CLUAS Writers: profile of Mark Godfrey
Beijing based business reporter who spends weekends listening to what China's rock stars are up to and writing about it for CLUAS. It's a long way from county Mayo. Bands here vary from promising to poor to pure rubbish. But being a rocker in China is an act of defiance. So I admire anyone who straps on a guitar and barks into a mike on a cramped stage for a gang of pogo-ing Chinese who dare not tell their parents what they're up to. Good Chinese kids never play rock n roll. But Second Hand Rose, Thin Man and - the godfather of them all - Cui Jian, went against the grain, got booed and banned off Official stages, yet stuck around and play good music. 'Hao!' to them!
Joined CLUAS: January 2002
Favourite Authors:
Christopher Hitchens, Martin Amis.
Favourite Bands:
Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, New Order, Whipping Boy.
Favourite Films:
Heat, Apocalypse Now, anything by Almodovar.
Some of Mark's articles published on CLUAS:
Bejing Beat Column
- Asian Rock Festivals
- Promoting gigs in China
- Profile of Chinese punk band 'Hang on the Box'
- Chinese rock magazines
- Ian Brown in China
Feature articles...
- Profile of Madonna's career
- Jim Morrison: A reflection
- The Ramones: A retrospective
- Rock Criticism: Getting it Right
- Interview with Horst Tubbesing
Album reviews...
- Brad Mehldau 'Largo'
- Bruce Springsteen 'The Rising'
- Pulp 'Hits'
- Gabrielle 'Dreams Can Come True'
- Suede 'A New Morning'
- Kings of Leon 'Holy Roller Novocaine'
Gig reviews...
- Brett Anderson (live in Beijing) (September 2007)
- The Killers (live in Budapest) (August 2007)
- Razorlight (live in Budapest) (August 2007)
- Fanfare Ciocarlia (live in Budapest) (August 2007)
- Sinead O'Connor (live in Budapest) (August 2007)
- Deus live in Bangkok (February 2006)
- Maximo Park live in Bangkok (February 2006)
- Morcheeba live in Beijing (March 2003)
- Dave Gahan live in Germany (June 2003)
- Marilyn Manson live in Germany (June 2003)
- Stefon Harris Quartet live in Dublin (December 2002)
- Roy Hargrove Quintet live in Dublin (November 2002)
- Cure live at the Bencasim festival (August 2002)
Check out profiles of other CLUAS writers:
- Aidan Curran
- Alan Morrissey
- Anna Murray
- Anthony Morrissey
- Celine O'Malley
- Cormac Looney
- Daire Hall
- Daniel Bristow
- Daragh Murray
- Doctor Binokular
- Dromed
- Eoghan O'Neill
- Garrett Cleland
- Gav Reilly
- Ian Wright
- John Ford
- Jules Jackson
- Ken Fallon
- Kierry
- Mark Godfrey
- Michael O'Hara
- Mick Lynch
- Niamh Madden
- Ronan Lawlor
- Steven O'Rourke
- Una Mullally