2010年6月6日、Stick Men大阪公演終了後、Tony Levin Club of JAPANでは、トニーさんにインタビューをしました。
公演後でお疲れのところでしたが、快く答えて下さいました。
(翻訳は、原文の下に掲載してあります)
Tony Levin Interview
Club:
1. You recorded a Classical music (the Firebird Suite) for the first time. Is this something you would continue to do in the future?
Tony:
The Firebird was a big challenge for us. First, to decide which of the many sections to try to play, then to 'figure out' something of the harmonies! (The orchestral music is not just chords and melody, like rock - it's contrapuntal voices, many of them, moving in different ways -- so I wanted to keep some of the voices, but with only two Sticks playing them, we needed to be sure to imply the whole harmony.) (Okay, I cheated, and in some sections there are more than two Sticks playing lines on the recording!) Then, the big challenge to adapt the sections I chose for the Sticks. The intention was not just to manage to play the music, but to adapt it to our kind of sound and our kind of energy. Some sections on the recording aren't really Stravinsky at all ... just our impression of what went on in a section. (And I recorded a 5th movement that didn't make it onto the recording.) Anyway, after we recorded it, I was very happy with the result - but then came another challenge - playing it live! So it's been quite an adventure for us.
Now, what are the plans for more Classical? Well, we do have it in mind as a possibility, but there is no choice yet. Moussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition would be perfect, but it's been done, famously, by ELP, so we would be thought of as copying them. Pat has mentioned the sound track of the film "Psycho", which is somewhat Classical, and pretty cool music. We'll see. The Firebird was pretty unique in that it has lots of great melodies, challenging harmonies, and powerful sections that can sound like a heavy rock band.
2.If so, can you tell us which work you would like to do or already have in your mind?
I'm not sure whether that refers to Stick Men, or to me. My hope is to continue touring a lot with Stick Men, and to eventually get started on our next release (though it's likely there will first be a live album.) If King Crimson or Peter Gabriel plans something, I will try to find a way to work that in as a priority, and have Stick Men go on tour in some other time. Then there are other projects - the L'Image band has a tour in the Fall. I will go to New Zealand with California Guitar Trio in August - it's always fun with them. And sometime in the next two years I want to release another solo album. Also, I am (very slowly) compiling a book of my lyrics and poetry. Hopefully I can finish that project before I'm too old to read it!!
3.In an interview that you did in Japan before, you said that someone you would like to play with was Joni Mitchell. You still think so or is there someone else now?
I have said Joni Mitchell, and Jimi Hendrix(!) in interviews before. Of course, there are lots of great musicians and great artists who I would love to play bass with. If I will choose one right now, I'll say Carla Kihlstedt.
4.What would you like to be, if you can start a new life? And why?
Probably like most people my age, I feel that it's taken me so long to find out what I now know about life, I wouldn't want to go back and start over! So, though it doesn't exactly answer the question, I will point out that I am very aware now how lucky I am to be able to play special music for a life's work. And to join up with great players to do what we love to do. There were conflicts when I was younger, with new relationships, and then with my young daughter needing me at home - but now Maggie is 25 and very happily creating things on her own in New York City - and my wife is happy to have me out of the house a bit(!) So, it's a great time, health permitting, to travel a lot and play the music I love for people who want to hear it. I can't think of something better I could plan to get from life if I were to start over.
5.Can you share with us any word, phrase, or idea that you like, or you think important or beautiful?
I have plenty! I keep a notebook handy to write song and poem ideas... and I'm always jotting down short phrases in my laptop too... so here is something short, from the laptop:
The world is a strange place - wondrous, but complicated and perverse.
If the world is a fruit, it's not an apple that you can just take a bite out of, it's a pomegranite. Bite into that!
my luggage has gone ahead by van, so I don't have my main notebook, but here's something from my small pad:.
When we improvise we are hunting, with our musical bows and arrows.
Hunting not for musical notes, but for moments of meaning.
The nature of that quarry can't be described by our languages, but it is real.
And everyone - players and audience, knows when something significant has been captured.
We understand it's meaning, in our bodies, in our tribal mind - and we share it's bounty.
6.Any word, phrase of idea that you dislike?
When I worked with Seal, I heard him say, a couple of times, "I hate that... No. I don't hate. I don't hate anything" Maybe I don't have the words quite right, but I was left with a lasting idea that the word 'hate' is not something I want to use about my own experience.
7.Who was the most influential person in your life?
Only when my father died did I begin to realize, in retrospect, how much his approach to creativity and the arts had influenced me. There have been many people who were big musical inspirations to me, but because my fathers influence was from the beginning, I'd say his was the biggest for me.
8.We know that you have travelled around the world many times now. Is there any secret for staying healthy during a long tour?
