Recently, Cui Jian held an online concert of "Continue to Sprinkle Some Wild", which was watched by tens of millions of people, and the grand event was unprecedented, breaking the live broadcast record of WeChat video number in one fell swoop.
On stage, he wears a black blazer and his signature white duck-tongue hat with a red five-star.
As before, he roared high-pitched and sincerely, shouting out the power of shaking the heavens. The audience immersed themselves in old and new songs, feeling the light of the music.
The songs that span the ages and the times are full of generations of confused years full of ideals, enthusiasm and strength.
If you know about this musician's upbringing, you will understand why he is regarded as the "godfather":
Because of the truth, it is carved into the soul;
Because it has always been adhered to, it has achieved a classic.
For rock 'n' roll, outstanding skin bags abound, but the soul that dares to seek truth is one of them.
"Hardcore" Cui Jian is one of them.
From sincerity to authenticity
Cui Jian was born in an ordinary family in Beijing, his parents are literary and art workers, he was deeply educated in literature and art, and from the age of 14 he studied trumpet with his father.
At the age of 20, he became a professional trumpet player in the Beijing Song and Dance Troupe.
Soon, he became obsessed with Western rock music and became out of control. After a long period of exploration and practice, he also played and sang well.
In 1986, the "First 100 Singers Concert" was held in the Beijing Workers' Gymnasium, and Cui Jian was listed among them.
When it was his turn to play, the "crazy" image of an open coat and trouser cuffs high and low attracted the cheers of the audience, and "Nothing" was also known from this world:
I used to ask when you would come with me. But you always laugh at me, nothing!
The lyrics that hit the heart and the old and rough voice seem to vent the depression, resentment, confusion and hope in the heart, instantly arousing thousands of resonances.
This cry of thunder on the ground has also become "the awakening and rebellion of a generation."
In fact, no one had ever sung for "me" before that.
Because of his sincerity in facing his heart and art, his songs made the audience feel touched deep into the bone marrow, and also ignited their majestic passion.
As the old saying goes, "Wood is in the forest, and the wind will destroy it." "The emergence of any new thing will always be suspected and suppressed.
This form of singing is loved by the public, but it is not accepted by the mainstream music circle.
In the same year, when he went to participate in other competitions, he was eliminated in the first round of competition because of his good singing.
Fortunately, the People's Daily published an article to justify his name, and his rock and roll career slowly improved.
In the wilderness of rock 'n' roll, he is like a tough seedling, small but bursting with vitality.
Instead of blindly following the trend of singing English songs and practicing guitar, he had only one thought - to insist on making originals.
Two years later, Cui Jian, whose eyes were covered with a red cloth, stood on the stage and sang "A Red Cloth" in a hoarse voice.
At the end of the song, he ripped off the red cloth, threw it on the ground hard, and walked away without turning his head, and the applause of the audience was thunderous.
When you first listen to it, you think it is a love song; when you listen to it again, you will know that it is life.
In the song, the audience hears wandering, melancholy, loneliness and helplessness. In fact, this is in line with their life feelings.
He integrates everything he thinks and thinks when he pays attention to society into his works, and realizes the leap from sincerity to truth.
But this bohemian expression was not accepted by the times, and soon, the voices of doubt and insults poured in like a tide, and his performance was once again hindered.
The cover song caused some people to crusade; because of the "extreme" remarks, the national tour was also stopped.
Since then, this "troublemaker" has had to fall into a long period of silence.
In the Book of Rites and The Middle Way, it is said, "Only the sincerity of the world is to be able to be transformed." ”
Art is precious in truth, and only "truth" can touch people's hearts.
Authenticity, its own power. Cui Jian rejects mediocre, faithful to his heart's works, and has the power to live endlessly.
Therefore, even if such a person is in the season of loss, he will eventually see the flowers of spring. He was convinced of that.
From silence to return
Some people compare Cui Jian in the Chinese music scene to Lu Xun of modern literature.
They all understand, "If you don't erupt in silence, you perish in silence." Therefore, in the face of injustice, they dare to speak out and dare to confront. Over time, this obsession has deepened.
In early 2000, Cui Jian had a conversation with scholar Zhou Guoping.
Later, the content of the conversation between the two was synthesized into the book "Free Style".
Zhou Guoping wrote in the book, "From Cui Jian's works, we can hear the enthusiastic cry of life instinct on the one hand, and on the other hand, we can hear the stubborn questioning of the meaning of life. ”
The same is true of the facts. Cui Jian listened to the cries from the bottom of his heart, and also hoped that music could really pay attention to people's needs and desires for life, so he refused to waver in the face of any false form.
He believes that the truth of art cannot be compromised and must be an insurmountable bottom line.
Because he loves deeply and purely, he cannot accept impurities in music, such as false singing.
Since 2002, he has called for a boycott of fake singing on various occasions, launched a high-profile true singing campaign, and invited some music and television celebrities to sign the oath.
But his straightforward personality and upright behavior are incompatible with the situation, and he has been criticized by the outside world.
