China Rock Manual (Includes CD)

Author: Li Hongjie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The Dictionary of Chinese Rock Music – A bible for rock enthusiasts; The Complete Record of Chinese Rock Records – The best guide for album collectors. The book comes with a rock CD, a treasure for "fifth-grade" fans, and a nostalgia for "sixth-grade" fans. Ten classic rock songs take you into the world of Chinese rock filled with passion, fantasy, and euphoria.
Unknowingly, rock has been wandering in China for twenty years. Starting from the inception of this music, twenty years seem brief, but considering that this music has only a fifty-year history, twenty years is still a long journey. When it comes to twenty years of Chinese rock, everyone has a different stance – inspiration, praise, disdain, or harsh criticism. Each has its own reasons, and none can convince the other. However, when asked how these stances are based on observations, most people can only name Cui Jian, the "Three Magicians of the Magic Rock," and Black Panther. Those who can list Zheng Jun, Xu Wei, and Wang Feng are still paying attention. Those who can talk about Zuoxiao Zucuo or "Wooden Horse" are already veterans. And those who can mention Xie Tianxiao of the reborn generation or the Subs of the new generation are considered hardcore observers. Even a hardcore observer may not be able to truly count how many young people in China have poured sweat and tears into ideals they either fully understood or only vaguely grasped. Until today, Chinese rock has not received the recognition it deserves, and these past efforts have begun to feel like ancient legends.
As endless small tunes keep drifting from phones, one might even doubt whether those fiery, chaotic, and exhilarating rock scenes were just a dream. Fortunately, even if it is just a simple dream, it is now backed by the Dictionary of Chinese Rock Music. Moreover, this concise and easy-to-reference manual collects the complete information of all bands and musicians in the history of Chinese rock, making it clear that this is no mere fantasy.
There are many ways to trace history and preserve it. Personal memories may be intimate but not necessarily reliable; oral history may be interesting but always varies in accounts; archival records may seem dull, but they ultimately become the custodians of objective historical truths, like hard stones that are not easily eroded by wind and sand.