Cui Jian (崔健)

A few years ago when I was in Beijing on a Freeman-funded college trip, we went to a club to see some famous guy (I forget who) perform. Unfortunately there was some sort of delay and he didn't show up for the couple of hours before we got fed up and left so we only got to hear the band that was opening for them. A Lawrence jazz alum whom we'd arranged to meet there told me a bit about Chinese music, most of which was completely over my head because my knowledge of music in general is abysmal (i.e. worse than my Mandarin). She said Cui Jian was "the godfather of Chinese rock" so when I saw a "greatest hits" collection in a shop a few days later, I picked it up.

I mostly like it, but again, being a total ignoramus about music, I have neither the perception or the vocabulary to say which bits I do or don't prefer. My favourite songs are 不是我不明白 (It's Not That I Don't Understand), 出走 (Stepping Out), and 花房姑娘 (Greenhouse Girl). Unfortunately (before I found his website) my only option for understanding more than scraps of the lyrics was reading the CD insert with a dictionary in hand =P

Aaaaand...then last night EK came over to watch some old Star Trek episodes. I let him in, and was putting away something in the kitchen. Walked into my room and found him standing in front of my computer with a "WTF?" look on his face.
"I don't know who the hell this guy is, but he's totally ripping off Bruce Springsteen."
"What? He's from China. No he's not."
"Yes he is! Even his saxophonist is ripping off Springsteen's saxophonist."
"That's Cui Jian. He's the godfather of Chinese rock. There. That's the CD."
"Great, he's even trying to imitate Springsteen's facial expression."

And what has Bruce Springsteen done to further the cause of democracy in China, ha? The students in Tiananmen Square didn't sing "Born in the USA" as they were facing the tanks, that's for sure...

Although I was made much happier by a group of teenagers, who, out of the murk of crappy cutesy acts at the Chinese Students' Association Spring Festival (too many bloody kindergarten baby dances!), actually did a decent job with Greenhouse Girl, although the back-up vocals guy was unintentionally funny...

Anyway, turns out EK isn't the only one who's made the comparison. Although Cui isn't just like Springsteen, according to this article, he's also like Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain. And he raps. So there.

More comparisons:
Beijing rocker wants to roll
Cui and other people in the Beijing arts scene:
Birth of a Bejing Music Scene