(1994/1997) By 1994, mainstream popularity of Chinese rock slowly began to ebb, due in no small part to strict censorship by the Communist party, such as the banning of rock from television and restrictions on performances. Moreover, the decline of rock reflected a decline of public interest in politicised cultural products, thoughts, or behaviors. People became increasingly motivated to engage with the market economy, to make money and improve their living standard. Cross-border cultural exchange facilitated by increased economic openness, and the radical commercialization of the music industry in the mid-1990s led to importing overseas music, particularly from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Cantopop singers such as Andy Lau were sponsored by well-resourced record companies and derived revenues from film-making and advertising, two sources generally rejected by Chinese rock musicians. Moreover, the level of censorship imposed on c-pop was less strict, since gangtai culture is historically separate from mainland culture. With the tragedy of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's death in 1994, a new underground movement emerged in popular music. That year, former Black Panther frontman Dou Wei released Dark Dreams. This album marked a complete departure from his "glam metal" days. Instead, this album emphasized thicker and more jangly guitars. Dou sang in a thin, almost apathetic drone-like voice and began experimenting with gothic and electronic sounds. This innovative direction earned him a whole new kind of reputation, as well as credibility in the alternative culture movement. Another unlikely figure in the scene was the father of Chinese rock himself, Cui Jian. A rare compilation album, titled "Rock Pioneers" was also released. The album showcased raw, rather unorthodox playing styles, as well as a rejection (even sometimes a mockery) of mainstream rock music. With the exception of Dream, the only band on the compilation to achieve mainstream success was Than Man, who went on to revitalize the popularity of rock back for "the masses." Self-styled punk He Yong fiercely resisted cantopop imitators on the mainland. His only album, Garbage Dump, was embraced by alienated Chinese youth, and earned him an enormous cult following. In 1995, a handful of younger punk bands (Brain Failure, Reflector, A Jerks, and 69) produced an album called "Wuliao Contingent," (, alternate translation "Battalion of Boredom") representing the boredom and frustration collectively felt within the urban landscape. At the forefront was Brain Failure, the most successful of these bands, who continue to tour internationally with their ska/punk