Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ma Shifang Taiwan music witnesses

Ma Shifang introduce themselves often say "write the author, broadcaster" as Taiwan's most prominent music critic, he has been writing and broadcast two channels to introduce your favorite music. He edited the Taiwan pop music of hundreds of the best albums were circulated fans compete, become classics in the Mandarin pop music publications. Music essays he published the first of the underground home of the Blues in the literary youth on both sides of mouth also, carding music history, memories of youth become a thing of the past must read books.

Fate of Ma Shifang and music started too early in the 1970 of the 20th century a strong "Taiwan folk song" movement happened in Ma Shifang family's living room, the time he was still a child, it has witnessed history. And now, he will reach the age of 40, continuing to do broadcast, write reviews, Taiwan important promoter of the development of original music.

Mother of the living room

There is an old joke about 150 times. Taiwan boys to perform military service, there is a group of friends, then we write the 100 reasons to live in Taipei. We have the same likes and dislikes to talk together, and later, he knew my mom who, one day he suddenly says, Hey, your mother is Tao Hsiao, mother of folk songs, folk songs that you just I?

As a child, this is indeed so, the so-called folk song movement, the consciousness of those young men did not campaign, they really just like writing songs and singing. It was I was in kindergarten, Montreal run times, often some uncles with a guitar in the House, sitting in my home covered tatami room on the ground, saying the meeting, the results are tea snack telling jokes and singing.

Only later did I know, "folk song movement" a large part of this is in the living room of my house, that almost all singers in the College, each time I called uncle and aunt, they often reveal the embarrassment of not used. My students know my family often have a singer, and have asked me to sign for them, I think losing face is dead. However there was a picture of Li Jianfu autograph records of the descendants of the Dragon now keep reading: "Ma Shifang children".

Mothers do broadcasting at that time, to join a very early 1965 started Western music on the radio program, very popular. And because she's in the "Bcc" (Note: Taiwan-Canton pop network), there is a wealth of resources, radio can make her weekly subscription magazines, 45 rpm records of foreign original edition. In that year, young people very fond of her program.

Until 1975, Yang Xian (published the Yangguan Pass out West album, influenced later Taiwan turbulent wave of campus folk song, was honoured as "father of modern folk songs") concert in Taipei's Chungshan Hall, composed songs of Yu Guang-Zhong's poems, in the same year published the modern Chinese folk songs series, is considered to be the first eligible to be called "folk songs" album. Prior to that, there are some young people started trying to, they could listen to Western songs, sing an English song, change of atmosphere in the last century 70 's some age, some nationalism among young people are not willing to, began to try to write songs in their own language.

My mother was in the programs described in these things, also play the song of Yang Xian. At first she thought before the program is on Western music, suddenly put Chinese songs, (that) will have many listeners wrote called her. Did not expect letter response is very good, I hope that she can introduce more of these works, touched many people listened to, my mother was encouraged, decided she programs should provide some more time out on Taiwan generation of singers.

This program is one more encouraging Taiwan original songs. Later, this part of the increasingly popular, even more than to be part of Western music. She began to invite more singers to show on, occasionally with guitar playing, song released with not for everyone. Sometimes the program just finished placed over there, soon Li shouquan (Taiwan famous musician) such producers to call my mother, asking that young people can contact me, his song I'll take it.

70 this wave of turmoil, looking back, the first is to enable the creation of educated youth joined the pop songs, my mother is very important to the pushing hands, she has also served as co-ordinating production, done a clad contact set three records in 1977, called the song we are Taiwan modern movement earlier collections of folk songs.

Market forces come in later, Jin Yun and folk wind occurred xuanxiu program-a bit like those days, Tsai Chin, Chyi more singers to emerge. This appears the less the existence of a market before, because the hearing is before Western songs, young people are not listening to Chinese songs, particularly soil, or nothing meaning that these "happenings" has created a new market, recording market size bigger.

Record companies to buy better equipment, making better records, hire better sound, better players, more excellent people. So late 70, this trend in the early 80, Taiwan quality throughout the lifting up of the music industry, this is a very important function. And the "happenings" route on the arts, has been affected up to now, the so-called small and small fresh line of literature and art, dating back to the 30 years ago these people.

