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2011-06-25, 12:23 AM
Dean & Britta play Galaxie 500
80年代尾聲，Dean Wareham和兩名哈佛同學共組Galaxie 500，雖只發行三張專輯，每張都成了經典。
90年代Galaxie 500解散，他從波士頓返回紐約另組Luna，成為夢幻流行（Dream Pop）曲風的代表樂團。當Luna於2005年謝幕，Dean與妻子、也是Luna貝斯手Britta組成雙人拍檔Dean & Britta繼續出版專輯，巡迴各地。
如今Dean已是另類樂界的傳奇人物，曾於2007年訪台。這回再度造訪，帶來整晚的Galaxie 500歌曲，背後動機是什麼？透過《GQ》的獨家訪談，我們聽聽他怎麼說，同時也和這名死忠洋基迷聊聊棒球，及他鮮為人知的短暫樂評生涯。
1. 距首張Galaxie 500專輯《Today》問世至今，已有二十三年，為何選這個時刻重新演繹Galaxie 500的曲子？
大約一年前在西班牙，我們進行一場純粹只有Galaxie 500歌曲的表演，總長四十五分鐘。我自認目前這個陣容（我彈吉他、Britta彈貝斯、Jason Lawrence打鼓）聽來相當不錯。當我返回美國，Galaxie 500的專輯恰好由Domino重發，我覺得現在是很好的時間點。若現在不做，我就永遠不會做了。
2. 這次演出的歌單是否只有Galaxie 500的曲子，還是會添加幾首Luna或Dean & Britta的作品？
安可時我們或許會表演一首Luna，及一兩首Dean & Britta的歌。主秀將全是Galaxie 500，包括小野洋子、Joy Division和Jonathan Richman的翻唱曲。
3. 你個人最鍾愛的Galaxie 500專輯是哪一張？
第一張專輯《Today》，至今仍讓我感到不可思議。錄製這張專輯時我們才第二次進錄音室，而且只花三天就完成它。感覺上我們才剛開始學習如何演奏，所有的音符卻都落入正確的位置（有時也包括彈錯的音符，它們往往才是最棒的）。當時人們總說我們聽來像這個團或那個團，但現在重聽，我想我們成團之初便找到屬於自己的聲響。
4. 你個人最鍾愛的Galaxie 500曲子是哪一首？
或許是我們的第一首單曲〈Tugboat〉。只有一段主歌，副歌也只有一行，就像咒語：「There's a place I'd like to be.」
5. 當你彩排許久未表演的Galaxie 500曲子，得先聽CD復習嗎？
當然了，特別是幾首長曲如〈Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste〉與〈Summertime〉。這些歌只有兩個和弦，感覺上表演起來應該很簡單，然而透過三人編制演奏，卻有很多細節需要注意 -- 如何營造高潮，如何讓高潮和緩。彩排過程我常聽Galaxie 500的現場專輯《Copenhagen》，錄製於一趟長程歐洲巡迴的尾聲。
6. 這些歌對你而言是否聽來又像「新的」曲子？和你的記憶相較，無論彈或唱是更困難或更簡單？
能重新演奏這些曲子讓人興奮，尤其當你面對的那些歌迷也因親耳聽見它激動不已。這些曲子比我記憶中難上許多。我在Luna時不但唱得輕聲，使用到的聲帶也以低音域為主，經過那麼多年，現在演唱Galaxie 500的歌我必須站地離麥克風比較遠，才能唱得大聲，用到高的音域。發現自己還能做到是一件有趣的事，就像重新發現一個埋藏在身體裡的聲音。它不是Neil Young那種假音，比較接近尖銳刺耳的高音哭嚎。
7. 上次造訪台灣讓你印象最深刻的是什麼？
絕妙的食物。我們的接待知道帶我們到何處用餐，對我來說台北的食物比得上世界上任何一座城市。我和Britta剪頭髮時也看到全世界最高的建築物台北101，很有趣。大老遠造訪台灣真的讓我們大開眼界，尤其能遇見喜歡我們音樂的樂迷。
8. 今年至今最喜歡的電影、專輯和書籍各是什麼？
最喜歡的電影是阿薩亞斯的《卡洛斯》（Carlos）；最喜歡的專輯是Papercuts的《Fading Parade》；最喜歡的書籍是Sam Lipsyte的《The Ask》。
9. 除了替安迪沃荷短片配樂和Galaxie 500的演出，手邊有任何新的計劃嗎？
目前的計劃是我會錄製一張個人專輯，Britta也會錄製一張，我們將協助彼此。
10. 聽說你曾替男性雜誌寫稿？
我有個朋友是男性雜誌的編輯，向我邀稿，替他們雜誌撰寫樂評。我寫了幾個月，卻很不喜歡這份差事，因為他們一直未經我的同意擅改我的稿子...
