Meeting another face of the god: Eric Clapton

You may like apple over orange, or vice versa. Will you say, apple is better than orange as a fruit?

Nearly a year ago, we have Jeff Beck "The Guitar God"(stated in the promo poster) live in Hong Kong. Last night, we have Eric Clapton (a fan of him sprayed a graffiti "Clayton is god" in an Britain underground station around 60s, which helped to create the content of one of the most famous photo in rock music).

Two guitarists from the same generation started at playing the blues. They both have played in the band "The Yardbirds" as the lead guitarist(Another famous rock guitarist from The Yardbirds was Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin) as well. It's difficult for us not to ask the question "Who is better?", sometimes.

This sort of question maybe "inappropriate" in music. Music is not a competition. However It's not like comparing guitarists across genres; they started exactly at the same time in the same root and playing the same music. They have even played in the same band one after another(Eric Clapton first and then Jeff Beck). You really will have this question pop-up somehow.

Last night, Clapton had the best sound ever I have experienced in the Asia Expo. I guess they have lowered the volume a bit to resolve the technical difficulties. The drum didn't out-volume the rest. The bass was cleared. Everything was audible in a lower volume level. Without any supporting acts, the show started relatively on time with a good sound.

It didn't test the patience and tolerance of the crowds as many shows in the Asia World Expo did.

The show started in electric. After the first "climax" with a Bob Marley cover "I shot the sheriff", Clapton changed to an acoustic set. Started with unplugged performances including "Drifting Blues", Clapton did the following acoustic set with a Gibson electric acoustic, and the acoustic set ended with another climax piece "Layla". Clapton used only one electric guitar in the whole night, his Fender Stratocaster. With some driven blues/rock'n'roll and also the popular "Wonderful Tonight", the show was pushed to the highest moment and has become a dancing party, and ended with a long encore piece around 22:30. Notably, the organist took quite a heavy solo responsibility, for once he has used talkbox too. They other keyboardist also had his moment, doing solo in pieces like "Cocaine".

Jeff Beck used two guitars for the whole night, a Strat and a Tele, where Eric Clapton used three.

After tonight, I think I find my own answer on this "Who is better?" question. If you believe the best guitarist can be renowned as the "Guitar God", and asked if Clapton or Beckis the guitar god, I think I would tell you, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, are the two faces of Guitar God.

Beck's show was like a "showcase". What Jeff Beck did is really pushing the limit on how the guitar can sound on his hands. He played fusion jazz, blues, funk, played his own rendition of "The Beatles", "Sly & the familiy Stones", "Rod Stewart" or even "Judy Garland" and"Luciano Pavarotti". He re-created many vocal music to instrumental and interpret it with his guitar. With mixing the pitch bending, volume and string attacking skills all the time, it's all about the control on the instrument on his own hand. Beck kept focus on pushing forward, experiment as an innovator on guitar playing. And that's what Eric Clapton said about Jeff Beck, "He is unique", "With Jeff, it's all in his hands". In an interview together Clapton admitted there are things that Jeff Beck can play on his guitar and he can't. And I would like to believe Clapton on this. That's how unique Jeff Beck is, and that's how Jeff Beck is never a popular sweetheart. ($690-$890, barely 2/3 of the arena was filled)

On the other hand, Eric Clapton played for the people. His music is more accessible, more friendly and easy. For what he has wandered around, "The Yardbirds", "Cream", or solo career, Clapton for once admitted he has never walked too far away from the blues. His guitar playing is carefree(but precise), relax and so easy(although his stuff is really easy, no way). Rather than taking challenge on making impossible become possible on his guitar, his technical prowess are really on how he made the guitar as a part of his body's extension, which he is famous for. His guitar, his music, his bands and himself were "grooved" so well that, everything was comfort and enjoyable. Clapton kept his focus on playing decent and enjoyable music.(from $488 to $1488, full house)

They started on the same root, taking their own approach and walking on their own path. There maybe common elements on their music, but their attitude to music and guitar are so different. They have got something what the other doesn't.

They are just two faces from the Guitar God.

You may like apple over orange, or vice versa. Apple or Orange, your choice.

Drift Away 3 times

The original. The one I have just listened once. I dunno if I like this one more or the Dobie Gray one... I will say this first version is more R&B/Rock'n'Roll. Probably I like this one most...becoz it's more of my taste :)

Take notice of the intro...






I used to think this one is the original version.... anyway. It's a soulful version. Dobie Gray sang it so great.

Take notice of the intro...Compare to this version, may I say John Henry Kurtz version intro is nearly a hardrock intro? lol. This intro is sweet though.





This is the latest version. in 2003 and the recording is indeed feat. Dobie Gray(in chorus and bridge I reckon). Actually quite a good remake. Although it's the first ever one I listened, surprisingly, I enjoyed the 2 older version more.

