Rock And Roll Culture

When mentioned about the rock and roll, many people are biased. It seems that the rock and roll is associated with drugs, chaos, and many negative and undesirable things. In fact, this view is one-sided. Rock and roll is a positive and healthy music type with strong idealistic and humanistic feelings. Individual negative performance in rock and roll cannot represent the overall healthy and vibrant rock and roll group. Rock and roll has been introduced into China since the 1980s. In the past 30 years, it has experienced a process of budding, prosperity, explosion and silence. In the process, Chinese rock music draws advantages from western rock music and combines traditional Chinese music elements. Rock music is actively integrated into the
Chinese music system through in cross-cultural exchange in the realization of the Western rock music and Chinese native music dialogue, and expended the rock music market in China. Chinese rock music is originated from the Northwest Wind style of music, and became the mainstream Chinese mainland style. The new style was triggered by two songs, “Xintianyou” and “I Have Nothing” , both of which drew heavily on the traditions of northern Shanxi. They combine the music with a western-style fast tempo, strong beat and extremely aggressive bass lines. During 1980s, the revolutionary in China had a big influence on the youth’s minds. After the reform and opening up, the baptism of “cultural fever” also lighted their personality and passion. Moreover, there was a big problem in Chinese society that no culture value exists after the revolutionary. As a result, large amounts of singers began to touch with the rock and roll. It was a good way for them to express themselves. In “I Have Nothing”, the lyrical subject is mainly about pursuing love in the real world that reflects the political and historical in-depth conflicts in the singer’s mind. Individuals wanted to realize their own values through modernity but society restricted their behaviors because the public thought it was unpractical. Singers transferred individuals’ complaints into music and publicized it. The concern held by singer called Cuijian was treated as the started of Chinese Rock music. After it, many individuals followed him and dreamed to become rockers, too. Rock bands are generally based on guitar, bass, keyboard and drum. However, depending on their needs, some bands also deploy and increase their instruments. Guitar is the most important instrument in rock and rolls which including acoustic guitars and electric guitar. And electric guitar is more commonly used by singers. Keyboard instruments were based on piano in the old time, but contemporary rock music mainly uses keyboard electronic synthesizer. The digital synthesizer consists of the keyboard, sound source and sequencer. And there are large amounts of sample sounds stored in sound source for singers to choose. Thus, the synthesizer not only can play the piano, electric piano and organ, but also accesses to string, pipe, percussion and many other sounds. People will feel crazy and suffocating when listening to rock music because it frequently uses electro-acoustic and shock people with a strong irritant. Chinese rock singers still need a variety of musical elements to integrate the rock and roll, such as passionate, cheerful and lyrical. Moreover, Chinese rock music has to add some traditional Chinese musical instruments to show China’s national character and develop a variety of cultural trends in different band preparation. Rock and roll is a type of music that needs huge space to grow up in China. It seems ironically that China has no rock music. At present, domestic rock and roll is only in the underground. Young and fanatical people who love rock and roll always play their own music in small bars and hotels to earn little money to sustain their livelihood. Although many underground rockers are poor, they are happy and satisfied because they can play with their favorite things everyday. They treat rock and roll like their virtually friends. Rock and roll should not be excessive commercialization because of its special character of criticism, but the Chinese rock even do not have their own market, in fact, the formation of the rock market is not representative of commercial. Every Rocker would like to see that rock music become one of the mainstream music in China as soon as possible. The development of Chinese rock began from the mid-eighties of last century. In 1986, Cui Jian wearing a guitar and long gown jumping on the stage of the Beijing Workers Stadium, and it was considered as the first time in Chinese that rock and roll was shown to the public. Prior to this concert, domestic rock and roll can be accounted as nothing. Then the big event was the "90 modern concert" held in the capital stadium in 1900. In this concert, “Tang Dynasty", "ADO" and many other rock bands participated in the show. The “Tang Dynasty” band can be said as the founder of heavy metals in China. In the short history of Chinese rock, it has a pivotal role. ADO band also was the father of Chinese rock music that belonged to Cui Jian. Followed by 1994, this year will not be forgotten by Chinese rockers. During the year, Magic Rock released the “Spring Music" series—Dou Wei “black dream" , Zhang Chu “lonely person is shameful ”, Yong “garbage dump”, respectively. Later in 1996, Dou Wei, Zhang Chu, and the Tang Dynasty band, known as the "Magic Rock San Jie", held a grand