在过去十二年间,明天音乐节已发展成为深圳重要的实验和前卫音乐平台之一,始终致力于支持那些游离于主流之外的艺术家。而在今年,UPEE 与明天音乐节进行合作,我们将在接下来的更新中与本届明天音乐节阵容中的五组音乐人进行专访。
Orcutt Shelley Miller 是一支前卫摇滚三重奏,由三位实验音乐界的传奇人物组成:Bill Orcutt、Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) 和 Ethan Miller (Howlin Rain, Comets On Fire)——三位独立音乐界的标志性人物携手而来,以纯粹的默契与即兴本能,激发出不受框架束缚的独特声音。即将亮相第十届明天音乐节,UPEE 有幸邀请 Orcutt Shelley Miller 进行专访,聆听他们关于合作、创作与现场的真实感受。
UPEE:你们的合作远超乐迷对“supergroup”的预期,而我们更好奇,三位成员都是技术个性和审美风格十分突出的乐手,你们在演奏过程中是如何达成现在的平衡的,作为 Orcutt Shelley Miller 的一员你们会怎么把控自己的演奏状态?
Shelley:我们聚在一起创作、合奏的过程,十分自然顺畅、没有刻意感。演奏磨合时几乎不需要多余言语沟通,更多是互相聆听、不断探索不同演奏思路,顺其自然就碰撞出了契合的化学反应。
We seem to get together and work together in a pretty easy and organic way. There’s not much discussion going on as we work - but lots of listening and exploring different avenues to see what might come together musically in a pleasing way.
UPEE:你们以往各自的演奏与创作经历也影响着这张集体发行,带来一种既有噪音摇滚、迷幻色彩又充满即兴气质的听感。我们好奇你们会如何形容 Orcutt Shelley Miller 的音乐和演奏?
Miller:你刚才的描述已经非常贴切了!我还想补充一点,我们的音乐更像是成型的完整曲目,而非纯粹而漫无目的、随性的即兴合奏。
常有乐迷问我们,专辑里的曲目是不是全部提前写好、逐小节排练熟记的,这总让我觉得很有意思。对我们三人来说,这几乎是不可能的,因为作品绝大部分都来自现场即兴。但很特别的是,在听众耳中,这些即兴片段却像精心编排过的正式作曲。
某种程度上,我们追求的是全员即兴共创成型的作品感,而非单纯随性 Jam。但说实话,我们不会刻意设定目标,也没有固定的创作规则与条条框框。我们所做的,只是努力驾驭当下的瞬间。
You just described it pretty well! I guess you could also say that it often sounds like ‘songs’ versus just pure improv or jamming. It is always a thrill to me when people ask if the album is all written and learned material measure by measure. I think to us that sounds like it would be impossible because we know so much of it is improvised but it’s special that it is hitting other peoples ears as composition. I do think in some way we are striving for spontaneous group composition vs ‘jamming,’ but honestly we really don’t try for anything or have any set rules or guidelines as to what we are doing. We are trying to harness the moment.

UPEE:三位成员在其他乐队形式或者个人发行中不乏很多编排精密的,让人感觉到创作过程里非常审慎的创作,而 Orcutt Shelley Miller 则反而充斥着随性洒脱的爽朗印象。对于你们而言,创作和演奏这些作品时的体验是什么样的?
Orcutt:当你耗费这么多年执着钻研乐曲的结构、音色的感觉、段落的次序以及所有音乐细节后,终究会想要跳出固有的创作惯性。OSM 这支 Trio 对我而言,正是这样一种挣脱框架的存在。
它并非完全排斥编曲创作,而是不盲从固化、既定的套路。听众感受到的随性和自在感不是漫无章法的随意发挥,而是这么多年沉淀出来的临场本能。
以前严谨的编曲打磨、独处潜心创作的功底一直都在,只是换了一种方式自然流露。这份自由之所以有分量,也正是因为背后有专业的积淀与自我约束。
You spend enough years obsessing over structure, tone, sequencing, all the details of music, and eventually you start wanting to escape your own habits. That’s part of what this trio feels like to me. It’s not anti-composition exactly, but it’s suspicious of certainty. However the spontaneity people hear isn’t randomness. It’s accumulated experience expressed as immediate action. All those years of careful arranging and solitary work are still there — they just come out sideways now. The freedom only means something because there’s discipline underneath it.
UPEE:而除开舞台与排练,我们好奇三人私下相处的状态是什么样的?
Miller:先说明一点——我们不排练,以前也从来没有排练过。
舞台之外,我们在音乐、电影、美食等方面有很多共同爱好,能一起做的事数不胜数,从不缺共同话题。除此之外,我们三人都各自拥有独立厂牌,这也成了聊不完的话题,交流运营策略、新专发行计划、独立厂牌的宣传公关思路等等等等……
Just for clarity we don’t have rehearsals and have never rehearsed. Off stage we have a lot of mutual interests in music, film, food, the list goes on and on so there is no shortage of mutual activities. And to top it off, we are all three record label owners so that is an endless discussion as well; discussing strategy, upcoming releases, angles of working PR as small operations, etc etc.
UPEE:你们早前也正在进行 Orcutt Shelley Miller 的巡演,可以分享这一轮巡演有什么特别的感受吗?
Shelley:1.在阿姆斯特丹吃到的四川菜;
2.伦敦苏荷区百年传奇场地 100 俱乐部演出时,Jesus Lizard/Scratch Acid 的 David Yow 登台助阵,和我们一起 cover 了 Captain Beefheart 的《Hot Head》;
3.我们的巡演七寸单曲正式面世并现场售卖,A 面是 David Yow 献唱的《Hot Head》,B 面是 Ethan 深情演绎的《A Man Needs A Maid》,非常美非常动人;
4.巴黎演出后台的芝士拼盘;
5.我们荷兰巡演经纪人 Rogier 分享他与 Marshall Allen 一同巡演和做音乐的轶事。
1. Szechuan meal in Amsterdam
2. David Yow, of Jesus Lizard + Scratch Acid, joining OSM to sing Captain Beefheart’s ‘Hot head’ at the historical 100 Club in Soho in London.
3. Seeing and selling our new 7” tour single with David Yow singing Hot Head on it and Ethan singing A Man Needs A Maid so beautifully on the flip.
4. Backstage cheese platter in Paris
5. Our Dutch tour manager Rogier’s stories of traveling and playing music with Marshall Allen.
UPEE:对于即将在明天音乐节进行表演有什么期待?
Shelley:能够来到中国、来到深圳,登陆明天音乐节演出,我们无比激动与期待。也十分盼望能和明天音乐节的现场观众一起,共度一次独一无二、难忘的现场体验。
We are excited beyond belief to visit China, Shenzhen and the Tomorrow Festival. We hope to have a one-of-a-kind great time together with the audience at the Tomorrow Festival.