11. 你認為洋基隊的Derek Jeter還是一名稱職的大聯盟游擊手嗎？
他還是可以勝任這個守備位置，一晚打出兩支安打，完成一次盜壘。不過我想他不再是一名令人生畏的打者了。當然，站在他身旁的或許正是史上最佳游擊手Alex Rodriguez。
（訪談原文如下。註：Dean記憶有誤，當時剪頭髮的地方是信義誠品6F，可看見台北101，而非台北101裡面。）
1. It's been over 20 years from the first Galaxie 500 album. Why do you decide to bring those songs on the road again?
We played one 45-minute set of Galaxie 500 songs about a year ago -- in Spain -- and I thought our band (Britta, myself and drummer Jason Lawrence) sounded really good. And when I came home the records were being re-released on Domino after 20 years, and I thought if I don't do this now, then I will never do it.
2. Are there just Galaxie 500 songs in the setlist? Or will also be some Luna or Dean & Britta songs?
Maybe we'll do one Luna song in the encore, and one or two by Dean & Britta too. But the set itself is all Galaxie 500 (which includes covers of Jonathan Richman, Yoko Ono and Joy Division).
3. What's your favorite Galaxie 500 album, and why?
Today, our first album, amazes me, especially when I consider that it was only our second time in a recording studio, and we did it all in about 3 days. It feels like we were just learning to play, but the notes fell into place (sometimes the wrong notes too, which can be the best ones). And people said we sound like this band or that band, but now I listen and I think we had a sound all our own.
4. What's your favorite Galaxie 500 song, and why?
Maybe "Tugboat" - our first single. It only has one verse, and the chorus is just one line, or perhaps a mantra -- "there's a place I'd like to be."
5. Before you rehearsing some Galaxie 500 songs which you haven't been playing for a while, do you need to listen them again by CD?
Oh yes. Especially the long songs like "Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste" or "Summertime." These seem like they would be simple (just two chords) but when you play as a trio there is a lot to figure out, how to build the songs up and break them down. I listened a lot to Copenhagen, Galaxie 500's live album, recorded at the end of a long European tour.
6. Can you describe that feeling? Are those songs "new" to you again? And compare to your memories, are they easier or more difficult to play & sing?
It's exciting to play the songs, especially to an audience who seem thrilled by the chance to hear them live. But the songs were definitely more difficult to play than I remember. After years of singing quietly (and low in my vocal register) with Luna, I had to step back from the microphone and sing loud, and very high, and it was fun to discover that I could still do this, discovering a voice that was buried inside me. It's not a falsetto like Neil Young; it's more of a piercing high pitched cry.
7. What are the most memorable things when you visited Taiwan last time?
Wonderful food. Luckily I had someone who knew exactly where to take me, it seemed like Taipei's food can match any city in the world. Britta and I got our haircut in the tallest building in the world; that was fun too. Really it was just eye-opening to travel all the way to Taiwan and meet people who were fans of our music.
8. What's your favorite new movie, music and book by far this year?
Film: Carlos by Olivier Assays
Book: The Ask by Sam Lipsyte
Music: Fading Parade by Papercuts
9. Besides the Warhol show and Galaxie 500 show, is there any new project going on or in plan? Like, a new Dean & Britta album maybe?
The plan is that I am going to make a solo album, and so is Britta. But we will help each other make these records.
10. Have you been the columnist for men's magazine before? If so, how did that happen?
I was hired by an editor who had moved from GQ to Esquire. And for a couple of months I did music criticism, but I didn't like it so much, they kept changing my words without asking me...
11. Do you think Jeter is still a legitimate Major League shortstop?
He can certainly still play the short stop position, and had two hits and a stolen base in a game tonight. But I suppose he is no longer a feared hitter. And of course he plays alongside perhaps the best shortstop to ever play the game -- Alex Rodriguez.
Essential Albums
Today（1988）
Galaxie 500首張專輯，也是Dean自己最喜歡的作品。由傳奇製作人Kramer監製，替90年代的緩飆（Slowcore）風潮立下標竿：沉穩的節奏組，漂浮的吉他聲線與迷濛的音場，Dean的高音更是一絕。翻唱Jonathan Richman的〈Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste〉和原曲截然不同，從主歌的緩慢游移過渡至副歌的高潮加速，也是Galaxie 500曲風的典型。
On Fire（1989）
公認是Galaxie 500的代表作，如一杯完美調和緩飆與夢幻流行的迷幻美酒，也替80年代獨立樂壇劃下璀璨句點。原作收錄翻唱披頭四成員George Harrison的〈Isn't It A Pity〉，重發時又追加翻唱Joy Division的絕世名曲〈Ceremony〉，讓整張專輯更飽滿。
（原文載於《GQ》中文版六月號）
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好高興看到新文章!
這週六我跟娜塔莉會去聽啊. 回想這團或緩飆風格一直都不大是我的痛,除On Fire以外的專輯我是最近買Domino的重發版才補齊的. 前陣子天氣還很冷的某週日上午聽了Today,被那悽冷迷離的聲音吸引住,於是就趕緊買票啦.
或許我該再回頭把在Other Music買的This Mortal Coil放來聽,說不定會即刻頓悟也說不定.
由 dionysoslin 發表於 June 28, 2011 8:57 AM
to 酒大,
其實我一直覺得Galaxie 500的音色在相似曲風的樂團中，算是頗溫暖的。:)
週六見！
由 pulp 發表於 June 28, 2011 9:32 PM
