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MONDAY, JUNE 2 9 , 2 0 0 9 PAGE   1 3 The poet behind the music

Lin Sheng-xiang’s latest album is inspired by women in farming communities and southern Taiwan. Meet Lin’s longtime collaborator and the storyteller behind the songs, ������������������������������������Golden Melody Award-winning ��������lyricist �Z����hong �Y��������ong-feng

Lyricist Zhong Yong-feng continues his songwriting collaboration with folk singer Lin Sheng-xiang on Growing Up Wild, the pair’s fifth album together. Zhong occasionally makes appearances at Lin’s major concerts to recite poetry or parts of his lyrics. Photos: Taipei Times and courtesy of Trees Music and Art

t’s easy to forget that behind like one poem after another, the other tracks; the third is a The album’s final three songs the singer on stage, there and moreover they’re epics. traditional children’s rhyme.) are both tributes and laments for is often a collaborator There’s almost nothing like this in Family Break-Up (分家) tells southern Taiwan. offstage who plays an equally Taiwanese popular music.” of a young woman who watches In Ask the South (問南方), important role in the music. But in talking to the 45-year- as her family divides up their Zhong portrays southern Taiwan IThis holds true for one of the old, who has won multiple Golden property. She doesn’t have any as a place of hope and then Taiwan folk scene’s longest-running Melody Awards for best lyricist, say in the matter, as heard in the abandonment: “Industrial parks and most unique songwriting one might not immediately refrain: “A daughter has no name/ patched your hopes, chemical partnerships, that of singer Lin discern a passion for poetry and no part in the family/and no right factories produced your dreams/In Sheng-xiang (林生祥) and lyricist storytelling. to intervene.” middle age your brothers and Zhong Yong-feng (鍾永豐). In a phone interview earlier this With this song, Zhong said he sisters looked elsewhere if they Their latest work can be heard month, Zhong, who currently serves wanted to illuminate the fact that had the means.” on Growing Up Wild (野生), Lin’s as the head of Cultural Affairs traditional families tend to ignore With this song, Zhong said he third solo album and fifth with Department in Chiayi County, a woman’s “legal status” when had in mind the economic divide Zhong, which was released last conversed more like a social it comes to inheritance matters, between northern and southern month and features Ken Ohtake scientist or grassroots activist. divorce or disputes. Taiwan. He sees parallels with the (大竹研) on guitar. This wasn’t surprising given The women characters in my father and his father,” he said. “global north-south divide,” which As a fellow musician and friend his masters degree in sociology Growing Up Wild are doing In the lullaby-like Back Home refers to economic inequality of Lin’s, I’ve watched his music from the University of . exactly what the title suggests, said Again (轉妹家), Zhong frames the between the industrialized north By David Chen evolve into a finely honed and gentle He was also one of the founding Zhong, as they must find a way to unhappiness of a woman within and the less developed countries of Staff Reporter acoustic sound, a long way from Lin Sheng-xiang’s new album, Growing Up members of the Meinung People’s exist on the fringes of both family patrilineal family values. “Auntie” the south. the rousing protest rock of his first Wild, was released last month. Association (美濃愛鄉協進會), an NGO and society. They aren’t expected has returned to the home of her Also in the backdrop are the band, Labor Exchange (交工樂隊). Photo courtesy of Trees Music and Art that successfully prevented the to be a “person of society” in blood relatives and lays on her empty promises of industrial devel- But what has always remained construction of a dam that would the same way as men, who must deathbed as her family recalls an opment in Zhong’s home of Kaohsi- the same is a core concern for contemporary Taiwanese society, have wiped out his hometown of uphold the family honor, handle unhappy life. She was a first-born ung County. “So many farmers go to social issues and community, which particularly Hakka farming Meinung (美濃) in Kaohsiung County business and legal matters, or be a daughter, married off at the age Kaohsiung City with so many indus- has inspired many of Zhong’s lyrics, communities, and touches upon in the late 1990s. It was during this “person of culture.” of 18 to a family with “razor-sharp tries there, but it’s the same — they mostly written in Hakka. the economic divide between time that Lin and Zhong started their But can a male viewpoint tongues” and brothers-in-law who go to Kaohsiung only to endure the For Getting Dark (臨暗, 2004), northern and southern Taiwan. partnership with Labor Exchange. portray the experience of Hakka “were all talk and got nothing done.” same hardship,” he said. Zhong wrote about the effects of “People love their music because Growing Up Wild is different women with enough authenticity? “Why does a woman after 50 In comparison to past albums, globalization as seen through the it comes from a real place, it than past albums, Zhong said, in that This was one question Lin and or 60 years desire to return to Growing Up Wild dwells more eyes of urban laborers; Planting comes from a concern for people, he took a more “anthropological” producer Chung Shefong (鍾適芳) her parents’ home?” said Zhong. upon on the sentiment and Trees (種樹, 2006) was about the and it comes from a sense of approach to writing. asked Zhong when they started “I think this is because there’s a emotions of its characters. struggles of farming communities humanitarianism,” said Chang Tieh- Zhong, who wrote all but three working on the album. different conception of one’s origin Zhong says the shift in direction in the face of dwindling subsidies chih (張鐵志), a music critic and of the album’s 10 songs, focused He felt he could, by drawing and where one comes from — it’s has been both a pleasure and and trade liberalization after author of a local best-selling book on women in Hakka and other from personal experience as the probably not what [traditional challenge as a lyricist. “To write Taiwan’s entrance into the World on rock music and social change. Han Chinese families in farming only son in a family with four men] think. It’s not the so-called more about the internal, more Trade Organization. He says that Zhong’s literary communities, which feature as sisters. “[When I was younger] I idea of ‘going back home’ or of what’s inside the mind, more Growing Up Wild looks flair gives a unique touch to the the main characters in his stories. would look at, from my mother’s ‘returning to one’s native soil.’ It’s philosophical things, I think it only at women and families in music. “Yong-feng’s lyrics are (Lin wrote the lyircs for two of perspective, her relationships with not that simple.” gets more difficult.” PLANET