Hah, this made me laugh, because I'm very aware how much harder touring becomes when you're not healthy. I've been very lucky this year, with a packed schedule, not to pick up any problems. Alas, I have no secret. Lucky to have chosen to stop eating meat a long time ago, I think that helps stay a good weight and low fat diet. I know some road musicians who recommend a lot of vitamin C, which seems to work well -- myself, I only begin taking it if I feel something coming on. Excersize; it's ironic that I excercize a lot when home - but on the road, where I really need it, it's hard to find the time and gym to do it - so I'm always recovering, when back home, from getting out of shape on the road.
9.Of all the countries you have visited, what countries do you like best?
I like all the experience of travelling -- new places have become very special after all these years of seeing the same places. You should understand that when we tour with a band, we don't get to really see a place, there's no time. So my impression comes from the people I happen to meet, and the airports and trains, and from the food! Of course it's much easier for us in countries that have some non- meat food. So Germany is difficult, and Spain. Japan easy. And Italy, in my opinion, has the best food, and the most beautiful language.
10.Any new instrument you are interested now?
No new instruments on my horizon. Actually I am missing the bass! I've been playing so much with Stick Men, on just Chapmen Stick, that I've played my bass very little this year. That will change, I suppose. And I am enjoying exploring the many many things you can try on the Stick. As much as I've played in and practiced it, something new and challenging is always presenting itself (if only I can practice MORE!)
Last question. When you go to heaven, what would you like to be told by God?
Well ...
I think God would say "You were wrong, I'm here!"
OR...
"Can you play bass on a track for me?"
OR
"I TOLD you you were drinking too many espressos."
OR
"You're just in time, John's about to go out on tour. To the other place!"
Thank you so much. We hope that you keep on making lots of good music in studios and live. Please take good care of you.
Stick Men日本ツァーの大阪公演に、Tony Levin Club of JAPAN 総本部と関西支部のメンバーが聞きに行きました。ちょうど6月6日はトニーさんの誕生日ということで、公演後のサイン会のあとで会場でトニーさんを囲んで、小さな、でもとても暖かいバースディーパーティーに参加することができました。
(撮影:タノ爺さん)
トニーさんはもちろんのこと、パットさんの人柄の良さは抜群で、今回の公演で音作りの中の秘密の仕掛けをこっそり教えてくれました。これから公演に出かける方は、この秘密にきっとそれと知らずにココロを鷲掴みにされること請け合い!
King Crimsonの大ファンだというミシェルさんに、King Crimsonのメンバー2人と共演することにプレッシャーは無いか、と尋ねたところ、言下に「No!」と言い切ってました。さすが。
また、この席でトニーさんにインタビューをすることが出来ました。とても興味深い回答で、これについては改めて特集ページを作ります。カミングス〜〜〜ン!!
以前のコンテンツはアーカイブでご覧になれます。
◆L'Image来日公演終了!
トニーさん、L'Imageの日本ツァーお疲れさま!
我々Tony Levin Club of JAPAN本部は、公演最終日の福井響きのホールで演奏を楽しみました。ホールの規模、音響も手伝って、最終日の盛り上がり最高潮、素晴らしい演奏を聴く事ができ、最高でした。
公演後のサイン会での、トニーさんのいつもの素敵な笑顔をご覧下さい。
7. Guitar solo (EP新曲の変奏)
Fred FrithやMark Ribotが書きそうな変なコード進行のギター独奏曲と、ギター
ループ(フリッパートロニクスの類)を組み合わせてその上でホールズワース調
のソロを取る、ということでこのギタリストの力量は大御所に負けないというこ
とがよくわかる。
8. Eddie Jobson solo
一度弾き始めるが、ギターループが残っていたので、これを消してからやり直
し。ピアノ独奏から入って、シーケンサーによるニューエイジ的伴奏に合わせて
バイオリン演奏、伴奏がなくなってからはバイオリンではやびき(ただし音色の
せいかあまり良く聞き取れなかった)、最後はディストーションをかけて轟音で
終わる、という様式美の極みのようなソロでしたよ。
9. Drum solo
バカテクの一言に尽きる。これからのロックドラマーにはバカテクは必須でしょ
う(断言)。この人の演奏も大御所と互角に戦えるのは間違いない。
10. Alaska
スコアどおりの演奏。で、Time to killにはいかず…
11. The only thing she needs
この曲は複雑なパーツを演奏技術で強引にくっつけて、ポップなメロディーで無
理やり曲にした、ということがよくわかった。
アンコール
1. Lark's tongues in aspic part II (with Tony Levin & Pat Mastelotto)
なるほど。こうきたか。Eddie JobsonはクリムゾンのUSAでバイオリンのオー
バーダビングをしているし、前座はクリムゾンの面々。適切な選曲だろう。
Trey, Tony, Patの3人が共演するのはProjeckt 4以来か!?ドラマーはギター
を担当、飛び跳ねてこの曲を演奏するのはちょっと面白い。
Q)Beyond the Bass Clefの日本語版は出版されるのですか?
A)単行本で出版される予定は今のところないようです。しかし、リットーミュージック社から出版されているベース・マガジンに毎月連載の形で翻訳が掲載されていました。(現在連載終了)それらがまとめて出版されるかどうかは分かりませんが、多分……されないのでは?