I’m having a helluva time finding alternative rock performed by mandarin-speaking artists. I like to listen to music when I study Chinese - especially when I am practicing character writing ad nausium.
I hate listening to pop love songs, Taiwanese or otherwise. I have grown to hate the blues and folk that the coffee shops pour out.
So, I bring my MP3 player and listen to music that I like. But, I’d rather be listening to Mandarin than English since it might help my Mandarin listening skills.
Unfortunately, I can’t find much beyond whiney love songs. I’m not a teenage girl dammit. There does seem to be a sizeable amount of glamour rock and 80’s era metal from China, but that doesn’t do much for me, either.
I’d be grateful to find something in the alternative, progressive, indie genres; grunge or funk… even techno or non-cop-killing rap. Something that will keep me awake but with comprehendible Mandarin lyrics.
Good question. I’ve hera lot but can’t think of any names beyond Wu Bai at the moment. I also like Li Zhong Shen - older stuff with a raspy dylanesqe voices. Quite a few love songs in there though not whinny. Some good Taiwanese stuff out there, too but thats for me not for you.
Hey, Muffin man this is a good spot for you to chime in.
Agree with Chou. I would start with Wu Bai - if you haven’t already. Li Zhongsheng is also a fave of mine. Check out some of Luo Dayou’s stuff too. I don’t know if Lim Giong (Lin Qiang) has done Mandarin stuff… You might like Zhang Hongliang.
Hmm, I’m having a hard time thinking of anything @rocky@ like Wu Bai… (this keyboard is going out the window)
Thanks. I’m currently trying to find some samples (MP3s, RA, etc.) of work by the groups you suggested. Not sure if it’s my bad luck, or the Metallica suit, but I can’t find jack.
Just a bunch of broken links and stupid Flash movies. Speaking of which, why do people insist on Flash intros? If it weren’t for all the time I waste trudging through those as well as closing pop-up ads for porn and high school classmate searches, I could have taken over the world by now… (On the bright side, I have found Flash-animated porn for all my high school classmates.)
By the way, another forum mentioned the following websites which present some great music, but apparently the music isn’t sappy enough to be distributed in music stores:
Sorry to rant so much. I’m generally pretty “when in Rome, do as the Romans”, but I’m way past my ‘sap limit’. And listening to Taiwan’s equivalents of N’Sync and Backstreet Boys while lifting weights at the gym isn’t helping matters.
Sup ya’ll. True dat. I’ll love you forever and ever… even if I have to die and not eat ever. Even if you fall in love with a big-nose foreigner, I’ll still love you almost forever. La la la la la. (Repeat previous lyrics 30 times and speed up drum machine towards end of song.)
I’m into indie rock/pop and I’d really like to find out when the White Label event is in May when I visit Taipei. According to whitelabelfesta.blogspot.com/, they hold a music fest once a month, but I don’t know if it’s on the same or different day every month. It’s probably mainly because I can’t read a lot of chinese, especially traditional characters, which makes me uh, clueless about the majority of the site postings. :help: (oh, I already know that it’s held in Ximen Ding, so you don’t have to tell me that)
I’d really appreciate any info. about it or if anyone’s ever attended this music event.
Can anyone recommend alternative Chinese language groups or artists? Anything in the alternative, rock, hard rock, metal genres would be nice.
The only stuff I have that comes close is: 伍佰, 迪克牛仔 and 信樂團.
With links or especially youtube links so I can hear what your recommendations sound like would be awesome!
I remember hearing a song several years back that was similar to The Smashing Pumpkins, but at the time my Chinese was nowhere near good enough to inquire who they were.
Ya these guys are an underground alternative band, that never really made it big in the main stream circle, but has a huge underground fan base, the sad thing is that they were disbanded last year so no more new songs but the old ones are still quite good
P.S Taffy the english name is actually Quarterback
[quote=“Taffy”]You could check out Sìfēnwèi (四分衛; English name “Backquarter”).
Youtube vid: Xiàngliàn (Necklace)[/quote]
Not too bad, but I’m looking for something more like the Smashing Pumpkins, Live, Coldplay or perhaps harder rock even…
[quote=“bismarck”][quote=“Taffy”]You could check out Sìfēnwèi (四分衛; English name “Backquarter”).
Youtube vid: Xiàngliàn (Necklace)[/quote]
Not too bad, but I’m looking for something more like the Smashing Pumpkins, Live, Coldplay or perhaps harder rock even…[/quote]
If harder rock is what your after I think you should check out CHTHONIC, they are a heavy metal or rather industrial Metal band.
[quote=“crimpster”]Carsick Cars are not bad http://www.myspace.com/carsickcars
They sound like sonic youth and tour with them too.[/quote]
Not bad either. Some nice songs there.
[quote=“Ajuna”][quote=“bismarck”][quote=“Taffy”]You could check out Sìfēnwèi (四分衛; English name “Backquarter”).
Youtube vid: Xiàngliàn (Necklace)[/quote]
Not too bad, but I’m looking for something more like the Smashing Pumpkins, Live, Coldplay or perhaps harder rock even…[/quote]
If harder rock is what your after I think you should check out CHTHONIC, they are a heavy metal or rather industrial Metal band.
chthonic.org/2008/en/index.php[/quote]
Interesting, but industrial metal isn’t my scene. Thanks for the link, though. Strange to see a Chinese band in that genre…
hey guys, anyone know where i can pick up cds for underground chinese bands like carsick cars, queen sea big shark, shenggy etc? also, anyone clued up on taiwanese underground rock/experimental - if it even exists?
There is a record store in the entrance mall to The Wall selling just about anything indie, underground and local. The Wall is in Taipei on the south corner of Keelung Rd., right where Tingzhou hits it. This is in the TaiDa university area (Gongguan MRT). Just ask someone if you don’t know the area.
If you are in Ximending area, there is a record store carrying a lot of local stuff and an eclectic selection of imported stuff. From the MRT stop, walk north along Chung-hua Rd, past the first (or maybe second) street (or maybe lane) and look for a stairway leading up to a big second-floor record shop. There will be music posters in the stairwell.
what’s the taiwanese scene like by the way?
anything coming out that’s as good as the stuff in china? or as original?
it seems like most local stuff is just a bad imitation of international music; not much by way of innovation or just, well, being good, really…
maybe i’m just too out of the loop still
