之前看到大家都在求翻譯,我就想說不然挑戰看看好了. 因為我住台灣本身學美語. 新加坡英文有點英式化,加上我本身英文程度不是很好, 中文造詣也不是很好, 時間又趕. 所以內容有程度上的錯誤,語意也不是翻的很好. 但我只是想幫助大家, 希望大家當作參考就好. 同時也希望大家多多批評指教.
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03/9/9 David's Tao-ism
by Tommy Wee
SOME hail him as Taiwan's rhythm 'n' blues pioneer. But other less enamoured critics call him The Americanised One.
有些人敬稱他為台灣節奏藍調的先鋒. 不過一些說他的音樂是比較美國化的.
If you are hearing American-accented, lightweight R&B Chinese pop with some diction issues, it is probably David Tao.
假如你聽到一種美國腔,輕淡的節奏藍調流行樂融合述說議題的歌詞,那你聽到的很有可能就是陶吉吉的音樂了.
But critics should hold their tongues, for the 34-year-old now reigns supreme as the Best Male Vocalist at last weekend's Singapore Hit Awards 2003. He beat veterans like Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and even infamous song-mumbler Jay Chou.
但那些評論者應該要停止批評了,因為34歲的他贏得了上週在新加坡舉辦的2003流行音樂獎的最佳男演唱歌手獎.他擊敗了一些很有經驗的歌手,譬如張學友跟劉德華,甚至是不太有名,唱歌咬字模糊的周杰倫.
In an interview at the Ritz Carlton Millenia hotel before the awards, he says in English: 'I have a mission to raise the level of Chinese music. I think I do have gifts given by God. There is some original stuff out there, but most of it is garbage.
在頒獎前於Ritz Carlton Millenia飯店接受訪問時他用英文說了一段話: 我的使命是要提升中國音樂的水平.我認為上帝真的給了我一些禮物. 中國音樂是有原始的東西存在那,但大部分是垃圾.
'It concerns me because a generation of people will grow up listening to crap.'
我之所以這麼關切是因為一些新世代的人將會聽著那些無意義的東西長大.
This bedrock statement of purpose epitomises the steely drive in Tao's broad, 1.78m frame. He speaks in an unhurried, formal and businesslike way, like a great sage who hardly comes down from the mountains - or releases albums.
這些敘述就寫在陶吉吉1.78米的板子上. 他用一種不急不徐,正式且井然有序的的口吻述說著. 就像是一個很少下山的聖者---也就是很少發專輯.
His output so far amounts to a grand total of three studio albums in the last six years, hardly typical of the average chart-hogging Taiwanese singer who produces twice that number in the same space of time.
他過去六年發行的三張錄音室製作專輯,而大多數的台灣歌手則是用跟他相同的時間發行多他兩倍數量的專輯.
But Tao may be the closest thing to authentic talent in the Chinese pop scene.
但陶吉吉大概是台灣流行樂界具有最正統音樂天份的音樂工作者了.
'Music is a responsibility. I'm not drained creatively. I want to make breakthroughs for the Chinese music industry,' he says coolly.
音樂是種責任. 我並沒創作力枯竭. 我想要突破中國的音樂市場.他冷靜地述說著.
Born in Hong Kong on July 11, 1969, he was raised in Taipei from the age of six.
1969年七月11出生於香港. 六歲後在台灣生長.
Tao - full name David Tao Hsu-chung - did not embark on a musical career until a chance meeting with one of Taiwan's famed producers, Wang Chih-ping, whom he met upon graduation as a psychology and film student at UCLA in Los Angeles.
陶吉吉,本名陶緒忠.本無意從事音樂工作.直到他在洛杉磯UCLA大學(他主修心理學跟電影)的畢業典禮上遇到一個來自台灣的製作人王治平.
He returned to Taiwan in 1997, and started producing records for artists like A*mei and Eric Sun. Then, his self-penned, self-titled 1997 debut album detonated the formulaic Chinese music scene, and remains the high-water mark for sweet, R&B-afflicted vocals.
他在1997年回到台灣,開始為一些歌手製作音樂,譬如張惠妹還有孫耀威. 1997年發行了同名專輯,樂風震驚了台灣音樂市場. 而且因為他悅耳且具有靈魂R&B唱腔而名聲水漲船高.
His three albums - 1997's Taoism, 1999's I'm OK and 2002's Black Tangerine - have sold more than 500,000 copies in Taiwan and Singapore.
他的三張專輯分別是-- 1997年的同名專輯, 1999年的I'm OK還有2002年的黑色柳丁. 專輯於台灣還有新加坡總銷售超過50萬張.
He was Billboard magazine's Asia's Best Artist in 1998. In 2000, he was named Best Chinese Artist at the American MTV Awards.
他在美國告示排行榜雜誌被稱為1998年亞洲最佳藝人. 而且也在美國MTV音樂獎獲頒最佳亞洲藝人.
The only child of Taiwanese showbiz veteran Tao Ta-wei, who runs a graphics and animation business, and opera singer Wang Fu-jung, Tao boasts a spot-on instinct for songcraft and melody.
