What Flea Says
一時興起，來把這篇給完全翻譯。
四年前我剛回台北，找到了工作之後就開始四處找團玩兼練經驗值，反正到處都有在缺鼓手所以找團練等級是相當簡單的事。在遇到敝團前身之前，我試的其中一團說要練RHCP的Californication，於是我挖出RHCP的精選集聽了聽，順手看一下CD內頁，內頁裡面是Flea、John和Chad寫了一些東西。這篇要寫的就是Flea的文章，當時看完之後我很感動，覺得這個人的個性和文章就像他彈琴一樣誠懇。
這張就是精選集
以下為內文和翻譯：
Hi, I should preface this writing by letting you know I know nothing about anything.
嗨阿，作為這篇文章的開場白，我得讓你們知道，其實我什麼都不知道。
The songs on this record are from the last 13 years or so, it is a nice selection. The amazing thing about them is that they are actually all hits (except for the new ones, but ya never know).
這張專輯上的歌是我們這13年來的作品，都是精心挑選出來的喔。裡面的每一首都是歷年主打(除了裡面新收錄的你們都沒聽過的新歌之外)。
When we started this band in 1983 I never imagined this sort of success for a bunch of little guys like us. There is a theatre in L.A., actually in Pasadens, called Perkins Palace. When I was youngster I used to go see shows there it held about 1500 people I think. I saw some good shows there, The English Beat, Echo & The Bunnymen, and so on. I used to hold it up as an ideal, to think, man one day if I could just play a place that big and mean as much to the audience as these bands mean to me, that would be it, I mean I saw that as the pinnacle of success. Now here we are 20 years later and we play arenas and stadiums all over the world. We’ve been playing these kinds of places for ten years now. I often walk around the empty arena after the show, knee deep in empty plastic cups and mismatched shoes, looking at about 50 guys carrying giant steel lighting contraptions and ogling the 9 or so semi trucks and I just think how crazy it seems to me, all this rigmarole for us four little guys playing our tunes. Who woulda thunk? The reason this has happened, well, along with sweating blood in concert for 20 years, is these hits on the radio.
當我們在1983年組成這團時，我從來沒想過我們這幾個傢伙會紅成這樣。在LA的Pasadens有一個叫做Perkins Palace的劇場，大概可以容下1500人。當我還是小鬼頭時，我常常去那裡看表演，並在那邊看過不少精彩的表演，像是The English Beat、Echo & The Bunnymen等等。當時我心中不時會冒出一個念頭：如果哪天我可以在這麼大的地方表演，而且能像我的愛團一樣的感動我般的感動我的觀眾們的話，那就太棒啦～這就是我心目中的成功的典範阿！而20年後的現在，我們去過世界各地的大型體育館和廣場表演，現在我們已經在這種等級的場地表演大約十年了。我常常在表演完後，在空盪的會場裡走來走去，地上的空紙杯和遺失的鞋子堆到像膝蓋一樣高，周邊有50個工作人員拿著巨大的閃亮鋼鐵器材和一堆奇怪的道具或是複和式搬運卡車在工作，有時我會覺得這繁瑣龐大的一切實在太瘋狂了，我們骨子裡只是四個愛胡鬧的小鬼耶，誰想的到阿？而促使這些血汗交織的20年來的表演誕生的源頭，就是我們的這些歷年主打歌。
There are a variety of reasons that we had these hits. From the beginning, our band had a fresh and new take on the rock music thing and the willingness to do anything we could to be entertaining. We learned from our mistakes and always tried to get better at and have a clearer and deeper understanding of our craft. We tried not to act like assholes if we caught ourselves in the acts. We toured the world in a van, staying in bottom of the barrel joints and got to the Perkins Palace level, I don’t know if we meant as much to our audience as Echo & The Bunnymen meant to me, but nonetheless we rocked and the people came.
