Nov 03 2009
Beijing Punk – the documentary
Back in June, we reported that some teasers had surfaced of a documentary done pre-Olympics on the Beijing Punk scene. You can read what we said about it back then HERE. Thanks to a comment in that article, left last night by the film maker (we presume), we have been alerted to the official trailer, which you can watch below. It looks pretty juicy and features lots of chat from Maybe Mar’s honcho Nevin Domer (who still plays in a hardcore band as well as running Beijing’s most exciting label) and lots of footage of the most enduring and great Beijing punk bands Demerit and Misandao.
We’re not sure this will receive SARFT licensing for public release in China any time soon. Let us know what you think!! Thanks to Sean Jefford for making this happen.
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Hi,
some more info, incl. website, etc. can be found here:
http://wiki.rockinchina.com/index.php?title=Beijing_Punk
Rock on!!!
Max
I’m really looking forward to seeing this.
Hopefully it adds critical insight and analysis to the scene (as opposed to some of the more recent documentaries that do little save for following bands around with cameras).
you all think it’s badass “wow, punk in China….”, but really who listens to punk anymore, seriously. What is this, the 80’s?
You’re absolutely right, Pat.
People only listened to punk in the 1980s. No one listens to it now, and there is no longer a global DIY punk/hardcore scene. Punk also doesn’t act as a creative outlet for anyone, and despite all of this, “we all” think it’s badass.
How about I hire you as a music journo for my company? It seems as if you’re a brilliant commentator on this country’s music scene.
wow yay, thanks, because Hedgehog is real punk rock man, they’re so punk …
And also Punk and Hardcore are two different things, also the title states punk, not pop punk, or any of it’s variation. So I guess the argument is 1) any of the Chinese bands pays tribute to old fashion punk? (because we all know Hedgehog do, they’re so sex pistols, fight the power man)
and 2) if they do, what’s the point, there’s a reason why punk was born during that period of the time in that setting, is to combat a particular problem, so move that culture in China, what’s the point.
And no, less people today are into old fashion punk music, and it is known that that genre was short live and was only needed during that period of the time (again, for good reason), and again, I’m not talking about any of it’s variations
You’re creating a Straw Man argument, Pat, where you’re refuting a position that no one has taken. (No one is surprised that there is punk scene in China, no one is claiming that Hedgehog is punk, no one is claiming that punk and hardcore and one and the same, etc.)
Forget about Hedgehog for a moment. Tons of Chinese bands pay homage to old school punk:
Flyx, Cold Case, Trash Cat, Misandao, Gum Bleed, Discord, Jason Kill, You Mei You, Fire 6, P-Town and Rustic are just a few Chinese bands who pay homage to old school, DIY punk values.
Punk transcends time and space. It’s an attitude that isn’t confined to one decade or the other.
I’m the director of Beijing Punk. I’ve spent many late nights editing – and I lurk at this website every few weeks. I dont claim to have a degree in punk and I have seen over the last two years just how much people have invested in this scene. I’m a filmmaker and I stumbled onto this scene out of a different project which took me to China. My interest is in rebellion – and of people staying true to their art under trying circumstances. Traveling to Beijing and meeting all these amazing bands reminded me of the fire I had for filmmaking when I began, and that has driven me to look into this scene.
Because this is such a minefield and because my thing is films ( ie people ) not music per se, I have gone to great lengths to concentrate on the people – who intrigued me – and let the specialists decided what is and is not punk. Due to the entrenched nature of musical tastes in this subject I expect there to be a few holws from either side when it comes out – but I also think that the real market for this film is the US, Europe and Australia, where there is interest in this music but possibly not penetration of these bands. I want to see these bands prevail out there in the world and I would like to see them tour. I’ve already privately gotten flak for including Hedgehog – and you are right, they are poppy and fashionable. So Sex Pistols, not. But they do attract attention and I have to admit, I think they have some good music. They provide contrast and you know sometimes I’m in a punk mood, sometimes pop. I’m an alien to this scene and I covered it as an interested observer, not an informed anthropologist with a theory. The center of the film is Demerit, old school punk band – an underdog band if I ever met one and then Misandao, a Chinese skinhead band, an out of place artifact to my eye. Nevin is included so Americans have someone familiar to guide them through this little slice of the scene – and also because he is so honestly passionate about the music and the loves people. I doubt he would ever put it into those words but it’s true. Anyway, I may be crucified because I didn’t have the time or resources to cover every band – or even all of the historic and weightier bands that possibly deserve their own films. But it’s going to be worth it – as long as the world takes a look at this and these guys sell more records – or get more interest. It’s as honest as I could get it and still appeal to an American audience. I hope you all look at it objectively and I hope that you support the film if you can. Because it was made to add to the scene that I witnessed and fell in love with, not to steal from it.
You can email me through the Beijing Punk website or just mail me here – we are 10 days from wrapping the final edit and I am still open to suggestions. Love to hear anything that will make a better film.
sincerely,
Shaun Jefford.
