MERRY CRASSMAS

I don't like Christmas. I'm not anti Christmas, but I just feel like I have nothing to celebrate. Also this period of the year is dark and cold, very depressing. I read somewhere that this is the time of the year where the suicide rate is the highest. I can relate to that...

Christmas in Japan is weird too. Very different than where I come from. It's more a time for couples, for dating, a little bit like Valentine for European. That, on the other hand, is a thing I can't relate to.

So every year, it's a huge drag. I'm bored at home, not knowing what to do. So this year I decided to try something different. I had a nice and quiet party with few friends on the 23rd. The theme was Oden and Distro. Oden is so easy to prepare and delicious. I also put the distro boxes that I usually bring to shows in the living room, so my friends could check what they want, and give it a spin on the turntable. That was cool. We ate a lot, had some nice talks and ended up reading some mangas and checking some old flyers.

On the 24th, I cleaned the house and baked some cakes for some friends. The plan was to go to see a "pop idols" show in town. The pop idol trend is very different than what we had back in the days. Here in Japan it's basically some super young girls dressing all sexy, acting cute and dumb, singing some shitty songs with crappy dances. Short version, this the botom of the barrel when it comes to music, but it seems it works pretty well, considering the number of "bands".

Anyway, that night was some local idols and to my surprise they were younger than what I thought. Most of them were high school students, and seeing those children acting and dancing in front of a bunch of grown up men suddenly became a little bit disturbing, Even more for the after show with the photo session. Disturbing, but not outrageous, and in the end it was kind of fun to watch. My friend Yoko works as a bar tender there so I  had a nice talk with her, we ate cakes, and I even got a Christmas present, so I can't complain.

The show finished super early, probably because most of the girls had school the next day. So I just hung around in town on my bike, watching the Christmas illumination, then went back home.

The 25th, I just spent the whole day in pajama, watching animes and eating sweets, like the gross animal that I am. It felt so wrong, but it felt so right. That is probably one of the best Christmas I have ever had. Can't wait for next one!

MYTH AND REALITY

Has it really been that long? Oh well...

Last weekend, my good friends from END OF POLLUTION organised a nice gig where they asked me to bring my distro. I even baked some vegan cookies for the occasion, that I "sold" at the distro (1 cookie = 1 hug).

It was a kind of a release party for the new NEMESIS 7". It was cool, the members were super happy with the record, and they did a good show. There were few technical problems so it wasn't their best show, but it was cool.

END OF POLLUTION too were great. That time it wasn't all messy, and we could hear the songs very well. I'm enjoying more and more their noisy and tribal euro crust when they do it well.

AVFALL from Tokyo played as a 3-piece because their bass player couldn't make it. It's been two years since the GASMASK TERROR Japan tour, and there have been a lot of changes in the line up. Anyway, it was great to see them again, we were all very happy to hug and talk, and I was glad to see that despite the fact they became older, they are still pretty dumb. And I mean that in a good way. I just love them the way there are.

Their set was just brutal! Raw and primitive (not in a shitty way), the drumming was fast and tight, the guitar and the vocals were nasty and punk as fuck. Like if someone was kicking you the teeth repeatedly. Brilliant.

I think I missed some other bands...and UNARM (also from Tokyo) played. I've been a huge fan for a long time, and we are in contact since the GASMASK TERROR tour too. Everytime we see each other it is very intense. A lot of interesting talks, about politics, music and life. There is a strong conection between us, a real friendship. We had a good time at a restaurant before the show. A lot of laughter and sweet conversations.

And live they were just devastating. Still amazingly noisy and violent, but really genuine. It was fast, loud, and very political. Somewhere between GLOOM, LIFE and ELECTRO HIPPIES if that make any sense? They also talked a lot about what happens in Fukushima, and this is always interesting to have bands taking the time to talk between their songs. Really one of my favourite band in Tokyo. They will have their first LP out at the end of the month on HARDCORE SURVIVES. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

As I said before, it was the release party for the new NEMESIS 7", that I released with my two partners in crime Luc and Dennis. It will be available in Japan/Asia/Oceania from next week. Hopefully in the same time in Europe through RATBONE RECORDS and in the US through SOLAR FUNERAL.

 ネメシス : 暁鐘 7" - NEMESIS : Gyoushou

Introducing the 2nd E.P. from the voice of a new generation of Kyushu hardcore punk. This 4 track record attempts to capture the destructive live energy that has forced Japan to turn its head and take notice. On this new E.P., you can expect the same style of catchy, powerful songwriting built from burly bass riffs, intense pounding drums, piercing guitars and desperate shouts from the throat. This is pure, Japanese hardcore in the Selfish/Bloodsucker tradition.
Split release by Flower Of Carnage, Ratbone & Solar Funeral. Comes with an extra insert with English translations and a download code. 1,000 copies.

VESPERA

I've been in Tokyo just before new year's eve in order to spend some times with my good friend Yoshi and also to go records hunting! Also, after the falafel party we did at home, i wanted to go to check this new falafel restaurant called Vespera. This restaurant has been opened in Nogata, in the Nakano area, a year ago or something, and is run by Eiji, who was the drummer of D.S.B., HAZARD and who play these days in a band who has the same name than the restaurant, VESPERA.

It was great to see Eiji and to watch him cook. He's doing absolutely everything!! His humus, pita, falafel of course, but also his sauces, vegan mayonaise, etc... We ordered some take away falafels with Yoshi, but i have to admit that was maybe not the best idea. Not very confortable to eat, and i wish we had more time to sit there and eat quietly (although there isn't so much space to sit there). Anyway for all of you who visit Tokyo, be sure to pay a visit to Eiji. He's a very nice guy and his falafels were great! And on the top of that, this is fucking cheap!

 

Another place i recommend, that Yoshi made me discover, is a bar called October. Not drinking acohol for almost 12 years now made me a not too keen to go in a bar kind of person. But being with a friend in Tokyo, i said fuck it! and really don't regret it. The bar is not very big and is super dark. The first thing that caught my eyes is that there are records everywhere! The owner is a very sweet man, and we can ask him anything and he will play some records to us. So i asked him if he had some French singers, and the guy pulled out a beautiful japanese press of a Jacques Brel LP (with gatefold tip-on jacket, obi strip, etc...). I had a shiver down my spine when i heard the first notes of Jaures. Great moment. 

 

But, the guy warned us quickly. It is forbidden to touch the records. There is no organisation at all, but he knows the place of each records, so he doesn't want us to mess with that. This is just insane. We had a great time talking and listening to some great music, such as JUNE OF 44, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, ENGINE DOWN, NO KNIFE, JAWBOX, NEIL YOUNG, JOY DIVISION, and so on. A lot of rock'n'roll, indie rock, oldschool emo. That was fantastic!

Came back to Yoshi's place super late, ate instant noodles and smoked a cigar while listening to SHOTMAKER. Boy that felt good! I went to bed and fell asleep, dreaming like a teenager about this Yamaguchi Momoe photo that was on Yoshi's wall.

More records hunting the next day with Yoshi, despite the shitty weather. Then i went back home. Taking the train on new year's eve was probably the worst idea i had in 2012. Five hours standing up in a train, surrounded by irritating people, with their i-pad and their i-phone, sunglasses on a rainy day, atrocious perfume that smell like shit! This trip back home was a nightmare. But i don't regret it, as i really spent a tremendous time in Tokyo. And i wish to go back there soon, in order to visit those places again!