Sitting on the chair, a man named Zhao Le, wearing a wide-brimmed hat with tattoos extending from his arms visible from his cuffs, was chatting animatedly with a middle-aged man next to him who was wearing a casual suit and a pair of framed glasses.
Through the initial introduction, the middle-aged man was called Xu Zhongyuan, a famous editor of the well-known "Audio and Video" magazine in China at that time, and also a member of the music circle. The two of them were basically the main guests, and then the group of friends and classmates around Luo Zhixian, although not very prominent on the surface, were actually very influential.
Nicknamed "Monkey", Wang Jiajun was once his classmate at Rongjia Foreign Language School. He is now studying at Rongjia Senior High School. This school and Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School each have their own merits, and can be said to be the top of the private and public mountains. Of course, Rongjia Foreign Language School cannot generally compete with the old-fashioned Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School in terms of key rate, so it takes the bilingual teaching route to keep pace with the international standards. Wang Jiajun, who takes international high school courses, passes the A-level exams, and has a mother who is the director of the vocal music department of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, aims to go to the University of Southern California School of Music in the United States.
The young man next to him, wearing leather pants and big leather boots, with a lazy look on his face, is called Lu Sinian. He has a nickname of "Lu Shao" in several old music bars in Chengdu. As the young master of the old local entertainment Jueneng Culture in Chengdu, his family has businesses in Chengdu Music Square and the famous bar street. He is originally in the composition department of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, but recently he is preparing to take the postgraduate entrance examination for applied economics at Chengdu University of Finance and Economics, which is known as one of the four major financial and economic colleges in China, in order to take the route of managing the family business.
The girl holding the guitar, with a skinny body, wearing ripped jeans and glamorous makeup is called Tian Yingqing. She is a student at the Modern Instrumental Music Department of Sichuan Conservatory of Music. If you mention her father, a singer who is a third-level civilian in the provincial military region, everyone in the southwest knows him.
Apart from these, the others are all similar. They all have family connections with music, and they all have their own origins and backgrounds.
It is no wonder that at a gathering like today, people like Liu Jin, a member of the Shanhai upper class circle, would come to join in.
As everyone chatted, they heard each other's vague identities and backgrounds. Ordinary kids like Liu Ying and Yu Xiao who grew up in the Fulong Company were slightly shocked. It was as if they had entered a circle of a different level from theirs, and they looked up to them.
Yang Xia could accept it. Luo Zhixian's family was well-known in Chengdu. Besides, he himself was also very outstanding. The orchestra he participated in had even performed in Chengdu Grand Theater. So it seemed reasonable for Luo Zhixian to know these people. Yang Xia had a psychological preparation.
Cheng Ran and the others arrived and sat down. From the perspective of the people present, they were basically Luo Zhixian's godsister and a group of friends who came to pay their respects to Zhao Le. They themselves did not belong to this circle, and their families were not related to Zhao Le. Unlike Luo Zhixian's friends, they were more or less related. For example, the girl named Tian Yingqing mentioned earlier, Wang Jiajun said, "Oh! Tian Yingqing, your father should have signed up to participate in the Spring Festival Gala this year. It is said that he is just one step away from passing the final review. There are not many qualified people in Kawauchi..."
And Tian Yingqing said, “There are too many people and too little porridge. It’s not that easy. People from the armed police, the General Political Department, the Navy, the railway... all the military regions wanted to compete for that piece of stage and show off their skills. When it was my dad’s turn, he probably lost some luck and the people who spoke for him...” Although he missed the opportunity to perform on the stage that the whole country wanted to watch, the number of people who were eligible to apply for the performance could be counted on one’s fingers. Folk singers of Zhao Le’s level were out of reach.
The background of each other's situation gradually emerged during this conversation.
As the atmosphere at the table progressed, naturally Cheng Ran and his small group were no longer noticed.
Of course, the most powerful person in the crowd at this moment is Zhao Le. Zhao Le's own experience makes him have a strong aura, plus he has done well in the southwest. After all, he is famous and can get along well with both the white and black worlds. Everyone listens to Zhao Le talking about the current music scene, and Xu Zhongyuan will occasionally add something to his comments, but he always gives Zhao Le the right amount of glory.
