Run Run Run Interview
Xiao Dou, a student of the erhu, 二胡, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument known in the West as the Chinese violin, started his career in the music industry working as a sound engineer for bands and clubs across the capital.
A few years later Xiao Dou started his first band DICE, accompanied by talented musicians.
Xiao Dou soon found himself moving back to Guiyang in 2014 to start Run Run Run. All four members of the band were different ethnic minorities. After few gigs in 2015, the band signed to Maybe Mars. In 2017 Xiao Dou moved back to Beijing.
Related: Interview with Michael Pettis, founder of Maybe Mars
What does your band name mean?
It is the same song name as The Velvet Underground, also our favorite song. So we use it, don’t have any special meanings.
是 The velvet underground 的一首歌名，也是我们非常喜欢的一首歌，所以就用了，没有特殊的意思
How and when did you start your career in the music industry?
I formed the band “DICE” in 2010 Beijing, then started Run Run Run in Guiyang in 2014 until now.
在2010年我在北京组建了DICE，之后到2014年末在贵阳组建了RunRunRun一直到现在.
How long have you all known each other?
Now our band has 3 members, me, keyboard and bass Xiao Wen, and the drummer Moter. Xiao Wen and I have known each other for 8 years, Moter for 3 years.
目前乐队的阵容是键盘小文，鼓手毛特和我，我和小文认识8年了，认识毛特也有3年了
How did you meet?
By watching gigs and friends’ parties.
都是看演出和朋友聚会认识的.
What are the major influences on your music?
Earlier 60/70s impromptu bands like The Velvet Underground and Can. Besides, there are some influences from movies about the Second World War and Vietnam War.
主要影响我们音乐的还是早期六七十年代偏即兴的一些乐队，比如The velvet underground 和Can 这样的乐队，除此之外有一些电影影响，比如关于越战和二战的一些电影.
What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
Most of the topics are about the environment，some reactions towards people and the environment. Also from movies.
大多数主题都是关于环境，通过声音人和环境产生的一些反应，也有被看过电影的影响。
How did the China tour go?
The tour was a refreshing feeling, the audience was beyond our imagination. We jammed a new song in every place. It was really fun.
巡演感觉很新鲜，来的观众比想象的多，每一站都会去即兴一首新的曲子，很有趣。
What’s your songwriting process?
There are some motivations that come from my mind at first, and then rehearse to express those ideas, record those materials, and then there is a selection of the material.
通常是有一些动机在脑子里面，排练基本上都是靠即兴的方式尽可能把平时想到的动机表达出来，然后通过记录的素材来挑选出作品。
Can you share with us a story from backstage?
One time, we performed at Old Heaven Bookstore in Shenzhen, because of our busy tour schedule, when the guest band Sulianying was performing, I and our keyboard Xiao Wen fell asleep in the corner of the stage. (The bookstore didn’t have a backstage for rest, and the chairs were not enough, so we could only rest on stage.)
记得一次深圳的旧天堂书店演出，由于赶行程都太累，在嘉宾苏莲英演出的时候，（由于旧天堂书店没有专门休息的地方，加上座椅不够，我们只能坐在舞台上的角落休息，）我和键盘手小文在舞台角落卷着睡着了，睡眠体验非常好
Will you tour Europe or the United States in the next future?
We are very much looking forward to Europe or the US for a tour because there are vivid music scenes and our favorite musicians. We hope we can have a chance to go on a tour.
欧洲和美国我们都非常期待去，因为那儿都有很多我们喜欢的音乐场景和音乐家，希望有机会能去
What is your next project?
We are preparing for our new album. We gave up our ideas from the last album. Now we prefer to make an album that is more Groove. Just like our band’s name. We hope we can produce it at the end of this year.
我们现在在准备新专辑，放弃上一张专辑的理念，现在想做一张更加偏运动的专辑，就像我们乐队的名字，期待今年年底能制作出来.
Thanks to Maybe Mars for the collaboration
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