▼ 专访｜Heatwolves: 曾在上海拼命的人都值得被尊敬 ▲
Heatwolves. DJ, promoter, robot-turned-mythical creature from Kalamazoo. Founder of the ten year genre-smashing club night / surreal universe Love Bang and the Italo / Synth / anime explosion Hologram Dreams. Often seen getting down in the middle of the dancefloor. Father of a smush-faced cat. Uncoverer of fresh sounds, CDJ mixologist of strange yet appealing blends, and relentless supporter of up-and-coming talent.
We caught up with one of the hardest working animals in Shanghai's scene for a QnA:
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能告诉我们你当初为什么来上海吗？又是什么让你开始DJ和组织音乐派对的？
我在大学学的是城市规划，来中国是因为当时学校里的“海外学习”学分项目。在一次短暂的中国旅行后，我便喜欢上中国的城市，并决定毕业之后还要再回来。还记得那整个夏天，我都在做一些泥瓦匠的暑期工作，用来赚我来中国的机票钱和生活启动资金。当时那家我公司的老板兼包工头因为知道我要离开美国，竟然恶意拒付我最后一个月的工资。直到现在他仍然欠我500美金。不过，这个包工头曾蹲过监狱，家里还有巨多枪，所以我并没有再追债。但是，Ryan，如果你正在阅读本文，我想告诉你：“去你妈的”。
Love Bang 是出于什么机缘开始的? 全息梦境呢?
这个问题恐怕只有白酒机器人(Baijiu Robot)可以回答了。
谁是白酒机器人？
是Bloghouse在这座城市的守护者。
你来上海已有十年了，有哪些对派对或音乐场景的早期记忆仍让你历历在目?
早期的记忆要属：用纸币支付一切并经常迷路。那时没有智能手机，没有点评、滴滴打车、摩拜单车、没有地铁10号线、没有Popeye’s，也没有网红。那时的生活里只有摇滚乐、Bloghouse、街头啤酒、吃串儿和冒险。以前到处都是DVD碟店，以前有些店里还会卖些特别奇怪的碟，像是海龟、狮子交配的视频这种，他们还有各种动物的。那个时代很有趣，但我更喜欢现在这个时代。
作为上海的派对主办方，你都会面临哪些挑战?
所有挑战吧。其中包括所有正常的“挑战”，比如被设备电到，比如俱乐部里有人斗殴然后被救护车拉走，比如空荡荡的舞池，或者充斥着听什么音乐都不开心的人的舞池，比如俱乐部经理告诉你“换个（音乐）风格”吧，还有损坏的设备，或者根本没有设备，以及“水逆”的日子。一些任何DJ经验超过五年的都会遇到并习惯的典型派对问题。不过大多数时候都挺顺的，这些过往已成为我很好的人生经验。
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I studied abroad in China while studying urban planning in university. I fell in love with the cities and knew I had to come back right after graduation. I worked landscape construction all summer to get enough money for the plane ticket and to get on my feet. My old boss knew I was leaving the country so he skipped my last paycheck and still owes me $500, but he’s been to prision and has mad guns, so I had no recourse. If you’re reading this, fuck you, Ryan.
How did Love Bang get started? What about Hologram Dreams?
You’d have to ask Baijiu Robot.
Who is Baijiu Robot?
The protector of bloghouse in the city.
You've been in Shanghai for 10 years - what early memories of partying or the music scene stand out?
Early memories include: Paying for everything in cash and getting lost af constantly. No smartphones, no Dianping, no Didi, no Mobike, no Line 10, no Popeye’s, no wanghongs. Just rock and roll, bloghouse, street beers, 串儿, and adventure. There were DVD shops everywhere. Some of them sold these weird DVDs of like, turtles mating and lions mating. They had them for all the animals. That era was so much fun but I love the present era even more.
What are some challenges you have faced as a Shanghai promoter?
All of them. All the normal “challenges” like getting shocked by equipment, fights in the venue where people get taken away by ambulances, empty dancefloors, dancefloors full of impossible-to-please people, managers telling you to “switch it up”, broken equipment, no equipment, days where nothing works. Typical issues that anyone who has DJed for more than five years has dealt with. But it’s usually great and it has all been a learning experience.
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Who do you respect or look up to in the local music community?
Anyone who’s really out here grinding, whether they’re DJs or producers or club owners or light people or security or WeChat editors. It’s not an easy job or life.
Who are your favorite artists right now in China, and why?
My favorite DJs are Mau Mau, Elsie, MMQ, and recently, Luca (only saw her once but one of my favorite sets this year). My favorite producers / live acts are Hyph11e, GG Lobster, Osheyack, Swimful, and Gao Jiafeng. There are a lot of younger up and coming people I’m excited about like Vorbi and Mengki too.
What was your most memorable night in Shanghai behind the decks, and on the other side of the booth as a dancer?
Lately that would have to be this one night at JAR in Xi’an last December after a really surreal wedding. A lot of friends were there, Yusu was headlining and she killlllled it, and I had a USB so I ended up playing after her B2B with Gunknown until almost 5am.
