Journalren - 每天都是一种练习

http://jeph.bluecircus.net/archives/cat_90_taipei_scene.html

2000年出的书，似乎从来没见过有卖的。台湾的东西总是绝版的很快。

http://www.playlouder.com/review/+herecomethetears/

We are the drowners, we are so young, we are the pigs, we are the wild ones, we are the new generation, we are trash, we are the beautiful ones, we are lazy... Do you notice a pattern emerging here, readers?

It's no great surprise then that Brett "Pied Piper of Hayward's Heath" Anderson is now here to inform us that: "We are all refugees!" and that we should all "take to the streets." Like the litter on the breeze, presumably?

Anyone expecting the much-tromboned Anderson-Butler reunion to bring about a massive renaissance in Brett's lyrical prowess is going to be disappointed. But, of course, this is no longer the one-man show of late-period Suede. Bernard is back, strutting his stuff like a man who feeds carrots to an imaginary rabbit.

Mr Butler isn't entirely without fault either. He's still a stranger to the less-is-more concept, with a tendency to clog up the multi-track with so many amazing guitar parts that you can't actually make out any of them. With the production of 'Dog Man Star' such a looming factor in his departure from Suede, Bernard's got his hands superglued to the steering wheel here and he's gone for his trademark sub-Spector wall-of-sludge. Far more technically expert ears than these have already pointed out that despite touring through umpteen studios, some of this still sounds like it's been recorded in a biscuit tin. Perhaps we can blame some of that on Brett, bafflingly credited as "executive producer" - an unbearably pompous yet meaningless title that people like Steven Spielberg use when they get other people to do all their work for them.

Meanwhile those who complain that The Tears sound like McAlmont & Butler with 'A New Morning' vocals should be reminded that this is no longer 1994 and that these are essentially the ingredients we have to work with here. Indeed, if word on the street is to be believed, then many of these tunes were destined for David McAlmont's doorstep till Brett made that fateful call. Brett's tonsils aren't in quite the same league as McAlmont's, but an oft-overlooked fact is that he is a very good singer and thankfully he's ditched that feeble, throaty Gallagher impression that tarnished much of Suede's later catalogue.

So far so so-so then and a glance at the reunited couple's shiny new website clearly exposes the gulf that still divides the two old loons. Man-of-the-people Bernard enjoys Wood Green Shopping City while self-styled buffoon Brett prefers to stay in and read Nietzsche. (Of course we believe you, dear).

Still, as Friedrich nearly said, one must have madness within oneself to give birth to a dancing star. The pair of them are certainly madder than a mad hatter's "who's got the maddest hat?" competition, so what's important is how their potentially explosive differences are combined. It's an enormous relief to report that, on more than one occasion, they are forged to dazzling effect.

Take the 'Ghost Of You', a delicate and genuinely moving description of bereavement, most likely about Brett's mum. The subject matter makes it virtually piss-take-proof so we'll let that cringeworthy line about the Salvation Army pass without further comment. Then there's 'Beautiful Pain', a fairly standard tale of drugs-as-lover a la 'There She Goes'. Both are adroitly handled with words and music of wonderfully complementary high drama.

'Lovers', however, is the album's real stinker. It goes (you've guessed it) "We are the lovers!" And then:

"We're different colours!" Possibly the worst rhyming couplet since "side by side on my piano keyboard / oh lord."

Yes, Brett's got a beautiful black girlfriend and, while it's nice that he's happy and all that, he seems to be under the mistaken impression that this qualifies him for the role of self-appointed UN ambassador for race relations 鈥?see also his new found obsession with refugees. Despite Bernard's input, the song is yet another of those hopeless 'Trash' re-writes that sign-posted Suede's slow demise, usually accompanied in concert by some kind of ill-conceived impersonation of Robbie Williams' dad.

There's quite a lot of this unfortunately. 'Two Creatures' appears to be about deciding where to take his missus on holiday while 'Imperfection' - like 'A New Morning's 'Obsessions' - is a checklist of his latest belle's various characteristics. "Your teeth are not quite straight / Your mood swings oscillate." Next he'll be telling us she lives in a house and is stupid as a mouse.

The more introspective songs work better. 'Fallen Idol' has a nice touch of autobiographical self-doubt and some neat Beatley riffing from Bernard that echoes the mighty 'Stay Together'. On 'Autograph', Brett sighs with real regret about the not inconsiderable number of meaningless groupie shags he's notched up over the years. Similarly, 'Asylum' is almost frightening in its frankness as he more or less admits that he's bound for the loony bin.

