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If you still remember what we said before (yes, it's been a while), you know that in the mid-1990s something new is going on in China. Between a new "cultural fever" (文化热), the apparition of dakou (打口) CDs and tapes, and the formation of China's first punk bands, the Chinese counter-cultural scene is in turmoil. But the story of the musical underground is not only the story of its heroes, legendary punk bands which have aged more or less well, it's also the story of the audience, the fans, and some enthusiasts who started to write and publish fanzines, about local scenes or more broadly about international rock and roll. It's the era of specialized magazines (杂志) published more or less legally, with the backing of official magazines and editors. Yan Jun (颜峻), native of Lanzhou, plays a preeminent role in the development of rock critic in China. Critic, musician, journalist, collector of dakou (see the RadiiChina's article and also this fabulous long paper by Josh Feola), Yan Jun participated to the adventure of Chinese rock magazine, and more particularly this first one, "朋克时代" ("Punk Generation") published in 1998, backed by the official Guangzhou music magazine "音乐天堂" ("Music Heaven", published from 1992 to 2006), and edited by the rock critic Yang Bo (杨波). Yang Bo discovered rock an roll in the early 1990s, first through the hongkongese bands BEYOND and Tat-Ming Pair, whose tapes circulated at the time, but before the apparition of dakous, Yang Bo had to rely on tapes borrowed from "friends of friends" coming back from overseas."Punk Generation" was published for three issues from 1998 to 1999, each time sold with a cassette tape containing a majority of Western rock bands, and some Chinese bands as Punk God (盘古). In an era were internet was virtually non-existent, these issues were an important contribution to the musical education of Chinese youth, that allowed them to choose between the myriads of dakous available on the black market. Here is the playlist of the first issue of "Punk Generation", where we can find some of the most important punk, garage and new wave bands:01-Patti Smith-Horses-Gloria02-Monks-Complication03-Ramones-When I Was Young04-X Ray Spex-Oh Bondage Up Yours!05-Sex Pistols-Anarchy In The UK (demo version)06-Joy Division-Isolation07-The Jesus &#38; Mary Chain-Reverence08-苍蝇-城市生活09-Sonic Youth-X10-Sonic Youth-The Ineffable Me11-Nirvana-Negative Creep12-Jane's Addiction-Ocean Size13-Hole-20 Years In The Dakota14-Babes In Toyland-Untitled Hidden Track15-Babes In Toyland-Jungle Train16-L7-I Need17-盘古-你不让我摇滚And here is the first issue, which contains articles about Western musicians - Yan Jun dedicates an entire article to Kurt Cobain, who died 4 years before - as Jane's Addiction, Jesus and Mary Chain. There are also articles about Chinese bands as Punk God and NO, poems, op-eds, the lyrics of the tape's songs, etc. A very interesting postscript written by Yang Bo asks what the role of a rock critic must be.Download the PDF version here.Between 1998 and 1999 two issues of another magazine, "盛世摇滚" ("Heyday of Rock and Roll"), were published in the same style as "Punk Generation". Yang Bo published a new magazine between 1999 and 2000 for four issues, named "自由音乐" ("Freedom Music"). Little by little, the critics, as Yan Jun, gets more interested by other kinds of music: metal and death metal with Sepultura, noise, or krautrock, which is best shown by the playlist of the cassette tape. The general tone is more scathing, the magazine criticizing for instance the music label "Modern Sky" renamed "Modern Hell", guilty of becoming way too mainstream.1 Skunk -- Jon Spencer Blues Explosion2 Dead Meat -- Pussy Galore3 Satisfaction -- The Rolling Stone4 Tv Spot -- Can5 Nobody But You -- Lou Reed &#38; John Cale6 这个忧伤的城市 -- 王凡7 七十二变2 -- 隐患8 Muzorewi's Daughter -- The Fall9 From Broken Cross Locusts -- 93 Current 9310 Pull The Plug -- Death11 1号通道 -- 周沛12 See No Evil -- Television13 After The Goldrush -- Flaming Lips14 Spit -- Sepultura15 Evolved As One -- Napalm Death16 Morbid Deceiver -- Napalm Death17 Rocket USA -- Suicide18 Turntable With Guitar Amp -- 大友良英Download the PDF version here.1999 is also the date of birth of yet another vert important rock magazine, who will publish until 2013 after 135 issues, "我爱摇滚乐" ("So Rock" - literally "I Love Rock"). But it is a story for another time... For now, here is a one-shot magazine published in 2001 named "我恨摇滚乐" - "I Hate Rock" (which is funny). Again, Kurt Cobain is in the spotlight, 7 years after his death, yet another proof of its importance for the Chinese underground.Download the PDF version here.The two tapes sold with the magazine display a very eclectic playlist:- Tape Ⅰ -Mr.Self Destruct - Nine Inch NailsDecomposing Trees - Galaxie 500Addicted To Love - Cicone YouthCherub Rockt - Smashing PumpkinsCrush With Eyeliner - R.E.MSoultrap - Boss HogI Am Your Boogieman - White ZombiePerfect Day - Lou ReedI Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges(Live)Nothing To Say - SoundgardenRid Of Me - P J HarveyDeep - DanzigLong Hard Road Out Of Hell - Marilyn MansonLadykillers - LushDig It A Hole - U-MenLithium - NirvanaFeel The Pain - Dinosaur Jr.Gladiator - The Jesus LizardTouch Me I'm Sick - Mudhoney(Live)The Girl Can't Help It - Babes In ToylandPlateau/Lake Of Fire - Meat PuppetsKettle Whistle - Jane's AddictionNo Fun - Sex PistolsOn The Tweek Again - PrimusDrama - L7What Jail Is Like - The Afghan WhigsGiant Killer - TADHoliday In Cambodia - Dead KennedysVamos - Pixies- Tape Ⅱ -Intro - SpiritualizedPilot Can At The Queer Of God - The Flaming LipsRise Above - Black FlagNight Goat - MelvinsChatterbox - New York DollsBehind The Sun - The Red Hot Chili PeppersSoon - My Bloody ValentineTiny Rubberband - Butthole SurfersC'mon Everbody - Iggy PopSecret Number - ComeBrain Of J - Pearl JamYu Gung - Pussy GaloreSabotage - Beastie BoysStatues - Husker DuThe Weeping Song - Nick CaveStereo - PavementEnjoy - BjorkStitches - Urge OverkillIt's A Wonderful Lie - Paul WesterbergRun Run Run - The Velvet UndergroundWe're Desperate - XLiar - Rollins BandCannonball - The BreedersCan't Seem To Make You Mine - RamonesBanned In D.C - Bad BrainsI Can Be Killed - Big BlackWrite A Song - The Jon Spencer Blues ExplosionOver The Edge - HoleCustomer - The ReplacementsAndrogynous Mind - Sonic YouthFlying Lesson Hot Chicken - Yo La Tengo&#160;