Whether he likes the title or not, Cui Jian is the 'Godfather of China's Rock and Roll". In a performance 30 years ago when few in China knew of 'rock and roll', he jumped onto a widely publicised concert stage and shouted out his first well-known work 'Nothing to My Name'. However, since then, he has experienced ups and downs, well into the beginning of the 21st century. Back then, seeing one of his underground shows was a badge of honor for music enthusiasts in China. Now, Cui Jian is finally going to have an opportunity to look back over his 30-year career with his upcoming gig at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing - where he came into the limelight three decades ago. First up, a look at this backgrounder for our interview with the "Godfather of China's Rock & Roll."

First achieving fame in 1986 because of his signature tune "Nothing to my name", and now called the Godfather of Chinese rock.That is Cui Jian, rocker and musician. He formed his first band —Qi He Ban -- in 1984 with six other classically trained musicians.

His first original album, 'Rock and Roll on the New Long March', was released in 1989. Cui also created a hybrid type of music by mixing rock and folk. His iconic status is such that international acts ranging from Public Enemy to Paul Simon to the Rolling Stones have all invited him to share the stage with them.

And now he's still making waves – and he's still making music. His latest venture is trying to combine rock music with the TV industry. But that has also evoked fresh debates in the rock 'n' roll industry, and also about his legacy.

Rock music first came to China about 30 years ago. Many bands, such as the Tang Dynasty and Black Panther, established themselves in those early years. However, the growth of Chinese rock and heavy metal hit some bumps in the mainland. Far from being in line with mainstream culture, it slid into the underground music scene.

But there's more than meets the eye in today's fast-changing China. Young people kept a creative counterculture legacy going through the decades. Bands like Tong Young and Brain Failure nowadays attract numerous fans. The ups and downs of rock have been strongly tied to the evolution of contemporary China.

However, three decades have passed since the arrival of rock in China, and the country has also changed a lot. Whether rock can still be active in China remains being a question mark.

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