Things are looking even better as 'Apollo 13' waltzes in and gears up to be the album's masterpiece. In one of his finest vocal performances since, ooh, 'Still Life', Brett speaks of an "estuary girl" who is "not the one". But if she follows him, he'll follow her to the unknown, apparently. Not quite sure why he'd do that since he's just explained she's not the one. Also, if they were both following each other surely they'd be going round in circles? Anyway, it's stirring, emotionally-charged stuff. Then, as Brett's voice soars like the good old days and Bernard cranks up the guitars to a quivering climax, our narrator solemnly intones, "like Apollo..." Yes! Yes! "Like Apollo 13..." Yes? Tell us Brett!

"...we'll explode."

Doh! It's like finding out that the great answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. What does he mean? Is he trying to say that the relationship is so fiery and tempestuous that it will spontaneously combust? But the whole point of the film was that Apollo 13 didn't explode, remember? The oxygen tank ruptured and they had to put it back together with a bin-liner and sticky-backed plastic and then make an emergency re-entry. I suppose he could be suggesting that despite all the odds, he and his unsuitable estuary girl achieve a successful splashdown, bruised, slightly singed but ultimately still joyously alive? The more likely explanation, sadly, is that it's yet another garbled simile that simply hasn't been thought through. Shame.

Still, 'A Love As Strong As Death' almost makes up for it, a simple weather-as-emotions metaphor that's relatively wince-free and suggests that there's more to this reunion than a desperate last throw of the fluffy dice. Because despite the handful of duff tracks and a couple of absolute howlers, 'Here Come The Tears' is a fine album - certainly not the best they've made together, nor even apart, but accomplished, ambitious and often highly impressive. And if - as our Pied Piper is currently promising - the next one is five times better, then while he'll never be the new Damon Albarn, he may yet prove to be the old Brett Anderson.

David Barnett

reviewed on 02 Jun 2005

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很不错的碟评，前两段就把我逗乐了。

好几天没更新了，白天忙大中华，晚上则在看The Tears的各路资料。闲下来再数日子补日记。

【明報專訊】「公道」兩個字，對於來自千里之外重慶巿的67歲老翁殷志剛來說何其沉重。兩年多前，他被一名港商借去3萬元退休金後，對方去如黃鶴﹔殷伯為了討回血汗錢，得回公道，毅然展開一段孤獨漫長的「官司之旅」。他在家鄉埋首苦讀香港法律，致函前特首董建華(相關新聞 - 網站)等求助，之後帶盤川3度來港找尋「債仔」，蒐集資料興訟。昨天，香港法院裁定殷伯勝訴，在異鄉得回遲來的公道，可是在庭外被老羞成怒的「債仔」打傷。歷盡艱辛終嘗勝利的殷伯昨天緊握拳頭哽咽說︰「午夜夢迴，我也害怕這副老骨頭會不堪勞累﹔可是，今天我終於贏了﹗」

遭重慶港商騙去3萬退休金

67歲的殷志剛是退休推銷員。40多年前，他從重慶的大學畢業後，一直工作到花甲之年退休，與妻子共享晚年。夫婦倆有一個兒子，現已30多歲。2002年6月，殷子認識一名自稱在中港兩地均有業務的52歲陳姓港人，對方表示會聘請他到其投資公司工作，殷子不虞有詐，在其設於重慶的公司辛勤工作。

2003年3月，殷伯知道兒子工作9個月以來一直從未獲發薪金，遂找陳某理論﹔沒想到對方一開口便是借錢，說公司周轉不靈，保證有借有還，困難一過會立即還錢並補發薪金云云。他為取得殷伯信任，更將自己的身分證及車牌影印本交出。殷伯不欲公司倒閉間接令兒子失業，遂將本欲用作購屋的3.3萬元退休金先後借予對方。但陳取錢後一去不回，殷伯費盡方法找到陳某要求還錢，俱不得要領。

函董建華求助 港府指路法援署

殷伯不忿血汗錢遭騙去，向重慶法院求助無果後，籌劃追討大計。他依靠兒子的700元薪金支一家生活，省吃儉用，先在去年中在圖書館借來多本介紹香港法律的書籍，挑燈夜讀，得知可在本港興訟有望後，他去信前特首董建華及律政司長梁愛詩(相關新聞 - 網站)求助。2星期後，港府回函「教路」，指可向法援署求助，他即下定決心來港興訟。