有許多原因使得我們做出這些好歌。在剛開始的時候，敝團在音樂圈裡呈現出一股新的風貌和氣勢，而且我們樂意做任何事來提供娛樂給大家。我們從錯誤中學習、不停的試著進步，且我們非常清楚、深入得瞭解自己的技藝。我們試著不要讓自己的所作所為像個混蛋。我們擠在破舊貨車的底層去各地巡迴，漸漸的晉升到能到Perkins Palace表演的層次，我不知道我們是否能對觀眾造成Echo & The Bunnymen對我造成的那種巨大的影響，但總之我們玩我們的且觀眾十分捧場。
In 1988, after the death of our beloved friend and band confounder Hillel Slovak (who was an enormous influence on the shaping of our sound), we got Chad Smith and John Frusciante. Chad who pounded so hard and dynamically, and John who played so incredibly and brought with him knowledge of music, depth of feeling and earnestness which goes forever. With this line up, we became 4 parts of something that were all completely different from each other but all with the same desire. If there were four different poles on the earth we would all be from an opposite one.
在1988年，我們摯愛的好友兼創團元老Hillel Stovak(他對於創立敝團的音樂風格有深厚影響)過世之後，Chad Smith和John Frusciante加入我們。Chad打鼓非常狂放猛爆，而John神乎奇技般的彈奏帶來了嶄新的音樂認知、深厚的感情和不朽的熱誠。這樣組合的我們四個是截然不同風格的個體，不過我們卻也擁有一模一樣的慾望。如果地球上有四個軸極，那我們一定會各自位居於不同的一端。
For that reason, for us all to agree on a piece of music’s validity, that piece of music must cover all the blood types, all the seasons, and all 4 corners of the globe. It is not easy but it helps our music appeal to a lot of different folks. To all of our songs we each bring a different thing, there is an intangible chemistry that people can relate to, we are willing to work our asses off to make it happen, and that is why things have happened the way they have.
基於某些理由，我們都對音樂的性質有同樣的觀念，也就是我們的歌必須涵蓋所有血型、所有季節以及地球上的所有角落。這不是一件簡單的事，不過這能幫助我們的音樂吸引到各式各樣的人。我們四個都各自在每一首歌裡放入了不同的元素，這使得一種無形的、吸引人的化學變化產生，我們都興致勃勃的朝這方向拼命努力，這也是為什麼事情都能夠照著我們的期許來進行。
When John left the band (1992-1997) he was replaced by Dave Navarro. It was a pleasure and honor to play with Dave as he is a beautiful guy and an awesome guitarist. We had a lot of fun together. The band was a completely different thing when he was in it as you can hear on the one song from that era “My Friends.” People often ask me…”How do you guys do it? Where do you get the energy? Why is it that you are still a relevant band when so many others have come and gone during your career?” The answer to that question is 2 part. Firstly, we are nothing but insignificant specks of shit, pawns in a comsic spiritual realm where our universe is nothing but a dot of crusty smegma. Secondly, we work. We have stayed focused on this thing for a long time. When we could be gallivanting around spending our dough, we sit in a room and think about b flats and c sharps and tempos and grooves and textures and laying back and pushing and new ways of harmonizing with each other. Elbow grease, blue collar rocking. We care about our music we don’t half step, we love music, it is interesting to us. We have barely scratched the surface of the awesome mystery of it. We feel like what we are doing is a meaningful thing. We are here to serve people, to perform a function that we think is helpful to the world. We believe in it. Rocking. When any person stays in a state of giving they are at their best. That is where we try to stay.
當John離團時(1992-1997)，Dave Navarro來代替他的位置。能夠和Dave這樣美妙又傑出的吉他手合作是一件愉快又光榮的事，我們在一起玩得很開心。Dave加入後這團又變成截然不同的風貌，像是從這時期的歌”My Friend”就能聽出來我們的變化。朋友常常問我：”你們是怎麼做到的？你們哪來那麼多活力？為什麼在那麼多團崛起又消失之後，你們仍然屹立不搖？”這些問題的答案要分成兩部分來回答。第一，我們啥也不是，我們只是一沱渺小卑微的大便渣，我們只是在無限廣大宇宙之中只有一丁丁陰蒂大小的小豆子銀河系裡的泡沫碎屑小兵。第二，我們努力。我們長時間的把注意力放在該專注的事情上。當我們有閒工夫去遊蕩逛街時，我們會把時間拿來聚在一個房間裡討論構思歌曲的段落、氣氛、速度、律動、歌詞、鋪陳、延續和新的和聲方式。我們像個藍領階級一樣的勤費做事。我們在乎自己的音樂而且不想半途而廢，我們愛音樂，它能滿足我們。我們小心翼翼的不去破壞這奧妙的事物的外殼。我們認為自己作的事情意義重大。我們是來這裡服侍人群的，用”表演”的形式來幫助這個世界。搖滾，這就是我們的信仰。每個人在贈與、付出的時候就是他最完美的時刻，我們也總是試著讓自己維持在這樣的完美狀態。
One other thing. I would like to mention the electric bass players who had a huge influence on me and whom I have repeatedly stole from. They are… Jah Wobble, John Paul Jones, James Jamerson Sr., Bootsy Collins, Eric Avery, Aston Family Man Barrett, Mike Watt, Andrew Weiss, Peter Hook, and the bass players for Fela Kuti.
