Respawn Entertainment: Days of Glory

Chapter 987 Guo Sichu's Rolling Stone Album

The hedgehog's performance finally came to a close with a grand chorus of "One generation will eventually grow old, but there will always be someone young..."

Looking at the scattered lights behind him holding up signs for Xia Yuxi and glow sticks, Bian Lang felt a little dazed.

Bian Lang only started singing along during the last song. Now, he finally felt like he was back on Earth, attending a music festival. Although the people weren't the same, the songs were still the same, and that was enough.

Just as he was feeling sentimental, two security guards suddenly squatted down, grabbed his ankles, put his hands on his shoulders, lifted him up over the barrier, and sent him into the sea of ​​music fans.

"What's going on with you guys?" Bian Lang didn't struggle, but he still asked instinctively.

It wasn't until he had been carried a few meters by the wave of people that he heard a faint reply: "We're the 100,000 hippies! We get paid to attend music festivals and even get to meet bands face-to-face. This kind of part-time job is just too awesome..."

Xia Yuxi, who had just muted his microphone on stage, saw this scene. On a whim, he jumped off the stage and leaped over the barrier to perform the long-awaited dive. Back when he was a top-tier celebrity, he wanted to do this but didn't dare.

Because the proportion of female fans was so high at that time, his jump was probably an accident. Moreover, in the pop music circle, people can travel thousands of miles for their idols and spend a lot of money on their idols' endorsements, but such crazy behavior at a diving event is basically unheard of.

At the music festival, he didn't have any of these worries.

As for Xia Yuxi's longtime fans, those who were close by were practically ecstatic:
"Oh my, oh my, I touched Yu Xi! Is this real?"

"Hahaha, I'm one of those women who helped Xia Yuxi out!"

"I originally thought I'd just come to see him one last time and then become a neutral observer! But he actually did this to me?! Who can stand this?! Ugh! Ugh!"

Many of Xia Yuxi's longtime fans who came this time had this mentality: they all thought it would be their last meeting before becoming strangers. It was a way of seeing Xia Yuxi off on his journey of following him, and wishing him success in his new field.

But unexpectedly, the atmosphere at the music festival made them reluctant to leave.

Another key point is that they could all clearly feel that the music after Xia Yuxi merged with Hedgehog this time was completely different from before.

While some of the earlier songs were indeed classics, most of the others were just catchy pop songs. Although many were easy to sing along to, almost none of them truly resonated with people from the bottom of their hearts.

However, today's show only featured eight songs, which even Xia Yuxi's longtime fans felt were worth keeping on repeat in their playlists. In particular, the first and last songs brought back memories for some music fans, who felt that these songs were tailor-made for Xia Yuxi.

So when Xia Yuxi's new song was reposted on Weibo, these longtime fans who had decided to switch from being fans to casual viewers excitedly shouted, "Please release the new song soon! We will always support you!"

Hearing this, Bian Lang felt even better. He was happy to see Hedgehog doing well here. This was Xia Yuxi's complete debut with Hedgehog, and it seemed that both Xia Yuxi's longtime fans and rock music enthusiasts had no problem with its approval.

Seeing many rock fans screaming and shedding tears at the end, Bian Lang knew that Xia Yuxi and Hedgehog were in the bag.

Among these rock music fans, some had attended the finale of "The Big Band," and comparing the two performances, they all felt that Xia Yuxi's live performance at the music festival was even more solid than her time on "The Big Band." Although rock music fans may have some prejudice against singers of pop songs, if someone truly has the talent and isn't just bluffing, everyone will still recognize their abilities.

Such examples are rare on Earth, but they do exist, such as Adam Lambert and Queen.

Given Ya Shu's stature, Bian Lang himself felt that no one could take his place. But Adam, a pop singer who came from a talent show, managed to collaborate with Queen despite Ya Shu's huge reputation, and the tour was unexpectedly successful.

To be fair, Adam's technique is truly impressive. It's absolutely top-tier for male pop singers. As for the E5's throat-tongue separation technology, I feel like just listening to it is enough! Seriously, you can't even watch it and still not understand it, let alone learn it.