追討路上首現一絲曙光的殷伯，馬上點算餘下積蓄，並將之分成數份作每次來港的旅費。今年5月以來，他三度來港，首次到港後，他到陳某報稱在上環的公司，卻發現地址是假的。他未有放棄，先後向稅務局等部門求助下，終找到陳某的住宅地址，為訴訟打出一個缺口。殷伯在1個月後再次到港，在法援署協助下，到小額錢債審裁處申請索償，案件排期昨日開審。

昨日上午，殷伯終與陳某在灣仔區域法院碰頭。由於殷伯掌握充分證據，自言「沒有想過會輸」的他終獲判勝訴。法庭裁定陳某要先付380元現金，餘下3萬多元分12期每月攤還。殷伯終能討回公道，喜上眉梢，但當他步出法院欲向陳某索取聯絡方法時，有人疑惱羞成怒，突然發難打傷殷伯胸口，幸被3名熱心途人發現制止。兇徒事後逃去無蹤，但因警方已掌握其身分資料，相信不久後可將他拘捕。

昨打贏官司 法院外被打胸口

殷伯送院敷治後已無大礙，但原定可於昨日返回家鄉的他，因要待今天到警署錄口供，需多留港1天。昨晚他在銅鑼灣居住的賓館內表示，感謝港府各部門主動向他提供協助，亦多謝在其「官司路」上伸出援手的好心人。他也透過長途電話將勝訴喜訊告知兒子，但叮囑兒子千萬別將被打一事告知老妻，免得她擔心。殷伯打官司這幕現實劇終在異鄉落幕，歷盡艱辛的他激動不已，在取回公道的這一個晚上，他高呼「公道自在人心，我終於贏了」。

難忘賓館老闆一麵之恩

【明報專訊】坐在賓館客廳泛黃的沙發上，鎂光燈在殷伯面前閃個不停，剛被打傷的左胸依然隱隱作痛，但令他激動流淚的不是這些，而是在他那孤獨旅途中一雙雙熱心援手。長途跋涉成功討回債項，殷伯回首這條千里打官司長路說︰「我要感謝好多人﹗」

「我要感謝好多人﹗」

殷伯住在銅鑼灣一家賓館中一個只有30呎的小房間，日租150元，但對只帶了4000元來港的殷伯來說是昂貴的。記者見如此狹窄環境，不經意地說了一句「真苦你呀」，誰知他馬上搖頭說「不苦，不苦」。

原來，已經3度來港的殷伯，每次的盤川都不多。他說，有次錢用盡了，從家鄉帶來的杯麵也吃光，正呆在房間按肚子發愁，但突然傳來撲鼻香味，開門一看，只見公寓老闆端一碗湯麵對他說︰「請你吃的。」殷伯感激不已，懷滿心感激吃個清光。昨天，憶起那碗令人窩心的湯麵，殷伯眼淚奪眶而出。

法院外被打 3途人義助

昨午勝訴後，殷伯步出法庭，看見陳姓「債主」走在前面，馬上問他要聯絡方法，沒想到有人惱羞成怒，狠狠抓住殷伯揮拳猛打其胸﹔已近七旬的殷伯哪有氣力反抗，無望無助之際，3名途人見狀喝止，其中一人更抓住兇徒已揮在半空的手臂不放。3名好心人事後留下名片，叮囑殷伯「有困難要找我們幫忙」，自言「想不到素未謀面的陌生人會這樣幫我」的殷伯，把名片交給記者，連連要求「請再次代我向他們道謝」。

殷伯說，想起一路上，無論是香港政府、醫院職員或是警察，都主動伸出援手幫助，「香港處處是人情味」，覺得那些苦日子將要離去了。年來習慣單身上路的他，用顫抖的手輕揉紅腫的傷處，蒼白的眉毛稍略上揚，輕輕的說一句︰「我贏了。」聽來字字鏗鏘。

圖書館苦讀法律

【明報專訊】在大學念過語言及文學的殷伯，兩年三次來往香港重慶，為了討回公道打官司四出奔波。雖然受過高深教育，思路清晰，但由於當初對香港法律一竅不通，隻身來港打官司談何容易。為了增加勝算，殷伯過去一年來一邊苦讀香港法律，一邊節衣縮食籌費用，最後證明努力沒有白費。