還有一件事。我想題一下對我造成巨大影響的電貝斯手們，他們也是我一直以來偷學的對象：Jah Wobble, John Paul Jones, James Jamerson Sr., Bootsy Collins, Eric Avery, Aston Family Man Barrett, Mike Watt, Andrew Weiss, Peter Hook, and the bass players for Fela Kuti.
In august of 2003 we got together during a break in touring and had a very prolific writing and recording session. It was actually the most productive we have ever been in a short amount of time. 2 of the songs recorded in that time are here on this CD. At the time of this writing I am not sure which songs they are. I am sitting in a hotel in Chicago and about to board a bus for Cleveland, another day on tour, another day to stay focused on what we are doing and to try and get better at it.
在2003的八月，一次巡迴演唱過程中的一小段休假裡，我們聚在一起集思廣益的寫作和錄音。在這麼短的作業時間裡，這是我們作的最有效率的一次。在這張CD裡有我們錄好的其中兩首歌，不過在我寫這篇文章的時候，我還不知道會是哪兩首被選進來。我正坐在一間芝加哥的旅館裡，等會要搭巴士去克里夫蘭，又是準備迎接巡迴演唱的一天，又是個專注在我們所做的事、且試著日益進步的美好的一日。
Thanks for listening,
感謝你的聆聽
Flea
自己翻完之後都覺得Flea說話實在太誠懇了，為什麼這團的人文筆都這麼儉樸卻又誠摯中肯？看到喜歡的樂團寫這種文章真是很難讓人不熱血努力，我愛死他們了，他們只要來亞洲我就會坐飛機去看，管你來不來台灣，我有生之年一定要看到他們表演。
四年前我剛回台北，找到了工作之後就開始四處找團玩兼練經驗值，反正到處都有在缺鼓手所以找團練等級是相當簡單的事。在遇到敝團前身之前，我試的其中一團說要練RHCP的Californication，於是我挖出RHCP的精選集聽了聽，順手看一下CD內頁，內頁裡面是Flea、John和Chad寫了一些東西。這篇要寫的就是Flea的文章，當時看完之後我很感動，覺得這個人的個性和文章就像他彈琴一樣誠懇。
這張就是精選集以下為內文和翻譯：
Hi, I should preface this writing by letting you know I know nothing about anything.
嗨阿，作為這篇文章的開場白，我得讓你們知道，其實我什麼都不知道。
The songs on this record are from the last 13 years or so, it is a nice selection. The amazing thing about them is that they are actually all hits (except for the new ones, but ya never know).
這張專輯上的歌是我們這13年來的作品，都是精心挑選出來的喔。裡面的每一首都是歷年主打(除了裡面新收錄的你們都沒聽過的新歌之外)。
When we started this band in 1983 I never imagined this sort of success for a bunch of little guys like us. There is a theatre in L.A., actually in Pasadens, called Perkins Palace. When I was youngster I used to go see shows there it held about 1500 people I think. I saw some good shows there, The English Beat, Echo & The Bunnymen, and so on. I used to hold it up as an ideal, to think, man one day if I could just play a place that big and mean as much to the audience as these bands mean to me, that would be it, I mean I saw that as the pinnacle of success. Now here we are 20 years later and we play arenas and stadiums all over the world. We’ve been playing these kinds of places for ten years now. I often walk around the empty arena after the show, knee deep in empty plastic cups and mismatched shoes, looking at about 50 guys carrying giant steel lighting contraptions and ogling the 9 or so semi trucks and I just think how crazy it seems to me, all this rigmarole for us four little guys playing our tunes. Who woulda thunk? The reason this has happened, well, along with sweating blood in concert for 20 years, is these hits on the radio.