On Aquamarine, Xia Yuxi's attempt is considered a first in China.

Before this, the divide between rock and pop was that rock musicians looked down on pop singers, thinking they lacked musicality. Pop singers, on the other hand, completely ignored rock musicians, believing they had no market, no fans, and couldn't make money.

However, with the rise of Bianlang and Xia Yuxi's attempt, the relationship between the two is likely to change.

In fact, this phenomenon is particularly evident in China. In Europe and America, whether on Earth or on the planet Earth, this phenomenon is almost non-existent.

Bian Lang certainly hopes for the same thing. Only by going out and gaining recognition from more music fans can Chinese rock have a future. This is also his original intention for creating The Big Band and insisting on holding music festivals.

Looking at the post-"The Big Band" era, it's clear that without "The Big Band's" contribution, New Pants wouldn't have had the opportunity to participate in the Sisters Who Make Waves collaboration competition. "Singer" also stopped inviting bands to participate continuously, and in many subsequent big-budget music variety shows, over 90% of them don't feature bands.

This is the most realistic aspect of the market: capital doesn't do charity, and it won't push you when you have no traffic, unless you're their favorite.

As for Xia Yuxi, who was frolicking in the crowd, he definitely had a great time. He not only felt the long-lost enthusiasm of his old fans, but also the genuine love from rock music enthusiasts. Even for the final group photo, he didn't return to the stage, staying with the fans the whole time.

It wasn't until the sound of sound mixing from Anxiang Road came from the Rolling Stones stage that rock fans began to head to the next battlefield.

As for Xia Yuxi's longtime fans, they came specifically for him. To catch a glimpse of him up close, especially one alone without security or assistants, was an opportunity they couldn't possibly pass up. Xia Yuxi, ever the smooth talker, addressed the few hundred fans, shouting, "Everyone, please be quiet for a moment. I promise everyone you'll get photos and autographs, but I want to do it with the band. Now, Hedgehog and I are an inseparable unit, no longer just Xia Yuxi alone..."

Xia Yuxi's longtime fans don't really care about this, but considering the root cause of Xia Yuxi's drastic change this time, they all agree that this statement is correct.

Then, Dingding and the others were also summoned.

This was the first time Dingding and her friends had faced such a well-organized, experienced, and large-scale fan group, and they were still a little unaccustomed to it. After all, most rock music fans are more concerned with the music itself and are quite casual about following celebrities.

Therefore, it's rare to see rock bands in China being mobbed by fans asking for autographs. As a result, many lead singers and musicians simply walk in and out of airports and high-speed rail stations without making any attempt to conceal their identities.

In order not to affect the performance on Anxiang Road, the members of Hedgehog took the group of music fans directly to the Rolling Stones camp and organized everyone to line up and come one by one.

Guo Sichu, who was resting on top of the container, looked at the scene and joked with Bian Lang, "I wonder how many of my fans will come tomorrow, and whether they will have the same kind of fanfare as Xia Yuxi today?"

"Queen Chu, you're being too modest. If you dare to do that tomorrow, I reckon Rolling Stones will be following you around signing autographs all night!"

Although Bian Lang's words were a joke, they were actually quite accurate. According to reports from Liang Kuan's staff members who had infiltrated several of Guo Sichu's major fan groups, at least 3000 people at the scene tomorrow are confirmed to be Chu soldiers who have come specifically for Guo Sichu's expedition.

Then there are the locals, some who don't join any organizations at all but just silently support and protect, and some rock music fans who also like Guo Sichu.

If you do the math, there should be around ten thousand people. Just like Bian Lang said, if Guo Sichu really did what Xia Yuxi did, signing for one night would be a huge exaggeration, but it would definitely be for several hours.

Who knows what Guinness World Records they might achieve...

There is indeed a similar world record on Earth. On July 22, 2007, at the signing event for Jacky Cheung's album "West Side" in Tianjin, he signed 3052 copies of his solo album in two hours, twenty-eight minutes and nine seconds, setting a Guinness World Record for the most CDs signed in a row.

Speaking of this, Guo Sichu thought of a question and asked Bian Lang, "Then can Rock Records release an album with only me as the lead singer?"