US 80

Our generation is unable to experience in 70 of these people feel only chase after stroke. But 80 is from childhood to young people of our generation phase, it is of the long exposure times. Hit Taiwan social changes of the most intense moments in 1987, Chiang Ching-kuo announced the lifting of martial law, after that, we of this generation probably have 10 years time, it was a flourishing, the status of thought contend.

It was our changes and age of enlightenment, you can imagine our excitement and stimulation. Watch the news every day, above the social film, theatre, writing, music, start Excel oneself to interpret this era, trying to create this new era, becoming part of it. I myself was still light, also did not participate directly in the creation, but the yearning for SB. or sth, very concerned about the times we live in what, there is a hand out there's always the air tastes of a feeling of excitement.

Pop music in Taiwan's influence is very big. In 1989, Taiwan record there were 1 million sales for the first time, and at that time Taiwan piracy is 1:1, Taiwan population but 20 million, one of the love spell will win in Taiwan together sold more than 2 million volumes and tapes, this influence was very considerable.

With such experience and observation, we found that pop music has long been not only write songs, as simple as letting people hear songs, can be a cultural event. Popular music produced of influence to broad Yu other several culture creation type, but relative Yu film, and literature, and drama, they has College of system, has inherited of expositions, and thread, but popular music always no, in Taiwan has been is lack on popular music comparison seriously of discussion, so we in students era only will wants to do some things, later also actually became I has been yilai wrote article of attitude, hope can reminded people to understanding pop. Let creative people, as artists, respected expectations.

Year 1992, when I at National Taiwan University Humanities series publications. Feel the early 90 's, Taiwan boom cycle as a whole has entered a relatively low ebb, weighted index on the stock market, at the time of the late in the 1980 of the 20th century only hundreds of points to the 1000 points, all the way up, a year from 3,000 points up to 13,000 points, then fell from 13,000 in a few months back to 3,000 points.

When I was three or four years at the University level, Taiwan overall feel an atmosphere of relative to a low ebb. Although we think popular music seems hilarious, but bones a little slump, or our interpretation of the cultural content seems to be not good stimulus and influence of these cultural products to us, or we have some dislike these cultural products, the community there are some unreasonable phenomenon, seem to be no real nail on the head the way clear for human use, but diandaoweizhi. So some of us tianbupa fearless xiaomao head, and you want to do some things in this regard.

Selected popular music is because we are very interested in the subject, first do is called "Taiwan pop music special" special issue. We have access to many industry-senior producer, label boss and singer. I remember several xiaomao we head to links to those from my mother, Zhang Peiren, Wong, Kay, Huang, Shu chun are to find out, also went to Chen Sheng and Wu Bai's recording room, fought their first cooperation, accompanying their recording, observation of how the song was made out.

At that time, my college grade, Chen Sheng and Wu Bai in recorded a song called the lovely horse, song again became a rock music. My mother's friend, recording engineer, Wang Jiadong Middle pull strings I have to, Chen Sheng does not know who I am, also did not ask from beginning to end, with a camera to see a young man over there, East and West. From the open record in the evening, recorded to dawn the next day, accompanied about 16 heads, looking at Chen Sheng as a producer, how step by step from does not have to have a song, it was the very eyes of an experience.

Surprising Taiwan Park

We finished in Taiwan pop music after topic, decisions went on to do Taiwan 100 best albums of popular music. Want to do this thing, first United States influence of Rolling Stone magazine, which in 1987, selected the 100 best albums in 20 years, my mother has always provided the magazine when I was 16 years old, looks like.

Universities want to Taiwan pop music range has also done a similar thing. At that time was because my mother is willing to help, found more than more than 100 teachers in the industry, divided into several stages of review, very complex, very tired, really suffering is not early evaluation and statistics. Really tired is later, for each album you want to write a commentary or introduction, some students can write, but some of the songs that are not familiar, so I started the army began to get this book, I before the army came back, this book series, and spent two years.

