2007年VOA标准英语-Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Headlines Tour Promoting

By Larry London
Washington, D.C.
16 February 2007
 
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Their name means nothing at all, but is instantly memorable¹.  Their sound mixes heavy metal guitar with danceable beats of pop punk, and is instantly recognizable.  Florida rockers Red Jumpsuit Apparatus² have seen their debut³ album Don't You Fake It rise on the charts, mostly on the strength of the catchy⁴ hooks from their Top Ten song, "Face Down."  On the first day of their headlining national tour promoting awareness⁵ about teen suicide, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus stopped by the Voice of America studios, after visiting the U.S. Congress. VOA's Larry London has more.

 
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at VOA's studios
Florida pop, punk, rockers Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is the "buzz" band of the moment.  Their debut album, Don't You Fake It, released in July, rose to Number 25 on Billboard's album chart.  Lead vocalist Ronnie Winter describes the band's music as a little bit of everything.

"We can do anything,” says Winter. “We have power ballads⁶ with piano on our CD.  We have fast punk rock songs.  We have acoustic⁷ songs.  We have anything, because we listen to everything.  We have strong punk rock roots, because we are young, and we like punk rock.  At the same time, we like everything out there.  So, there's something for everybody on our album.  If you like music in general, there's at least one song you would be interested in listening to."

 
Ronnie Winter
"Face Down," the band's current single, now number four on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, is based on real-life experiences of the band's members.

"'Face Down' particularly is about domestic violence.  I grew up in an environment that was weird⁸, I guess, to some people.  But to some people, that is normal, you know, whatever.  I guess that's America today, and that's the world actually, believe it or not.  So, I guess, we are trying to be real with people, and trying to let people know that there are things they can do.  We are hooked up [working] with the National Coalition⁹ Against Domestic Violence.  Education [and] information [are] always the key to saving lives, and stopping the violence in general."

The U.S. Department of Justice says last year alone, 600,000 cases of domestic violence were reported in the U.S.  The band's work against domestic violence led the band members to take on another cause -- fighting teen suicide. To raise awareness, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus headlines the national "Take Action Tour," performing alongside Emery, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Kaddisfly and Static Lullaby, in more than 50 cities across America.

"Take Action Tour, if you don't know what it is, was started to raise awareness of suicide in this country, and all around the world,” explains Winter. “It is a problem, a real problem.  I'm not a number cruncher [bookkeeper], and if no one has heard this, since 1970, five-million Americans have killed themselves.  It is FIVE million!  You should think about that.  That's a lot of people.  It is a problem, a real problem."

Adds Elias Reidy, guitarist for the group, "Basically it is nothing more than us realizing that we've been given a great opportunity, and we have to make a choice, either blend in like everyone else, or take a stand and make a difference -- and we're having a good time doing it, basically."

Elias Reidy and Ronnie Winter say later this year Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will, for the first time, appear on the main stage of the Vans Warped¹⁰ Tour with their idols¹¹, Under Oath, and 30 other punk and heavy metal bands.  Meanwhile, the video of Face Down, which cleverly avoids showing the culprit, is being played heavily on music video network MTV and other music channels.

"[Our] mission statement is to continue making music, first and foremost, live or in the studio, and always be productive and musical.  That's my goal, personally,” Winter says. “Stay real, have a good time and enjoy other's company, and live this experience for what it is.  It is weird for us, because we are normal people.  We're kind of blown away [overwhelmed] by how incredible everybody is to us because of our music."

"Rock stars were not born rock stars. They were born normal people. We're not afraid to talk about it," said Reidy.

1 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

2 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 catchy   

adj.易记住的，诡诈的，易使人上当的

参考例句：

• We need a new slogan.The old one's not catchy enough.我们需要新的口号，旧的不够吸引人。
• The chorus is very catchy to say the least.副歌部分很容易上口。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 ballads   

民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴

参考例句：

• She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
• She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书，还教他唱两三首民谣，弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。

7 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

8 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 warped   

adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾，

参考例句：

• a warped sense of humour 畸形的幽默感
• The board has warped. 木板翘了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。