Red Rock

October 15, 2011

One does not usually associate rock 'n' roll with China, but a passion for this music has been growing there since the post-Mao era, when yaogun (Chinese rock) began to emerge, speaking to the confusion and frustration of the younger generation. From certain defining events, including a landmark 1986 performance by Cui Jian, to the latest Midi Music Festival, musician/promoter and journalist Campbell traces the history of this phenomenon. He discusses the behind-the-scenes workings of groups that molded music from a different culture into something uniquely theirs that they can, in turn, introduce to the world. Drawing from a wealth of sources and personal experiences, Campbell explores the individuals and their philosophies, the cultural conflicts, and the singular challenges inherent in this musical movement--from the artistic to the political--and raises provocative questions about how far yaogun has come and where it is going. VERDICT This in-depth, thoughtful, and well-written book will appeal to those with an interest in rock 'n' roll and related genres of contemporary music on an international level. An especially welcome addition to world music collections.--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2011
China's reputation for social regimentation and tight control of the media makes it seem an unlikely place to encounter a rowdy rock-music insurgency, but Campbell found just that. He went to China in 2000 and immersed himself in the Chinese rock-music scene playing the drums, writing about the scene, and promoting live shows. Like the country itself, Chinese rock music has changed greatly as it evolved from an odd foreign import in the Mao years to an independent music tradition and market in the present. As a participant in the music, Campbell is well situated to describe the bands, movements, and subgenres in the development of the music. He also splices in the history of when various Western acts hit the Chinese market and how they influenced Chinese artists. The fact that there has often been a disconnect between when a Western act attains fame and when its stuff gets to China ( Roxette and Air Supply, for example, both hit Beijing in 1995, although they both charted in the West long before then) merely adds to the fun. Excellent as a primer on a rising force in pop music, Campbell's efforts here constitute a labor of love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)