靜止的哀愁

訪問／撰文／翻譯—馬瓜（Yeves）

May be some common and cliché questions inside this email, however, we will try to make these questionnaires sound like not so stupid. Hope you enjoy answering these questions and we will try our best to let the Taiwanese fans know you guys better.

在這次的電子郵件訪談中，也許包含了一些很普通或是老套的問題。我們盡可能讓這些問題看起來不那麼愚蠢。希望你享受回答這些問題的過程，而我們也會努力讓台灣的樂迷對你們有更深一層的了解。

We know that the Album Leaf was generated from Chopin's work. People may wonder why you choose this name as your own solo project. Would you tell something about it?

It was simply through name searching. Just looking for a name. Looking through everything as far as books, records, music books etc.. I had a Chopin book out because I had been studying it. I saw the name and it stuck.

1. The Album Leaf的團名來自於蕭邦（Chopin）的作品，我想大家一定會很好奇—選擇這個名稱作為單飛的團名，是否有特別含意？

Ans. 對我而言，這只是個尋找的過程，單純地想找到適合自己的名稱。在選擇這個名稱時，我瀏覽了許多相關的資料，像是書、專輯、音樂刊物等等…，正好在讀一本關於蕭邦的書，當Album Leaf這名稱出現時，就深植在我腦海中， 而這也成為我們團名的由來。

Are there any influences that affect you much and make you want to become a musician?

Everyday life is my main influence. Listening to good records also influence me to try new things, or do something different. There are all kinds of factors.

2. 什麼樣的因素讓你想要成為一個樂手？有特別的原因嗎？

Ans. 每天的日常生活對我而言都有它一定的意義存在。聽到好專輯也是一個讓我決定去嘗試新事物，或是做些不同的事情的主要因素。有許多靈感存在我們的日常生活當中。

What kind of music do you listen to more often? Do you like classical/hip-hop/heavy metal music?

I tend to listen to a lot of early records. Lately I have been really into podcasts by NPR and KEXP in Seattle as well as KCRW in Los Angeles. It a good way for me to find out about new things going on because I generally do not seek them out. I also listen to a handful of electronic bands. But I still listen to Brian Eno, the Beatles, Creedence, Steely Dan. I don't know. All kinds of stuff. Hip hop yes, No classical though.

3. 最常聽什麼類型的音樂？喜歡古典、嘻哈、或重金屬音樂嗎？

Ans. 主要都是一些早期的音樂。最近迷上了電台所製作的podcast，像是西雅圖的NPR、KEXP、及洛杉磯的KCRW。對想要了解新事物的我而言，這是很棒的方法，畢竟平時的我，不大會主動發掘新資訊。還有很多電子音樂，也常聽Brian Eno、the Beatles、CCR、Steely Dan的作品。其實各種題材都會接觸。嘻哈音樂當然也聽，但不聽古典音樂。

You used to be a member of the Tristeza, what's the major difference between the Tristeza and the Album Leaf from your points of view? 2 bands sound quite different and we wonder what makes you want to leave the band instead.

It was just a change in direction for me. They didn't want to go the direction I was going in which was what Album Leaf is now. I ran out of time for Tristeza. It just wasn't right for me anymore.

4. 你曾經是Tristeza的一員。就你的觀點而言，Tristeza和Album Leaf最大的不同在哪？畢竟兩團聽起來的風格迥異，而我們也很好奇，為何你會離團單飛。

Ans. 這只是轉換跑道的方向罷了。他們不希望朝我所想要的方向（現在的Album Leaf走向)，而我幾乎所有的時間都投注在Tristeza上，留在團裡已不再是一個正確的決定。

Taiwanese music fans tend to be more familiar with the so-called Iceland Sound in recent years (such as Sigur Ros, Mum). We know that Iceland is a country that usually does not have too much sunshine in winter. What makes you choose Iceland as the main place to record or remix your work since the weather I bet is not like San Diego full of sunshine.

I'm in san diego all the time. Its my home. I do not like to be in a place with distractions while working on a record. The studio that I work at there is amazing. The person I work with there is amazing. It's a big part of my records.

5. 近幾年，台灣的音樂愛好者對於所謂的冰島之聲（像是Sigur Ros、Mum）等較為熟悉。印象中的冰島，冬天往往沒什麼日照。是什麼因素讓你選擇冰島作為錄製及混音專輯的地點，畢竟它不像你的家鄉聖地牙哥一般充滿著陽光。

Ans. 大多數的時間，我都待在聖地牙哥，它是我的家鄉，當錄製專輯的時候，我不希望待在一個有太多瑣事而令人分心的地方。冰島的錄音室令人驚訝！在那合作的夥伴也令人感到驚奇，這是我唱片中所突顯的主要部分。

What's your strongest impression the last time you came to Taiwan to join the Formoz Festival? Do Taiwanese fans have any differences compared with western countries?