he cardiologist who was Murray, adding that he was or foul play. An official cause of extended Jackson family for the said the looming custody fight resulted in the band’s tour manager with cooperative and “provided infor- death could take weeks. moment. could be unlike any other. “In being charged with assault for T when he collapsed is “in mation which will aid the inves- There was also no word from Jackson’s three children are all the cases I’ve read all over the allegedly punching Hilton. no way a suspect’’ in the pop tigation.’’ The statement said the family on funeral plans. Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., country,’’ she said, “I’ve never seen The Gay and Lesbian Alliance singer’s death, a spokeswoman for Murray rode in the ambulance Many of Jackson’s relatives have known as Prince Michael, 12; a fact pattern like this.’’ Against had been the doctor said after a three-hour and stayed at the hospital for gathered at the family’s Encino Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, Also in Los Angeles, Rapper pressing Hilton to apologize. interview with detectives. hours, “comforting and consoling compound, caring there for 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. Coolio has pleaded guilty to felony The blogger, whose real name Conrad Murray “helped the Jackson family.’’ It also said Jackson’s three children. The elder children were born cocaine possession in a deal that is Mario Lavandeira, sued the identify the circumstances around he has been in Los Angeles since Given the secrecy surrounding to Rowe, while the youngest requires him to spend 18 months Peas’ tour manager Polo Molina the death of the pop icon and Jackson’s death, and plans to Jackson’s children throughout is his biological son, born to in rehab. on Wednesday in Los Angeles for clarified some inconsistencies,’’ stay here until his cooperation is his life, it’s no surprise that there a surrogate mother. Prince The 45-year-old rapper, whose battery and intentional infliction spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik no longer needed. are lingering questions about Michael II’s mother has never real name is Artis Leon Ivey, of emotional distress. He is said on Saturday in a statement. Murray was with Jackson who will care for them after his been identified, and while she entered his plea on Friday in seeking unspecified damages of “Investigators say the doctor is in when the singer stopped death. What is almost certain is may surface, it is likely that she Superior Court. more than US$25,000. no way a suspect and remains a breathing on Thursday, and this: Their fate will be decided in signed away her rights, said Stacy Coolio was arrested March Minutes after the alleged witness to this tragedy.’’ reportedly performed CPR until a courtroom, with several people Phillips, a Los Angeles divorce 6 at Los Angeles International assault, Hilton’s many Police con- paramedics arrived. possibly vying for custody. attorney who has represented Airport. He allegedly grabbed followers received this plaintive firmed that News of Murray’s meeting Experts say the person who numerous high-profile clients. a screener’s arm to prevent a tweet: “I was assaulted by Will. they inter- with the police came a few hours has the strongest legal claim to Jackson was by several search of his luggage. I.Am of the and viewed after said the pop Jackson’s two oldest children is accounts an attentive and loving As part of the plea deal, POP Jesse Jackson his security guards. I am bleeding. star’s family is seeking a second their mother, Deborah Rowe. As father. He was extremely protec- misdemeanor charges of battery Please, I need to file a police autopsy of the pop icon because for the youngest child, Jackson’s tive of his children, who weren’t and possession of a smoking report. No joke.” of unanswered questions about wishes will be more influential. often seen in public, and were device were dismissed. Within an hour, Will.I.Am��������� how he died. It remains unclear who photographed wearing veils, masks A judge ordered Coolio to enter created a Twitter account to deny “It’s abnormal,’’ he said from Jackson designated as potential or other items an 18-month drug rehabilitation the claim. Before dawn broke Chicago a day after visiting the guardians for his children. Those covering their program. He can request the judge he had also uploaded a video Jackson family. “We don’t know details — likely contained in the faces when dismiss his case if he successfully denying he played any part in the what happened. Was he injected 50-year-old singer’s will — have they were. completes the program. alleged attack. and with what? All reasonable not been released. Phillips Perez Hilton is saying he’s After seeing Will.I.Am’s video, doubt should be addressed.’’ Jackson never told his family sorry for using a gay slur. Hilton posted an anguished 12- People close to Jackson have who he had in place to handle his The openly gay gossip minute response accusing Molina said since his death that they business affairs, a person close blogger apologized on Thursday of assault. were concerned about the to the family said on Friday. The for unleashing the word Will.I.Am produced a second superstar’s use of painkillers. person, who requested anonymity “faggot” during a nightclub video rebuttal by mid-afternoon: Los Angeles County medical because of the delicate nature of altercation last Monday “Shame on you, shame on your The looming cus- examiners completed their the situation, said they were told with Black Eyed Peas behavior, and that’s just messed tody battle over autopsy on Friday and by the singer’s phalanx of advisers frontman Will.I.Am that up. Peace.” Michael Jackson’s said Jackson had taken that he likely had a will, but it Hours later, blurry and children could be prescription medication. may be many years old. Perez Hilton is waging a ultimately inconclusive footage unlike any other. Medical officials also said The person also said that the virtual war against Will. of the actual incident emerged on photo: there was no indication of trauma children are still in the care of the I.Am. photo: Ap the Internet. — Agencies