On the way, people kept coming into their place. They were completely different from Cheng Ran and his group of "outsiders". They were all locals or people who were involved in music and bands in Chengdu. Some of them came to visit Zhao Le after hearing where he was. Some of them came to drink with Zhao Le and then went to the next place. Or some of them just wanted to meet Zhao Le and sat down to join in the conversation.
As the atmosphere heated up, and someone at the next table recognized Zhao Le and came over to clink glasses and pass wine, Zhao Le was almost the center of attention.
Xu Zhongyuan, the famous editor of Audio and Video, held up five fingers and said, "Two years ago, your first album, Pursuit, was signed to Guangzhou Xinrui. I was not optimistic at the time. The company did a terrible job in publicity and promotion. Otherwise, your album would not have sold only a few hundred thousand copies... If it was SVT or Shanghai Auburn, which are more serious about this, I can guarantee that the number would be at least fifty! You, Zhao Le, should have been a big star a long time ago..."
"After all, as far as I know, there are not many so-called singers now who have professional training like you. Many of them are not good enough but still stand on those stages. I am optimistic about you. In the future, you, Zhao Le, will definitely have a place in those positions!"
Zhao Le's original name was not Zhao Yingjie. He was from Wuchuan County, Shanhai County. After graduating from Sichuan Conservatory of Music's Shanhai College, he went to the south. From his earliest "Pursuit" to last year's "Gone with the Wind", the two albums have accumulated sales of less than 150,000 copies so far. In the vast Chinese music world, it can only be regarded as a single event, just a splash on the water and a few ripples.
There was some flattery in Xu Zhongyuan's words, but anyway, in an occasion like today, no matter how many good words you say, it won't be bad. This kind of flattery has always been almost the norm in the circle of cultural people.
Xu Zhongyuan mentioned that Zhao Le graduated from Shanhai College of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, and that he was a proud returnee. As the topic came to this point, Cheng Ran thought that he was here anyway, and thought that Qin Xizhen was well-known in Shanhai College, and maybe Zhao Le knew him, so he interrupted and asked, "Does Teacher Zhao Le know Qin Xizhen from Shanhai College of Sichuan Conservatory of Music?"
As expected, when Cheng Ran mentioned Qin Xizhen, Zhao Le narrowed his eyes, as if his conversation was disturbed, and then he had some memories.
Then he looked at the child whom he had met for the first time but never looked at again, and said, "... Last year I went to the college to give a lecture, and there seemed to be a girl like this, who accompanied me and helped me. How come you know each other?"
Cheng Ran nodded, "We are friends, right?"
Zhao Le smiled and said, "She's quite skillful. Next time I go to the music school, I'll ask her to help me. I have some influence over the school, so I can take care of her."
The main reason was that Cheng Ran happened to mention Qin Xizhen. Zhao Le was, after all, a distinguished professor at Sichuan Conservatory of Music and sometimes participated in such homecoming activities. He couldn't remember most people, and it was obviously Qin Xizhen's appearance and performance at that time that left a deep impression on him.
But after Zhao Le said this, it seemed that Cheng Ran had some intention of currying favor by taking advantage of the relationship.
Wang Jiajun, who was beside Luo Zhixian, laughed. The sarcasm in his tone could not be concealed. Now, the people from Rongcheng beside Luo Zhixian looked at Cheng Ran with contempt.
Cheng Ran thought to himself, “Well!” Qin Xizhen, who he had a good impression of, turned out to be just an assistant…
It turns out that even after leaving Sichuan Conservatory of Music and Shanhai College, you are still a scumbag...
…
…
Wang Jiajun's tone was rather harsh. This was actually his catchphrase. Whenever he encountered something he didn't care about or looked down upon, he would say "Ha!" in a frivolous tone.
When chatting among this group of people, his habit was nothing, and people who were familiar with him were naturally used to it. But at this time, facing Cheng Ran and his group of people who, in his opinion, were somewhat annoying and were just trying to curry favor with Yang Xia, his voice seemed a little harsh.
