お～、ついにタオさんのオフィシャルサイトの日記が更新されました。
タイトルは「全新的開始 A New Beginning 」
http://www.davidtao.com/diary/diary_list.php
四川大地震、ミャンマーサイクロンの被災者への救援の勧め、
コンサートでのファンの支持への感謝、ネクストアルバムについてのことが主です。
次のアルバムは今までで最もコンセプチュアルで実験的、「非陶」なのでファンが離れるのを心配してるみたい。
どんなのになるのか・・楽しみです。
全新的開始 A New Beginning
【English / 中文】
5/29/08
7:58pm En Route to Chengdu, China
It’s been embarrassingly long ago since I wrote a journal with the last one being nearly a year ago. Much has transpired in the past year but sharing what has past is somewhat pointless as I’d rather move on and talk about the future and of things to come.
First and foremost, in the wake of the recent Sichuan earthquake and cyclone disasters in Myanmar, I’d like to urge all of you to continue your prayers, efforts and donations for the victims and their families. It may appear that the worst is over though, in fact, the most arduous and difficult tasks of rebuilding have only just begun. We are a society with a short memory and soon these tragic events will be nothing more than just a chapter in history. However, we must continue to remember that there are people in the world less fortunate than us and still very much in need of our aid and love. I firmly believe that one person’s love and efforts can bring about change let alone a group of people united. Let us all give and contribute what we can to those in desperate need of our love and support.
The past year has been inundated with numerous shows some of which have been part of the tour. The shows have all been very successful thanks on major part to all of your support. However, I’ve been quite exhausted being “on the road” though the rewards outweigh the hardships our entire team has gone through. On behalf of the entire production crew, I would like to extend to you our deepest gratitude for all your support and friendship. Playing music live in front of an enthusiastic crowd is one of the greatest joys in being a musician because nothing beats that kind of direct interaction. Interestingly, playing live also gives you an urge to go back into the studio to create new music and vice versa.
Playing live allows you to hone your performance skills on stage in real time in front of an often times unforgiving audience. A live show could end either in disaster or leave you feeling euphoric. However, the process of producing an album alone in the studio can be often lonely, depressing and frustrating. To create something from nothing is a fascinating process but often times it’s very abstract and intangible. There’s no formula to it (or, rather, it shouldn’t be formulaic) and you’re never guaranteed that the end result will amount to anything spectacular. You could spend days on one idea and still have it come out being not what you intended it to be. Or you could spend 10 minutes on something and have it come out to be one of your best works.
I’ve begun work on the new album already and I’m very excited about sharing this with you. Each time I embark on a new album, I always tell myself I’m going to produce “the” album and the one album I’ve always wanted to make. You tell yourself you’re going to make the “ultimate” album but, in the end, what does that mean anyway? Does that mean once you make this album of album’s you will retire as you’ve reached your final goal? To me, I frequently feel that my previous works fall short of what’s to come or what I had intended to do. It’s that overachiever’s mentality in all of us, I guess.
The new album is taking shape slowly though I’m still in the very early stages of song writing and putting ideas together. This album will most likely be the most conceptual of all my albums because lately I’ve been preoccupied with a lot of things revolving around a constant theme and idea. Concept albums are a thing of the past and most people think of the 1970’s when they hear that term. Albums now often appear to have a concept, however, it’s usually more just hype and marketing strategy and nothing more than just “packaging”. A concept album is something more complex and encompassing than just that and, in my opinion, should have an attitude and a real sense of purpose. In the past year, I’ve observed and felt a lot of things that have permeated my life which has filled me with a strong sense of purpose to make this album. By no means do I purposely try to make a “concept” album but, rather, it’s something that dominates your being and, thus, is reflected in everything you do.
You’re probably wondering what this concept is that I’m talking about and how it will manifest itself in an album and in the songs. I don’t want to give anything away just now because I’m still in the early stages of planning and writing but what I can share is that this will be a very experimental album in its lyrics, song writing, themes and also production. There are so many things I want to do musically that I haven’t done in the past and I hope I can realize them in this upcoming album. I do worry that I might lose many of you in this album because it might come off as very “un-David Tao” but, in actuality, it’s going back to my roots. To be honest, I have little interest in making an album filled with chart topping singles and karaoke-friendly hits. I’m more and more inclined not to pay attention to the market, what’s selling and what the trends are. I want to make an album that makes me happy and expresses what I feel though often times that may mean losing your listeners. I know there will always be the people out there who want me to write songs over and over again like 天天 or 愛,很簡單. It’s not that I’m unwilling to repeat myself but rather that I’m in a different period of my life in which I’m unable to write those kinds of songs and express those kinds of emotions anymore.
6/1/08 Chengdu back to Taipei
I’m on the plane back from Chengdu sitting next to Lee Hom. We’ve each had a very touching and powerful experience witnessing the devastation of the earthquake and meeting the survivors. For me, being able to still see the smile on the faces of the children is what truly touches me. That attests to the strength and resilience of humanity but also to the power of love. Lee Hom and I also got a chance to talk about many things that are important in our lives as this trip to Sichuan put many things in our lives in better perspective. It’s gratifying and inspirational to hear another creative individual share his passion, ideals and feelings about his work and life. Lee Hom, I wish you the best as you are truly one the most talented and hard working individuals I know. I also wish you all the best in this year filled with many trials and tribulations some which have passed and many yet to come. Let us continue our prayers and in giving love to those in need in the world.