My most memorable nights on the dancefloor would be The Bug at Shelter, Shackleton at Shelter, and long weekends at Black Rabbit and Concrete & Grass festivals.
How did the scene in Shanghai shape your music?
I arrived at a time when bands and DJs played at the same parties at LoGO or some warehouse. That was also peak bloghouse era, where rock and electronic were blending together. I was much more into rock and then hip hop before I moved to Shanghai.
I used to go to freestyle nights every Friday for like two years in college. Shanghai taught me everything I know about electronic music. I had almost zero “American” frame of reference until I went to Movement in Detroit last year and that was also a life-changing experience.
我在舞池里最难忘的夜晚是在Shelter的The Bug演出，还有Shackleton演出那晚，还有Black Rabbit黑兔音乐节和混凝草音乐节的漫长周末。
我刚来上海的时候，那时的乐队和DJ还会同时在LoGO或某个仓库的同一个派对上演出。那也是 Bloghouse的顶峰，是摇滚和电子融合在一起的时代。在搬到上海之前，我更喜欢摇滚，后来迷上了嘻哈。
以前每周五我都会去学校的Freestyle之夜玩，这个习惯一直持续了两年。而上海教会我的可以说是关于电子音乐的一切。在去年Movement in Detroit音乐节之前，我几乎没有任何关于“美国”电子音乐的亲身经历，当然那也是一次改变人生的经历。早期: 涅磐乐队的《Scentless Aprentice》。发行当天我就收到了 《In Utero》，这张依然是我最爱的专辑之一。那首歌开头的鼓的编配超级震撼，我那时经常用家里的饼干罐子来练习这组节奏，之后我求父母也给我整一套架子鼓，他们巧妙地拒绝我道:“不如学萨克斯吧?”
能选出3首曲目，帮助我们了解你这些年来的音乐品味吗? (从早期的涉猎或影响到如今的最爱?)
中期: Three 6 Mafia 的《Late Night Tip》。早期的 Three 6 Mafia 简直是我18、19岁时日常生活里自带的背景音乐，那时的我还在食杂店打工，每天的生活就是做三明治和送外卖，当然还有上大学和做一些有的没的傻事。《Dipset and Modest Mouse》对我来说也是那个时期的重要组成部分。
现在: 正在我回答你问题的当间，100 Gecs或许最能代表我目前的音乐品味。我是通过 Rico Nasty 的《iPhone》发现他们的。他们正在试图创造一些新的声音。我最近也很喜欢Beatking又名 Club Godzilla。
你在音乐之旅中面临的最大挑战是什么?
没有动力创作、容易分心和担心着如何取悦别人。我意识到，无论如何，你都必须先取悦你自己。之后如果可以得到你欣赏的人的赞赏，那只能让你更开心。人们根本不在乎你心里的挣扎，所以为自己、为城市，以及真正支持你的人而创作吧。
你如何在精神上准备你的演出？
演出前的伸展运动也很关键，即使只是伸展一两分钟也很管用。在演出开始前的一个小时里，我尝试通过看别人的演出或阅读电子书来清空自己的脑袋，或者干脆什么都不做，深呼吸。最近，我还会在演出前用笔写下一些关于我想象中应该达到的演出氛围的句子。将即将发生的场景可视化是很有帮助的。
如果有一个可以满足你所有演出前的要求的魔法愿望清单，你会往上填些什么?
老实说，演出前我只需要一个五星级酒店，里面有游泳池、桑拿房和浴缸，房间里还有咖啡机和全天自助餐就可以了。而且，我需要一位开车很稳的司机驾驶雷克萨斯旗舰款送我去演出，最好他在车上还在循环播放Young Thug的歌。如果后座上还有一只大金毛就更好了。其他什么都无所谓了。
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Early: “Scentless Aprentice” by Nirvana. I got In Utero the day it came out and it’s still one of my favorite albums. The drum break in the beginning of that song is so massive. I used to play that break on cookie jars and I begged my parents for a drumset and they were like, “what about a saxophone?”
Middle: Three 6 Mafia, “Late Night Tip”. Early Three 6 Mafia soundtracked the time when I was 18 or 19, working at the grocery store / delivering sandwiches and going to college and doing dumb shit. Dipset and Modest Mouse were a big part of that era for me too.
Right Now: As in right right now, I’m feeling 100 gecs. I discovered them from the Rico Nasty track “iPhone”. They’re on some new sounds. I’m also really into Beatking aka Club Godzilla at the moment.
What were the biggest challenges you've faced on your musical journey?
Not being motivated to produce. Getting distracted. Worrying about pleasing other people. At the end of the day you gotta please yourself, and if you can please your heroes that’s a bonus. Most people really don’t care, so do it for yourself, for the city, and the ones who truly ride for you.
How do you prepare for your gigs spiritually?
By having a good day and conserving all of my mental and physical energy. That means leaving early and taking a cab to the venue, even if it’s only 1km away. If I’m running late or walking and I almost get hit by an e-bike and start tripping, boom, and that’s energy spent. If I have to have a conversation with someone about “what I’ve been up to lately”, that’s energy spent. We only have so much energy to spend. It’s like gasoline.