當我們在1983年組成這團時，我從來沒想過我們這幾個傢伙會紅成這樣。在LA的Pasadens有一個叫做Perkins Palace的劇場，大概可以容下1500人。當我還是小鬼頭時，我常常去那裡看表演，並在那邊看過不少精彩的表演，像是The English Beat、Echo & The Bunnymen等等。當時我心中不時會冒出一個念頭：如果哪天我可以在這麼大的地方表演，而且能像我的愛團一樣的感動我般的感動我的觀眾們的話，那就太棒啦～這就是我心目中的成功的典範阿！而20年後的現在，我們去過世界各地的大型體育館和廣場表演，現在我們已經在這種等級的場地表演大約十年了。我常常在表演完後，在空盪的會場裡走來走去，地上的空紙杯和遺失的鞋子堆到像膝蓋一樣高，周邊有50個工作人員拿著巨大的閃亮鋼鐵器材和一堆奇怪的道具或是複和式搬運卡車在工作，有時我會覺得這繁瑣龐大的一切實在太瘋狂了，我們骨子裡只是四個愛胡鬧的小鬼耶，誰想的到阿？而促使這些血汗交織的20年來的表演誕生的源頭，就是我們的這些歷年主打歌。
There are a variety of reasons that we had these hits. From the beginning, our band had a fresh and new take on the rock music thing and the willingness to do anything we could to be entertaining. We learned from our mistakes and always tried to get better at and have a clearer and deeper understanding of our craft. We tried not to act like assholes if we caught ourselves in the acts. We toured the world in a van, staying in bottom of the barrel joints and got to the Perkins Palace level, I don’t know if we meant as much to our audience as Echo & The Bunnymen meant to me, but nonetheless we rocked and the people came.
有許多原因使得我們做出這些好歌。在剛開始的時候，敝團在音樂圈裡呈現出一股新的風貌和氣勢，而且我們樂意做任何事來提供娛樂給大家。我們從錯誤中學習、不停的試著進步，且我們非常清楚、深入得瞭解自己的技藝。我們試著不要讓自己的所作所為像個混蛋。我們擠在破舊貨車的底層去各地巡迴，漸漸的晉升到能到Perkins Palace表演的層次，我不知道我們是否能對觀眾造成Echo & The Bunnymen對我造成的那種巨大的影響，但總之我們玩我們的且觀眾十分捧場。
In 1988, after the death of our beloved friend and band confounder Hillel Slovak (who was an enormous influence on the shaping of our sound), we got Chad Smith and John Frusciante. Chad who pounded so hard and dynamically, and John who played so incredibly and brought with him knowledge of music, depth of feeling and earnestness which goes forever. With this line up, we became 4 parts of something that were all completely different from each other but all with the same desire. If there were four different poles on the earth we would all be from an opposite one.
在1988年，我們摯愛的好友兼創團元老Hillel Stovak(他對於創立敝團的音樂風格有深厚影響)過世之後，Chad Smith和John Frusciante加入我們。Chad打鼓非常狂放猛爆，而John神乎奇技般的彈奏帶來了嶄新的音樂認知、深厚的感情和不朽的熱誠。這樣組合的我們四個是截然不同風格的個體，不過我們卻也擁有一模一樣的慾望。如果地球上有四個軸極，那我們一定會各自位居於不同的一端。
For that reason, for us all to agree on a piece of music’s validity, that piece of music must cover all the blood types, all the seasons, and all 4 corners of the globe. It is not easy but it helps our music appeal to a lot of different folks. To all of our songs we each bring a different thing, there is an intangible chemistry that people can relate to, we are willing to work our asses off to make it happen, and that is why things have happened the way they have.
基於某些理由，我們都對音樂的性質有同樣的觀念，也就是我們的歌必須涵蓋所有血型、所有季節以及地球上的所有角落。這不是一件簡單的事，不過這能幫助我們的音樂吸引到各式各樣的人。我們四個都各自在每一首歌裡放入了不同的元素，這使得一種無形的、吸引人的化學變化產生，我們都興致勃勃的朝這方向拼命努力，這也是為什麼事情都能夠照著我們的期許來進行。
When John left the band (1992-1997) he was replaced by Dave Navarro. It was a pleasure and honor to play with Dave as he is a beautiful guy and an awesome guitarist. We had a lot of fun together. The band was a completely different thing when he was in it as you can hear on the one song from that era “My Friends.” People often ask me…”How do you guys do it? Where do you get the energy? Why is it that you are still a relevant band when so many others have come and gone during your career?” The answer to that question is 2 part. Firstly, we are nothing but insignificant specks of shit, pawns in a comsic spiritual realm where our universe is nothing but a dot of crusty smegma. Secondly, we work. We have stayed focused on this thing for a long time. When we could be gallivanting around spending our dough, we sit in a room and think about b flats and c sharps and tempos and grooves and textures and laying back and pushing and new ways of harmonizing with each other. Elbow grease, blue collar rocking. We care about our music we don’t half step, we love music, it is interesting to us. We have barely scratched the surface of the awesome mystery of it. We feel like what we are doing is a meaningful thing. We are here to serve people, to perform a function that we think is helpful to the world. We believe in it. Rocking. When any person stays in a state of giving they are at their best. That is where we try to stay.
