China's method behind raving madness

Hundreds of Western DJs are performing for ‘alcohol and ecstasy delirious’ crowds throughout China, the Sunday Times reported this week, at large clubs that have opened recently in the ten established scenes on the mainland.

“In a country famed for exporting everything, youth culture is the one thing that has to be imported,” the Times declared, “And what is remarkable is that the authorities have allowed this debauched form of Western culture into their country.”

Skrufff contributor Simon Napier-Bell, who broke Wham in the 80s by making them the first Western pop group to play in China, was unsurprised, however, pointing out ‘the Chinese government are very practical.’

“They know what they can and can't control, so with something like youth club culture they'd rather it went ahead; they know where it's taking place so they can keep an eye on it,” he told Skrufff.

“From their perspective, there’s nothing worse than frustrated pent-up angry students screaming at the government in street protests and by keeping them up all night in clubs, exhausting them, giving them fun and letting them take ecstasy and feel good, they won't be protesting in the streets,” said Simon.

“On top of that, club culture will lead them to sex and finding partners, they'll breed, then be too occupied with having babies and looking after them to think about protesting about anything.  Meanwhile the government moves the economy and human rights generally in the right direction so that eventually, hopefully, there'll be nothing to protest about anyway,” he predicted.

Chatting to Skrufff last year the music business mogul described dance music as ‘totally insidious, totally destructive of all good moral clean living, breeding sex, hedonism, drug-taking, lack of responsibility; everything that make life enjoyable and worthwhile’, adding ‘dance is everything like’, though is confident China will cope,

“China is going along well. The government is shrewder, more practical, and far more in complete charge than any European government,” said Simon.

UK breaks star Ali B told the Times he’s been astonished by the changes in the club scene over the last two years he’s been touring suggesting “It feels like it’s a nation that has been repressed for so long, they just want to have fun.”

“There’s so much energy and excitement. But they’re an informed bunch. You can’t just go there as a DJ, stick ‘London’ next to your name and expect to fill a club,” he added.

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