喆服提示：请大家表达自己最诚恳的想法，谢谢！
原文如下
8/24/04 2:34pm LA
These past few weeks have been quite difficult as far as writing and music goes. I have been struggling with ideas, sounds and concepts. Mainly, I have been at a loss for what to say and talk about. For me, this is the biggest issue when producing an album because if I don’t know what I want to say then everything is meaningless.
I experience a lot of self-doubt, confusion, frustration and depression during each production of a new album. But this process is essential because otherwise nothing new will emerge. I firmly believe that one must “reset to zero” before one’s heart and soul can contain and express new ideas and emotions. However, this process can be quite painful and exhausting emotionally. I believe that if one is not able to complete this process andcycle then one will not move forward or grow in that stage of life.
Something I’ve wanted to talk about but only touched upon previously is the state of Chinese music as a whole. The reason I couldn’t’ talk about these things is because of the limitations of the media and press. I’m not talking about censorship but about the fact that our media is becoming increasingly more focused on trends and gossip rather than more “serious” topics. Therefore, I am delighted to have this forum in which I can “chat” and share with my friends and supporters thoughts and ideas I may have. I am in no way claiming that I am right about anything so please don’t hold me to that. I am merely expressing my opinions and observations about things that I am extremely concerned about. I don’t see music as just merely entertainment but a reflection of our culture and society.
The eternal dilemma of the artist is to create something new while at the same time not isolate his/her audience. That is something I ponder with each album. To deliver something that is both new and fresh while at the same time not losing your audience is something very difficult to achieve if at all achievable. If you come out with an album that is too different than your previous works then people will say that you are changing for change’s sake or that you have changed for the worse. If you don’t change at all then people will say you are repeating yourself and stagnant. How does one achieve a “perfect” balance so that both sides are satisfied?
Often people tell me that their favorite album of mine is the “blue” one or the first album. They tell me their favorite songs are “Blue Moon” or “I Love You” and that they wish I could write more songs like those. However, what they fail to understand is that the person who wrote those songs has grown and changed. If I tried to write songs like I did on the first album I probably wouldn’t be able to do so because I’ve become a different person who feels and thinks differently. And even If I were able to write songs similar to those on the first album would people like them or would they say that I’m repeating myself? Herein, lies the dilemma.
And what is the solution to all this? Well, there is no “solution” except to be true to yourself and be yourself.
However, that is easier said than done, as you all know. It takes courage, love, and some wisdom to be yourself. What I’m grateful of is that at least I have the love and support of my fans and friends to be myself. As for
wisdom, well, I ask that of God.
Production and work on my new album has already commenced as you may already have heard. I am deep within the process and am often confused and frustrated. I hope something new and true will emerge at the end of this journey. There are talks and rumors about when the album will be released but all I can say is that it will be done when it’s done. I ask for your support and patience and that you also keep an open mind and ear when you first listen to this album when it comes out.It will be something quite different than the previous albums but I assure you one thing-that this and every album of mine will be an imprint of my life, mind, heart and soul.
To me, the first three albums formed a trilogy of sorts. This is technically the fourth new studio album and, so, it will commence a new period or perhaps trilogy for me. This new album will embark on new sounds, topics, ideas, feelings and opinions. But it will, nevertheless, still be a David Tao album at the core.
Until next time…DT
翻译如下：
04年8月24日 洛杉矶 下午2:34
（北京时间 04年8月25日 凌晨4：34）
随着音乐创作的深入,这几周对我来说真的很难熬.我一直挣扎于灵感、音乐和概念中.现在的问题主要是,我不太知道我想说些什么，谈论些什么.这对于我来说是创作中最大的事情,因为如果不知道要传递些什么样的讯息的话,那么一切将毫无意义.
每次出新的专辑,我都会经历自我怀疑,迷失,挫折感和抑郁的一个过程.但是这个过程是很重要的,否则就不会有新的东西出现.我坚信在一个人的心和灵魂要承载和表达新的思想和感情之前,是必须要"一切归零"的.虽然整个过程很痛苦和耗费精力,但是我认为如果一个人不能反复完成这整个过程,那么他将不会有进步,也不会在生命中得到真正的成长.
我想要说的但之前只是提到过一些的，是华语音乐的整体状况.我不能讨论这些事情的原因在于传媒的限制.我说的并不是审查制度,而是一个现象，那就是我们的传媒已经越来越多地关注流行动态和八卦新闻而不是一些更加"严肃认真"的话题.所以我很高兴能有这样的一个论坛,我可以在这里和我的朋友和支持者们一起聊天和分享我对人对事的一些看法.我并不是说我对任何事的看法都是正确的,所以也请大家不要觉得我总是正确。我只是在传递我自己对我所关心的事情的论点和看法,我不认为音乐只是一种纯娱乐,它应该是我们文化和社会的一种折射和反应.
艺人的一个两难状况在于创新的同时又不能撇开他的听众.这也是我做每张专辑时所要考虑到的事情.如果可以在传递新东西的同时又不失去你的听众的话，那一定是一件非常困难的事情.如果你做一张与你以往所做的完全不同的专辑,那么人们就会说你是为了改变而改变或者不是为了一个好的目的而改变.如果你根本不做改变,人们就会说你在重复自己,原地踏步.怎样才能在"变"与"不变"之间找到完美的平衡呢?
经常有人对我说他们最喜欢的一张我的专辑是第一张蓝色的专辑,他们告诉我说最喜欢的歌是"沙滩"或者是"爱很简单",而且希望我能写出更多的象这样的歌.但是他们不太了解当初写这些歌的人已经成长和改变了不少.如果我要试着写象第一张专辑那样的歌,我可能做不到了,因为我已经变成了一个和当初想法完全不一样的人了,甚至如果我能写和第一张一样的歌,人们会不会喜欢呢?人们会不会说我又在重复自己呢?这就是一种矛盾.
解决这些问题的办法是什么呢?除非你用心努力做回你自己,否则根本没有解决的办法.
可是正如大家都知道的那样,说易于做.做自己需要勇气,爱和智慧.目前为止最令我感激的是我的歌迷和朋友对我的爱和支持,而这些是我坚持做我自己的最大支持.至于智慧,我只有祈求上帝了.
象你们听说的那样,新专辑的制作工作已经开始了,我也全身心地投入到这当中去,也经常产生怀疑和感觉到挫折.我希望在这路的尽头会有新的希望出现.关于新专辑的发行日期外面已经在风言风语地传开,但是我只能说当它做好的时候它就会和大家见面.我需要你们的耐心和支持,当这张专辑出来的时候,我希望你们能敞开胸怀,用心聆听,因为它将会是与以往专辑完全不一样的一张专辑,我也向大家保证一件事情,就是我的每一张专辑都会是我生活,思想,心境和灵魂的真实写照.
对于我来说,前三张专辑已经形成了一个成长过程的三步曲,而这第四张专辑在技术的层面上将会开创一个新的时代或许是我另一个三步曲的开始.这张新专辑将承载新的声音,新的话题,新的思想,新的感受和新的观点.但是不管怎样,它仍然会是一张陶喆式的专辑.
下次再聊吧... DT David Tao 陶喆
引用:
喆服提示：以上信件是陶喆给全体喆迷的公开信件。可由歌迷自行转贴它处。希望更多喆迷了解陶喆本意。
