介绍:
It was 1994, a year destined to leave an imprint in the history of Chinese music.
For the very first time, rockers and heavy metal bands from the mainland took the stage at the celebrated Hong Kong Coliseum and belted out their stark lyrics and intricate tunes, astounding local audiences. The show not only leaves an impact no less than the 1969 Woodstock Festival, but also, signifies the peak of Chinese rock and roll.
Yin Dejian, a middle-aged music lover, recalls.
"(At that time), people clung to their understanding of music with an unwavering devotion and unsophisticated attitude. Compared with today's musicians, they had high aspirations."
But in the eyes of photographer Gao Yuan, there is no need to deify or glorify that period.
"What I experienced was the absurdity, bitterness, and joy that solely belong to young people. Those emotions are not exclusive to my generation. Maybe compared with today's youth, we were merely more riotous. "
Her carefree attitude is reflected in her latest photo book, "Sing Away", or in Chinese, "Ba Qing Chun Chang Wan". With a collection of hundreds of black-and-white pictures taken during the 1990s, the book features some of the most heavyweight figures in the music scene, such as John Denver, the legendary American acoustic artist and Cui Jian, the Father of China's Rock Music.
But instead of snapping pictures of disheveled stars getting stage swagger or intoxicated groupies going prodigal, like many paparazzo do, this shutterbug captures some of the least exciting moments of these rock pioneers, such as dozing off on an airplane, getting haircut on the road, or lighting cigarettes at a friend's party.
Folk singer Lao Lang is a regular face shown in the book. One of the pictures is of him sitting in the corridor outside his house and looking directly at the camera.
"All the people shown in the photos are our friends. I can't pick out which one is better or not, they all look good to me. Because the pictures were taken when we were relaxed, which is pretty rare."
Turning through pages, readers may be surprised by some less-known facets of their musical heroes: alternative rock guru Dou Wei enjoys playing soccer; while the phenomenal band Black Panther once had to travel nationwide to find performing opportunity.
Although aesthetically speaking, not all the photos in the book are pleasing to the eyes, as some are unfocused while a few capture the subjects' insolent expressions, music executive Niu Jiawei still speaks highly of the photographer's efforts.
"Thanks to Gao Yuan, the images of that time have been kept. She is very meticulous to keep every detail. Those pictures may not appear to be artsy like those celebrity photos, but they are very genuine."
However, will this nostalgic collection appeal to today's younger generation or not?
Liu Yan, a rock fan born in the 1980s, provides her answer.
"I think 1990s is the special time period. At that time, the open-up policy had only been established for a few years, young people must feel lost. So they tried to find themselves and search for life value, which is the same case today. "
From the prosperity of heavy metal band Tang Dynasty, the icebreaking concert in the Hong Kong Coliseum, to the birth of Bored Army, the first band whose members are all only child, all the pictures in "Sing Away" are arranged in a chronological style. So the book is not merely a personal tribute to youth, but also, serves as a reminder for that restless, confused and yet scintillating age.
大家还在听
