Brain Failure
China's seminal punk rock band, BRAIN FAILURE sings in English and Mandarin, belting melodic, upbeat ditties about politics, parties and "Anarchy in the P.R.C." BRAIN FAILURE'S power-packed lineup is: Xiao Rong on lead vocals and guitar, Wang Jian on guitar, Ma Jiliang on bass, and Xu Lin on drums.
As the first generation of Chinese musicians since the 1949 Communist Revolution to grow-up in relative political stability, economic prosperity, and exposure to western popular culture, BRAIN FAILURE is influenced by bands like OPERATION IVY, SEX PISTOLS and THE CLASH.
They were the first musicians in the People's Republic of China to shave mohawks and belt-out the dissonant sounds of revolution over power-chords, in the late 1990s. Appearing on China's first punk compilation, Wuliao Jundui, they soon started a punk rock revolution in the P.R.C. BRAIN FAILURE has inspired an entire generation of Chinese youth, and an evolving punk and hardcore scene that is growing around the country. BRAIN FAILURE has since become the first Chinese punk band to release their album and tour widely on the international scene. With the release of their album Turn on the Distortion in 2002, on Japanese independent label Bad News Records, they have toured in Asia and the United States. In 2003, they performed at the Austin SXSW, and New York CMJ music festivals. They have also performed with punk rock greats, including DROPKICK MURPHYS and THE CASUALITIES in California, DILLINGER FOUR in Chicago, and with THE FORGOTTEN in Japan.
In January 2004, BRAIN FAILURE finished recording their second album with DROPKICK MURPHYS bassist Ken Casey. In a Boston Globe article about the recording, Casey praises BRAIN FAILURE saying "I love their music," and that "their musicianship is incredible, and the songs are very catchy. It's real interesting to see a band come out of a place where punk rock is very much underground, while over here it is so commercialized."
With the US release of this album named American Dreamer on Thorp Records in 2005, they have toured with DROPKICK MURPHYS, THE UNSEEN, RAMALLAH, ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS, THE BUSINESS, THE BRIEFS, STREET DOGS, AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY, CRIME IN STEREO, select 2005 WARPED TOUR dates and more. They also appeared on Hellcat/Epitaph's punk compilation, Give 'Em the Boot Vol. IV, and had 3 songs on the Xbox 360's Amped 3 Snowboarding video game. In the summer of 2006, BRAIN FAILURE took off their busy tour schedule long enough to record again with Ken Casey to release a split CD with Boston's BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE on Bad News Records' US label in 2007.
As the irreverent punk rock voice of China's burgeoning youth culture, BRAIN FAILURE has been featured in the international media, including European Levi's Commercial, Details magazine, The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, The San Francisco Guardian, San Francisco Chronicle, Giant Robot, Revolver, Skratch, Slap, Alternative Press, AMP Punknews.org, , and many others. MTVU and MTV Chi, MTV's new Asian American channel, also did a news piece on the band which also lead to BRAIN FAILURE hosting a half an hour of their favorite videos on MTV Chi.
BRAIN FAILURE is one of the only tried and true punk bands to survive and make it out of Beijing, China. Having formed in high school, the band has been crafting their street punk anthems for years. After many demos and smaller releases the band has now made it out of China, most notably, by catching the ear and winning the support of Ken Casey of DROPKICK MURPHYS.
Forwarding a musical agenda of classic punk, BRAIN FAILURE will appeal to fans of RANCID, THE CLASH, and STIFF LITTLE FINGERS. Catchy choruses, strong mid-paced punk rock riffs, and impeccable style and musicianship make BRAIN FAILURE a band that rivals any in today’s U.S. punk scene.