Chen Chen Chen
"New Jungle" cover. The performance scene of
Spice broke through a single performance.
In October this year, the electronic duo Spice Band was invited to participate in the Tokyo International Theater Festival, bringing the "New Jungle" theater performance abroad. In this performance, Spice gave up playing, with the same purpose as the text written on the poster-breaking the band's inherent Livehouse performance mode. How does
break? Why break? Lead singer Chen Chen Chen said: "The band performance has been more than a hundred years ago. I don't want to stop at a small and safe performance, and I don't want everyone to watch a successful performance." The "New Jungle" tour is on tour. On the way, this theater performance that combines music, drama, and vision has been well received from the very beginning. The Spice Band was established in 2012. After several changes, the members were finally determined to be the double lead singer and double producer band of Chen Chen Chen and Yi Lai. Spice's works are mostly psychedelic rock and electronic music, and are hailed as "a band that really smells on the spot". In December last year, Fragrance participated in "Instant Electronic Music" as a producer, advanced to the top ten breakout competition, and gradually entered a broader public view. In the second half of this year, they released the album "New Jungle", and the theater tour started later. The Spice Band accepted an exclusive interview with Southern Metropolis and brought fans into their carefully arranged "New Jungle".
New Jungle, New Spice "The rust-like sandalwood fragrance"
's thinking about the times and humanity is the concept that the Spice Band continues in the album. In March 2018, the Spice Band released their first album "Wireless Resistance". They explored the issues of the post-network information age and used "wireless resistance" to symbolize "insulators" who do not blindly accept information. In August 2019, the second album "New Jungle" was conceived and radiated from Thomas Hobbs' "Law of the Jungle" to discuss the relationship between divinity and humanity under the highly advanced technology of the future. The cover of
"New Jungle" is the "jungle" appearance of Hangzhou West Lake Cultural Square. Chen Chen Chen said that this is a picture that has always been in his mind. Graduated from the China Academy of Art, Chen Chenchen studied art as an undergraduate and graduate student. Most of the inspiration for the cover of the Spice album comes from his paintings. I don't want to be fooled by the artist's unpredictable philosophy. When he was studying for his Ph.D., Chen Chenchen chose philosophy. There are no lack of traces of philosophy in The New Jungle. The three of
became two, and the lyrics and music of Spice were completed by Chen Chen Chen and Yi Lai. In terms of division of labor, Eli was more responsible for arranging music, while Chen Chen Chen focused on music production. Speaking of the smell of the spice band, Chen Chenchen thought: "It used to be a post-shaking flavor, but now it is electronic. I want to describe it as a rusty sandalwood fragrance."
Southern Metropolis Daily: Inspiration for the new album concept From what real experience?
Chen Chen Chen: The album was originally a contemporary art exhibition idea. Later, I decided to make a comic, and then I wanted to try a comic + album method, because the album can convey some poetic and emotional information. To clarify your ideas, you still need a form like comics and movies.
Southern Metropolis: The songs "Mandala", "Dandelion", "Cactus" and "Creeping Tiger" in the album are named after plants. What special meaning does the choice of these plants have in the new jungle? What do they symbolize?
Chen Chenchen: These plants themselves have many cultural attributes. Mandala has information such as narcotic and religious patterns. Cactus has the attributes of toughness, loneliness and self-sufficiency. Parthenocissus and dandelion are more familiar to everyone.
Nandu: In terms of hearing, what is the change compared to "Wireless Resistance"? What is the difference between music creation and writing?
Chen Chenchen: "Wireless Resistance" is more audible and has many pleasant things, while "New Jungle" is purer and more electronic.
Southern Capital: In this album, Wang Chuan participated in the harmony of some songs. For what reason joined the female voice for harmony arrangement?
Chen Chen Chen: I feel that from the frequency arrangement, the lack of a female voice can make the harmony thicker and Wang Chuan's voice is nice.
tour = 3D sci-fi movie + installation art exhibition + experimental electronic Live scene + immersive drama experience + post-performance talk + group photo
concept show is a unique killer of spices. In 2015, Spice's EP "Analysis of Force" held a theater concept scene at the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art. In contrast, Chen Chenchen believes that the theater version of "New Jungle" has more storylines and higher readability than the former.
incenseThe band described its tour as "tour = 3D science fiction film + installation art exhibition + experimental electronic Live scene + immersive drama experience + post-performance talk + group photo".
From October 1st, a total of 15 stations of the "New Jungle" tour officially started, which lasted two months. In the first stop of the tour in Chengdu, the theater version was performed first, and then the band version was performed, while the order in Chongqing was reversed. Spice felt that the two parts couldn't be combined well, so the subsequent tour became the form of post-theatrical talk. The tour that will end in another week was evaluated by many netizens and media as "beyond the limits of Live".
Nandu: With the experience of the previous album tour, what new breakthroughs did this tour make?
Chen Chen Chen: First of all, we are a band, but we gave up playing. Because band performances have been musical instruments since ancient times, but I think it’s possible to break through the comfort zone and try other forms such as comedy, multimedia, sound and light, stage art, costumes, props, etc., at least than watching someone play the guitar all the time It's better, after all, finger movements, too little information, let alone the keyboard.
Nandu: There were also theater performances during the "Force Analysis". What innovations are there this time?
Chen Chenchen: There was still no theater logic in the "forced analysis", that is, one song is one song, and the chapter sense is not strong. Now the words have sorted out a rough story line, so they are still readable. This time the multimedia and costume props are better than before, even dancing!
Eli: We are also actors, without musical instruments.
Southern Metropolis: The concept scene of this new album was also invited to the Tokyo International Theater Festival in October. What are the gains?
Chen Chen Chen: Japanese performances have learned too much, and I feel that the whole team has risen to level 10. The work attitude, craftsmanship and rigor are jaw-dropping.
Nandu: Whenever you go to a city for a tour, what will you do before the performance?
Chen Chen Chen: Like every band, search for local food!
Eli: I don't listen to songs or chat. It is possible to meditate and drink some tea.
: Southern Metropolis reporter Ma Le, intern Ma Xinjie