Definitely. But everywhere is different fan wise. Asia in general tends to be way more excited. It feels very good to be treated the way we are when we tour in asia. It seems asia has it all figured as far as how to treat a band. Its truly wonderful.

6. 上次來台灣參加野台開唱時，台灣給你最深的印象為何？台灣樂迷和其他國家樂迷有何不同？

Ans. 台灣樂迷自然有其不同之處。事實上，各地的樂迷都有它不同的表達方式。我認為亞洲的樂迷較為活潑。在亞洲巡迴時，對於當地接待我們的方式也很滿意，亞洲人似乎天生就知道該如何招待樂團一樣。這都是很美好的經驗。

Read from other interviews we know that you have been worked with many different musicians to record the album. You mentioned before that you just let the sound happen; basically the origin is still based on your own work. How do you choose the musicians and how you guys cooperate?

Well Matt Resovich is a live member of the band, he is a big part of the sound and I wanted to capture that from him. Giving him more creativity to do his own thing. Joshua Eustis from Telefon Tel Aviv is a good friend and we had always wanted to work together. It was just the right timing to do so. He normally lives in Chicago but at that time he was in LA working so it worked. With Drew Andrews, he also a live member, so giving him some freedom of guitar parts I felt was also a good idea. Just brings us all together a bit more. I am still writing everything, but I don't like having complete control from beginning to end of a record. I have other projects I do as album leaf that I have total control. Such as Remixes or Soundtracks.

7. 從其他訪問得知，錄製專集時，你會和許多不同的樂手合作。你曾提及讓一切聲響自然的發生：但根本的架構還是植基在自己的作品上。你如何選擇合作的樂手，又是如何搭配的呢？

Ans. Matt Resovich是現場班底、和製造音樂要素的主力，我希望從他身上得到些東西，我也會給他更多的概念去創作出他所想要製造出來的樂音。來自Telefon Tel Aviv的Joshua Eustis是我的好友，我們想要合作很久了，這一次新專輯的錄製就是最佳時機—他住在芝加哥，錄製新專輯時，正好在洛杉磯工作，剛好有這個機會和他搭配。至於Drew Andrews也是現場班底之一，我會給予他吉他演奏上較多的空間，這是個很好的主意，只要讓我們這些人聚在一起的時間再多一些。就創作而言，還是以我的作品為主，我不希望錄製專輯的過程中，自始至終都是由我完全主導。有以我為主導的其他分支團，但那主要是做些混音，或是原聲帶作品時，才會有這樣的情形。

Touring is a beautiful thing and you said before that it's kind of learning about yourself and losing yourself. Which place will you stay if you don't want to tour any more? San Diego or Iceland?

Neither, I would like to live somewhere new, somewhere I have never been. Keep things fresh. There are many cities across the world I wouldn't mind spending a year of my life in.

8. 旅行是件很美麗的事情，而你也曾經說過，在旅行的過程中，一切就像是自我學習並且也釋放了自我。當你不再巡迴的時候，你希望可以待在哪個地方？聖地牙哥或冰島？

Ans. 兩者皆非。我希望可以去一個未知的國度，感受一些我未曾感受的事物，讓所有的一切都保持著新鮮感。這世上有許多的城市，我不介意花個一年的時間住在那裡。

From my personal experience, listening to your music is just like reading a book, walking on the street all alone and feels the warmth from the rhythm you composed. What do you recommend to all the fans to do when they are alone?

Whatever it is they do. I don't belive in one way to listen to my music. I want it to suit all needs and situations. That is my main reason for not having many vocals, it leaves things more up to the listener for their interpretation.

9. 從我的個人經驗—聽你的音樂就像是看一本書、獨自走在街道上，並從音樂中感受了一絲的溫暖。你會建議樂迷們，獨處時做些什麼？

Ans. 什麼都好。我不認為聽我的音樂時，只會擁有一種感覺。我希望自己的作品可以在任何情境下聆聽。這也是為何我的作品中，不會有太多人聲的主要原因，多留點空間，讓聆聽者可以獨自解讀與感受。

Top 10 records of 2006 (no matter which country, which continent – Taiwanese fans like this kind of chart since they were truly, deeply influenced by Nick Hornby's work High Fidelity)?

Richard Swift "Dressed up for the Letdown" (not out yet, but he's a friend and I got it in 2006.)

