Chinese punk rock is a lot like Chinese street food — rough, honest, loud and maybe even less healthy.

Before I left for China I was most excited to experience the youth’s DIY and punk culture. I wanted to learn why Chinese bands have been unable to penetrate the US market when some of them have played SXSW and have toured with Sonic Youth and most of them rule!

I spent four months in Shanghai studying and working, but in my free time I visited every bar, club and art space playing punk rock (no house shows since there aren’t really houses). While the only firsthand experience I have with Chinese punk is my limited time in Shanghai, I believe what’s happening in Shanghai is reflective of the scene across the country.

If punk rock is a reaction to social alienation then there is no better place for punk music and a DIY ethic to develop than a totalitarian state. While the red star over China has burnt out the side-effects of one-party rule still linger and the problems of state capitalism are emerging. To respond to such a unique and diverse set of problems the youth culture in China has responded with an underground art and music scene that mixes Chinese, international, traditional and experimental influences.

The raucous cacophony erupted out of the country’s most famous modern protests. During the 1989 Tiananmen democracy revolt, Cui Jian, the godfather of Chinese punk rock, taught a generation how to revel in rebellion. In the 1990s punk culture escaped Beijing and spread across the Middle Kingdom, taking the youth prisoner.

With consumerism on the rise, some young Chinese — without even a hint of irony — look to punk to help them survive a turbulent sea of change. Today alternative culture in the People’s Republic has become so potent that Vice Magazine has even opened up a branch in Beijing to cover it.

I chose the following 8 bands because their messages are political. Each demands change in China, from democracy to nihlism. This list is certainly not exhaustive and reflects only a specialized section of punk rock in the People’s Republic.

—

Fanzui Xiangfa

Fanzui Xiangfa wants Tiananmen to burn. Their name means “Criminal Thought” and their songs call for the destruction of the cult of Mao. Most recently the band let loose a booming critique of China’s environmental problems and Japan’s government corruption. The Beijing-based band has no plans to sit down and invites China’s youth to raise their fists in struggle.

Torturing Nurse

“Dissonant, deafening and dangerous” is how the Guardian describes Torturing Nurse, an experimental riot that drives China’s harsh noise scene. The raucous art collective rejects politics in favor of nihilistic noise, urging listeners to believe in nothing. Junkyyy Cao, de-facto leader, can be seen around Shanghai sporting a balaclava while performing with sheet metal and hammers.

Zuoxiao Zuzhou

It’s hard to be a close friend of artist Ai Weiwei’s in China and remain positive. Zuoxiao Zuzhou’s views of China are bleak — “The people of this soil have no hope. There is a big problem with our education. For the past 60 years, people have been brainwashed.” Despite apathy and relationships with China’s most outspoken, the “Chinese Leonard Cohen” relentlessly pushes avant-garde in China.

Demerit

“Why the fuck am I loyal to you/we don’t wanna be your victim of greed/sick of you, no future for us/how many people die in famine?” Demerit shouts in “Bastards of the Nation.” The band is a harsh critic of China’s false promises, lambasting apathy and consumerism brought on by free-market expansion.

Flyx

Brewed in the gritty deep streets of Hebei province, Flyx assaults fans with caustic lyrics and even more abrasive live shows. Surrounded by political corruption, they refuse to buy into what Beijing says urging the Chinese youth to “overthrow this hypocritical world!”

Gum Bleed

According to lead singer Dee, Gum Bleed is “the new voice of the working class … against capital, oppression and discrimination.” In a nation leaving its communist past behind Gum Bleed pushes a revolutionary agenda imploring listeners to not “forget the class struggle.” Gumbleed’s three-minute thrashes give Chinese youth a chance to scream in the face of growing consumerism.

Omnipotent Youth Society

There exists no other band with such biting and incisive lyrics commenting on the growing plight of third-tier cities in the PRC. Behind placid folk rhythms are darker messages exposing the real face of life outside of Beijing and Shanghai. For many an Omnipotent Youth Society show can end in tears.

Carsick Cars

The Carsick Cars are arguably the most well-recognized of all Chinese punk bands. Their popularity exploded onto the scene after praise from art-punk godfathers Sonic Youth. The Beijing-based band, while not strictly political, pioneered a sound for a generation and deserves a spot on the list.