Subjam Records

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Logo of Subjam Records

Background Information
Name (English)	Subjam Records
Origin	Beijing
Founding Year	2000
Master List	All Records

Subjam was established by Yan Jun in 2000. This label was involved to China's indie music, film and literature. as well as experimental, electronic, sound-poem and more genre which is difficult to define. now it's going on to spread indie music and literature.

Info by Yan Jun himself

When I first time use the term Sub Jam that's 1998. I was in very bad mood because a canceled concert which almost gathering China's first non-Beijing underground rock festival. I decided to edit and print a fan-zine. Need a title, I picked up from my few english words. Sub is related to sub-culture and something just emerging; Jam, of course it's about to make some noise together. This was a one-off fan-zine filled by reports, descriptions and philosophy articles about Chinese underground music/culture. It has spreaded for 5000 copies and still some copies here for request for free.

In 2000 my book Noises Inside was published. I included a compilation CD which contained of some early Chinese experimental/avant-garde pieces. That's the first time Sub Jam appeared as label.

In summer of 2001 I decided to release good music of my friends'. P.K. 14 (post punk), Tongue (experimental/heavy rock) and Wang Fan (avant-garde) were my first artists. Only few indie labels in China at that time. I did (and doing) that in an anarchistic method. without contract, artist hold the copyrights, non-profit and buiding by help from many friends.

Thanks to Xiao Cui and his Koudai (Pocket Music) for cooperation since 2002 to 2004.

Sub Jam released some books and films as well. I had be involved to indie film (especially documentary film) scene for two years. Afterward I was happy to quit and be a audience.

Sub Jam is also became to my alias by some related people.

In 2004, new scene rised. I hung out with FM3, Wu Quan and Wang Fan very often. We had some discussion and then start KwanYin Records for sound art/abstract music (or whatever you call it). Sub Jam stay in the fast blooming indie music scene. That's the story. You know, every story has no end...

History

1993: “Storm within Soul” (debut of Wang Fan), Lanzhou;

1994: “Bring Me To Heaven, Please” (The Reverb, Wang Fan and more), Lanzhou; …

1997: Yan Jun and Zhu Zhenqian (Cholera) opened a music shop called "crow" in Lunzhou, which gone out of business soon. Yan Jun, Lao Mi (Reverb), Yangyang (Reverb) and Guan Tian started to organize local rock gigs under the name of "Crow Music".

1998: Yan Jun curated a concert named "Spring of New Music, 1998" in Lanzhou, which meant to gather underground bands all over the country，however came to abortion in the end, only left a booklet comprehensively introduced non-Beijing underground rock bands—SUB JAM.

1999: Yan Jun started to use Sub Jam as a pen name to release music reviews; participated in the production of Otomo Yoshihide and Sachiko M Beijing concerts; curated and organized performances for bands including Tongue, Fly, NO, Dismiss, Hang On The Box and Lure

2000: either in the name of Sub Jam or his own, Yan Jun organized or co-organized performances of musicians including The Ruins (Japan), Wang Fan, etc.; participated in the production of The Orb China Tour, organized a series of parties including "The 36 Hours Ecstasy Party" with DJ Weng Weng and Li Chin Sung; initiated and drafted the “Shu Cun Statement”.

2001: Sub Jam (Tie Tuo) studio was founded. Fang Wuxing designed the logo. Wang Fan gave its Chinese name "Sa Ba Jie Mo" (add some mustard), which had not been adopted officially. The collection of music critics written by Yan Jun “Noises Inside” came out, the catalogue number of the CD went with it was sub jam 001. The activities of Sub Jam involved publication, dissemination, curating and organization in the fields of underground music, independent films and new literature

2002: The website www.subjam.org and mail group “Sub Event” opened to service. It was the only mail group that send advance notification of the independent culture events in Beijing then. Sub Jam participated in the curating of Peking University Poetry Festival, Midi Music Festival, “New Film of Mainland China” in Macao, International Film Week held by the Central Academy of Drama, "Poet Sound” Contemporary Chinese Poem Recitation in Guangzhou; Keiji Haino and Yoshida Tatsuya Beijing Concerts, Kang He’s “Sparta” recitation;

2003: Produced “The Dharma Bums”; involved in the production of Sounding Beijing International Electronic Music Festival; with Wang Fan, FM3 and Wu Quan, curated "Impossible" poetry recitation of Peking University Poetry Festival； "Boiling Dusk" and “Ten Nights Discussion" series，which became the beginning of the merge of everyday life, artificial soundscape and experimental music.

2004: Involved in the production of 1stDIAF (The Dashanzi International Art Festival); Yan Jun, FM3 and Wu Quan established a new record label：KwanYin Records; at the end of the year, the first batch of productions came out, including the works by 718, Zhang Jian, Wu Quan, The Other Two Comrades + Yan Jun + Top Floor Circus. Meanwhile Sub Jam released the works by 718, Aitar and The Other Two Comrades + Yan Jun. Sub Jam no longer exists as a record label. Sugar Jar curated "Sub Jam party" at Yugong Yishan。

2005: Yan Jun, FM3, Wu Quan and Wang Fan Started Waterland Kwanyin (a free event series for sound art and impro/experimental music in Beijing on every Tuseday at 2Kolegas Bar); started Mini Midi (2nd stage of 6th Midi festival); involved in the curating of "Sound And The City" held by Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy China; 2nd DIAF; involved in the production of “Awakening Battersea, China Power Station”（London－Luxembourg－Beijing); curated “Most E Electronic Sound and Music Festival” (Xiamen).

2006: 3rd DIAF; Waterland Kwanyin, Mini Midi 2006; curated the outdoor sound art performances of Art Beijing Exposition; co-curated Alvin Curran Beijing concerts and Elliott Sharp Beijing concerts; curated impro/experimental music performances series "One Plus" at D22.

2007: 4th DIAF (Dangdai International Art Festival); Waterland Kwanyin; Mini Midi 2007; Get It Louder; co-operated with German improvised music organization Frischzelle and held a series of communication activities in both China and Germany.

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