RandomK(e)

一支以摇滚 / 实验 为主要风格的乐队，2004年成立于北京。

Richard Todd - 吉他、主唱
· Adam Pillsbury - 贝司
· Jon Campbell - 鼓
· Jackson Garland - Loops、效果、大贝司/低音提琴、和声


如果用后摇滚，后朋克，迷幻摇滚，前卫摇滚，电子化摇滚，噪音探索和太空摇滚等这些风格和标签同时来形容一个乐队，你大概会觉得惊奇或者觉得写这个介绍的人很不靠谱。但是，这是事实，这些标签和元素你都可以在RandomK(e)乐队的音乐中找到印记，但是这并不是一个多重元素的简单结合的“乱”乐队，RandomK(e)的音乐正是这些元素恰到好处的中合体。但并不能如此简单的解构一个乐队的音乐，标签只是在对乐队粗略分类的时候有些作用，适合自己的音乐，还是需要自己的耳朵来决定。

来自不同国家的乐手，2004年在北京组成RandomK(e)乐队。现在，RandomK(e)活跃在北京的各种演出场地。也许正因为不同乐手的联合，给这支乐队注入了如此多的元素。主音吉他Richard Todd给乐队带来了后朋克元素。Jackson Garland演奏低音提琴并用笔记本、效果器给乐队带来了电子音效和小噪音。贝司手Adam Pillsbury有着非凡的演奏能力以及大师风范。鼓手Jon Campbell现场演出时有着惊人的能量，他不仅是一位优秀的鼓手，也是成功的演出策划人。

也许正如主唱Richard Todd 所描述的那样，
"我们想用质感，巧妙的编排，惊喜，对比以及最重要的音乐中的空间来淡化音乐的边界。但不是说我们不喜欢歌曲，不过我们只是不喜欢被"主歌、副歌、主歌”的模式给约束，应该有更多的空间来表达。”

看过这些介绍，有空的话赶紧去现场看看RandomK(e)乐队，这支自由且高质的乐队。他们最近正在录音棚里录音，很期待完成后会有怎么样的惊喜。




In initially describing any band we industry types inevitably fall back on the use of generic labels; Tortoise were ‘post-rock’, Jefferson Airplane ‘acid rock’ and Coldplay ‘incontinence-core’. Genres are unavoidable and generally helpful. But once in a while bands pop up that defy genres or, at the very least, incorporate ideas from so many different genres in their music that pigeonholing becomes impossible. RandomK(e) are one such a band. Magazine writers desperately searching for that one perfect adjective that forever pins them in place have described RandomK(e) as everything; post-rock, post-punk, stoner rock, angry hippies, mellow punks, lao wai, post-lao wai, noise rockers and dubby krautrockers with unconscious Shellac leanings. They've even been called 'slippery bastards'. All of these are perfectly accurate descriptions... until the next song starts.

Formed in 2004, RandomK(e) are quite possibly the burliest group of dudes ever to assemble on a Beijing stage…ever. The band benefits from the wildly disparate musical backgrounds of its constituent parts. Vocalist/ Guitarist Richard Todd brings slabs of punk and DIY/ post-punk to the party, despite singing like a down-to-earth Ian Gillan with emphysema; Bassist Adam Pillsbury plays his instrument like the bastard child of Bootsy Collins and Charles Mingus; double-bassist/ laptop terrorist/ gadget fiddler/ knob twiddler general Jackson Garland adds unobtrusive electronic textures to the music while thickening the sonic soup with the double bass and while drummer Jon Campbell's hair screams Grateful Dead, his beats can whisper Buddy Rich or wail Bill Ward.


Out of this collision of seemingly uncomplementary influences, RandomK(e) create a sound that is very much their own; a shifting, nebulous sound that nonetheless has at its core an intensity and willingness to go out on musical limbs. Apparently simple love songs can turn on a penny and become pummeling, evil beasts that take no prisoners. Words and lyrics are used sparingly, occasional anchor points amidst RandomK(e)'s musical tempest. Emotions are conveyed through the music and, in song, RandomK(e) are more often pissed off than not.


To be honest, Richard Todd probably describes the K(e)’s sound/ aesthetic a lot more eloquently, and certainly more efficiently than we, or anyone else does:


"We want to push boundaries, use texture, arrangement, surprise, contrast and, most importantly, space in music. That’s not to say we don’t like songs, we do, but there’s room for a lot more playing with ideas that are not tied to 'verse, chorus verse' ideas."

Confused yet? Curious? Good! Maybe it’s best that you take a break from the inter-web and get yourself out to a RandomK(e) gig as soon as humanly possible in order to make up your own damn mind as to how the band really sound.


The band has recently released its debut album, "Waiting", on Tag Team Records. For ordering info, check out www.tagteamrecords.com, www.wa3.com, music shops across China or come on out to a gig and grab a disc!