Bian Lang hadn't thought about this before, but now that Guo Sichu brought it up, he was naturally happy to oblige: "No problem, I'll start preparing for you as soon as the tour in the US is over..."

However, Bian Lang and Guo Sichu had different ideas about the album. Guo Sichu wanted to cover existing Rock Records songs, or songs that were about to be released, as the lead singer.

Bian Lang, however, wanted to produce an album focusing solely on her, and he had already decided whose songs to use.

That would of course be Faye Wong's album. Although she is hailed as a pop diva, due to her relationship with Faye Wong and her own personal preferences, Faye Wong's albums still have a strong rock style.

Her final album in 94, "Pamper Yourself," highlighted her artistic identity. Before that, her covers were so faithful as to be mere imitations, but here, Wang Jingwen's cover of The Sundays' "Here's Where the Story Ends" showcased her own artistic vision.

This cover version of the song is more dreamlike than the original, transforming the bittersweet narrative of the original into a relatable sigh. When Faye Wong's voice rises above the creaking and flickering of the guitar, it sounds clear, bright, and full of fascination. The rest of the album also adorns Faye Wong with similar dazzling dream pop and affectionate adoration.

The two songs that Wang Jingwen wrote for "Pamper Yourself" clearly show that he is increasingly tired of the entertainment industry in Hunan.

The slippery title track hints at a future theme of escaping reality, but "The Way Out," a strange and unique colloquial experiment and the only Mandarin song, is one of Faye Wong's most direct statements: "I lack patience, nothing satisfies me... I hate being a star, but I crave attention," she murmurs on the heavy bass lines.

Arranged by Dou Wei, who was Wang Jingwen's boyfriend at the time, these songs are filled with unease, coinciding with her increasingly frequent contact with the BJ rock scene and her shift towards the Mandarin market.

These themes play a significant role in Faye Wong's final album for Cinepoly, *Restless*, released in 1996, best translated as "Anxiety" or "Impulse." In this album, she makes no compromises with mainstream tastes and is more creative than any other album in her career.

For "Restless," she stopped collaborating with her usual Hong Kong musicians and instead asked Dou Wei and another BJ rock musician, Zhang Yadong, to arrange the music. Although she wasn't involved in the album's production, her longtime producer, Leung Wing-Chun, facilitated a collaboration between her and the Cocteau Twins, who became interested in working together after hearing her faithful interpretation of their work.

Cocteau Twins contributed two original tracks, placing them at a more ethereal end of their repertoire. While these songs remain entirely in their style—the vibrant "Split" floats above gentle synths and delicate chirps, while the melancholic "Disappointing" sways with somber guitar tones—Wang Jingwen has made them her own. Her clearer pronunciation adds a substantial dimension to this band known for its cryptic lyrics.

Wang Jingwen composed the other songs on the album, often drawing heavily on the style of Scottish bands. In "Where," she hums, coos, and babbles with disjointed syllables; her voice is an extraordinary instrument, imbuing every note with joy amidst the turbulence.

However, "Restless" is not merely a simple imitation of Cocteau Twins; the album's producers infused the music with the sounds of BJ's emerging rock scene. Dou Wei condensed his musical style from the past decade into the microcosm of the opening track, where the song transitions from shimmering guitar to sharp, exploratory downtempo synthesized sounds.

Zhang Yadong's effortless production in the title track is a sweet response to Faye Wong's brief fascination with the popular jingle. Her voice leaps between cheerful shouts and hesitant whispers, tearing the song apart until it dissolves into electronic bubbles.

It's not just external influences that make Faye Wong stand out; her reserved yet playful nature permeates the entire album.

Then, Faye Wong never had the chance to make another "Restless" album. In her later albums, she had to find a balance between her independent and unconventional taste and the commercial goals of her record company.

Therefore, Bian Lang's target is Wang Jingwen's "Pamper Yourself", "Faye Wong's Melancholy", "Di-Dar", and "Restless". Of course, Bian Lang can't remember all four albums, but he believes that if he tries hard to recall them, compiling them into one is entirely possible.

(End of this chapter)