Sunday, December 31, 2006

07.ThroughHerEyes.mp3
今年送给自己的新年礼物是一套Dream Theater’s 2-Disc DVD ‘Score’ , which records their famous performance with the Octavarium Orchestra at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Dream Theater chose the prime way to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band.

Disc 1 records the total process of live that divide into two parts. In the first part, DT plays almost classic tunes throughout their career. First there is ‘Root of All Evil’ from their new cut, hard, heavy riff, labyrinthine journeys that reveal the best of progressive metal, strange and beautiful. The set ends with the gorgeous, nearly spiritual anthem ‘the spirit carries on’. The second part of the performance is more splendid; DT invited the Octavarium orchestra to play their long compositions together including ‘Six degrees of inner turbulence’ ‘sacrificed sons’ octavarium’ and so on. The orchestra sound like part of music and the entire show are top-notch. No excessive parts. Through the performance, DT reveals to the whole world that they are the best progressive metal band alive. They will be always remembered.

Disc 2’s documentary that record the band’s entire history, 却是我最喜欢的, 进一步的了解, 更增加了一种 ‘平凡’, 尽管成军已有20年, 但真正穿红, 进身为world class band 则要算是他们在1999年发行的masterwork : ‘scenes from the memory’. 这张专辑之后,DT才真正确立了他们的黄金阵容, 这之前经历了多少人员变更, 摸索尝试, 辛酸失败, 努力不屑。 DT一直都在用自己的音乐表达着, they really need this success to prove their own. 就先说一下这张至关重要的专辑。

This was the album that brought me into Dream Theater. With the album, DT is almost aggressively out of fashion in 1999. This album has an awesome storyline about a real murder of a young woman occurred in 1982 and how a modern man is haunted by the tragedy. And awesome music make me trouble with stopping in the first listening. Now I have downloaded DT’s all albums and bought ‘Live Scenes from New York’ 3CD for collection.

正是因为G3, 使我喜欢上了John Patrucci, 从而进一步感受到了Dream Theater. 在06年末了, DT 陪我一同走过, in my mind, Dream Theater is the most beautiful metal band on the planet.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Merry Christmas to me and everyone!

圣诞节两天的休息, 终于使我有空来插入一条自己的信息。我现在在一家樱桃厂做工, 工作的内容即是挑选樱桃和包装成箱, 经管工作简单, 但劳动量却非同一般,一天要在流水线上工作九个小时,丝毫不能休息。 每天早上4.45 起床, 然后驾车1个小时, 6.30 必须到达位于Adelaide Hill 的工厂, 早饭也就是喝杯牛奶, 中午只有半个小时的休息, 午饭是自带的, 前一晚上的剩饭, 或者是买好的Pizza或是面包之类, 下午4点放工, 一天的劳累, 也无心做什么充饥, 随便吃点, 9.30 就以坠入梦乡。 算下来,每天要有12个小时被工作占据。唯一的乐趣也就只有山路行车了。

小小的工厂,到像个联合国, 几天下来, 鬼佬的吃苦耐劳, 还有小日本的专注认真到是教育人的很,事无大小, 一样出色完成。 极高的工作效率,按时上下工, 一秒钟都不会耽搁, 工资也不必操心,一周一付, 绝不拖欠, 所以哪怕工作再累, 也能知道这付出的一分钟内总有相应的回报, 当然所得税绝对是无法逃避的,13.5%的税率, 工资打入银行就已扣除,纳税人的滋味真难以形容, 一次与他人聊天, 竟得知最高的所得税率可达到48%, 真不知这是怎样的一个社会。

挣钱不易啊!平淡的圣诞节, 抓紧时间睡觉.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

06-Curve.mp3


光线变暗,演奏正式开始,全场鼎沸,掌声雷动, 与去年Tokyo的演出顺序不同, 第一个登场的就是John Patrucci, 还有和他合作已有20载的Drummer, Mike Portnoy,我想每个熟悉Dream theater 的人都不会对他们感到陌生的,这支由guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Portnoy三位同来自美国著名的Berklee College of Music的高才生, 于1985年组建的progressive rock band 已经成为摇滚乐界家喻户晓的名字, 作为乐队的首脑John Petrucci 更是以出众的吉他演奏而名声显赫, 这也是为什么Joe Satrianni, Steve Vai两位吉他前辈会在近两界G3演出中邀请 John Petrucci的原因。

现场看John Patrucci 有些发富,一头长发, 穿着随便,第一首便是重量十足,钢筋有力的Jaw of life, 金属架构的音墙, 层层推进的吉他,只让人听的面容狰狞, 强大的声响震动着坐椅, 起初让我误认为是后面的哥们听的兴起, 在踢着我的椅子呢!

