Liang Long once told a friend: "Maybe the world doesn't need rock music, just like this world doesn't need contradictions, but contradictions won't stop, just like the emotions carried by rock music, which will never disappear."
Liang Long still remembers that someone left a message under the song of second-hand roses: "What are you singing? A fan came to explain: "I'm sorry, our problem, who listens to second-hand roses if you are not sick?"
Sometimes, Liang Long watched the audience wearing red and green clothes, draped in belly pockets, waving colorful fans, and waving big flags, shaking their heads and shouting at him in the audience. Liang Long felt that these people in the audience lived more open-mindedly than him - "They are dressed like this, not to prove to anyone how good and beautiful he is, what he wants is this style, he doesn't care what others think, in our Northeast dialect, it is Sa, a thief!"
In the movie "Farewell to the Northeast Heavenly Group", Song Xiaofeng came over to greet Liang Long: "Ouch, isn't this 'second-hand Yueji'?" Since then, the "second-hand Yueji" has spread, and people everywhere call them "second-hand Yueji". In addition, there is a line in the movie: "For this money, we will sing for one night at most." After every music festival, Liang Long had to be teased by the music fans in the audience: "Sing for a night!"
(Photo/"Farewell to the Northeast")
"Who looks at second-hand roses if there's nothing wrong with it?" "I can't listen to these songs without a ten-year history of mental illness", Liang Long appreciates this mentality, "When I debuted, I was often regarded as an outlier, but music fans didn't take it seriously, called each other patients, how crazy and how to come, very self-deprecating."
In the context of the contemporary Internet, the "madness" and "relaxation" presented by second-hand roses seem to be particularly in line with the mental state of young people, and because of this, second-hand roses harvest the hearts of fans one after another. A while ago, a female music fan said to Liang Long: "I am here to help my daughter convey her love, and she said that she likes Liang Long's grandfather very much." Liang Long thought to himself: "Mom, I have become the grandfather of Liang Long." ”
Ten years ago, at the "Rock and Roll Useless" concert held in Beijing Gongti, he used shocking, bold and avant-garde performances to perfectly interpret the sentence in "I want to bloom" - "I want to bloom! I want to sprout! I want spring breeze and rain!"
However, the Diplodocus in the audience is not so "uproar", and even shows a diametrically opposite temperament. A buddy sighed to him: "Lao Liang, I didn't expect you to have such a big contrast between you on and off stage." When he was alone, Diplodocus was very quiet, and he rarely even listened to songs, "Sometimes I stay at home for a day, and it gets dark for a while, and I don't know what I'm thinking." A friend had a meal together, clicked on the song of second-hand roses, Liang Long blushed and scratched his head, and finally said: "If you don't turn it off, don't affect our meal." ”
(Photo/"Farewell to the Northeast")
In the interview, when I tried to praise his unique charm for the addition of the stage, mentioning that "the stage presentation of Second-Hand Rose is very good, and sometimes the appeal of the scene will be much greater than that of the studio version", before I finished speaking, Liang Long began to reflect on the shortcomings of the studio version, and bluntly said that there are indeed many things that need to be improved. From this it can be seen that Diplodocus is not narcissistic, but it is also not too modest. He knows where his strengths lie, and he knows how to laugh at himself at the right time.
Before singing rock and roll, Liang Long did a lot of work, lived in the basement of a running mouse, lived a life of only one pound of noodles a day, and then held concerts, opened galleries, played contemporary art, and later became a beauty blogger, participated in major variety shows, and now, he participates in movies, appears in major film festivals, and is also working as a screenwriter and director.
This is my second interview with Liang Long, and he gives me the feeling that he is still as refreshing as ever, very honest, and the whole person is completely open and unguarded. He doesn't like to talk about beautiful scenes, but he can't find anger in him, he is calm and relaxed.
(Photo/"Farewell to the Northeast 2")
It is not easy for a person who has been in the circle for more than 20 years to do this.
Before the interview, Liang Long did not receive any activities and interviews for more than half a month, because he felt that he was stuck, "I don't know why, I always feel that the things I am busy with are almost meaningless, there is no feeling of breaking the shell, it may be that a layer of window paper has not been pierced, or it may be a wall, I don't know, so I stopped and didn't go."