I don't mean this one is any bad, however, just take a look on the hook line "Give me the beat boys and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock'n'roll".

Somehow I get lost a bit more on the older verions' Rock'n'Roll loool


Bonus:

東京冬遊 一 日野巿：尋找土方歲三 （上） 高幡不動尊

身在成田，己經很夜。決定買最貴的票，乘最快的Skyliner，到日暮里轉車到池袋。在JR池袋站內有一點走失，那些東口、西口、西武東口實在有一點混亂，最終也多花了二十分鐘才踏上正途，成功到酒店Check-In。相比在大阪住的Hotel Kinki，這次的京王酒店當然要漂京很多喇。

稍稍安頓一下，在網上找到最近的七仔位置，嘗試到那些進行網上訂票，買下兩天後的天皇杯門票……在到七仔的數上，才發現池袋雖然有著不少不眠區，在京王酒店一帶卻是很寧靜。而且路上可以看到一個又一個已經醉了的流浪漢。

在七仔發現是要在售票機買票，又要輸入手提電話／日本名字，算了。買不到票就只怪自己跟日本足球無緣。

第二天，未到八點便到了池袋站，出發到日野巿。

嗯，因為日野巿比較遠，一到月台看到出發到高幡不動的列車快要開出便立即跳上車，開車了後便發現瀨野，上了站站停，那時才停得到日野巿呀？日野巿離東京巿比較遠，更不巧地當我發現出了問題時，下一個轉快速／特急列車會停的站比較遠。總而言之，起站我在九時多一點，也總算到了高幡不動站。



才一到步，已經深深感受到日野是一個清靜簡純撲的「鄉下」地方。那一種土氣，有趣的是，跟本人在做資料搜集時的感覺完全沒有落差。這個不是追求功名的人要到的地方。這也許就是近藤與土方當年義無反顧上京隨浪士組上京的原因吧 :D




土方副長的胴像



紀念近藤及土方的《殉節兩雄之碑》

當然，不要說來高幡不動尊，就連日野巿，目的也完全只是為了尋找土方歲三。不巧，日野巿是一個令人很舒服的地方，而高幡不動在新年時節，也是熱鬧但也不失寧靜的寺廟，向來怕人多的我亦願意安心地遊遍整個地方。







貪心的人

花了出奇地多的時間在高幡不動尊。然後我便開始出發，回頭穿過高幡不動站，向土方歲三資料館及其墓地石田寺出發。

京阪冬之旅 十：西本願寺、島原、壬生寺、八木宅、新選組屯所

本人未到八點已經離開七條油小路，然後由再經尋日行過既堀川通，返方向經西本願寺向四條大宮行返過去，西本願寺作為新選組高峰期既屯所，當然有所要一到。



不過其實都好快可以遊完，但因為其實壬生寺、八木宅等等都要八點半以後先開放，我當等要去島原一遊啦。

惜日既花街柳巷，今日已經不帶半點風情，變成了民居。本人一朝早就係住宅區內左穿右插，去搵島原門牌、去搵角屋、去搵輪違屋……感覺很正點。

最有趣既係，當我係角屋正門之前，舉起相機對焦中途，竟然有位婆婆開門行出黎，佢抬高頭望一望我，眼神有少少奇怪，之後就走佢要走既路。其實，我仲奇怪過佢，乜仲有住人架咩？

接住就當然係重量級既「新選組之墓」壬生寺一帶。不過，壬生寺係另人有一點失望。例如以墓園黎計，其他不論京都還是東京，都係一啲真正既墓園，比較有靈氣，但壬生寺返而係一間有本堂既寺，而「壬生塚」則既新淨又人工化，更唔駛講紀念品銷售處坐正出入口，方便而又煞風景。






壬生寺其實就係光緣寺附近，而行過少少已經係八木宅。八木宅則係一個好傳統既日本史點。入去前買票，入內有叔叔導覽講故，講完之後自已四圍望一望，之後就可以去吃茶（入場費包埋）。當然，係八木宅發生過既事，就以肅清芹澤鴨最為有名。當然，我唔識聽日本，但我都乖乖地聽哂整個導覽。



不愧係名聞遐邇既新選組，八木宅以及屯所（舊前川邸）都有好多紀念精品，商機實在無限。其中更要推介既係屯所，人有佢有，人冇佢都有好多！獨有精品比八木宅更多。如果好有興趣買的話，係其他地方一妨只買專有(其能都只係以八木宅同靈山資料館比較多獨有），其他野都等到去屯所先買。