John在G3中的表演全部出自于他的个人专集Suspended Animation. 印象深刻的包括Glasgow Kiss, Wishful Thinking, Damage Control. 另外也不得不提一下性格洒脱, 鼓技精湛的Mike Portnoy, 表演中也是兴致大发, 在John表演之余也不忘表现一下,摆弄着手中的鼓棒,玩出各种花样, 引来全场欢呼。

Friday, December 08, 2006

G3

12.6 晚, 我和朋友享用了一场吉他盛宴。

这是我看得第一场世界级的演奏会, 由 Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci 组成的G3, 今年能有幸来到澳洲, 而我恰巧又在澳州读书,这真是巧合。 通常一些顶级的大牌明星都喜欢去象 Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast等这些人口多,市场大的地方,而Adelaide 却是很少安排演出的, 所以这次G3选择Adelaide作为澳洲巡演的一站, 真是有点让人受宠若惊呢。

白天和朋友上山询问樱桃包装的工作, 可却无功而返, 但沿路的风景到是吸引人的很, 同时也让我过了一把山路行车的瘾. 傍晚才回到city, 又加上rush hour, 当我们到达时已经6.30 了, 门口已经有许多人在排队入场了, 随便吃了点subway, 我们就跟着人群缓缓的步入剧院了。



会场叫做Thebarton Theater 位于Henley Beach Road, 是演出前3天刚改的, 原本是Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the reason that provided by organizer is that the middle venue can offer a more intimate concert experience. 其实已经暗示说这个剧场不大,我们坐在上层, 天花板上的雕塑和布置是传统的欧洲式风格, 舞台已经布置好了, 很快剧院里就坐满了人, 顿时感到有些拥挤, 我们两个黄皮肤黑眼睛的华人挤在一堆高大威猛的白人中间, 说实话也真有点不自在, 但到底是来了, 只有等待着演出的开始, 顺便探讨着演奏的曲目和顺序。


Friday, December 01, 2006

My Car
Make MITSUBISHI
Model LANCER
Engine 1.5 LITRE
Transmission Manual
Year 1997
Colour Silver

4 Speaker Stereo
Air Conditioning
CD Player
Power Steering
Central Locking - Remote/Keyless

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Sunset



黄昏, 我和朋友来到海边, 风很大,这还是我第一次傍晚在海边散步, 等待着太阳落如海中的那一瞬间, 不远处传来了音乐, 是一群激情的人们在跳着samba.

03ifeellikegoinghome.mp3


He calls me to the ocean
Takes me wandering through the street
A restless imagination
But for now, I move my feet on the ground
'Cause I feel like going home
I can float above the ceiling
I like drifting through the air
I tend to lose my concentration
But right now, the cries don't appeal to me
I feel like going home
Sometimes late at night
While runnin' from the rain
Running from the voices
Filling up my brain
Now I wish they'd leave me alone
And let me be to grow up on my own
Let me be to go home
I feel like going home
My pictures
208-massive_attack-i_against_i.mp3
一夜豪赌, 输光5元








还没来Melbourne之前, 就已经和朋友商量好, 一定去赌场感受一下, 试试手气。 澳洲的赌场都是合法的, 出示护照, 就可以随便进出了。 Melbourne 的赌场叫Crown, 坐落在Yarra River边上,高耸入云的雄伟建筑, 从很远处就可以看到它, 当然除了赌场,大楼里还包括shopping promenade, dining and bar venues等其他entertainment offerings.

