We have a band in town this week. They are pretty hot all around the world. You can see them tonight in HK, Wuhan tomorrow, then Shanghai and Beijing. Tickets are all pretty much sold out which is extraordinary for a new Western band in China. The band polarises people. Decide for yourself. Details HERE.
But the reason for this post is to alert you to some quite amazing Chinglish put to Adam of Owl City in an interview today. How would you answer it?
7. I wrote a dairy about you, which says Adam is not only the begining of human being, but also open the new era of pop music, the era using the old-school keyboards and modern electroic tones, the era which we called: Steam-Punk style, welcome! Period. What do you think about it?
UPDATE: Our resident professor of Chinglish, Morgan Awesome, has come up with this translation:
I refer to “Adam” as not only the first man in Abrahimic religions but also as “Adam” in Owl City — the man originating the style of using vintage keyboards to create new and exciting electronic textures. An era — and if you’ll forgive me if the English translation is a little strange — we Chinese dub “Steam- Punk”
I would refuse to answer the question, giving the excuse that I am lactose intolerant.
why is everything “punk”, owl city is steam-punk….I now declare Karen Carpenter “pretty pink punk”, Brian Wilson “beach punk”, and Celine Dion “over dramatic cheese punk”
and of course owl city had open the new era of pop music, the era using the old-school keyboards and modern electroic tones. The postal service didn’t do it before that, or Air’s moon safari didn’t do it before THAT either …
Steampunk refers to a literary subgenre, a melding of fantasy and science fiction. It also refers to old-timey home decor fused with industrial elements. I think the interviewer just a bit too excited… or got his words mixed up.
Occam’s Razor, Pat.
Music critics make up absurd terms to describe pop styles all the time — “angular” “math” rock, anyone? I for one don’t really see anything wrong with this fan’s description — except the grammar, of course.
Actually, “Steam Punk” is correct, it’s an actual artistic movement. Go ahead, google it!
So your logic is what, Critics do it all the time so it’s ok to do it? By that logic there isn’t anything wrong with me calling Brian Wilson Beach punk either, or Karen Carpenter pink punk so, why is this an issue, I was merely making a statement. Wow, how about that Wayne Newton last night, he was so punkrock man! Wayne Newton punk is the best!
no, not quite. steampunk hasn’t really got anything to do with the music punk. it’s an aesthetic. here’s wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk
and google images will give you a good idea as well.
brian wilson – beach punk. i like it!
ah…. fair enough, it can be used to describe music? fun
I actually did an interview recently for Solipsistic Nation (http://solipsisticnation.com/), for an upcoming show on steampunk music. They contacted me, since my name came up when they did a search for steampunk, the result of a soundtrack I did in 2001 for the game Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura (http://www.benhouge.com/arcanum.html) But yeah, I can’t think of much of a connection between steampunk and Owl City.
BTW, “angular” and “math rock” both have fairly precise musical applications. Angular is useful in referring to the contours of a melody line, and math rock typically refers to rock with a lot of time signature changes or an otherwise brainiac edge.
yeah, well I got tired of arguing but “angular” and “math rock”, and let’s take a name that music critics made up, just as Joel said, Electro-clash. But even Electro-clash refers to the starting of a culture, a sub-genre of music but there’s a culture behide it, where it is originated, how it got started, the bunch of bands that supports it ….
The easiest example, indie pop/twee pop and the C86 tape …. culture started in the year 86..
I’m going to have to agree with Ben on the precise musical applications of certain labels.
As genres continue to evolve and cross into one another, terms need to be created to differentiate bands from one another, in turn allowing for more accurate criticism, reporting, community building and to help direct fans to artists that they may enjoy.
On a lighter note, I’m always struggling with how to describe the Offset: Spectacles.
Indie-dirge?
Suggestions welcome.
Offset: Spectacles = noise merchant
charley will patiently explain “steam-punk” to you
http://hipsterpuppies.tumblr.com/post/488858244/charley-will-patiently-explain-steampunk-to-you