1984，Rock Music，Live At Leeds

在家翻了兩下時代的噪音（張鐵志著），看到一篇序，著力都談及1984跟搖滾的關係。

記得我有說過1984是一本很搖滾的小說嗎？

再再看大逃殺

我們一直在說，搖滾不單單是一種音樂形式，背後還有著一種精神。這一種精神很難一下子用一個詞語便能夠完全地闡釋，各式各樣的行為以至意念也可以令我們感到：「這很搖滾。」

英國衛報早前有一遍報導，以銷售榜上的成績來公佈搖滾之死。這一個結論的對或錯不同人有不同的見解。我也只能輕輕一談我自己的看法。現在最受歡迎的搖滾樂隊大都不搖滾。搖滾樂的創新精神令到不同的時期搖滾都有不同的面貌，六十年代至七十年代初我們有迷幻搖滾的盛行，之後有的是所謂的叛客／龐克／崩，以至80年代的重金屬。這些不同風格的搖滾樂，當中都包含著一種「為世不容」的精神。它們要做到的不是找到生存於主流的方式，而是以一種不同於主流的形式去表現自我（當然，沒有人說他們不希望賺取鈔票）。

而問題是在於，這一種在藝術以至文化上的抗爭形式，現在已經找不到那打破主流局面的缺口。我沒有能力去告訴你現在的搖滾樂在音樂方面跟舊的搖滾如何去比較。在現在至受「好賣」的樂隊都沒有那一種抗爭意識。要說風格，有一隊現在非常受歡迎的樂隊，他們亦在製作一些所謂很有前衛搖滾味道的音樂。然而，那是抗爭、反叛嗎？是實上而今的另類搖滾樂迷都很受落這一種風格，這跟本是把所有自認喜歡不主流音樂一網打盡去付鈔的一流巿場分析，就更不用講那一些出色的巿場行銷。也有另一隊爆紅的叛樂隊客，也有著一流的商售行銷去配合，變得很不叛客。

這未必是今天才有的「出賣」，但到了今天，我們都只剩下了這些「出賣」。

1984的搖滾味，在於角色們在老大哥的全面掌控下，他們會有自己的思想，會冒險，會不怕去幹不是其他人會去做的事，他們不是英雄，但義無反顧。他們沒有成功。這也很可能就是今天義無反顧的搖滾樂的下場。支撐著銷售榜的，只剩下那些站到老大哥一邊的。

人是社會的一部份，大眾的思想及行為事實之上。當一個社會已經被「餵食」得很好，會思考及不滿意的人少，我們還可以有甚麼能打擊主流的抗爭嗎？

現在，還會有樂隊肆意把音量扭到最大作現場演出，趕跑觀眾而又可以得到成功嗎？有沒有人去做一件事，大眾會不會去接受是更重要的一件事。

Gentle Hearts Live version

Just started practise today, learn by ear, no tab, no chord, nothing. I have made around 8 attempts on recording to finally have this really really pointless version loool.

I'll keep practising of coz ;)

gotta get some groove!



The video I play along with. Of coz I only have 1% skill of Tetsuo Sakurai ;)

東京冬遊前言

本來就沒有想過可以成功實行今年的旅遊計畫，年頭的亞協之旅因曼谷局勢動盪而沒有成行，之後的東京秋遊亦因工作關係沒有了那回事。

誰不知，十二月中的時候，老闆指示下，在聖誕至新年之間的四個工作天成了假期，突如其來有一個一連九天的長假期，不來一次旅行也真的太浪費了。一查找機票，東京有廉價機票，要在上海待兩天？沒關係，我的旅遊哲學向來把交通當作旅遊體驗的一部分，半渡假成份下我更樂得清閒可以安坐在機場幹我自己的大事小事。東京來回$1948連稅，太吸引。

此行在飛機上，我終於開始看買了很久的Nick Hornby新作《Juliet, Naked》。有趣的是，故事的開端是一個英國男女的美國之旅。但他們不是在走旅遊熱點，不是到大城巿吃喝玩樂，故事介紹他們重點要到的地方，是一間酒吧的廁所。

那個地方，是一個虛構搖滾樂手決定引退的地方。

那個男的是該樂手的頂級樂迷，他們到美國，就是要尋找該樂手走過的路。而對於那個女的，雖然她並非樂迷，但這一躺追尋之旅，卻令她有機會到一些一般遊客跟本不會到的地方，而這些地方卻是非常美麗。

我知道很多人也會認為，從京都大阪而現在的東京，我到了一間又一間的寺院，遊遍了一個又一個墓園，拍下一塊又一塊的石碑，是很無聊無趣及浪費時間。但東京或日本旅遊專家的你，你在知道日野巿，在那裡走了一片嗎？我這個對東京認識淺薄的人有，雖然我沒有走到多摩川，但淺川是同樣的漂京，從高襎不動尊走到新井橋到石田，那是我在整個東京之旅走得最寫意的一段路。