老外也是很讲究风水的, 特地请了室外高人,选中了这块风水宝地. 大楼前, 沿河的几个大石柱子, 格外引人注目, 里面铺设了煤气管道, 到了夜晚, 他们的顶端, 能够喷出高耸的火焰, 哪怕离得很远, 也能感到一股袭来的热量, 景象着实壮观。

澳洲停车是个很麻烦的事,在赌城周围更是难上加难了, 一到夜间, 一家家停车场都挂起了Full的招牌, 停车费用之高, 也是闻所未闻, 赌场还没开盘, 这边已经挣个瓢满磬足。我和朋友第一天就是因为没有找到停车位, 所以只好第二天步行前往。

整整三层的一个赌城, 进去之后的景象和电影上的没有多大区别,红色的地毯, 华丽的灯饰, 统一制服的服务生, 还有让人眼花缭乱的赌博机。赌博方法更是五花八门, porkie (老虎机), 21点,Russian router 等等. 此外, 赌球, 赛马, 赛狗也都是门庭若市, 第一次感到老外有如此喧闹的场所, 仿佛国内的大集市一般.

既然来了, 就要试两把, 看着赌金显示器上不停跳动增加的数字, 激动的心情焕发起了我的自信, 也曾设想过要用手里的5元现金赢下这整个赌场.

因为赌本实在微小, 我只能从老虎机开始, 朋友当起了军师, 可是运气实在太差, 我这小小的5元钱, 一分钟不到, 就化做一粒水珠, 滴入浩瀚的钱海, 唯一的感觉就是太快了.

我的失败到是激发起朋友的斗志, 20元的赌金也真的起到了效果, 几轮战罢, 鸣金收兵, 听着机器里坠落钱币的声音, 这次足足挣了15块, 当时的心情果真舒畅.

既然有了赢利, 怎能见好就收, 大不了再输掉这不义之财, 于是我们又将这15块投入其中, 没想到啊!. 一转眼就消失的无影无踪. 一贯好赌的朋友也不肯善罢甘休, 仿佛赌博也类似于一条价格曲线, 本着一个固定规律上下波动, 刚才的失败总会换来下次的好运, 于是朋友又将起初的20元赌本放入机器, 但谁知眼前的赌机就象是一直贪食的猛虎, 整个赌场就象一个毫不留情的噬钱机器, 这次是颗粒无收啊!

一次赌博的经历, 最后也只好将美好的回忆留在那赢了15块的时候, 还是那句话说的好, 不赌就是赢.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

08-TheZitherPlayer.mp3
11-DreamEvie.mp3
(If you can't listen to music, refresh the website please until you can see a blue arrow)

Yarra River

有条美丽的河贯穿其中, 总会增加人们对城市的好感. Melbourn 的Yarra River是这几天里我和朋友最常去的地方. 河边是繁华的商业区, 桥下有当地的 ‘跳蚤市场’, 能够买到来自世界各地的手工艺品, 此外, 这也是卖艺人的聚集地, 杂技, 魔术, 小型爵士乐队, 孤单的吉他手等, 一应俱全, 和朋友在河边散步, 累了, 渴了, 总喜欢坐在凉棚下, 点杯kabujino, 先让上面一层厚厚的奶油泡沫沾满嘴角, 剩下的咖啡也总会用汤匙轻轻的搅拌, 细细的品位. 再配以耳边的乐声, 碧绿的河水, 高耸的大厦, 谈谈事业, 想想人生, 好不悠闲惬意. Waiter 的绅士穿着和热情招待, 使我们付钱时也不忘留下几个coins, 当作小费.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

University of Melbourne

Melbourne游记 走街穿巷
Melbourne并不如想象中那样大,没有北京古老,也不比上海繁华,但几天的闲逛使我感觉到了她的美,以至于,一直到现在的留恋。

Federation Square

National gallery of Victoria’s Australian art collection, as well as some remarkable public spaces.


城市中心的train station, 其中的trame是城里的主要public transport.

Bourke St Mall 步行街


终于找到你了, HMV(His Master Voice) the biggest record shop of the world


Warner Bros.


