Source: Music Kingdom Beijing 2004-12-16
It's been fifteen years since the band Tang Dynasty was formed. Currently, Tang Dynasty is still rehearsing to create new works. Their third album has already been made. And, there are plans to prepare for the studio recording early next year. And currently, is also negotiating record company related matters.
The reporter learned from Ding Wu, the lead singer of Tang Dynasty, that the band has persisted so far, and they hope that through their own efforts and the support of their friends around them, they can coalesce together and produce a better album to give back to the fans who have been supporting Tang Dynasty. And 15 years down the line, the members of Tang Dynasty, have also kept their love for rock and roll. They are currently rehearsing twice a week and are also working on new material. In addition, Tang Dynasty is planning to do a national tour next year and the year after, a tour called "Living in Your Dreams". On the one hand, he wants to play the role of a stepping stone, and on the other hand, he also wants to take advantage of the business opportunities of some merchants to do a better job in publicity. Ding Wu believes that although the general environment and the market is not good, but for the band there is still a market, just the lack of business, and hope to do something for the general environment. At the same time, during this time, Tang Dynasty has also met some new bands, these bands also love music, and Tang Dynasty's initial desire is the same. As the lead singer of Tang Dynasty, Ding Wu believes that compared with pop singers, bands need real singing, sound and lighting, and have more personnel, so there are not many performance opportunities for business enterprises. There are also problems with the domestic market and record company operations. Although these aspects will more or less affect the development of Chinese rock music, no industry or business will be smooth sailing, and will inevitably go through some trials and tribulations or a period of recession. Tang is confident about this, and believes that just as in the case of doing one line of work and loving one line of work, sticking to it will be a good band, and loving the music you do is the most important thing.
When it comes to music, Ding Wu wants music to gradually find its own cultural connotations and roots, and they feel that using music to vent or more emotional words is not necessary, while hoping to reflect a more healthy kind of music with the performance of things, but also in the musicians cultivation and cultural heritage on the improvement.
In terms of personal interests, Ding Wu listens to music more diversely, he is more interested in European and American rock music, domestic Li Xiangting's guqin, Zhang Weiliang's Dongxiao these folk music is also very fond of, but also like like the Qinqiang, Peking Opera, such as some of the opera things. Other things include some modern literature and some poetic rhythms.
Mentioned underground music, then said that the development of music to the present, whether underground or above ground, are constantly generating new feelings, new things, which are inevitable. It's also evolving with the development of society. In terms of underground music, a bad music market and a bad market in general can be said to be the same thing.
Interview with Mr. Zhao Nian of Tang Dynasty Band
2005-11-4 By: Guitar China
Jingxiao: Hello, Mr. Zhao Nian, I heard that you and your band have just come back from Xinjiang, first of all, please talk about the recent situation of you and your band, Tang Dynasty band
Zhao Nian: Tang Dynasty band's situation is quite good now, and they are preparing for the third album. The album is mostly finished. There is a link to
cooperation, ready to find a more responsible company, whether it is pre-release or post-publicity, including the text
understanding of the music. The show was quite successful, and I've always been a fan of the northwest, especially Xinjiang. After going to eat mutton especially addictive.
Jingxiao: Not long ago during the Shanghai Musical Instrument Exhibition held China's first Drummer Festival, you as a guest drummer performance, can you talk about this
Drummer Festival situation and your feelings?
Zhao Nian: I have a lot of feelings. It's the first time. In the past, I have not really thought about it, because I have seen these scenes in the
Video tapes, recent DVDs, this kind of disk can be seen abroad, in fact, the heart feels quite a lot. I've been playing the drums for more than 20 years, and I wanted to
have my own festival, and I didn't expect it to happen so fast. Finally, someone is going to do it. This time, after Xiao Jiang and several manufacturers, including the Shanghai Exhibition Center, put forward this idea, they felt both novel and strange. Because we don't have it in our country, it's the first time.
Special meaning
. Art is something that sometimes the people who do the art don't want to put on the shelf. This kind of thing out for people to appreciate, let more years
lighter people know the meaning of engaging in this activity, I think it is quite meaningful. At the very least, it brings a kind of excitement, a kind of appreciation
at that moment. I've been playing drums for almost twenty years, and I was the oldest of all the drummers invited. There is still a point of
kinda honor in being happy.
Jingxiao: We also saw you talking to drummer Gregg at Drummerfest, did you see his performance? Can you talk about him?
Zhao Nian: This is the second time I've seen him perform. The first time was when he came to Beijing, at the Howe Bar. I had seen his
instructional tapes about 15 or 16 years ago. I've seen his videotapes. That's when I knew about this guy. I didn't know at that time that I might be able to see the table
act in person and come to China. I can see that all aspects of the development of the country is really fast. I was very excited to see him perform. One of the first songs I listened to was by The Police. I was very excited and attracted to their drummer. His songs introduced me to music
. What I didn't realize was that The Police also copied a lot of other bands' songs and also told them as an interpretation, that is, a musical
interpretation. His performance at Drummer's Day took me back 16 or 17 years to when I was listening to The Police
. At that time, I could only hear the sound, not the image. His technique was unattainable. Later on, when I could see the video
I felt a sense of intimacy. This time, when I saw him perform in person, I was so close to him, even more so than when I was in the Police. Because now I have access to some of the equipment, some of the sound equipment, it's a very good feeling. When I came down to talk to him, I told him, "You've taken me back
16 or 17 years. I even helped him when I was supporting the equipment, helping him to set up these positions. He thanked me half a dozen times, and I said it was the right thing to do.