Menomena "I am the Fun Blame Monster!" (released earlier but I got it in 2006.)

Peter, Bjorn and John "Young Folks"

The Rapture "Pieces of the People we Love"

Sigur Ros "Takk"

Broadcast "Tender Buttons"

Thom Yorke "The Eraser"

Bob Dylan "Modern Times"

Sparklehorse "it's a Wonderful Life" (again released in 2001 but I got this record in 2006

M Ward "Post-War"

Those are hard!

10. 2006年你的個人十大專輯（不論是從哪個國家、哪一洲發行的 – 台灣的樂迷深深受到Nick Hornby作品High Fidelity的影響，似乎很喜歡這種排行榜）？

Richard Swift "Dressed up for the Letdown" （尚未發行，但他是我的朋友而我去年即取得這張專輯）

Menomena "I am the Fun Blame Monster!" （今年年初發行的但我去年就聽到了）

Peter, Bjorn and John "Young Folks"

The Rapture "Pieces of the People we Love"

Sigur Ros "Takk"

Broadcast "Tender Buttons"

Thom Yorke "The Eraser"

Bob Dylan "Modern Times"

Sparklehorse "it's a Wonderful Life" （2001年發行但我去年才聽到這張專輯）

M Ward "Post-War"

這問題真的很難！

We know that even some of your works have been put into the TV score you don't even watch before. What's your top 10 movie of all time (another fucking boring question) and if possible what movie you want to join to compose the new materials for?

"Shine" by Scott Hicks

"Boogie Nights" by Paul Thomas Anderson

"Magnolia" by Paul Thomas Anderson

"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" by Russ Meyer

"21 Grams" by Alejandro Gonzalez

"Rear Window" by Alfred Hitchcock

"Dancer in the Dark" by Lars Von Trier

"Dogville" by Lars Von Trier

"Gerry" by Gus Van Sant

"The Shining" by Stanley Kubrick

11. 我們知道你有些作品被用於電視劇之中，而你本人似乎也未曾看過這些電視劇。你終生十大電影（另一個他媽的無聊的問題）為何？如果可能的話你會希望參與你一部電影的音樂製作？

．鋼琴師（Shine。by Scott Hicks）

．不羈夜（Boogie Nights。by Paul Thomas Anderson）

．心靈角落（Magnolia。by Paul Thomas Anderson）

．飛越美人谷（Beyond the Valley of the Dolls。by Russ Meyer）

．靈魂的重量（21 Grams。by Alejandro Gonzalez）

．後窗（Rear Window。by Alfred Hitchcock）

．在黑暗中漫舞（Dancer in the Dark。by Lars Von Trier）

．厄夜變奏曲（Dogville。by Lars Von Trier）

．痞子逛沙漠（Gerry。by Gus Van Sant）

．鬼店（The Shining。by Stanley Kubrick）

You added vocals into the songs since "In a Safe Place" and there seems to be more vocals in the latest album, the songs with singing are romantic, actually compared with The Black Heart Procession's work they are quite different. How do you think of the vocals, and how do you think of the cooperation with The Black Heart Procession?

The difference is it is Pall and I working together writing lyrics. My thoughts with is help in composing the lyrics. And of course, it's the album leaf not the blackheart procession!

12. 你在In a Safe Place之後開始加入人聲，而新專輯中似乎有更多的歌唱曲目，這些有人聲的歌曲聽起來很浪漫，聽起來卻和The Black Heart Procession的作品大不相同。對於加入人聲有何看法？和The Black Heart Procession合作的感覺如何？

Ans. 最大的不同在於Pall和我合作撰寫歌詞。我的想法是合作撰寫歌詞而已，當然這是屬於The Album Leaf的歌曲，而不是The Black Heart Procession的！

About the visions in your show, are they programmed or live VJ?

It's a live visualist, andy pates, he has work with me for a couple years now. He uses a mix of pre-programmed and live manipulation.

13. 關於現場演出時的投像，是事先錄製好的？還是現場VJ投影？

Ans. 是由和我合作多年的現場錄像投影師Andy Pates，混合先錄製好的影像，現場再加工處理的。

Will you play DJ set after the formal show in Taipei? That is very expected for Taiwanese fans!

I have not been asked to but it would be very fun if I did! I would like too!

14. 在台北正式演出後，你是否願意嘗試擔任DJ的角色？我想這是台灣樂迷眾所期待的！

Ans. 我沒有被要求做這樣的事情，但這會是很有趣的嘗試！我很願意擔任此一角色！

Many thanks for answering the above questions. Hope to see you guys soon!

非常感謝你回答上述問題。期待與你們的相見！