身為台灣演藝界動畫製作的老一輩藝人陶大偉還有唱京劇的歌手王復容的唯一兒子,陶吉吉自云自己確實具有創作詞曲的天賦.
He belongs to that particular breed of Taiwanese music iconoclasts who studied abroad, speak more American than Chinese and know how to wrangle a tune out of guitar.
他屬於那些特別反對台灣音樂偶像崇拜的藝人. 他們通常在國外唸書,說的語言英文居多而且知道如何從吉他彈出調調.
'The music scene is dominated by over-packaged idols. I have no problems with that, but I would like to change how the music is being marketed,' he says.
音樂界已經被那些過度包裝的偶像佔據了. 我對於那個沒啥意見,但我想改變音樂於市場是如何被定位的.
His hits, like Black Tangerine, Blue Moon and Close To You, indulge in confessional lyrics, and the blurry intimacy of his voice holds actual personality.
他一些很紅的歌,譬如黑色柳丁,月亮代表誰的心還有天天融合著告解的歌詞還有歌聲的朦朧親蜜在在反映出他真實個性.
His radio-friendly vocals scale heights unheard of since the days of Taiwanese choirboy Jeff Chang. And Tao is just as clean-cut, mind you.
他那種和諧的聲音似乎從擁有唱詩班美聲歌手張信哲之後就無所聞了.而且陶吉吉的聲音乾淨柔美觸動你心弦.
He calls his mother every day on the phone. He also demonstrates a higher level of social consciousness than his chart-topping R&B copycats.
他每天都會打電話給媽媽.他也豎立了自我社會意識的提升.不是只是唱著暢銷R&B歌曲卻沒主見的人.
His third album, Black Tangerine, was inspired by the Sept 11 tragedy in New York, and weaves a haunting tale of sadness and loss.
他第三張專輯,黑色柳丁,靈感取決於紐約911的悲劇事件,由讓人感受強烈的傷心跟失落編織而成.
Among the record-buying public, there is a genuine, almost palpable, reverence for his craft - and his knack for self-preservation.
在大眾購買的唱片中,他的作品有著一種真誠且明瞭,得到人家尊重,而且還有自我修養的本領.
In six years, his tabloid scandal count in rumour mill-driven Taiwan and Hong Kong is zero.
在台灣跟香港充滿著漫天八卦醜聞的環境裡,六年來,他幾乎與之隔絕.
'It depends what kind of a person you are. If you go out every night, you just become visible. I don't. I like to stay in and work on my music. I like staying away from people's cameras,' says Tao, who adds that he has no time in his busy schedule for a girlfriend.
沒有時間交女朋友的陶吉吉說, 這取決於你是哪種人. 如果你每晚出去, 就會易於被媒體捕捉。但我沒有. 我喜歡待在家做音樂. 我喜歡遠離媒體的閃光燈.
This is hardly surprising, considering he also takes time off to mentor a highly-successful brood of Taiwanese N' Sync-wannabes called Tension.
這樣看來,他還能抽出時間去孕育出一個似超級男孩的台灣男孩團體--Tension, 這一點都不讓人覺得驚訝了.
Tao's talent notwithstanding, he can sometimes be all-too-precious about his music.
儘管陶吉吉有其天份,但他有時候仍然會太寶貴他的音樂.
'My greatest hits is more like a concept album of tunes I handpicked. I'm also working on a DVD documentary of the making of my last album, Black Tangerine. There aren't that many serious music documentaries around now,' he says.
我的精選集比較像我精心挑選出來的概念性音樂. 我也在忙關於我上張專輯"黑色柳丁"製作的DVD紀錄片. 他說現在的環境好像沒有太多嚴謹製作的音樂紀錄片了.
Still, despite his credentials, he has also been slagged off for being musically derivative - some of his songs sound like B-sides to Stateside releases, critics say.
儘管有著知名度,一些批評討論仍然說他有音樂抄襲的嫌疑. 說他有些歌像美國發行專輯的B面歌.
But Tao is unfazed.
但是陶吉吉一點也不擔憂.
'There are only so many notes, chords and instruments you can play. Things will always sound like someone else, but the important question is, are you trying to copy somebody, or are you doing your own thing but just happen to sound like somebody else?' he asks, sounding almost philosophical.
事實上音樂就只有那幾個音符,幾個和絃,還有幾種樂器你可以演奏. 所以聽起來總是會像其他的東西. 但最重要的是,你有嘗試去抄襲別人的音樂嗎? 或者是你只是在做自己的音樂,而只是碰巧聽起來像別人的罷了? 他頗有哲思地問道.
Anyway, he has bigger things to worry about than accusations of musical plundering: He admits to fretting about his parents' retirement, his career stability and starting a family.
不管怎樣,他有比被懷疑抄襲音樂更重要的事要擔憂: 他要煩惱父母親的退休事宜,他工作的穩定性,還有是否該自己組家庭了.
He knows he is no spring chicken. 'It's something I've been thinking about. I'm concerned with settling down and having kids.'
他知道自己不再是剛出生的小雞. 這是我一直在思考的. 我在想說是否該安定下來,組織家庭,養育小孩.
.....being continued
