This post is a bit late too, sorry!
On Dec 24th Xie Tian Xiao (incidentally also from Shandong for those keeping tally) gave his fans a memorable Christmas Eve, coinciding with the release of his new EP Chinese Zither Reggae Vol 1, with four new songs. XTX, who started off grunge, influenced by Bob Marley later became fascinated with reggae, and incorporated it into his latter albums. In this new EP he blended in zither instruments like the Gu Qin to create a style of “Chinese reggae”. A full album of “Chinese Zither Reggae” is in the works to be released later.
What’s particularly interesting to note besides the fact that XTX is attempting to create a new genre with Chinese reggae, is that Thirteen Month Records CEO came out and thanked the company of “Three Kingdoms Kill”, a video game. It seems Thirteenth Month Records is following the uniquely Chinese entertainment trend of teaming up with the lucrative video game industry to bring rock to more fans. “Three Kingdoms Kill” has issued a special version with the XTX EP. The partnership is estimated to bring in 10,000 more in sales for the album.
The concert also included guests also under the Thirteen Month Record Label, like the folk group, Shan Ren Yue Dui, which has received much media attention, from going on shows like “Jie Jie Gao Sheng” and “Happy Camp”.
You can see his cover images for his album, whose design were praised by fans. The CD was mastered by Sterling Sound whose done work for Michael Jackson, and Def Leppard.
Vid thanks to fountainpark723
If anyone understands the whole bit about teaming up with Three Kingdoms Kill better, please explain. I don’t understand the video game industry in China/elsewhere at all, but it seems every medium, particularly television, have partnered with various video games in China to reach more consumer. It’s quite odd, but it seems to be a successful marketing tool. Xie Tiao Xiao explained it a bit more in his douban.
i want an itouch *sniff* need a new computer too this one’s so slow! (maybe that’s b/c i have like 8 programs running)…
Aw I really want to watch dragon tv now. I hope someone will post up the links.
Chinkirox, sure let’s use it… But I’m using my itouch so it might be rather… Hard for me
y is there so many restrictions for the password? that’s such a hard ps to come up w/…
where’s the shoutout box?
is anyone watching dragon tv right now? wow that guy that just sang was amazing! and the random blond ppl performing now…o geez i’m going to to up to 5 waiting for the concert to start
i’ve never been to an internet cafe? is that a actual cafe? or something on the internet? how does mmo work?
… the forum … it’s … so … pink … lol but still love it!
can we use it now? can we? can we?! please?!
What are the size of the forum banners?
Haha you guys know so much about online games. I never even played WoW before- yup I’m deprived
Thanks! Working on the post right now.
Oh, and regarding the video gaming matchup – as a gamer myself, I have to say, anything linked to a video game I like will automatically draw my interest. Now, that said, I also don’t think it’s got much to do with internet cafes, and more to do with the fact that MMO gaming is huge in China (which is why internet cafes are huge as well). MMOs (Massive Multiplayer Online games) like the infamous WoW are serious business in China, and if you could use it to mobilize even half the number of players of any single fairly notable MMO, you’ve got a heck of a consumer base.
@ yelei
Yeah, that’s definitely a major reason why the go to Internet Cafes.
Another one that I remember is that kids usually don’t play games at home or else their parents will nag and scold them :) That was one reason why my cousins and their friends would always play outside.
As for Rain being Shandong’s ambassador, I can see a financial reason for it. Rain is being actively promoted so that means other companies are basically putting up the money to make him more popular.
That’s a lot less work (and money) that the Shandong government needs to put in.
But yeah, it does upset me that they couldn’t find a local celebrity (or even just a Chinese one) to do it.
OMGGG Thank you so much NEPH!!! You’re awesomeness.
She’s not the only one with ties to Shandong (lived there all of the six and a half years I lived in China), and she’s not the only one upset.
Tangential, but necessary note: the provisional forum is online. But, er, the layout… All I can say in my defense is that I am seriously lacking graphics ability, and that it was very much a rush job.
I’ll be tinkering with it as time allows from now on.
http://s1.zetaboards.com/CFensi/index/
Give it a test?
@cfensi
I’m really curious of the reasons why the Shandong government picked Rain. Is it too late for its people to protest lol?
@JJ
In alot of the news I’ve seen, Chinese kids seem to go to internet cafes often since some don’t own a computer.
I really like playing Chinese rpg/ fantasy games haha.
Wow, he incorporated Chinese instruments in his music.. that’s really cool. I always wanted to learn the instrument that he’s playing in the 3rd picture.
@fountainpark723
Thanks, I’ll add it to the post!
@ JJ – Thanks for the info. I don’t really play them so it’s always surprised me the fervor that it has in China, and I guess that partly does have something to do with China’s online community as well.
..oh, and idarklight emailed me. She saw on tianya that Rain became Shandong’s ambassador. She’s from Shandong, and she’s upset, lol.
This is amazing, thanks for introducing this artist to me. I love when Chinese artists take traditional elements and apply it to modern genres and make it their own.
RE: Video Games in China
I’m not that familiar with it, but one of my cousins went to China to startup a video game company several years ago. But he knew that at the time, a lot of people simply didn’t buy games.
So instead, he opened up Internet Cafes and if you went there, you could play the game for free (but you had to pay a subscription if you wanted to accumulate points and other stuff).
It was actually moderately successful, he opened up a few Internet Cafes around China just to promote the game. I think he later sold his company because he’s now in Singapore.
But the idea is that Internet Cafes are a major social place for Chinese youth, so naturally they’re tied to games.
Even my friends in Taiwan go to an Internet Cafe at least once a week.
@Julie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLysBCI9bQ
支持中国摇滚
O_o So many Shandong people lately. Haha. I never listened to his songs before. I’ll give him a try.