Yu Xiao and Liu Ying's faces and ears turned red.
Yang Xia looked at Cheng Ran from the side, and was a little annoyed at why Cheng Ran brought up Qin Xizhen. She was a little sensitive to this name. Secondly, she was a little worried that Cheng Ran would be unhappy. She didn't know why the friends around her brother didn't look at Cheng Ran with a good expression before, but now she has almost figured it out. In addition, Cheng Ran is now trying to build relationships for Qin Xizhen, and he instantly feels inferior.
At this time, it would be difficult for Yang Xia to say openly that she was leaving, as that might embarrass Luo Zhixian.
For a moment, she lost her good impression of Luo Zhixian and his friends. It seemed that as soon as Cheng Ran said that, they were in an invincible position in the world of highbrow literature, and Cheng Ran immediately turned to vulgar literature.
Fortunately, Cheng Ran didn't seem to care about it, and looked like he was just a bumpkin and was willing to give in.
Liu Jin, who had lost face in front of Cheng Ran because of Xie Feibai earlier, now showed a faint smile for some reason.
After the incident at Dingsheng Song City, someone had told him more or less information about Cheng Ran, which was not surprising overall. Now it seemed that his judgment had been confirmed. Perhaps he and Xie Feibai were classmates in the past, and there was just a special feeling between them.
This Cheng Ran, his level is not very high...
Luo Zhi first looked at Cheng Ran, and the uneasy look on Yang Xia's face did not escape his sight. He thought for a moment, then smiled and changed the subject, "Teacher Zhao Le, you are here to participate in the Shanhai Music Festival, right? This is the main event, are you ready to show your new song here?"
Mentioning the Shanhai Music Festival, everyone was inexplicably excited. They were all from the cultural circle. The reason why they came to Shanhai this time was actually because of this music festival. Not to mention Zhao Le, according to some information they knew, well-known record companies, film and television entertainment companies, some musicians, music critics, composers and related people in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have made plans to come to Shanhai. Some underground bands in China, underground bands in the Beijing-Guangzhou-Shanghai cultural circle, and original singers are also preparing to enter the venue. The influence of this event spread in advance.
Xu Zhongyuan adjusted his glasses and smiled, "The reason why this festival is so popular and attracts so much attention is that it is taking advantage of the Shanhai International Tourism Festival and the government's efforts to create this original music festival. It is bound to attract attention from the industry. Many people think that this is the first 'oodstok' music festival in China."
Seeing everyone waiting in silence, Zhao Le smiled and said, "Speaking of this music festival, we have to talk about the era at that time. In the wave of anti-war, civil rights and counter-culture movements in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States, the Woodstock Music Festival has undoubtedly become the most iconic symbol... More than 400,000 people poured into the county with the slogan of "peace, anti-war, fraternity, equality", and two consecutive days of heavy rain turned the entire farm into a refugee camp. But in fact, it was this disaster that painted the most glorious stroke on the music festival. Everyone was in order, and there was no chaos in this kingdom that only lasted for 72 hours. This is a utopia composed of music and incomparably harmonious..."
"At that time, the anti-war revolutionary slogan of 'Make love, not war' resounded throughout the venue..." Zhao Le raised his eyebrows, and when he was speaking excitedly, everyone listened attentively.
Maybe at this time, people have heard of "Woodstock" more or less, and even regarded it as a hall of hippies and rock musicians, but many people actually don't know much about this event. There was a documentary in the 1970s, but it only recorded the pictures. As for the overall observation of the entire music festival, many documents and records have not been transmitted to China. Most of them are translated by relevant people, and almost the entire version is the same.
That is how anti-war this event is, how utopian it is, and how the good times can never be returned.
When Zhao Le talked about this, he was just showing off his knowledge.
