Cui Jian, The Grandfather of Chinese Rock

Cui Jian is a Beijing legend and the country's most loved rock singer, as well as being a skilled trumpet player, guitarist, and composer. Starting off with an almost Bob Dylan like simplicity with voice, guitar and mouthorgan, he has continued to explore new musical styles with each album he produces. By far, his compositions are the most complex on the Chinese music scene, and most recently have a strong Jazz flavor.
Today he is known as the grandfather of Chinese rock and roll. Despite this title, many people are unaware of who he is. One reason for his relative lack of fame may have to do with an official government dislike of the type of music that Cui Jian plays, and the fact that his most famous song became the anthem for the pro-democracy movement in China that came to a boiling point during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Prior to this, in 1986 he gained some international fame with his song "I Have Nothing." This is the song that became the youth anthem of the late 1980s China. He would often perform the song at concerts with a red cloth wrapped around his eyes - symbolizising the majority of people of his generation having been raised with a socialist idealism that merely masks the widespread government corruption and favoritism that dominated China daily life at the time.
"I Have Nothing" is a hauntingly sad, and plaintive song that begins with a slow tempo and ends with hard rock energy. This song is a China classic, and one that most Chinese will recall. The song articulates the general sense of frustration Chinese had at the time with lyrics like:
I am giving you my aspirations
And my freedom too.
But you always laugh at me
Because I have nothing
Cui Jian spent time in prison after the Tiananmen incident, further mythologizing his status amongst Chinese youth. Nowadays however both he and the government have mellowed out, and he now performs regularly.
Here're some clips well worth watching of him :
"Fake Monk" taken recently at the Concert for Earthquake Relief in Beijing three weeks ago : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXbC2f1BV_Y
"I Have Nothing" Cui Jian with MLTR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh4Xt3a-Pyc
Cui Jian Remix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su63hbpYCTk
Cui Jian Website (with full discography, concert dates and downloads: www.cuijian.com












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Comments
Cui Jian (born August 2,
Cui Jian (born August 2, 1961) is a Beijing-based Korean Chinese singer-songwriter, trumpeter and guitarist.
"Chinese shaking and rolling
"Chinese shaking and rolling music" or "Chinese rock and roll music") is a genre of music and lifestyle. Its instrumentation is typically modern and may be with or without traditional Chinese musical instruments.
Cui frequently appeared with
Cui frequently appeared with the students and was affirmed by Wu'er Kaixi, one of the prominent leaders of the movement, as highly influential among young Chinese of the time.
he is really a good player
he is really a good player of chinese rock...i am just involved into when he rocks....i love it.
OpticalMigrane
My first encounter with
My first encounter with Chinese rock music came in 1990 at Nanjing University, where I participated in what at the time was China's only program allowing foreign and Chinese students to study and live together in the same dormitory. My roommate, from rural Jiangsu province, was an English literature major on an army scholarship, but in other ways he was typical of Chinese university students that year.
1961: Cui Jian, born on
1961: Cui Jian, born on August 2 into an ethnically Korean family, is immediately surrounded by an environment of music and dance. His father is a professional trumpet player and his mother a member of a Korean minority dance troupe.
1975: Begins learning trumpet at age 14.
Cui Jian, often referred to
Cui Jian, often referred to as the father of Chinese rock, gave an incredible concert at the provincial sports arena in Chengdu last night. For two and a half hours, he and his band played to an adoring and grateful crowd, who at times, sang along with his every word. Some of the concertgoers told me it's been 18 years since Cui Jian's last major solo appearance in Chengdu; others seemed to think it was within the last decade.
In the early 1980s, Chinese
In the early 1980s, Chinese pop culture was heavily influenced by the West due to economic reforms initiated by Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping. Cui began listening to Western rock and roll brought into the country by tourists and foreign students. Inspired by Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel, he learned the guitar and began performing in public. In 1984, he formed the band Seven Ply Board with six other classically-trained musicians and the group played at restaurants and hotels across the capital.
1985: Cui Jian first
1985: Cui Jian first attracts attention with an appearance in a Beijing talent contest. Even at this early stage in his career, Cui Jian's songs show a preoccupation with weightier issues than the usual gauzy romantic fantasies expressed in the pop ballads of the day. He dares to address such sensitive topics as individualism and sexuality. To a generation numbed by the deadening propaganda of the Cultural Revolution, the honesty of Cui Jian's lyrics is like a clarion call. And crucially, Cui Jian's tunes rock with an authenticity that other Chinese rockers have not yet successfully internalized.
Cui Jian is largely known in
Cui Jian is largely known in China as the father of Chinese rock 'n' roll because of his prominence in the music scene and the 1989 Tiananmen Square student movement. His rise as a musician parallels the opening of China to the outside world in the era of Deng Xiaoping and market reforms. Ethnically Korean, Cui Jian was brought up in a musical family - his father is a professional trumpet player, and his mother is involved with a traditional Korean dance troupe.