This practice is very "diplodocus". All along, he has a single rule for all his actions and decisions: "I don't want this experience?"
If you don't understand, you stop, and if you think about it, you don't care what others think. Those seemingly whimsical and taboo-free attempts are actually regarded by Diplodocus as a game experience that constantly expands the dimension of life. There is a popular phrase on the Internet at the moment - "life is like a playground", and he may be playing with such a mentality.
In the third season of "Summer of the Band" (hereinafter referred to as "Le Xia"), Liang Long's favorite performance was "Monkey Play", which was the song he wrote for the movie "Crazy Alien" a few years ago, in which he sang: "Whoever says that he plays monkey drops, he is not an artist; ”
Liang Long said: "I couldn't find the sense of relaxation that I had when I first performed on stage 20 years ago, but I found it when I sang "Monkey Play", which was too enjoyable. This lyric is basically the same as Liang Long's view on art and life, that is, people play monkeys, monkeys play people, and there is no trace of vulgarity.
The following is the Diplodocus autobiography.
Rock 'n' roll was picked up when I was young
The most handy tool
After participating in the third season of "Le Xia", I sang with the band members in six parts, met some new friends, came into contact with some new ideas, enjoyed the stage part, and had some small regrets. In fact, whether it is rock fans or band circles, everyone no longer expects the third season to bring the freshness of the first two seasons, but the third season is definitely not bland, each band is unique and has its own expression, which is a relatively stable season.
Ma Dong said half-jokingly in the show: "The band was not so busy before "Le Xia", and now they are all taking time to record the show. "This is indeed the truth, and everyone's offline performance schedule is quite full this year. Ma Dong is very powerful, and through a variety show, rock and roll broke the circle and made more people pay attention to the band.
The cover of "Chance Encounter" is a performance outside the comfort zone of second-hand roses, before going on stage, everyone has been playing drums in their hearts, in fact, during the rehearsal, the five of us have not been arranged together, and even when we are picking, it looks a little wilted. Unexpectedly, the moment we came on stage, the nerves of the five of us "snapped" to catch up. After the performance, we were all quite satisfied.
(Photo/"Summer of the Band 3")
If you want to say that it is a little regrettable, it is "Xian'er". This song has been performed so many times, and the audience is too familiar with it, it is really difficult to adapt it with new ideas. According to my personal meaning, I actually want to go off the rails and sing a few songs that are not so "second-hand roses". Later, the people in the program team came to talk to me and said that on the stage of "Le Xia", it was necessary to leave a classic song with the highest popularity, so I agreed.
But my biggest regret is that in the process of recording this kind of competitive variety show, it was easy for me to follow the logic of the previous competition track, and when I came back to my senses, I thought about the adaptation logic of "Xian'er" again, and I felt that it was not brilliant enough. Even if you have performed many times, there is always room for adaptation, if you have more time and a little more relaxed, you may be able to present a different "Xian'er" to everyone.
I'm actually quite nervous, especially in a completely unfamiliar environment, and definitely not as relaxed as it seems. But at the same time, I was very afraid that life would be the same, and I always wanted to find something new and exciting. People always say that after working for a long time, they will become "dead pigs are not afraid of boiling water", which is the reason. As I get older, whether it is the people around me or the feedback given by the market, it gives me a feeling of respect, and I am actually quite afraid of this.
We were invited to the first and second seasons of "Lexia", but at the beginning, I had concerns in my heart, so I never came. My concerns are very simple: what new changes can a variety show bring to the band, and what new surprises can it bring to the audience? Later, Ma Dong persuaded me, he said: "You don't need to compare the results of the three seasons of "Le Xia" vertically, any show, as long as you participate, will collide with sparks, and naturally there will be new changes, so there is no need to think so much." So, I came, and I also recorded a "face slap" video for this purpose.
(Photo/Weibo @Second-hand Rose Band)
I never thought I sang a good song, and when I first debuted, someone said, "What is it that Second Hand Rose sings?" and I don't have anything to refute, just like the sentence I wrote - "Big brother, you play rock, what's the use of playing it?", what is the use of this thing? Later, I told a friend that maybe the world doesn't need rock music, just like this world doesn't need contradictions, but contradictions don't stop, just like the emotions carried by rock music will never go away.