Student societies are not, after all, publishing houses, there are many major problems in the Middle, everyone was suffering so much, finally, we are relieved, no longer want to see this book. After the book came out, did not expect this reaction very well, all of the music circle Associates bought the book, and they were very moved, say know I only read this book this industry is so important, so with dignity. We found a very meaningful thing is did.

Now looking back do the best of the year, there are plenty of articles are blushing, students ' works are very jerky, immature. Not to mention the later had come to have an impact on the Mainland. But fortunately, didn't think so much of the year, behind if knew encounter so many obstacles, was definitely not going to do.

Many years later went on to do 200 (best album), because this book of the year we should help is always asked to do a sequel, book early for the year of print, published by the students, has sold out, there is no. After you print, the book was on the Mainland, the so-called "Taiwan Park" those four words, we see very fresh, because originally called the Taiwan pop music of the 100 best albums, is a very long title, the Mainland's habit is to become the abbreviation.

But I always felt that sequel also do not want us to go with a group of people, like the United Kingdom and the United States list of popular music magazines every year, dozens of award, each have their own ideas and attitudes. But there's no way, we feel that no one seriously about popular music, and now it seems there is the same. We really just want to start, but throwing bricks into Qin zhuanhan tile, have not seen the jade.

So I decided to continue to do, but when do people who have had their cause in the busy, so find a new friend slowly grinding, progress is slow. I also thought of not just the whole destroyed, selected 100 again from scratch, but also think the historical significance is there. So retain the structure of the top 100, but many articles are rewritten, and then select new 100, which made 200, very demanding, and dragged on for several years, finally finish it, have been 2009 years. Was also asked when we "300", I said we really did not.

Incompetent boss

I do not want to do before the broadcast, perhaps because the mother in this line, everywhere I grew up watching uncle aunt, big pressure, secondly faint think pop music that line when I was young, I probably played no promise. Had once thought would settle down in the publishing industry, but began deliberately evaded the issue when he was young.

In addition to broadcast I did edit, activities, everywhere has the opportunity to lecture, do judges. No major occupation, really is temporary jobs. Try venture is a very important matter in 2000 I founded "543 music station", became an independent label. There are a lot of frustration in the process of entrepreneurship, but the CD hear now or feel very good, all won several Golden Melody Awards. I think so-stomach the thought of doing the recording process, but has heard this music stomachache might be better. Sometimes think about if it hadn't been for these people and I are in probably the music will not be recognition in this way.

But precisely because this entrepreneurial experience, I find their personality and intelligence, appropriate and inappropriate to do what. These experiences are important, because people your self-awareness. Find my character is thin-skinned, troubles, and then digital concept and no, and lack of persistence perseverance, no ambition, such a person must not boss.

People to do things they are good at, although musical work made to see is very good, but from the company's operations, is wrong. So now the recent mood much better, because in doing things they appropriate to do.

Companies now are still there, because it maintained at the lowest operating cost is not high, to do when I have the opportunity to do things. Although it is not the entity records, but two years ago and Taiwan's largest telecommunications company to some Taiwan independent musicians performing live to live were recorded in the House, is the best machine, the specification is very good. Although did not earn a lot of money from the business, however, by experimental concepts, at least for the Taiwan best independent musicians now have left a site record of quality is very good.

I am a person who never planned, did not dare to plan, fearing that says do not get, is losing face. But consciously and we can't pretend to modest to avoid this issue, plans to produce more stable point of the text in the future, write article to turn into more serious things to do. Broadcasting work influence larger than I thought, to continue doing it, and continue to recommend their favorite creation.

In recent years Taiwan pop music industry has a lot of support of budget planning, at my age some time will be pay attention to go to the meeting and comments. Also at this time don't need ourselves, help out advice, is also very good. Have been Taiwan pop music content so lively, discussion then quiet, hope that we can in the accumulation of little more than this a little more care.

I would think that shibuwoyu, there is no adequate conditions and resources, the flesh is weak. But at a certain age, we all live out of the way, each have their own styles, pulse accumulation of risks has also seen some rivers and lakes, should help young people.

Drawn from the names of FAMOUS writing | Your correspondent bear fluidity photography | Sun Chunxia

Mainland Edition of the book yesterday, GNU forthcoming

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