Peace be upon us, DT
2008年5月29日
晩間7點58分
前往中國成都的路上
很不好意思的，距離我寫的上一篇日記，已經隔了將近一年的時間。過去這一年發生了很多事，但我覺得此刻分享過去的點點滴滴會顯得沒有重點，因此我想跟大家聊聊未來即將發生的一些事情。
首先最重要的是關於最近發生的四川震災與緬甸風災，我希望所有人可以繼續為這些受難者與他們的家人禱告，奉獻出你們的心力與捐助。表面上，最壞的状況好像已經過去了，事實上，最艱鉅的重建任務才要開始而已。我們生活在一個健忘的社會，這些悲劇很快就變成只是史冊記載的章節罷了。然而，我們必須時時記住在這世上有人不像我們這麼幸運，他們依然需要我們的援助與關愛。我深信一個人付出的愛與努力可以改變一群人，讓大家更為團結。讓我們為這些需要關愛與支持的人們，繼續貢獻我們的心力吧。
過去這一年幾乎被一堆表演活動所占滿，其中還包括了世界巡迴演唱會的部分。這些表演都很成功，最主要也是因為有你們所有人的支持。「巡迴」其實是很累人的，但是我們整個團隊所得到的回響遠大於過程中所面對的難題。我想代表製作團隊所有工作人員，對你們的支持與友誼，致上最深的感念之意。作為一個音樂人最開心的一件事，就是可以在一群熱情的觀眾面前現場表演，因為沒有比這更直接的互動了。有趣的是，現場表演也會讓你產生一股動力，想要趕快回到録音室中創作新的音樂。一來一往，兩者相輔相成。
現場表演可以磨練你在舞台上面對觀眾時的演奏或演唱技巧。一場現場演出可能會以災難收場，但也可能會讓你爽翻天。然而，在録音室製作專輯的過程卻經常是孤獨、沮喪而挫敗的。無中生有的過程是迷人的，但是也經常是抽象難懂的。它沒有公式 (或者，它本來就不應該被公式化) 你永遠無法保證最後的結果會變得多麼引人注目。你可能花好幾天的時間在發展一個想法，但結果卻不是你想要的。或者你也可能只花了10分鐘，結果卻是你最好的作品之一。
我已經開始製作新專輯了，我很開心可以跟你們分享這件事。毎當我開始製作新專輯，我總會告訴自己我要去作「這張」專輯，作一張我想要的專輯。你告訴自己要作一張「終極」的專輯，但這終究代表甚麼意義呢? 這代表你作了一張「專輯中的專輯」那你就可以退休了，因為你已經達成了最後的目的? 對我來說，我經常覺得之前的作品沒有達到應該有的結果或者是我想要的效果。我猜這大概是在我們周遭常有的，教育心理學上所謂的「資優生」心態吧。
新專輯正在緩慢成型中，我還在寫歌及整理想法的初始階段。這張專輯將會是我所有專輯中最概念化的一張，因為我腦中最近一直專注在某個主題概念上。概念專輯是昔日的産物，很多人是在1970年代聽到這個名詞的。現在的專輯通常都會有個概念，但是這些概念通常都只是行銷策略「包裝」下的虚晃一招。作為一張概念專輯，應該是更為複雜且環環相扣的；在我看來，應該要具備一種態度與實質目的。在過去的這一年，我觀察發現我的生活中正瀰漫著一股強烈企圖要作這張專輯。我並不是特意要去作一張「概念」專輯，而是某種主宰你個人存在當下的概念，反映在你的所作所為之中。
你也許會好奇我在講的這概念是甚麼? 它將如何在專輯及歌曲中被宣示出來? 但是我現在還不想透露，畢竟我還在企劃與創作的初始階段，我能跟大家分享的是，不管在歌詞、曲風、主題，甚至製作手法上，這絕對會是一張很實驗的專輯。在音樂上，有很多我以前想做但沒有做的事情，我希望可以在接下來的這張新專輯中實現。我真的很擔心會因為這張專輯而失去你們很多人，因為這將是一張十分「非陶」的 專輯，但事實上，這卻是一張回歸根本的專輯。說實話，我對於作一張金榜金曲、傳唱千里的專輯，並沒有多大的興趣。我越來越不想去關注市場的銷售動向。我想去作一張讓我開心的專輯，表達我的想法與感受，但是這經常代表將失去你的聽眾。我知道有人一直希望我可以再寫一些像 “天天”或 “愛，很簡單”的歌曲。並不是説我不願意自我重複，只是我已經進入人生的另一個階段，此時的我已經不想再寫這樣的歌曲，不想再表達這樣的情感了。
2008年6月1日
從成都飛返台北
我正在從成都回家的飛機上，身旁坐著力宏。我們目睹地震破壞的威力，跟倖存者碰面，這些都讓我們有了一個非常感動且撼動的經驗。對我來説，在小朋友的臉上依然見到笑容，這真的感動了我。這證明人類不屈不饒的毅力，也證明愛的力量。力宏跟我也因此有機會談到一些在我們生命中非常重要的許多事物，這趟四川之行讓我們對這些事物有了更好的了解。聽到一個創意人跟你分享他對工作與生活的熱情、想法與感受時，内心真是充滿喜且感受良多。力宏，我祝福你一切順利，你真的是我認識的人裡面，最有才華也最努力工作的一個人。我也祝福你在這一年裡，面對既有的或將有的諸多試煉與磨難，都能平安克服。讓我們繼續為這世上需要的人，奉上我們的祈禱與關愛。
願我們 平安
陶
