Jonathan Campbell

Jonathan Campbell was born in Montreal, raised in Toronto, graduated from Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, and received a Master's in International Studies from the Jackson School for International Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. He moved to Beijing in 2000 to study Chinese and figure out what to do with his Master's degree. Within weeks he began his descent into the local rock world, first, as drummer in several bands and later as chronicler, booster, promoter, agent and then some.

His writing appeared in a range of local, national and international media outlets including The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The Wire, Paste Magazine, PopMatters.com and the South China Morning Post. Over the years, he's taken and sent rock, folk, punk, classical and metal groups to somewhere in the neighbourhood of two dozen cities across China as well as helping a few Chinese bands get overseas. He has worked on and with several Chinese music festivals and produced a Jazz Series at Peking in theatres across the country. He has appeared in many documentaries, reports, books, articles and theses, and attended many international music conferences as part of China delegations.

His website: http://www.jonathanWcampbell.com

He has been called many things:

- "An astute listener, sharp journalist, and excellent writer" (Jim DeRogatis, author, rock critic, co-host of "Sound Opinions")

- "The ultimate Beijing insider" (Jan Wong, Red China Blues, Jan Wong's China, Beijing Confidential)

- A "stalwart of the Chinese music scene" (China Music Radar);

- An "instrumental behind-the-scene (figure)" (Beijing Daze);

- "Hutong guru" (Rockinchina.com);

- The "busiest man in Beijing showbiz" (CLUAS.com)

- "The Dr. [Norman] Bethune of China's rock scene" (Tian Jianhua, of punk band Reflector);

- Kang Mao, vocalist for garage-punk band Subs, said, in the documentary about her band, Rock Heart Beijing, "He's a good guy. He's smart, and knows how to drive a car. He is able to bear hardship."

After ten and a half years, he left Beijing in late 2010 and currently lives in Toronto.

More info at http://www.jonathanWcampbell.com