街头文化
Melbourne 游记 第一天

凌晨出发

4.30,天还是黑的, 我们整装出发, 兴奋冲淡了困倦,深夜开车, 冲向黎明。

途中景色

一边是山, 一边是海, 树木高耸, 牛羊成群, 海水汹涌, 山路崎岖, 一路向南, 美景如画。

Melbourne

'翡翠城' 这是我刚看到Melbourne时想到的,由于第一天开了15个小时的车,疲倦战胜了一切, 我和朋友随便找了一个Back packer, 一分钟不到, 便坠入梦乡。

Wednesday, November 22, 2006



Hahahahhahaha! I am very excited because I am fortunate to have an opportunity to watch my favourite metal band -Trivium’s live in Adelaide. After receiving the news on their official website that they would take part in the following year’s ‘big day out’ musical festival which tours throughout Australia. I'm extremely exhilarated and overjoyed.


The Big Day Out (BDO) is an annual music festival that tours Australia and New Zealand. It began in 1992 as a Sydney only show, and was extended other cities of Australia and New Zealand after 1993. You can enjoy many genres of music, such as rock music, electronic music and so on. Every year, many mainstream international acts and local acts are invited for performing. Bands that have participated in the past festivals includes NIRVANA, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Iggy & the stooges, Coldplay, Limb Bizikit and many other exciting bands. This time’s touring artists lists include Tool, Muse, Jet, the Killers, My chemical romance, Trivium and so on.

Unbelievable!
I have gotten a 'Big day out’ ticket.
Friday February 2nd 2007
ADELAIDE SHOWGROUNDRose Tce Wayville, Adelaide.
It will sure be the best day of my life!

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Takaakira "Taka" Goto :. Guitar
Tamaki :. Bass
Yasunori Takada :. Drums
Yoda :. Guitar



Powerful and violently beautiful - Mono

老实说, 我是对日本人有所偏见的, 但当听到这支出自日本的post rock quartet band时, 我已经按耐不住了喜悦, 急切的上网搜罗了他们的所有专辑, 整整听了一夜. 经管成军才短短六年, 但Mono已经得到了post rock界的认可, 从乐队频繁的举办Euro tour or America tour就可看出, 这支产于东方的奇美声音已成为了西方爱乐者的牙祭, 就连每张专辑封面都是低沉深邃,黑暗神秘的调子, 起初甚至让我误认为是什么欧洲的小乐队。

音乐上, 他们并不刻意地寻求什么突破, 依然秉承着post rock惯有的模式, 甚至可以说有些陈词滥调;极缓, 慢, 快, 极快, 大爆炸, 缓, 静. 从他们的音乐中你可以听到Godspeed you black emperor; Mogwai; Explosion in the sky的影子,没有过多的修饰,只是简单的罗列,墨守陈规的甚至连自己的本土音乐风格都没有加进去。但又能批评他们什么呢?经管并不寻求突破,但去伪存真, 一样的东西只要能做到及至, 就是好东西。

乐队的几位成员也均是受到jazz, classical music以及alternative film的影响, 静和动都被他们演绎的异常美丽,或许因为他们的女bassist的缘故, 他们的音乐少了一些狂放, 多了一丝内敛, 但爆炸依然来得凶猛突然, 与那些编制庞大的重量级乐队相比, 紧紧由四人组成的Mono,能释放出如此巨大的能量, 实在令人啧啧不已.

愤怒的如此动人, 焦躁的如此凄美. 他们的狂躁并不像Black Sabbath或是其他什么rock band,而是贝多芬式的。

Friday, October 27, 2006

the 4 alternative album (2)

Sparklehorse
Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain

'Beautiful with a broken heart'

Sparklehorse is basically Mark Linkous who lives on a farm in Bremo Bluff, Virginia, with his wife Teresa, a herpetologist. They have several pets, including the dogs Hank (an old hound dog), Barko (who has mental problems), and Otis (the dalmation who stars in the 'Hammering the Cramps' video), a couple of horses, turtles, two axolotls, and the cat. He records in a Richmond studio, as well as in his farmhouse, where cow noise is often a problem.

