Graduate’s China Vs Heavy Metal essay wins writing prize

A Goldsmiths, University of London MA Art & Politics graduate has received a journalism prize for her essay exploring the Chinese government’s ‘guerrilla war’ on Heavy Metal music.

‘Heavy Metal: Too Loud for China’ by Caroline von Eichhorn, a German journalist who graduated from Goldsmiths in 2012, and colleagues Lu Yang and Christoph Behrens from China and Germany was the winner of the €3,000 hostwriter Prize 2015.

Their report from Beijing’s mosh pits saw the team interview festival organisers, musicians, fans and an employee of Inferno – the city’s only heavy metal bar. As they delved deeper into the culture it became clear, the authors explain, that the “Chinese government has declared a guerrilla war on heavy metal. Concerts are cancelled, musicians and fans are being harassed. They are disturbing the ‘Chinese Dream’.”

Caroline and Christophe travelled to the country earlier this year, and after contacting several writers in the country through hostwriter - a non-profit network connecting journalists around the world – met up with Shanghai-based Lu Wang.

Lu told them that in 2015 many concerts and festivals, particularly in the heavy metal scene had been cancelled. “Lu’s local knowledge and very congenial nature opened many doors for us. The collaboration was crucial for really getting into the scene,” the authors explain.

While some heavy or controversial music has been tolerated for several years, it appears that the government backlash against heavy metal culture is growing. Musician and festival organiser Kou Zhengyou’s festival ‘330’ was this year cancelled and cleared-out mid-performance by inspectors citing security issues, for example, despite running annually since 2002.

“The metal heads, with their foreign rituals, don’t blend in with the image of a society that even considers a tattoo on the upper arm 'guai', meaning strange,” write the authors of 'Heavy Metal: Too Loud for China’. “People like Kou attract attention, with their ponytails and black shirts stating their idolisation of bands like Suffocated, Raging Mob or Pupil of Satan.”

The final essay was published in German on Spiegel Online and is now available in English and French via InPerspective Magazine.

Journalist, author and designer Caroline von Eichhorn is based in Munich and largely writes on arts, culture, society and societal power. She is a graduate of Goldsmiths and the University of Munich and from 2010-14 was Chairman of the Young Journalists of Bavaria. Caroline makes films, takes photographs and writes plays, among other projects. Visit carolinevoneichhorn.de for more.

Find out more about the MA Art & Politics at Goldsmiths.