14.8cm x 18.5cm - 32 pages - Staple bound

PK 14 are a Chinese post-punk band who had felt the effects of the 1989 Tiananmen Square riots through family and loved ones. I spent time in their community which had found punk culture in the mid 90’s and only had two independent music labels. Spending three weeks touring China with them and another band, Queen Sea Big Shark in 2008. The Olympics were being hosted in Beijing and the Chinese government were closing independent music venues across the city to clean up its appearance to the outside world. The bands often rebelled against the regime by hiding anti-government rhetoric within their lyrics and band name, PK 14 (Peoples Kingdom For Teens). 

On my last night in Beijing, before flying back, I went to the last independent music venue left open in Beijing during the Olympics, D-22, to watch Carsick Cars. Half way through the performance a shower of cigarettes were thrown from the crowd, covering the stage while cameras from CNN filmed on. D-22 closed in January 2012.

- Ellis Scott