This is Sparklehorse's 5th studio album. Much of Sparklehorse's music has an introspective, the lyrics contain much unusual imagery. Musically, Sparklehorse应该属于alt country music, 配上电音还有一些rock成分,扭曲的歌声中体现出来一丝悲伤。还记得在国内曾为错过他们的first album Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot 而心有不甘呢! 呵呵!

Beck-The Information

打從1994年發表了首張official album Mellow Gold起,一直到今年的第七张专辑The Information , 十二年里Beck 始终保持一至两年里出版一張全新專輯的流程,这种效率与其他艺人相比, 应该算是很快了, 毕竟上一张专辑Guero才是去年刚刚发行不久, 今年的The Information真有些出乎预料,但並不代表今次The Information是什么粗製監造之作. 多年來Beck的每張出品都能維持相當水準、甚至各具獨特性. 今次的The Information也是好评如潮, 甚至被人形容成Beck 最棒的专辑. Beck自成名以來,在過去十二年他都是梅花間竹地出版其兩種不同音樂風格的專輯:扑朔迷离奇趣混種的折衷性(Eclectic)音樂,與回歸根本感人神伤的Acoustic-Folk歌曲。兩者总是互相交替地出現在Beck的音樂版圖上。但无论是哪种风格, 我都会照单全收。这次的The Information又是跟Nigel Godrich合作(其前兩張彰顯著民歌底蘊的專輯Mutations(1998年)和Sea Change(2002年)便是由此人操刀制作), 然而今次的The Information却大相逕庭, 並不是另一張傷春悲秋的Folk-Based專輯,反之卻是風格盎然與Hip Hop Based基因的混種音樂作品。那種游離于太空的Synth氛圍, 彷彿是雙方合作得最去蕪存菁的一次。

Saturday, October 14, 2006

The 4 alternative albums(1)

Robin Guthrie-Continental

优美sweet, 舒缓relaxed, 缥缈druggy, 虚幻illusory, 空灵atmospheric, 幽暗somber, 轻柔soothing,催眠hypnotic

Since the early 80's, Robin Guthrie' style had a significant impact on alternative music when he was the guitarist of Cocteau twins. For more than 20 years, Robin guthrie's works never fail to bring his listeners into 'heaven'. I strongly recommend listening to this song and in the meantime, please enjoy viewing the photos I took of kangaroo island

The album leaf-Into the blue again

The album leaf is the solo-project of Jimmy LaValle who had worked in post-rock band Tristeza.
With the album leaf, LaValle utilizes the elements of classical, ambient, jazz, and post rock to form music that combine the electronic composition and mournful post-rock.

上一张的'In a safe place' 听得爱不释手,这一次的新碟自然也是囊中之物,还一同收齐了所有专辑,一遍遍的聆听,只让人从忧伤中听出美丽

Sunday, October 08, 2006

TheVerve-ANorthernSoul-08-History.mp3

I wander lonely streets
Behind where the old Thames does flow
And in every face I meet
Reminds me of what I have run from

In every man, in every hand
In every kiss, you understand
That living is for other men
I hope you two will understand

I've got to tell you my tale
Of how I loved and how I failed
I hope you understand
These feelings should not be in the man

In every child, in every eye
In every sky, above my head
I hope that I know
So come with me in bed
Because it's you and me, we're history
There ain't nothing left to say
When I will get you alone

Maybe we could find a room
Where we could see what we should do
Maybe you know it's true
Living with me is like keeping a fool

In every man, in every hand
In every kiss, you understand
That living is for other men
I hope you know that I am me so come on
I'm thinking about history
And I'm living for history
And I think you know about me
Cause I am

And one and one is two
But three is company
When you're thinking about the things you do
And you're thinking about the things you do
I want to tell you my tale
How I fell in love and jumped out on my bail
I hope you understand there's more in a smile than in a hand
In every sky, in every kiss
There's something that I might have missed

Why am I going to
A place that now belongs to you
But you were weak and so was I
Let's pick it up, let's even try
To live today, so why not smile
Don't dream away your life
'Cause it is mine*1
Is that a crime *1
this life is mine
The bed ain't made but it's filled full of hope
I've got a skin full of dope

Saturday, October 07, 2006


Moon festival 中秋

Happy moon festival to my families and friends and myself.