Jingxiao: You have also been engaged in drum teaching, talk about some of the drum learning!
Zhao Nian: At the beginning of the drums is a very superficial understanding of the drums, that is, still drums, you play so a set of drums out of the sound. With so many years
of knowledge of the drum, the drum is actually alive, it has feelings. I think learning about the drums is something you have to be prepared for. It doesn't happen
overnight. It also takes many years of learning to improve. I think new drum learners must pay attention to the basics. This is the most important
. Don't get caught up in something superficial. Nowadays, some young people have a lot of problems, they are very anxious, they want to come up and play what kind of
music they know. I don't think that's important, you've got the basics down, and you're going to be
comfortable
with those things to accomplish the music you want. At least you'll be able to do it. Nowadays, a lot of foreign ones, and Beijing too, a lot of classes, this kind of class, I think
some of them are misguided. He will quickly teach you a lot of rhythmic patterns and playing styles, what blues, Latin ~ these are very attractive to young people. Maybe
three months and six months will be able to play so many music types, actually I think it's very bad. One should focus on practicing the basics. Of course there are some ways
of doing it. I don't advocate that students use many, many textbooks, because they all require the same basic skills. Only the teaching
style of some drummers is different. I want to advise newbies that it is better to play the basics. Take fewer detours. We didn't have a teacher at that time, we couldn't hear
and we couldn't see, and it was only after figuring it out that we felt the basics were the most important.
Jingxiao: Is there any unique way to solve bottlenecks in the process of practicing drums?
Zhao Nian: There is no trick. The most important thing is willpower. Because practicing this thing, initially it is easy to reach a high level, and then further
improvement will be slow. It depends on whether your perseverance can persist. It is only through a very long period of qualitative accumulation that quantitative changes occur. This
this is the need to insist. When practicing, you still need to use your brain. To say the trick is really not much of a trick.
Jingxiao: Is there any experience that you can pass on to some of us beginners on the drums to avoid some detours?
Zhao Nian: There are still ways to play the basics. For example, when your speed is affected to some extent, or when you don't play the drums well and it's awkward
, you have to focus on your left hand a little bit. Because I don't think a lot of bad drumming is really in the right hand, it's in the ability of your left hand
. Your left hand is not as good as your right hand, and that's going to be a problem. Focus on improving your left hand a little bit, and you'll make a very quick
leap, an improvement. A lot of people understand this, but they can't stand it when it comes to doing it. Gotta have to be able to withstand the loneliness, the boredom
. I think there's still a way to figure it out. It's not about brute force. It's still about using your brain. For example, the problem of left-handed
independence, your left hand to achieve the quality and technology of your right hand, the average person can not reach, you do this you have made progress.
Jingxiao: Talk about your current drum setup.
Zhao Nian: My drum setup is very simple. I like to use six drums. A Bass drum, a military drum, three toms on the top, one, two, three
toms, a floor tom, cymbals I now use is SABIAN. because I now help SABIAN as the image of the endorser. By the way
SABIAN, it is constantly improving, reflected in the constant introduction of new models, products, and constantly improve to meet different music
different age people's understanding of the sound and pursuit. That's about it.
Competition Xiao: drum learners to buy drum equipment have any advice?
Zhao Nian: Drummers of course want to use good drums, of course, the better the better. But that's not realistic. It's expensive to buy a drum set for a beginner. But
It's not necessary to be a beginner, it's not necessary to use such high-grade drums. Even if you have that high level of finances I wouldn't advocate using
that good
drums. Because it's good for your mindset, and for you to slowly crave for drums. I've heard of people who don't know how to play the drums at all, and their families are particularly
rich, with more than 100,000 dollars of drums at home. This is not even reachable for us. If you're too privileged, you'll become slack, or just plain
okay. I bought my first drum set for over 300 bucks. I was not in a position to do so. 300 bucks for a drum set was fine, I could practice.
Of course, if the mallets are not good enough, you can replace them. I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to get out of this one, but I'm sure I'll be able to get out of it.
Jingxiao: What are your hobbies? These hobbies on your drumming whether there is any help and influence
Zhao Nian: usually exercise, play soccer. We have a team, all of them are doing music, there are pop music, there are dancers, playing keys
Panel, playing guitar, tuner, all of them are doing music. Usually the music people are very free, it's rare to play together with
a constraint, it's quite happy. Everyone wants to be part of the group. My goal is simple, is to exercise, sometimes play
Out of the drums is really sweaty. After all, I'm getting older and I'm not as strong as I'd like to be. Don't be closed at home, exercise your body. Usually watch
watch the disk, see a good movie, read a book. Also want to practice calligraphy. These two years did not dare to move, belonging to the appreciation of a stage. Often look at
Tablet post, topography. Especially to Xi'an Ningxia performances often buy some tablets, feel the rhythm, or music is good.
Jingxiao: You are an old friend of Guitar China, and you have been supporting Guitar China for a long time. Now that Guitar China has finally launched a professional
website like Drum Bar, can you please say a few words to the friends of Drum Bar?
Zhao Nian: Young people may be familiar with the bar, and the name Drum Bar is quite new. This is, after all, a place for all drummers to communicate
and it's really a pleasure. Because we may be professional reasons, can not go to get a website. Now that someone is doing it, of course it's fully supported
. There needs to be some communication, technical, sensory, more communication. Definitely go up and have a look, there are some that can help.
Jingxiao: Mr. Zhao you also often online, welcome to the drum bar exchange, so that we can learn from the drum seniors ~ drums together
Zhao Nian: good. Mutual, should be. Maybe playing drums for a long time will also have some experience I will tell everyone without reservation.