Regina Spektor

4:47 p.m.
30 Oct 2008


There's a talented and outstanding female singer/song writter that I would like to share with you all.

She is Regina Spektor.

I got to know her from the movie Chronicles of Narnia-Price Caspian, featuring the ending song tittle The Call.

I still remember the very first time when I heard her voice, it is so clean, unique, dynamic that can penetrate deep inside my heart.

Discography

Spektor's first two albums were released exclusively in the United States; Soviet Kitsch and Begin to Hope were released worldwide. The compilation Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories, containing songs from Spektor's first three albums, was put together for the UK market.

• 1999: Demo Cassette (Unreleased)
• 2001: 11:11 (Self-released)
• 2002: Songs (Self-released)
• 2003/2004: Soviet Kitsch (Self-released/Shoplifter/Sire)
• 2006: Begin to Hope (Sire)
• 2009: Forthcoming album (Sire)

EPs and singles

• 2005: Live at Bull Moose EP (Sire)
• 2006: "Carbon Monoxide"
• 2006: "Us"
• 2006: "On the Radio"
• 2006: "Fidelity"
• 2007: "Better"
• 2007: Live in California 2006 EP (Sire)

Compilations

• 2000: Public Domain (Purchase Records)
• 2006: Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories (Transgressive)
• 2007: Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
• 2007: "Alan Glazen: PBS producer, picks Regina best of 2007"
• 2008: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (soundtrack)

Collaborations

• 2004: Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men - The Strokes' Reptilia single (RCA)
• 2007: Hell No - Sondre Lerche' Dan In Real Life Soundtrack
• 2008: You Don't Know Me - Ben Folds's album Way to Normal (Sony)

With below is my favorite song of her.
"Fidelity"




Please do pay a visit to her official website.

The Call

This is one of my all time favorite song, by Regina Spektor

The Call
It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry
I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes
You'll cone back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every time when I heard of this song, I will picture out the scene of Aslan the Lion from the Chronicles of Narnia.
It is the literally icon of Jesus Christ, Lion of the Tribe of the Judah.
Where author C.S. Lewis wrote this amazing fantasy novel series based on the Bible.

I personally loved the second verse very much.

"'Til it was a battle cry"
"I'll come back"
"When you call me"

It is something very profound and significance for me,
that I can feel the promises from the Lord to us as His beloved children,

regardless of race,
regardless of culture,
regardless of tribes,
regardless of tongues,
regardless of religion,

Because we are living in a century of Multi-......

multiracial,
multicultural,
multi-tribal,
multi-religion,
multifunction,

That when we call upon His name,
He will come back to us.
In fact He will never leave us alone,
just that we don't think He is with us,
cause we Chose to believe so.

Lord, in my prayer I prayed that WE will always acknowledge Your presence, that we will always be open heart to You.
Please help us, to open our eyes and ears, to see You and hear You.
That we will answer to THE CALL from You.
Saying,"Here I am, Send Me!"

香港乐器行的作业方式

6:46 p.m.
20 Oct 2008

以上据说是香港最流行的吉他品牌---Ibanez
（我想应该是一般消费型市场吧）
它是属于阿基的。
一直以来，我都有这种感觉说香港身为国际自由贸易港口，商品自自然会比较丰富，多元。
可原来并不是所有的商品都如此。

话说我原本一直想藉着这次到访香港找一找Line 6的Bass Effect Pedal。
可原来一问之下，阿财与阿基都不约而同的说：“没听过哦！”
我心里打了个突，搞什么嘛，Line 6! You know! Line 6 哦！
我明明在网上调查了在香港是由 TxxLxx 琴行代理的说。

“系哦，没听过哦！”

再追问之下，才知道是香港乐器行的行销作业模式的问题。
一般上香港大型的乐器行都会把大部分乐器代理权拿到手，然后再看市场需求而选者性“大大力”推销某一品牌的乐器。
譬如说，在香港最知名的吉他品牌是Ibanez, Yamaha。我这边说的是一般消费市场。
而其他的品牌，他们会抓着代理权，也不一定卖，反正就是继续付代理费，好控制市场。
变成如果你要找一些“冷门”的品牌（这边的冷门只是限于香港），就得光顾一些小型的冷门琴行。
当然得付贵一点咯，因为他们没有代理权嘛，就是所谓的“水货”。
又或者直接在网上订购。

这可真是有点可恶。

可换个角度来看，这未免不是一种得体的手法。
始终最大的消费群是一般的大众群体。
只要单单把其中一些价钱中等，又有品质的品牌深深植入消费者的心扉里，这是无可厚非的。
好过去推销一些超高品质，天价的品牌远离群众，只能吸引一小搓的音乐人消费者。
这是绝对符合经济效益。
那些所谓识货之人自自然会有办法把他们想要的弄到手，再不然就来跟我（大型琴行）预订也可以。
呵呵呵！

哦，原来如此。
还说希望能买到便宜一点的说。
算啦。

俨如天籁之音

2 p.m.
1 Oct 2008

这个奇特的家伙是敲击乐器的一种。它属于一种被称为Rattle 的乐器。而它真正的名字恕在下孤谋寡闻，暂时未能告知大家。

我是在参加昨晚一个犹太人传统的庆祝节日当中，在一位刚认识的朋友家中（其实是当天经过介绍才认识）发现这两个家伙。

这家伙是个完整的原木制品，我还可以清楚地看见它的纹路。它的内部被淘空并呈现出中空，再灌以细小粒状的物体，诸如沙石，各从其类的豆谷等等。当你上下倒转，来回地摇晃它的时候，里面的粒状物体因着来回滑动并相互各自碰撞，与木身的内壁相撞所发出的声音，在木身内壁的中空状态下所产生的回响，并因着木身天然的呈多孔的构造，俨然是天然的扩音器，成功地呈现出一种独有的音律。

其声音俨如天籁之音，如若闭上双眼，仿佛置身于海边，耳边尽是海浪拍打岸边的清脆声响，连绵不绝，滔滔江河。又倘或飘荡于青天，微风在你耳边向你轻声细语，徐徐凉风，荡人心扉。又倘或在青翠绿林中，聆听着那淙淙溪水，细细长流于岩石边，小桥流水人家，理想中的坞托邦莫不在心眼前吗？

它是古老时代的乐器。若果换在现代，它常被用于 cha cha, tango, jazz 的曲风的音乐。

它是整块原木头的构造。

其上还可看到那些木纹。

就是这样双手抓拿，

并来回上下的摇晃。

天籁之音随之而发。

New World

New World
Originally uploaded by vandcooler

7 p.m.
29 Sept 2008

We found this small studio which I mentioned in the previous post.

We had roughly tested the sound system of it. It is pretty good. Most important, it is new compare with the other studio where we used to go frequently last time.

Nowaday kinda hard for us to get together for jamming due to work and some member had left us. But the heart of music within us will not die, that will continue to Rock 'n Roll.

I'm thinking to engage the remaining member and invite some youth that we had been train past few months to join us for the jamming.

I think is a good platform for both party,

For us, it will lead us back to the passion of jamming together among the band member.

For youth, it will be a different place and environment to expose them and nurture them for how to get together in music.

Hope we can turn it on.

Love & Blessing,
Stephen Ho from iPhone

Old Friend

Old Friend
Originally uploaded by vandcooler

6:25 p.m.
29 Sept 2008

I found this old friend from a unique store which I mentioned in previous post.

He is the electric guitar version of the same series as my bass guitar, Ibanez Roadstar II.
The colour is gorgeous, in vintage style. Surely an old buddy due to the manufaturing year.

Love & Blessing,
Stephen Ho from iPhone