When I was younger, I needed to vent, I needed a vehicle to express my emotions, and rock 'n' roll was the most handy tool I could pick up at that time. I enjoy being on stage and for me, that's what matters. Some people say that I have a stage personality, and I don't deny that I do have a lot of design for the stage, including the costumes, makeup, expressions, and even the way I speak, which are all part of the stage.
When I'm alone, I rarely listen to songs, and sometimes I just spend a day at home dry, and when I think about it, it's dark, and I don't know what I'm thinking. My friend asked, "Brother Long, why don't you listen to it a little bit?" Eating at home with a friend, the other party clicked on the second-hand rose, put it down, I was next to me, blushing and scratching my head, and finally discussed, let's not turn it off, don't affect the meal.
One of my buddies said to me: "Lao Liang, I really didn't expect you to have such a big contrast and such polarization between you on and off stage. It's red and green on the stage, but it's silent off the stage, who can believe it?"
Second-hand roses show scene. (Photo/provided by the interviewee)
There is only one guideline for all behaviors and decisions
Want this experience?
Before accepting this interview, I had more than half a month, and I didn't accept any activities or interviews, but I felt stuck, and I wanted to move forward, but I couldn't push it. Before the interview, I also left a message in the band's stage art group: Everyone has made a lot of efforts, it's my problem, I need to think about it again.
In fact, whether it is the stage design of the band or the movie script in the preparation in hand, their flesh and blood are almost built, but I always feel almost meaningless, there is no feeling of breaking the shell, it may be a layer of window paper that has not been pierced, or it may be a wall, I don't know. So I stopped and didn't leave.
In the first half of 2023, I have been busy chattering, participating in various music festivals and recording variety shows non-stop. Right now, I want to slow down and think about what I'm going to do next. Sometimes while walking, a thing that has been bothering me for a long time suddenly figured it out, and sometimes I haven't touched the piano for half a month, and as soon as I pick it up, I suddenly have inspiration. I can't say for sure, so I'm not in a hurry, so I'll take a break if I don't feel it.
Two days ago, I went to the basement where the band was rehearsing, and 24 years have passed in the blink of an eye. Second-hand roses spent many unforgettable days and nights in that basement, and every time I went, I was quite touched. I don't want people to remember me all the time, but if people talk about what kind of rock music is in this era, and can remember that there is a "Second Hand Rose", which is different from other bands, it is enough to give people some reference and inspiration.
(Photo/Weibo @ Band's Summer)
A lot of people ask me: Why are you singing and rock and rolling and going to do beauty again? Aren't you reluctant to go on variety shows? Why are you on so many shows? What are you thinking about day by day? Why are you so able to "do"? Actually, I don't know what I'm thinking, and if I have to set a rule for my behavior and decision-making, it is to see if I want to have this experience. To put it bluntly, it is to constantly broaden the life experience and play.
I remember many years ago, when the movie "Journey to the West" was broadcast on TV, I watched it for less than 3 minutes and turned it off, thinking, how does this thing compare with the 1986 version of "Journey to the West"? Almost 10 years later, I saw "Journey to the West" again, and I cried so much. The room was dark with curtains drawn, and I was staring at the screen with both eyes, completely empathizing with the characters in the movie and experiencing what it was like to be grief-stricken.
At first, I didn't like to watch "Wonderful Sayings", and I thought that many debate topics were nonsense, but later, my friends around me ridiculed me: "Lao Liang has watched "Wonderful Sayings" as pulp, right?"
I'm not particularly patient and sometimes can't even read a book in its entirety. Some people say that when I am on a talk show, I feel different from being on stage, and I think my expression is quite intriguing. In fact, I know in my heart that this is good to say, but in fact, there is no way to say it in a way with a higher concentration of knowledge.
I do have some life experience, but I don't have that much knowledge, and I don't want to translate it into a literary interpretation, including writing songs, I have my own way. People have different feelings about things, just like everyone eats the same rice, some people chew it slowly, and I swallow it quickly, and I may choke on it.
People play monkeys, monkeys play people
There is no trace of vulgarity
Once, someone left a message under the song of Secondhand Rose, "What are you singing? A fan came running to explain: "I'm sorry, our problem, who listens to second-hand roses if you're not sick?"