Hi All,
I’m the director of Beijing Punk, writing from LA. I edit all night and sometimes lurk at this site. We posted the trailer link a few days ago and there has been a hell of a lot of interest so I thought I better say hello and add my 2C to the conversation.
I don’t claim to have a degree in punk and I have seen over the last two years just how much people have invested in this scene. I’m a filmmaker and I stumbled onto this scene out of a different project which took me to China. My interest is in rebellion – and of people staying true to their art under trying circumstances. Traveling to Beijing and meeting all these amazing bands reminded me of the fire I had for filmmaking when I began, and that has driven me to look into this scene. Touring in China is harder than making films in Sydney ( where I started ) and that is saying a lot. So I feel a connection to these people.
Because this is such a minefield and because my thing is films ( ie people ) not music per se, I have gone to great lengths to concentrate on the people – who intrigued me – and let the specialists decided what is and is not punk. Due to the entrenched nature of musical tastes in this subject I expect there to be a few holws from either side when it comes out – but I also think that the real market for this film is the US, Europe and Australia, where there is interest in this music but possibly not penetration of these bands. I want to see these bands prevail out there in the world and I would like to see them tour. I’ve already privately gotten flak for including Hedgehog – and you are right, they are poppy and fashionable. So Sex Pistols, not. But they do attract attention and I have to admit, I think they have some good music. They provide contrast and you know sometimes I’m in a punk mood, sometimes pop. I’m an alien to this scene and I covered it as an interested observer, not an informed anthropologist with a theory. The center of the film is Demerit, old school punk band – an underdog band if I ever met one and then Misandao, a Chinese skinhead band, an out of place artifact to my eye. Nevin is included so Americans have someone familiar to guide them through this little slice of the scene – and also because he is so honestly passionate about the music and the loves people. I doubt he would ever put it into those words but it’s true.
Anyway, I may be crucified because I didn’t have the time or resources to cover every band – or even all of the historic and weightier bands that possibly deserve their own films. But it’s going to be worth it – as long as the world takes a look at this and these guys sell more records – or get more interest. It’s as honest as I could get it and still appeal to an American audience.
I hope you all look at it objectively and I hope that you support the film if you can. Because it was made to add to the scene that I witnessed and fell in love with, not to steal from it.
You can email me through the Beijing Punk website or just mail me here – we are 10 days from wrapping the final edit and I am still open to suggestions. Love to hear anything constructive that will make a better film.
sincerely,
Shaun.
Hey Shaun,
I am a freelance journalist from Australia writing a piece on out spoken artists in Beijing. I watched your trailer and my curiosity is well and truly piqued. I’d like to ask you a couple q’s via email.
my address is joelistics@hotmail.com
Shoot me an email when you got 5 min out side of the edit room.
J
Good stuff, Shaun. Looking forwarded to doing an interview, as well.
Oh cool Pete and Joel, I’m totally available for interviews just mail me through my public email which is beijingpunkfilm@gmail.com and I’d be happy to get down to it.
Hi, punk and hardcore ARE the same thing. I am claiming that. Obviously they weren’t the same thing before hardcore existed but punk did (the 70’s), but as far as the existing, international,genuine, undergound, diy, punk scene goes, it is the hardcore/punk scene.
I would also add that, as far as I know, there is no chinese punk scene outside of beijing. there may be isolated bands here and there. But I havent scene anything like a punk scene in China, ad most people here regard it as just a style of music-which is the first clue that there is no scene (to disabuse them of this view)..
I live in Chengdu.
hey Shaun
glad to see this coming to a final edit soon! although it’s been a while since i was in beijing i think that the scene that revolves around d-22 and maybe mars can be defined as a punk scene in that most of the bands feel part of something together regardless of the specific genre of music they might be playing. punk covered such a wide spectrum of sound in the late 70’s and early 80’s before splintering off into popular sub genres, in much the same way the fledgling beijing punk is now. that’s more exciting than watching 6 hardcore bands play a show together.
anyway, as i’ve probably mentioned elsewhere on this site many of the MAYBE MARS releases can be purchased locally in australia in good music stores of thru my site at http://www.tenzenmen.com.
cheers
shaun/tenzenmen
Hi,
good effort sounds interesting film even if on a personnal note these are not the band that would best represent beijing punx but don’t be offended I am maybe just showing my age and personnal tastes.
Filming the punks in Beijing is nothing new , TV reports and documentary already exists for the past 10 years ( check the french/german TV channel arte , their program named TRACKS ) it seems you will provide a fresh view on this and will not make a history lesson of punk in China which is always subject to endless conversation about why you havent covered my favorite band etc… ( and yes why you haven’t done that about 69 from wuliao jundui ? ) .
From a chinese language lover I would like to add that Chinese Punx enabled me to learn loads of bad words the teacher didn’t want to teach me in Tsinghua .
cheers