"… Many couples were naked, and even made love in public to return to the time of Adam and Eve, using this way of returning to nature to express their disgust and anger at the US government's war policy. This event was unique. In 1994, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival, Americans held the Woodstock Music Festival again. Unfortunately, it did not achieve the expected effect. The anti-war spirit of 25 years ago can never be replicated…"
In fact, Zhao Le came back to participate this time because of this event. The 30th anniversary of Woodstock in 1999 will be held next year, and this original music festival at the Shanhai International Tourism Festival is just right at this juncture, which immediately attracts attention. That's why it is called the first Woodstock in China. If this music festival is successful, there may be more to come, but in the future history of this kind, this music festival will definitely not be avoided, because it is indeed the first one.
So now many people in the music circle have gathered on the stage, and record entertainment companies are also following suit.
As long as Zhao Le makes good use of his local fame and connections and makes a name for himself in this field, his future fame, wealth and glory will be limitless.
At this point, Zhao Le had clearly seen that some of the music girls, such as Tian Yingqing, were still immersed in what he was saying. When his eyes wandered, he saw Cheng Ran's expression.
Zhao Le was also a man of rich experience, and he thought he had a unique way of judging people. Cheng Ran's expression was a faint smile, but it did not have the kind of gazes that were strongly attracted by the content like the people around him. Instead, it was a polite smile.
Zhao Le was like a lion surrounded by stars. He dominated the aura in the scene. In his opinion, Cheng Ran's smile was just perfunctory.
In an environment where everyone goes their own way, Zhao Le couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable when this abrupt situation suddenly occurred.
He said directly to Cheng Ran, "Oh, sorry, the Woodstock I was talking about is not a circle. Ordinary people may not know it. Maybe I am talking too boringly?"
All of a sudden, many pairs of eyes stared at Cheng Ran.
Cheng Ran was stunned for a moment and shook his head, "No, no..."
Zhao Le sneered, "So, is there something wrong with what I said?"
But in fact, since the time when Cheng Ran came, there was an information explosion, and there was already a lot of detailed information about these things, so now when he heard Zhao Le talking about it, he didn't think much of it. Of course, he had no intention of saying anything, but Zhao Le asked him at this time, and Cheng Ran felt that it seemed better to say a few words, so as not to hold it in his heart, which would make him feel uncomfortable.
When Wang Jiajun said "Ha!" again, he looked at him with a sarcastic look.
Yu Xiao secretly winked at Cheng Ran. Yang Xia saw that Zhao Le was a little upset now. When she wanted to change the subject, Cheng Ran spoke.
"I actually have some different ideas. In my opinion, it's just a farce of young Americans getting drunk collectively. There's no need to exaggerate it to such a high level."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Le and his group, who were treating the concert as a Rock Hall of Fame ceremony, changed their expressions drastically.
Cheng Ran, on the other hand, seemed as if he hadn't seen anything, and spoke in an orderly and calm voice.
"One of the spirits of this gathering is 'anti-war', but the irony is that if the US military had not rescued and airdropped supplies and sent medical teams to the scene, the entire festival might have ended up in a tragedy. It's like a group of irresponsible children who want to run away from home, but if they really run away, they will freeze to death in the wilderness in a few days."
"Ninety percent of the people at the party took drugs, and everyone was in a state of drug addiction and hallucination, so it was called the 'most peaceful party', which led to the so-called 'miracle' of only two casualties."
"The reason why it was held 25 years later was because the music festival was a mess after it ended, which brought a huge burden to the locals. Also because of the absurdity of the party, the New York State government passed a law shortly after the festival ended to ban large-scale gatherings. The farm was filled with chicken manure to prevent hippies from coming to commemorate. In fact, throughout the 1970s, only a few Americans would think of going to Yasger Farm to recall the grand occasion of the year. Many times, they gave up because there were no road signs and they could not find the gathering place."
"Drinking, taking drugs, and having sex, is this anti-war? Is this love and peace? It's like when you were young, you always thought you were Ultraman, and then you rushed to the truck to pursue freedom and romance. If there is no father to kick you at this time, this day next year will be the anniversary of your death."
"So I say, this is a lot like adults recalling their drunken 'feats' when they were young. It was just an indulgence under the banner of freedom. Either they don't remember anything, or they just laugh it off. No one really takes it seriously."
“So Paul Kanter’s quote summing up that era is brilliant: If you remember anything about that era, you weren’t really there.”