讀遍家鄉圖書館香港法律書

殷伯被騙去3萬元後，決心要取回自己失去的東西。不過，由於他不諳香港法律，要增強這方面知識，又因財困而無力買書。他當時靈機一觸，遂到當地圖書館把全部有關香港法律的書籍借回家讀遍，寫下一疊又一疊的筆記。

殷伯多次向重慶有關部門求助，卻碰壁而回。去年10月，他致函當時的特首董建華(相關新聞 - 網站)及律政司長梁愛詩(相關新聞 - 網站)求助，雖然此舉「不知道是否有用」，但相信「一定會有回覆」。

信寄出兩星期後就收到回信，這有如「強心針」般激起他來港興訟的決心。可是來港使費每次動輒幾千元，退休在家殷伯實無力負擔﹔他只得節衣縮食，每次來港都將背囊塞滿杯麵，來港後就更說不上遊玩購物了。

廿元豆腐飯作晚餐慶功

記者問殷伯有沒有想過會敗訴，本來一面倦容的他即滿是自信地回答﹕「不怕輸﹗從來沒想過失敗﹗」殷伯打官司得勝，為獎勵自己，他掏出廿多元買了一客豆腐飯當晚餐慶祝。這一頓，他吃得滿心歡喜。

明報記者 王家恒 梁啟綸

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今天把这个老伯请到直播大中华，下午先和Daniel去中环，传说中的谢伟俊的律师事务所，采访这个老伯和谢伟俊。事件的来龙去脉如上。老伯月退休金534元，为打官司来香港三次共费了将近8000元。而且还因忧愁怄气患上疾病。真是十分可怜。每次来香港都舍不得吃，都是从重庆带的方便面。这次官司赢了，虽然还有钱拿不回来的可能性，但能上他常看的凤凰，见到他欣赏的阮次山（虽然只一背影），还有受到这么多的关注与支持，应该也很欣慰了。

但欣慰归欣慰，金钱上，还是损失了不少。凤凰按请嘉宾惯例会给他500块钱。晚上一个医生把他接走请他吃饭，要义务为他看看病。谢伟俊免费替他处理下面可能会出现的追款的事……老伯在采访中每次提到自己的月薪就眼圈红了。我没有太多的能力帮助他，今天只是买了瓶水给他而已。

其实类似的事报纸上经常可以看到，但今天深入去关注这件事了，就特别深切的同情他。换句话说，如果天天搞社会新闻我可能也得得上什么心理抑郁病，所以我们的生活需要娱乐，这一点都不假——即使娱乐本身是很假的。

http://blog.donews.com/tonsha/archive/2005/07/31/489904.aspx

当年只把这个草稿发给了贾维。这个版本就是听着采访录音直接抄下来的。所以很乱。有些地方连自己问的什么问题都没有加进去。只是突然看到这个版本才想起来当时还涉及了一些其他内容，这些内容后来都因为不太好加到文章里就给删掉了。

大致重温了一遍有四处地方是被我后来删掉的，一是我问到陈绮贞她为何举办那么多小型Acoustic演出，是不是音乐风格所限（其实这个问题挺精彩的吗不该删），二是我问陈绮贞受到什么音乐影响比较深（回答是古典），三是问到After 17，这张单曲在28天后采访，当时陈绮贞死活不肯透露包括歌曲名字在内的细节，四是到最后陈绮贞还提到她回台北就要去照胃镜。

算是一次不错的“翻旧帐”经历。Freshy看好。

國民黨主席連戰訪問大陸，中共宣布開放大陸民眾來台觀光。行政院表示，樂見中共這項宣布，希望大陸有關當局展現誠意，做好相關安排，和我方政府或以雙方政府同意的方式，就大陸人民來台觀光旅遊的相關問題進行協商，做出妥適安排。〈康子仁報導〉

行政院長謝長廷表示，開放大陸人民來台觀光是政府的既定政策，在民國九十年就公佈開放大陸人民來台觀光的具體方案，並且在九十一年起陸續開放，但是中共當局到現在還是沒有把台灣列為大陸人民前往觀光的目的地，

謝長廷指出，即使是去年九月中共宣布開放福建地區人民到金門觀光，到今年三月底為止，前往金門觀光的大陸人民累計只有三百多人，和我方每天開放六百人的數額，有相當大的落差，充分說明大陸當局沒有充分的誠意推動大陸人民來台觀光。

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/050504/4/1rxyx.html