我又到了專稱寺，是新選組沖田總司沖田家歷代的墓園。我甚至不得其門而入，但我在牆外，伸手進圍牆內拍那個寫著「沖田家歷代之墓」的石碑，那一刻我心情的確有一種莫名的感動。就像是，我前所未有地跟沖田總司那麼接近。好了，沖田到底是一個怎樣的人？是司馬遼太郎筆下的開朗青年還是我想像中那個沉靜又愛笑的冷血殺手？單單地看一個石碑，我不知道，但我的感覺卻告訴我，我現在跟他很接近，我下一刻也許可以弄明白些甚麼的，而我很喜歡這種跟歷史親近的感覺。縱使，我不能像走到近藤勇墓前那般，雙手合十一拜這個令人著迷的沖田總司。



這是一種難以言喻的感覺。但有喜歡去想去弄明白某一段歷史的話，你就會像鐵被磁石看上，一下子就被吸過去。既然你喜歡看新選組的故事，知道了他們的點點甚麼，史蹟就在那裡，怎麼可能不去走一遭呢？

不可言諭，不能解釋，但我知道我不是只有一個人走這一段由六本木到元麻布一丁目的一段路。在我找到專稱寺的時候，早我一步已經有一個拖著行李箱的女孩子在盯著沖田的墓地發呆。

繼續說我無聊吧。 =]

Tokyo

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Do You Realize??

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die
Do You Realize - how great a show of The Flaming Lips can be
Do You Realize - how great a frontmen Wayne Coyne is
Do You Realize - how epic of the song Do You Realize??
Do You Realize - that just one show you will fell in love with a band
Do You Realize - some moments in your life you will never forget
Do You Realize - you are not that important to this world
Do You Realize - that life goes fast
Do You Realize - it's christmas time
Do You Realize - they don't know it's christmas time at all
Do You Realize - I just cannot forget
Do You Realize - life has turn its back from you
Do You Realize - modern life is rubbish
Do You Realize - you are going to die soon
Do You Realize - people just won't try to be as good as they can be
Do You Realize - how much you know but you just ignore it
Do You Realize - the answer is blowing in the wind
Do You Realize - sometimes I wish I have never been born at all
Do You Realize - you ain't a beauty but you are alright
Do You Realize - it's only teenage wasteland
Do You Realize - she don't use jelly
Do You Realize - i could sleep for a thousand years
Do You Realize - i'm a walrus
Do You Realize - i'm lonely
Do You Realize - how much i miss you
Do You Realize - i can never forgive you
Do You Realize - you are not having fun
Do You Realize - you don't realize??

From Arsenal, Nick Hornby to Hong Kong Football League

When I was walking up hill to the Hong Kong Stadium for the match Hong Kong vs Paraguay, there were many white collar in full suit walking up at the same time. Sure, it's 20:00 match and people would go straight to the stadium after work. I really loved this. I mean, walking with a bunch of people to the stadium and watching the sport we all loved. It's something you really feel good, human likes to be in group in the end, it's instinct.

On the road, an expat asked his local friends “Do Hong Kong has a league?" "Yes, but no one watches it" "haha"

It's a complicated question. I have talked about it so many times, Football Love should never mean only the Elite Football. Sure watching Lionel Messi scoring for fun every week in Spain is enjoyable. But somehow, if your football love is only about watching EPL only, it's doesn't really make your football love that creditable to me.

So you know the book Fever Pitch. Nick Hornby is probably the biggest Arsenal fan among celebrities, a real "Gooner". He went through the up and down, visited Highbury regularly for a period of times and remembered every single match he witnessed. Does it because Arsenal is a good team? Well, Arsenal was not a good team. The period of time Nick Hornby started to be a gooner is the dark age of arsenal. Playing boring football, won some matches and lost most of them.

As least it's an England top flight.

He went watching Oxford United regularly, sometimes back than.

It's a bit difficult to say so since the small team in England is actually facing the same problem. The media coverage, the marketing hype and also the change of lifestyle, the transpotation, the globalizaion... drawing people, live within the area or not, turn themselves to the top flight leagues in Euro.

However, take Nick Hornby as an example. If I'm a Gooner and I can visit Highbury, why the heck I care about Oxford United? (it's a conference or div 2 back at the time as i remember)That's the deepest level of supporting. It's because the team was meaningful to Hornby. It's not because how amazing the team is(Indeed, not many teams in EPL playing decent football in any means), how many trophies the team can win. Sure, it's a form of supporting also in decay all over the world however. Just because it's MY team.

And that's why the Hong Kong team or South China playing in AFC Cup could still draw a large crowds there. Because in those matches, people feel it's My team, and I have to show my support.

So, what about the local clubs?