好久不見

There is no better time to pick up blogging again after a MBV gig. In fact, I've spent most of the last 12 months not listening to music. I've grown more comfortable with the horrible idea that music is no longer an essential element in my life. Influential and inspiring new music sounded dry and tasteless to me, as I became lost amidst piles of work and my new found obsession with photography. For this I am greatly indebted to My Bloody Valentine again. It's a testament of the far reaching power of their quintessential quality, and the life transforming gift the Irish foursome have bestowed upon this world.

雖然My Bloody Valentine一向被我視為生命中無可取替的第一，但原來我對他們的了解非常有限。我所指的並不是硬性的資料或新聞，也不是他們的作品或最新動向，而是他們音樂裡面無法捉摸、卻又實實在在可以感覺得到的力量和人性。

The name「My Bloody Valentine」has always been an oxymoron to me. Besides a loose reference to a slasher film in the 80's by George Mihalka, it was never obvious to me what the name encapsulates. Listening at a tolerable volume level, MBV's music sounded romantic and vague to my ears. I couldn't find a slight trace of blood in the dreamy whirls of Kevin's ingeniously crafted drones and Bilinda's lovely coos.

This all changed on the night of April 27, 2009.

毫無疑問接近20分鐘的「holocaust section」是一次改變生命的體驗。我終於明白為何經常會從新聞中看到一些所謂的「死亡遊戲」，例如把繩索捆住脖子，然後看看可以停止呼吸多長時間。又或者把手放進火裡燒，以劇痛來測試自己的忍耐程度。

21世紀是一個虛無的年代。

我們每天漫無目的地燃燒著殘餘的青春，只有當接近極限的邊緣我們才會回過頭來，發現自己原來曾經活過。我潛意識裡已經認同了這樣的價值觀，甚至覺得這才是生命的箇中意義。

即使過後可能生活還是照樣地刻板，每天的節目依然是返工放工，但是起碼曾經有那麼一刻你感受到生命的重量。你或許沒有機會再去一次，甚至你不想再有一次同樣經驗，但你畢竟從那裡回來過。

很高興我又重新感受到寫文章的樂趣。