rock concert at the Hong Kong gymnasium to push the event to a climax and resulted in more people concerned about Chinese rock. This was the first success in the Chinese rock and roll. Its significance lies in the fact that Chinese rock broadens the stage of history. In addition, as a product of the new sprit and thought, rock and roll had a great influence on arousing the democratic consciousness and independent thinking. Many young people changed their life orbits and started to search for meaningful lives. However, due to various objective reasons, the Chinese rock and roll has been stayed in the underground since the mid-nineties, but still stubbornly growing. From my viewpoint, there are several reasons to cause this result. First of all, unlike pop music that everyone likes, rock and roll is preferred by small groups. Many people think rock music is noisy which undoubtedly limits the development and commercialization. Rock and roll is a kind of music that sang from the soul because it can express all the emotions that individuals want to express. As mentioned above, the development of rock and roll needs large space, but China just does not have this space. Rock music is a rebellious music; it can illustrate the dark side of the society and peoples’ dissatisfaction about world. However, these things are very difficult to get development and respected in China. On the contrary, rock music is flourishing in the United States because its society is advocating freedom. Thirdly, the strong critical spirits of reality and deviation or conflict with dominant values are the most basic spiritual characteristics of rock music, and also the basis for distinguishing rock music from commercial pop music. Rock and roll cannot be understood or accepted by most people, so it is just a few people’s music. The following continues with the history of Chinese rock music. 2002 Lijiang Snow Mountain Music Festival is the first music festival that in accordance with international practice and operation. More than 20 hours of continuous performances and mountain carnival activities make people feel a return to the nature of rock music. During 2004, the theme of “Who sings in the spring” rock music festival in Beijing had performance being played in different places at the same time. It also created the history as the largest number of Chinese rock bands gathering to perform. In the same year, “Chinese rock’s glorious road” rock music festival held in the Helan Mountain . More than 10,000 Chinese youth aged 15 to 40 were carrying tents, large military kettles, binoculars and taking trains to Helan Mountain. Three days of the show with at least 100 million yuan of profit become China’s largest rock show and the most successful music festival. In addition, Midi Music Festival has been held for eleven consecutive years since 2000. Dozens of rock band and thousands of people from different parts of China came to participate in Midi each year. I think the rocker who has not been to the Midi is not a real rocker. Midi currently is the most important domestic rock activities. These are the short history of Chinese rock and roll. The status quo of Chinese rock music is embarrassing.
On the one hand, countless underground bands and musicians have sprung up everywhere, and various genres compete with each other. On the other hand, there is a lack of stirring works for a long time, and the spirit and ideology of rock and roll are constantly being deconstructed. Thus, people lost their initial attachment to the rock music. Here I want to compare Chinese rock and that of the Unites states. Rock and roll is originated from the United States; so Chinese rock and roll can absorb the advantages from USA. Chinese rockers are very poor. The rockers on average can earn 400 to 500 Yuan per performance, which converted into Dollar is 60 to 70 dollars per show. In contrast, the rock banks abroad can earn high profits from performance, such as Linkin Park , Bon Jovi . Each band has an operational team with brokers and supporters. Although some foreign rock bands are mixed with some popular or commercial music, 95% of them are pure rockers. However, in China, many well-known commercial bands who aims to earn money shouting with the slogans of the rock music but have no contribution to the rock culture. There is an unspeakable sadness and desolation for Chinese rock after watching the performance of these “well-known” rock bands. Music is music. Rock is a pure music and we cannot blend it with politics or money
together. Rock is not just a kind of music, but a feeling, a spirit, a state of life and a culture.
The older rock musicians are going to the end of their music lives since they do not have energy to focus on music anymore. Right now in China, rock is staying in an ambiguous period. There are ups and downs in the process of development. After the Chinese first brilliant rock is gone, society is changing deeply and people's thinking tends to multiple and confused. People have to adjust and reflect on their own. Temporary ordinary is the incentive for prosperity in the future. Millions of underground rock groups are developing themselves and are all looking forward to the next boom. I firmly believe that, as an integral part of the human art, Chinese rock will eventually be recognized and affirmed the mainstream society. To reach the so-called real “new music in the spring”, people should publicize the education of rock music and changing their ideas about rock
music.