普通朋友

This is the first chinese guitar piece that I learnt which I had wanted to delicate to my friend who became a superstar in Hongkong. Took me 2 years to master. The opening is still the best I ever heard.

曲︰陶吉吉
詞︰陶吉吉

等待　我隨時隨地在等待
做你感情上的依賴
我沒有任何的疑問　這是愛

我猜　你早就想要說明白
我覺得自己好失敗
從天堂掉落到深淵　多無奈

我願意改變 〔WHAT CAN I DO?〕
重新再來一遍 〔JUST GIVE ME CHANCE〕
我無法只是普通朋友
感情已那麼深　叫我怎麼能收手

但你說 I ONLY WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND
做個朋友　我猜妳心中只是
JUST A FRIEND 不是情人

我感激妳對我這樣的坦白
但我給你的愛暫時收不回來
SO I 我不能只是 BE YOUR FRIEND
I JUST CAN'T BE YOUR FRIEND

Guitar

I have always been in love with the sound of guitar strings resonnating to the deft fingering of musicians. Although sometimes they do hurt my ears, I cannot find something else as pure and simple, yet expressive at the same time. That is why I'm a sucker for piano and guitar music, particularly guitar, which is so down-to-earth yet divine.

That is why I picked up guitar. So that I am able to listen to such sweet tones whenever I call for them. It is a tedious journey as I am not cut out for music. But the strings calm my nerves and gave me a third voice. Guitar music is like your best friend for all occasions. When you are happy, it exaggerates the exhilaration. When you sad, it listens to your sorrows. It is your memories immortalized. Throw in the extra brownie, it lets you croon your love to her dreams.

I took on the beginner’s way of learning guitar, which is through tabs. Tabs are like the guitar itself, all you need is to follow the drawings which represent which fret to hold on to when you pluck the string. Pretty easy. After you memorized the song, it’s a great accomplishment to finish a piece of music with perfection. If you push yourself a little bit more, soon you are dancing with your strings as your voice and fingers merge into one. That is one great satisfaction in life. :)

The tabs I am posting hopes to share this little joy of mine with you. Do look out for more.

B is for Bomb

Good shot at the bomb

Peter Chan

I had always felt the strength of an artist lies in his sketches. And no doubt when i came across Peter Chan's website today, his skills are obvious in his vigourous drawings given just enough details.

enjoy more at
www.drawpeterdraw.com

881

Released Date : 09-08-2007
Genre : Musical
Running Time : 110 min
Director : Royston Tan
Cast : Qi Yu Wu, Yeo Yann Yann, Mindee Ong

Score 3/5

Story-telling *****
Cinematography *****
Directing *****
Acting *****

Comment

Skillful attempt, Roystern thou unpolished, works his magic

Plot

2 young sisters join the getai to fulfill their dreams and face challenges by an upsetting duo as well as impending death.

Review

I must admit I’m never a fan of Roystern, yet I have to give credit to Roystern for picking up the theme of “getai”, (thou most probably due to its penetrability into the foreign film market with its exotic and excessive display) giving due attention to this dieing art form, and giving voice to this forgotten generation. And in the end, weaving all these into a tasteful film that pleases the subject’s patrons and yet reaching out to the young.

This is in comparison to some of our more popular local productions that prefer to tug at known pains of the Heart Landers and hoping to make a profit out of it with its stale subject matter and cheap jokes. Hence, it is totally revitalizing to see a more skillful attempt with kinder intentions.

Roystern’s directing style is almost text-bookish and this film would be an A if it has been his thesis paper. He is displaying almost all the correct strokes at the appropriate times. However, it would have been better if he had decided to leave the mainstream or the established examples in such an exotic subject matter. I would not blame him since he is still young and I would have done the same in his shoes. There is heavy influence from French storytelling such as Amelie as well as Hong kong visuals such as the moody Wong Kar Wai and Christopher Doyle’s over-exposed colours. It would have been better not to insert stylistic props to define the film as an art show, equally better if there is understanding that not every film have to be art farty to be indie.

This film is like a summation of his past works and a display of his skills in his previous ones. The pause moments in the film are borrowed from 4.30 and the setting almost cliché with places like staircases, drive-through car wash, rustic shophouses. The story picks up well at the start and the momentum was well in motion. However, due to a lacklustre script, the story loses steam towards the end, an unnecessary attempt to push the film towards 2 hours.

Nevertheless, the effort and attempt is commendable in putting front the medley of Hokkien songs that warms the forgotten corner of our hearts. If the film had found its issue or have established the core of the story, it would have truly won my heart. Perhaps there has been too high an expectation of the director who is skilled in the works of visual magic. In truth, 881 lack emotional depth with too little time paid to emotional exchange among all the glitzy. It would have been better beyond all that style to question and strengthen the subject matter of getai if that was the original intention. Otherwise, it would have been an extravagant documentary which fails to cover in detail.