你喜歡一個樂隊多年，你買了他們所有的專輯，你甚至有一件他們簽名的體恤衫，但後來他們解散了。你最喜歡的樂隊消失了！在過去十年裡，一些 「老」 樂隊決定重組復出。有些樂隊在重組後還出了新專輯。樂隊為什麼會重組呢？你覺得他們應該重組、復出嗎？
詞彙：the past 過往
You can’t cross the same river twice, the popular saying goes. This wisdom reminds us that everything changes – expecting to relive your bygone days of success in the same way is unrealistic. But, apparently, this doesn’t apply to music. Over the last decade or so, for one reason or another, a number of high-profile bands have decided to stop resting on their laurels and have reunited. But why?
Earlier this year, rock band Genesis confirmed that they will reconvene for one more tour. In November 2019, the Pussycat Dolls announced a slew of tour dates for April 2020. In 2018, it was the Spice Girls’ comeback. The list goes on. Many bands have found new success in their resurrected form. American alternative rock band The Pixies originally broke up in 1993 after playing for seven years. After an eleven-year hiatus, the band reunited in 2004 and have not stopped.
In some cases, it’s financial reasons that made them go back on the road. 「Touring these days is far more lucrative than it used to be,」 according to Kara Weisenstein of online publisher Mic. This is because ticket prices have risen to compensate for the piracy that weakened music sales in the 90s, according to online publisher Bloomberg.
『People are really into nostalgia right now,』 Lance Bass, member of former band NSYNC told Variety magazine. When The Pixies reformed, their 2004 comeback tour sold out within minutes. Is it possible that those teenage fans of yore have grown into nostalgic adults wistful for their youth? Bass thinks so. 『I think fans just want to feel that innocence and excitement again,』 he says.
But not everybody thinks that these reunions are a good thing. 「There’s something noble in not trying to go after past glories,」 says NME writer Leonie Cooper. 『As much as I love ABBA… the fact they refused to risk putting on a show that might not match the excellence of their heyday is pretty impressive.』
Should bands reunite? Opinion is divided. If things don’t go well, they run the risk of being labelled has-beens and tarnishing their reputation. But if their sound is as good as it ever was and the fans are happy, then who’s going to complain? After all, you can never have too much of a good thing.
詞彙表
「you can’t cross the same river twice」 「人不能兩次過同一條河」，萬物都在變化
relive 重溫，回味
bygone days 曾經的日子
rest on your laurels 安於現狀，吃老本
reunite 使重聚
reconvene 重新集合
comeback 復出
resurrected 復活的，重振的
hiatus 間斷
sentimentality 感傷，感情用事
nostalgia 對往事的懷念，懷舊
former 從前的
of yore 很久以前
nostalgic 懷舊的
wistful 留戀的
reunion 重聚
past glory 往日的輝煌
heyday 全盛期
has-been 曾經紅極一時的人
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Which three bands mentioned in the article have reunited in the last 5 years?
2. True or false: The Pixies have been playing longer since their reformation than before it.
3. Why are bands more likely to go on tours these days compared to before?
4. What reason does Lance Bass give for band reunions being so popular?
5. According to Leonie Cooper, what danger is there of a band making a comeback?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單字或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Everybody! You’ve got one hour to look around the market. We’ll _______ here after.
comeback reconvene reunion resurrect
2. You’re a _______! You can’t do the same skateboard tricks you could before!
was-been have-been has-been past-been
3. I loved my grandpa. He would sit me on his knee and tell me about _______.
nostalgia heyday bygone days reunions
4. He doesn’t look much now, but he was quite handsome in his _______.
hiatus sentimentality nostalgia heyday
5. Photos allow us to indulge in _______. However briefly, we can relive the past.
sentimental nostalgia yore wistful
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Which three bands mentioned in the article have reunited in the last 5 years?
Genesis, The Pussycat Dolls and The Spice Girls.
2. True or false: The Pixies have been playing longer since their reformation than before it.
True. They originally played for seven years, then reformed in 2004 and have played together ever since.
3. Why are bands more likely to go on tours these days compared to before?
Touring these days is far more lucrative than it used to be.
4. What reason does Lance Bass give for band reunions being so popular?
People are really into nostalgia right now. Fans want to feel the innocence and excitement of their youth again.
5. According to Leonie Cooper, what danger is there of a band making a comeback?
They might not match the excellence of their heyday.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單字或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Everybody! You’ve got one hour to look around the market. We’ll reconvene here after.
2. You’re a has-been! You can’t do the same skateboard tricks you could before!
3. I loved my grandpa. He would sit me on his knee and tell me about bygone days.
4. He doesn’t look much now, but he was quite handsome in his heyday.
5. Photos allow us to indulge in nostalgia. However briefly, we can relive the past.