The mentality of these fans is much better than mine, when I first debuted, I was often regarded as a sidewalker, but they didn't take it seriously at all, calling each other patients, and ridiculing that "I can't hear second-hand roses without a ten-year history of mental illness".
Nowadays, many young people see attending music festivals as a way of life and a way to vent their emotions. When you get paid, you buy a vinyl record, and when you have a vacation, you go out to a show, like you go to a party on a regular basis. They may not be rushing at me, or at second-hand roses, or just trying to have fun with themselves, listening to me sing on stage for a while, jumping along for a while, and then going back and posting a small video.
Sometimes, when I perform on stage, I watch the fans in the audience wearing red and green clothes, wearing belly pockets, waving colorful fans, and waving big flags, shaking their heads and shouting at me in the audience, thinking that they are much more open-minded than me. They dress up like this, not to prove to anyone how good and beautiful he is, what he wants is this style, he doesn't care what others think or say, in our Northeast dialect, it's Sa, a thief!
When participating in the movie "Farewell to the Northeast", Song Xiaofeng said to me: "Ouch, isn't this 'second-hand Yueji'?" After that, music fans began to call me "second-hand Yueji". There is also a line in the movie: "For this little money, we will sing for one night at most." Later, a staff member said to me: "Brother Long, this video has become popular on the short video platform." I just joked to the fans, "I'll sing for one night at most." ”
(Photo/"Farewell to the Northeast 2")
A while ago, a music fan came to help her daughter convey her love for me, saying that her daughter especially likes Grandpa Lianglong. I said in my heart, oh mom, I've become a Diplodocus grandfather.
I conclude that I belong to the kind of person who "wins in laziness", that is, I don't particularly push myself, I don't have much tenacity, and I can even be called lazy, and what I seek is not "winning", but I just want to do something that I think is correct and interesting.
I have always felt that I am quite lucky, although it is not smooth sailing, and I have suffered a lot, but people like me who rely on personal feelings to create and live, can always rely on those "flashes of inspiration" in my mind, write something, get some appreciation, can not but say that it is a kind of luck.
When I first came into contact with contemporary art, I saw an art installation called "Sublimation". As soon as I walked into the gallery, I started walking around the stairs, circle after circle, and when I got to the top, a huge white smoke spiraled upwards. I can't forget the feeling of that moment, feeling that a certain part of myself was opened up in that moment, which is a wonderful feeling that is difficult to produce in regular life, and reminds me of the artist Nam June Paik's saying that "art is like magic".
(Photo/Weibo @ Band's Summer)
Art gives me the feeling that this is it, with a strong sense of space. I wrote about these feelings in songs, performed them on stage, and then discovered movies. Movies appeared in my life, full of serendipity, at the beginning, I was nothing more than helping friends make cameo appearances in a few scenes, writing some movie OSTs, and then I felt more and more the charm of movies, which was equivalent to helping me open a door again.
Many years ago, I performed "Allow Some Artists to Get Rich First" on stage. At that time, there was a very well-dressed artist sitting in the audience, and his face was not good-looking when he heard me sing such a song, but I felt that the thief was happy, just like the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes", piercing the hypocrisy.
In fact, there is no high or low in art, you can be sunny and snowy, or you can be a Riba person, just be real enough. I keep pretending, not only am I tired, but others are also uncomfortable to watch, and I can summarize it with my friend's mother's WeChat name: No need!
This time in "Le Xia", my favorite stage performance is "Monkey Play". To be honest, I couldn't find the sense of relaxation when I sang "Tricks" 20 years ago, but I found it when I sang "Monkey Play", which was quite enjoyable. This is a song written a few years ago for the movie "Crazy Aliens", and a lot of effort was poured into it at that time. The lyrics are basically the same as my views on art and life - people play monkeys, monkeys play people, and there is no trace of vulgarity and elegance.
People always say that Northeast people are humorous, in fact, I think everyone should learn to be humorous, the past has happened, can not be changed, let alone escaped, can only look forward, but we can learn to use humor to resolve, don't make yourself too sad.
Many music fans like to listen to me sing "I want to bloom", and when it comes to "I want to bloom, I want to sprout, I want to spring breeze and rain!", they sing aloud, this mentality is very good. I would also like to add one more sentence, a lyric in the promotional song "Where Culture is Respected", "Where Culture Is Respected, There Must Be Light" - "Sadness is boring!"