I make sure to consume a lot of water, fruits, and vegetables throughout the day, and eat dinner hours before the show. Ideally sandwiches or pizza – never hotpot until after the show.
Stretching is crucial, even if it’s just for a minute or two. For the hour before the set I try to just empty my mind and enjoy myself, either by watching someone else’s set or just reading my kindle, or just doing nothing and deep breathing. Lately I’ve started writing down a few sentences about how I imagine the vibe of the set. Visualization helps.
What would you put on your magic hospitality rider where every wish can be granted?
Honestly, I just need a five-star hotel with a pool, a sauna, a bathtub, a coffee machine in my room, and an all-day buffet. And I need to be driven to the show in a flagship Lexus sedan by a very careful driver who plays a lot of Young Thug. If there is a golden retriever in that backseat, even better. Anything else is whatever.
第一条建议是在创作上花更多的时间。第二个就是去做——去犯错，站在滑板上的时候就别怕玩花样。少年版本的我曾会仰望那些当时心目中“大神“级别的唱片公司或DJ，认为他们根本遥不可及，以我的水平永远也不会到达。哦，以前的我也许会说像“ Love Bang 还没有到那个水平，我们还做不到那些。”的话。我想告诉自己或许我们可以。
你真的只能活一次，所以你必须努力并尽可能地走得更远。即使音乐不完美，也要发布音乐。即使你已经40岁了或怎样，你也可以开始学习一种乐器。无论如何，都不要找借口，只管开始就对了。
你对自己五年后的期许是什么?
快乐和活着。之前的隔离让我更加迷上了音乐制作，并投入了比以往任何时候都要多的精力。因此我很希望在接下来的五年中发布一些EP和LP，并邀请一些朋友一起合作发行音乐。我们将在12月发布Love Bang合 辑，这是我们朝着这一目标迈出的第一步。
假设你有无限的预算和预订权以及回魂能力，为你的电梯之夜梦想阵容挑选三位艺术家，时间阵容以及时间表会是怎样？
如果我们有回魂能力，很显然Prince会是主要嘉宾。70年代初期的 Black Sabbath 会为Prince暖场，然后也许 Miss Kittin & The Hacker 会在 After-party 放延长版的 live set 和 DJ set。
能不能跟我们分享你白天的生活是怎样的？
当然! Cecilia(VJ 陈吸吸)和我经营一所名为 InkSight 的创意公司。所以如果说Love Bang 是我们创造力的“导演剪辑版”，那么 InkSight则更像是“代理商发售版”。我们做的事情包括撰写文案、管理社交媒体内容、设计小程序和广告创意等等。我们正在努力架起不同文化之间沟通的桥梁。
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If you could time travel and give yourself two pieces of advice when you were just starting out, what would they be?
Number one is to spend more time on production. Number two is to just go for it – commit, like in skateboarding when you’re scared to do a trick. Sometimes when I was younger, I would look at other labels or DJs who seemed like they were just too far ahead, so it made me hesitate like, oh, “Love Bang isn’t on that level yet, we can’t do that yet.” But maybe we could have.
Really, you only live once so you just gotta go for it and take it as far as you can. Release music even if it’s not perfect. Start playing an instrument even if you’re 40 or whatever. Whatever it is, stop making excuses and just start.
Where would you like to see yourself as an artist in 5 years?
Happy and alive. During the quarantine I got more into production than ever so I’d be geeked just to release a few EPs and LPs over the next five years, and also to put other people on and release music by friends. We have a Love Bang compilation coming out in December which is a first step toward that.
Pick three artists for your dream line-up of a night at Elevator. What's the time table? Assume you have unlimited budget and booking powers, including reincarnating past talents to take the decks again.
If we’re reincarnating, obviously Prince is headlining. Early-70s Black Sabbath would warm-up for Prince, and then maybe Miss Kittin & The Hacker would play an extended live set and DJ set at the after-party.
Can you tell us about your life during the day?
Yes! Cecilia (aka VJ 陈吸吸) and I run a creative agency called InkSight. Love Bang is the director’s cut of our creative energy – InkSight is the agency version. We create content, manage social media accounts, design mini-programs, and create ad campaigns. We’re trying to build bridges over culture gaps.
Aside from work, I also read a lot, study Chinese from textbooks that keep getting sent to the child who used to live in our apartment, work out (Ringfit and pushups), cook, and walk around the city a lot. Lately I’ve been watching a lot of 70’s films.
How do we find you in the digital world?
Instagram @lovebanguniverse and @hologram.dreamsWeibo @热狼isHeatwolves
For our agency, check us out at inksightgroup.com
除了工作，我还会读大量的书，以及从中小学生教材上学习中文，这要感谢那位曾经住在我们现在这套公寓里的孩子，因为他的缘故，最近一直会有一些辅导书被送到我们家门口。除此之外，我还会每天做健身环大冒险 和俯卧撑，下厨以及散步探索城市角落。最近我还在有目的地研究很多美国70年代电影。
我们如何在数字世界中找到你？
@lovebanguniverse
@hologram.dreams
微博
@热狼isHeatwolves
以及可以在网站 inksightgroup.com 上查看我们的创意公司。
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