For this "truth", he does not argue or argue, and he practices it. But he refused any TV show that required false singing.
Two years later, the Capital Gymnasium hosted a musical commercial performance, and Cui Jian, as a guest, finally qualified to perform on stage. Although he can only sing 5 songs, he sings each one with great care.
Because of his long-term unreserved efforts, his dream shone into reality.
Soon, the solo concert "Dream in the Sun" was successfully held, and he really came to the sun.
It has been a full decade since the first stage performance, ten years of heartache can not be said, ten years of forbearance is not willing to mention.
Ten years later, as the song goes, "I'm going to end this last complaint, and I can only face the wind." "There are no big performances, just participate in small performances, and he has never given up the pursuit and exploration of music.
Kafka said that books are a god axe that can cut through the glaciers of people's hearts. The same goes for music.
Awakened people no longer bow to the world, no longer succumb to life, but choose to be brave to be themselves. In Cui Jian's song, they found resonance.
Singer Cheng Lin commented on Cui Jian, "He is the only one in the music industry like him. He was a hard-headed man, a man who did not give up, and his heart and deeds were together. ”
Cui Jian, with his lonely courage, cut off countless thorns on the road ahead, lonely adhered to his musical ideals, and illuminated his surging heart with moving songs.
From side A to side B
In the 2015 "China Star" program, Cui Jian, who served as a superstar recommender, disregarded the commercial interests in the entertainment industry and directly approved newcomer Xu Zhi'an, which triggered a hot discussion on the Internet.
Xu Zhi'an sang a classic love song in Cantonese, and the song of Cui Jian's "blunt and bitter criticism" song was inappropriate, resulting in an awkward atmosphere at the scene.
Man is like his song, song is like his man.
Like his songs, he is simple and straightforward, unrestrained, and unwilling to disguise himself in front of others.
Who doesn't know that living authentically, singing to the fullest, and happier life?
Therefore, people who are trapped under heavy pressure need the pride and inspiration brought by Cui Jian and Cui Jian's songs to lead them through the ups and downs and bumps of life.
The following year, the "Rolling Thirty" concert was held in Beijing, and the scene was extremely popular.
Thirty years ago, he was dressed in a strange costume and had a green face;
Thirty years later, wearing a red five-star hat, his eye bags are particularly conspicuous.
However, in thirty years, from "Nothing" to "Dead Never Look Back", Cui Jian seems to have changed nothing, still so sharp and hardcore.
In 2021, he released the new song "The B Side of Time".
"I can only swing with the wind, like a swing, forward swing is A, with the times changing, backward swing is B." 」
According to Cui Jian's words, the first thirty years of life were A-side, high-spirited and indomitable.
Now, he has come to the B side, less cold sharpness, more real tolerance.
But his consistent musical expression has not changed, and he still hopes to express the anxiety and troubles, struggles and struggles in people's hearts through songs.
Xiao Fuxing once said in the text, "The significance of Cui Jian is not that he is just a vent, his rebellious posture is full of criticism at the same time, and there is a rare pursuit." ”
A hard bone is reluctant to use the tall "rock godfather" to position itself, preferring to be called a "craftsman".
Craftsmen have ingenuity, do everything has a focused attitude, the motivation to fight and the quality of excellence.
Cui Jian's music is not only music, but also adds literary and philosophical content, so different people hear different flavors.
Moreover, music is one of the ways to vent emotions. By listening to the song, the anxiety that has accumulated in his heart is released, and his songs do have such charm.
From the A side to the B side, facing the real him with a sincere heart awakens people's yearning for freedom and realizes the long-cherished wish of a musician.
Therefore, he can confidently shout these words, "Like people, I only see my own face, but there is also you in it, which is being changed by the times." At this time, someone shouted loudly, Hey, Lao Tzu has not changed at all. ”
George Herbert said, "Only a good and noble heart, like a dried tree, never decays." Even if the whole world is reduced to ashes, he still has a bone. ”
A generation will also grow old, but Cui Jian's spirit will not end.
His persistence and dedication to music have not changed, his lashing and criticism of the world have not changed, and his compassion and anger for suffering have not changed.
Time has passed, and he is still like a scrappy knight, running on the new Long March of Chinese rock with amazing vitality and fierce enthusiasm.
True love is the most moving. Cui Jian insists on being his true self, and expresses his experience and perception of reality in music.
All along, every word has never lost the courage and perseverance to move forward.
His songs are like spirits, and we raise a glass to each other to pay homage to the vicissitudes of the years and the pursuit of free souls.
No matter when, even if there is darkness under your feet, you must strive to look up at the stars above you.
From the boiling of blood to the tears, everyone understands life and understands Cui Jian.
In today's difficult world, those of us who are "false monks" who go from south to north and from white to black should have fearless courage and firm belief in moving forward, so that our life path will go farther and farther and wider.
Author | Bu Yi, roaming between clouds and waters, idly remembering the red dust.
Image | Network (if there is infringement, please contact to delete)