當John離團時(1992-1997)，Dave Navarro來代替他的位置。能夠和Dave這樣美妙又傑出的吉他手合作是一件愉快又光榮的事，我們在一起玩得很開心。Dave加入後這團又變成截然不同的風貌，像是從這時期的歌”My Friend”就能聽出來我們的變化。朋友常常問我：”你們是怎麼做到的？你們哪來那麼多活力？為什麼在那麼多團崛起又消失之後，你們仍然屹立不搖？”這些問題的答案要分成兩部分來回答。第一，我們啥也不是，我們只是一沱渺小卑微的大便渣，我們只是在無限廣大宇宙之中只有一丁丁陰蒂大小的小豆子銀河系裡的泡沫碎屑小兵。第二，我們努力。我們長時間的把注意力放在該專注的事情上。當我們有閒工夫去遊蕩逛街時，我們會把時間拿來聚在一個房間裡討論構思歌曲的段落、氣氛、速度、律動、歌詞、鋪陳、延續和新的和聲方式。我們像個藍領階級一樣的勤費做事。我們在乎自己的音樂而且不想半途而廢，我們愛音樂，它能滿足我們。我們小心翼翼的不去破壞這奧妙的事物的外殼。我們認為自己作的事情意義重大。我們是來這裡服侍人群的，用”表演”的形式來幫助這個世界。搖滾，這就是我們的信仰。每個人在贈與、付出的時候就是他最完美的時刻，我們也總是試著讓自己維持在這樣的完美狀態。
One other thing. I would like to mention the electric bass players who had a huge influence on me and whom I have repeatedly stole from. They are… Jah Wobble, John Paul Jones, James Jamerson Sr., Bootsy Collins, Eric Avery, Aston Family Man Barrett, Mike Watt, Andrew Weiss, Peter Hook, and the bass players for Fela Kuti.
還有一件事。我想題一下對我造成巨大影響的電貝斯手們，他們也是我一直以來偷學的對象：Jah Wobble, John Paul Jones, James Jamerson Sr., Bootsy Collins, Eric Avery, Aston Family Man Barrett, Mike Watt, Andrew Weiss, Peter Hook, and the bass players for Fela Kuti.
In august of 2003 we got together during a break in touring and had a very prolific writing and recording session. It was actually the most productive we have ever been in a short amount of time. 2 of the songs recorded in that time are here on this CD. At the time of this writing I am not sure which songs they are. I am sitting in a hotel in Chicago and about to board a bus for Cleveland, another day on tour, another day to stay focused on what we are doing and to try and get better at it.
在2003的八月，一次巡迴演唱過程中的一小段休假裡，我們聚在一起集思廣益的寫作和錄音。在這麼短的作業時間裡，這是我們作的最有效率的一次。在這張CD裡有我們錄好的其中兩首歌，不過在我寫這篇文章的時候，我還不知道會是哪兩首被選進來。我正坐在一間芝加哥的旅館裡，等會要搭巴士去克里夫蘭，又是準備迎接巡迴演唱的一天，又是個專注在我們所做的事、且試著日益進步的美好的一日。
Thanks for listening,
感謝你的聆聽
Flea
自己翻完之後都覺得Flea說話實在太誠懇了，為什麼這團的人文筆都這麼儉樸卻又誠摯中肯？看到喜歡的樂團寫這種文章真是很難讓人不熱血努力，我愛死他們了，他們只要來亞洲我就會坐飛機去看，管你來不來台灣，我有生之年一定要看到他們表演。
留言
幹 這句讓我有同感! 啊宅的心聲