Voice out of the ground

Punkrock is the rebellious little brother of rock music. In China, however, the state has a keen eye for the restless musicians. Chinese bands, fans and labels have nevertheless created a vital punkrock scene in the subsoil of the metropolis of Beijing.

The Chinese punkrock pioneer Ma Jiliang.

On the stage of the Beijing Temple bar: the four women of the Beijing punk band "Free Sex Shop". All mid-twenties. All dressed in black. About one hundred fans have come to see the band. The Temple Bar is a popular club for live music in Beijing: small, dark and smoky. When Free Sex Shop appear, they are still something special, says singer Cui Jie.

"When people hear that we are all women, it 's a lot of attention, but we also hope that this is because our music is good, fun and interesting Sing what's on your mind, something important. "

Punk in the underground

The Temple Bar is located in the Trommelturm district, in the middle of Beijing. Where tourists are pushing through the old town streets and selling street snacks and souvenirs. In the evening, the area with its small clubs and pubs is also a meeting place for the punk scene. A scene that wants to be authentic, explains the singer of the band Free Sex Shop Cui Jie.

"Our point is, you are you and if you're a punk and that suits you, then that's it. And do not be like other people who say: But now it's hip-hop, so I'm the one , Because every time you are at a punk concert, you will realize that there are like-minded people and that makes you very happy. "

Abroad punkrock from China is little noticed so far. In Germany the scene is monitored by the state. Therefore, China's punks are largely underground. Your music has thus also become no mass product. The 41-year-old Ma Jiliang is bass player of the band Underdog and is considered one of the punk pioneers in China.

"Punkrock is a noisy form of expression, and has always dominated the mainstream." In China, rock music was never a part of the mainstream, and it developed from the eighties onwards with the reform and opening policy, because cultural and media did not become cultural More so strictly controlled. "

When China opens up to the West more and more in the 1990s, musical influences such as punkrock are also emerging in the People's Republic. However, hiding, on detours with the "dakou" CD's. These were surplus CDs from all over the world, which could not be sold and should actually be exploited in China, explains Navin Domer, manager of the Beijing music label Maybe Mars.

The state listens

In this way, the Sex Pistols or The Ramones came to the People's Republic. More and more young people listened to this music and finally began to play punkrock. In China's capital Beijing, the punkrock has developed its own sound over the years, says label manager Navin Domer.

"The sound is very industrial, urban, but also very dissonant in many respects." In the music, different sounds, feedback, patterns and variations are often used, as well as synthesizers and other electronic effects.

But the Chinese state is listening. Anyone who is too critical, may not be able to perform any more, or no longer publish sound recordings. The bands often use metaphors, or express their criticism very subtly and with shrill sounds. But because they are regarded as rather unpatriotic and states, punks in China still have a heavy booth, explain the bassists Xiao Hong of Free Sex Shop and Ma Jiliang of Underdog.

"If you're into the music scene, you need permission and should not express sensitive, critical thoughts, but if you're really careful, it's okay and when You are in a small frame, there are also no problems. "

"We've been publishing three albums illegally with our band SMZB from 2006, but this situation will continue to be the case, and in China, it's just that many things are problematic Often some controls - we got used to it. "

China's punk bands are also becoming more and more internationally known. Labels like Maybe Mars are trying to export their music abroad and to draw more attention to the Chinese punk scene. Bands like Free Sex Shop will first be even further in the small bars and clubs in their home China occur.