Even before he is anywhere
Even before he is anywhere to be seen, echoes of "Cui Jian" reverberate throughout Fort Mason Center's Festival Pavilion in San Francisco. The audience, mostly Chinese and Chinese American, is emotional and electric, as groups are when they know they are making history.
When Cui Jian, holding his guitar, finally shows up 40 minutes late with his eight-piece band, the audience is totally captured by his presence. Cui--wearing his trademark mop-hair, an undershirt, and a floral-printed jacket--begins the concert with the first song he ever composed, "It's Not That I Don't ...
Cui Jian, China's leading
Cui Jian, China's leading rock-and-roll star, whose songs for many represent alienation from society, brought thousands of youth to their feet tonight at a concert that triggered a rare sense of excitement in the Chinese capital.
Chinese Rock
Until I read this article I never really considered Chinese Rock Music. Thanks for broadening my horizons.
Thanks for giving us a
Thanks for giving us a reason to write.
Feb. 7 night, 2009, Cui Jian
Feb. 7 night, 2009, Cui Jian and the band were invited to perform at the activity 'A gathering of heroes' which was held by 'Mercedes-Benz' at Sanya city. The atmosphere reached climax when Cui Jian gave the finale performance to audience. After singing 'Get over that day', 'Greenhouse girl' and 'Here we got space', Cui Jian gave several encores and sang the 'Let me go wild in the snow' for the excited audience.
Cui Jian is a Beijing legend
Cui Jian is a Beijing legend and the country's most loved rock singer, as well as being a skilled trumpet player, guitarist, and composer. Starting off with an almost Bob Dylan like simplicity with voice, guitar and mouthorgan
Grandfather?
A little young to be referred to as a grandfather isn't he? In the US we would say he was the "Father of rock" like Elvis Presley.
Yeah, he's no grandfather
Yeah, he's no grandfather yet.
7 night, 2009, Cui Jian and
7 night, 2009, Cui Jian and the band were invited to perform at the activity 'A gathering of heroes' which was held by 'Mercedes-Benz' at Sanya city
He played a set of G.G.
He played a set of G.G. Allin's best. Big hit.
I have a DVD for his
I have a DVD for his concerts and all of them are big hits indeed. Cheers!
Looks like the author has
Looks like the author has massive erudition in the subject matter. Thanks you for the news.instant payday loan
A legendary job ,men.Thanks
A legendary job ,men.Thanks for great share.
Great information
Hi, thanks for sharing , a great sort of information.
Chinese rock
Chinese rock reached a peak of creativity and popularity between 1990 and 1993. Dozens of rock bands were established and rock music was performed on a regular basis. cash advances
my comment :)
The audience, mostly Chinese and Chinese American, is emotional and electric, as groups are when they know they are making history.
reborn baby
Thanks for sharing about
Thanks for sharing about Cui Jian.A person with eminent qualities.
regards,
sam - Tax relief
Even before he is anywhere
Even before he is anywhere to be seen, echoes of "Cui Jian" reverberate throughout Fort Mason Center's Festival Pavilion in San Francisco. The audience, mostly Chinese and Chinese American, is emotional and electric, as groups are when they know they are making history.
When Cui Jian, holding his guitar, finally shows up 40 minutes late with his eight-piece band, the audience is totally captured by his presence. Cui--wearing his trademark mop-hair, an undershirt, and a floral-printed jacket--begins the concert with the first song he ever composed, "It's Not That I Don't ...
Wow...It's a rock legend
Wow...It's a rock legend from China. I never hear Chinese Rock but it seems so cool
it seems he has lot of
it seems he has lot of potential.he has good future ahead.
regards,
Salon - Loan modification
Great work mate,i wish you
Great work mate,i wish you good luck in your future.
regards,
Dave - Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
He is genuis when it comes
He is genuis when it comes to music ,i once attended his live concert,it was amazing.
It seems he is someone
It seems he is someone different from rest of the musicians.
as groups are when they know
as groups are when they know they are making history.
When Cui Jian, holding his guitar, finally shows up 40 minutes late with his eight-piece band, the audience is totally captured by his presence.
I see that in the early
I see that in the early 1980s, Chinese pop culture was heavily influenced by the West due to economic reforms initiated by Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping. Cui began listening to Western rock and roll brought into the country by tourists and foreign students and how.
He has a new fan
I have never heard of him before today. After hearing his music - he now has one more fan. Thanks for the introduction.
He sounds like a really good
He sounds like a really good rock player. It sound great. Thanks for sharing.
This is very interesting. I
This is very interesting. I will definitely look into this. After I think about it..the Chinese love American rock. This is really cool!
This has actually encouraged
This has actually encouraged me to listen to the chinese Rock.. would give it a try sometime
Wow nice music....I became
Wow nice music....I became fan of you... really the youth need you guy.. keep up, we expecting more from you
Thanks
He is a really talented
He is a really talented player that had to suffer due to the harsh regime before. But I'm sure that only made him even more famous among the young rock lovers. Rock on!
Beer club
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