 中国好声音; do they generally have any future as stars?

What's yr take on Omnipotent Youth Society, opecimmac?

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/18/171900960/chinas-leonard-cohen-calls-out-political-corruption

opecimmac, any thoughts on 朱之文? also, the winners of 中国好声音; do they generally have any future as stars?

I know 朱之文 but not much, probably like a Chinese Susan Boyle.

I kind of enjoy 中国好声音 as a show. My favorite is Jin Chi(金池). I don't foresee any of them going to become a true pop star in China, say as big as those from super girl show 2005. However, the Champion Liang Bo (梁博) does have some adorable personality, reminding Dou Wei (窦唯). He has a few decent original works (although ripping off COLDPLAY, could be unintentionally). Maybe he can make it who knows.

BTW, 乒乓, are you Chinese?

What's yr take on Omnipotent Youth Society, opecimmac?

To be honest, I belong to the minority who don't like them, or think they are overrated. About ten years ago, I thought that they could be something truly great. But their long-awaited debut album sounds more compromising and cliche than I expected.

You can listen to one of their early songs from "alternative era" here (cassette bad quality) when they were called "The Nico", named after Shannon Hoon's daughter.

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/18/171900960/chinas-leonard-cohen-calls-out-political-corruption

Oh yes if you are talking about semi-protest or social issue satire, there they are.

Zuoxiao Zuzhou is no doubt the most controversial figure in Chinese rock. I strongly suggest the first two albums from his BAND era: 走失的主人 and 庙会之旅 for anybody with an open mind. In my opinion, these are among the best Chinese alternative rock scene has ever produced.

Generally I am indifferent on his prolific high-profile solo career. I can't get the likeness between him and LC...maybe because LC and Cowboy Junkies are from the same country? :) Comparisons to Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Tom Waits... make more although limited sense. I would say Kenneth Higney is a perfect counterpart.

BTW, 乒乓, are you Chinese?

― opecimmac, Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:21 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark

chinese-american!

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/ai-weiwei-is-making-a-rock-album

When Chinese authorities jailed the dissident sculptor Ai Weiwei for 81 days in 2011, they may have created a monster, of sorts: now Mr. Ai has announced that he is recording a heavy metal album, and he has traced the roots of his interest in music to his incarceration, when his guards asked him to sing, and he realized that he knew only Chinese revolutionary songs.

Cannot wait.

cannot stop listening to elva hsiao atm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3IrlF6NpGU

Anyone seen Tang Dynasty? Playing tonight in Wellington.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/25/world/asia/hong-kong-stars-face-mainland-backlash-over-support-for-protests.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Camping out beneath an overpass outside Hong Kong’s government headquarters, amid a sea of colorful tents, a local pop singer, Denise Ho, said about 80 percent of her income came from mainland China, mostly from performances. But for now, she said, there are no mainland bookings on her schedule.

Anthony Wong, another Hong Kong singer who has joined the pro-democracy demonstrations, said two November shows in mainland China had been “indefinitely postponed” and he had no pending invitations to perform there.

“I’m just guessing, but I think they are trying to ban us because they’re afraid of different views,” Mr. Wong said late Thursday night. “They fear that we would spread them. And of course it’s an attempt to punish us, a cold-shoulder treatment of sorts, so we can’t earn their money.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/10/kenny-g-hong-kong-protests/381830/

kenny g too

did sa dingding end up on some tv show, like a duo singing competition where people vote
or i am thinking of someone else

Not even a mention of 小苹果，huh

Oh well here's something else

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxzgwJ8tSE0

just came here to post that. watched it like 5 times in a row with my 4 year old. a "what does the fox say" for this year.

Free Mavis Fan (of Taiwan) download here. Good stuff. I'm still not too familiar with her.

http://www.vegetarianfish.net/m--a

https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1010960/Trove%20of%20Discarded%20Cassette%20Tapes%20Brings%20Back%20a%20Lost%20Shanghai