SEASON'S GREETINGS
wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS
and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
thanks for your continued support!!!
see y'all in 2005...
love'n'respect,
DJ Zig-Nine
Friday, December 24, 2004
Sunday, December 12, 2004
THIS YEAR'S NOMINEE'S
as the year winds down (and GODDAMN, this year was fast), i found that my crates needed a little dusting off.
it also gave me the chance to shuffle through the stacks and reminisce on a 12 months of innovative beats.
drum roll, please.
of course, i'll be happy enough if one head-nodda out there is cluing in on these tracks!!!
BEST ALBUM
AN EVENING WITH THE SOUND PROVIDERS (HIP HOP)
duo from los angeles definitely blew it up the first time around on their debut album, but this one sounds a little more polished, a little more production-savvy. guest appearances by asheru and wee be foolish are notable, but jay and soulo make the best of their talents by far on the instrumental numbers.
amidst all the gunplay and runway models, the sound providers managed to squeeze through the l.a. battlegrounds and establish their own hip hop style.
be on the clue for the crunchy kicks and snares...better known as "the boop bap effect."
best blast from the past album
the roots - do you want more?
has it really been 10 years??? i lent it to a friend of mine last week, and he voted it as his fav of the year.
BEST 12"
DJ FRESH - TWISTER (DRUM 'N' BASS)
off of the RAM RECORDS label.
you can tell a DJ FRESH track from it's nasty synth sub-bass and oh-so-heavy kick and snare pop. just released last week, "twister" has been floating around on mp3's, giving me a chance to check it out before the release.
fresh gets props for giving BreakBeat Kaos the punch that it needs (along with adam f) to mash up the crowd. good track to bring right in the middle of your set and they'll be going crazy for the rest of the night.
will keep you posted of his next tour in japan.
honorable mention
outbroken - spor
released either in november or december. if you get past the quotes from "the matrix," this would have been my 12" pick of the year. i don't want to think of what damage it would do to my eardrums in a club, let alone cause bodily damage to other people!
as the year winds down (and GODDAMN, this year was fast), i found that my crates needed a little dusting off.
it also gave me the chance to shuffle through the stacks and reminisce on a 12 months of innovative beats.
drum roll, please.
of course, i'll be happy enough if one head-nodda out there is cluing in on these tracks!!!
BEST ALBUM
AN EVENING WITH THE SOUND PROVIDERS (HIP HOP)
duo from los angeles definitely blew it up the first time around on their debut album, but this one sounds a little more polished, a little more production-savvy. guest appearances by asheru and wee be foolish are notable, but jay and soulo make the best of their talents by far on the instrumental numbers.
amidst all the gunplay and runway models, the sound providers managed to squeeze through the l.a. battlegrounds and establish their own hip hop style.
be on the clue for the crunchy kicks and snares...better known as "the boop bap effect."
best blast from the past album
the roots - do you want more?
has it really been 10 years??? i lent it to a friend of mine last week, and he voted it as his fav of the year.
BEST 12"
DJ FRESH - TWISTER (DRUM 'N' BASS)
off of the RAM RECORDS label.
you can tell a DJ FRESH track from it's nasty synth sub-bass and oh-so-heavy kick and snare pop. just released last week, "twister" has been floating around on mp3's, giving me a chance to check it out before the release.
fresh gets props for giving BreakBeat Kaos the punch that it needs (along with adam f) to mash up the crowd. good track to bring right in the middle of your set and they'll be going crazy for the rest of the night.
will keep you posted of his next tour in japan.
honorable mention
outbroken - spor
released either in november or december. if you get past the quotes from "the matrix," this would have been my 12" pick of the year. i don't want to think of what damage it would do to my eardrums in a club, let alone cause bodily damage to other people!
Thursday, December 02, 2004
STICKIN' IT TO THE MAN
it's been a bit since i've watched mindless entertainment.
where was i when this hit the states?
i can imagine the rage that dave chappelle's causing...with a buddy of mine from back home giving me his first season DVD. the rest of undercover brother's cast is full of veterans like
chi mcbride and eddie griffin, not to mention hottie
denise richards.
but what brings the house down is a terrific cameo from the godfather himself, breakin' it down and sayin' it LOUD!!!
worthy of watching while smoking various smokeables...
it's been a bit since i've watched mindless entertainment.
where was i when this hit the states?
i can imagine the rage that dave chappelle's causing...with a buddy of mine from back home giving me his first season DVD. the rest of undercover brother's cast is full of veterans like
chi mcbride and eddie griffin, not to mention hottie
denise richards.
but what brings the house down is a terrific cameo from the godfather himself, breakin' it down and sayin' it LOUD!!!
worthy of watching while smoking various smokeables...
Sunday, November 21, 2004
THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR...
10. that i'm NOT this turkey...or the one standing next to it.
9. that all of my family members are happy and well back home.
8. that i have great friends, regardless of wherever you may be on this planet of ours.
7. for my technics 1200MK3D's, ECLER mixer, and countless records.
6. that japanese tables have heaters under them for those cold wintry nights.
5. that drum'n'bass isn't just a blip on the radar...
4. that although a majority of the u.s. is still being bamboozled by a sheisty gang of leaders, there are people out there willing to encourage change.
3. for convenience stores. where else can you buy rice balls, minute maid orange juice, and tapioca pudding at 3 o'clock in the morning???
2. that the city of kobe resembles san francisco just enough so i can tolerate being away from the bay area for long periods of time.
1. that life's been pretty good up to this point, and the hope that things'll get better for each and every one of us.
happy thanksgiving.
10. that i'm NOT this turkey...or the one standing next to it.
9. that all of my family members are happy and well back home.
8. that i have great friends, regardless of wherever you may be on this planet of ours.
7. for my technics 1200MK3D's, ECLER mixer, and countless records.
6. that japanese tables have heaters under them for those cold wintry nights.
5. that drum'n'bass isn't just a blip on the radar...
4. that although a majority of the u.s. is still being bamboozled by a sheisty gang of leaders, there are people out there willing to encourage change.
3. for convenience stores. where else can you buy rice balls, minute maid orange juice, and tapioca pudding at 3 o'clock in the morning???
2. that the city of kobe resembles san francisco just enough so i can tolerate being away from the bay area for long periods of time.
1. that life's been pretty good up to this point, and the hope that things'll get better for each and every one of us.
happy thanksgiving.
Monday, November 08, 2004
THE VAPORS...
yeah, dubya gets the gas face, but here's something that i learned the hard way.
hope y'all heed my advice.
never, EVER eat a can of chili and a can of refried beans within the same day.
it'll just rip you apart...trust me.
and for those people who just can't stay away from these lethal legumes, here's something that may bail you out of those embarrassing moments.
yeah, dubya gets the gas face, but here's something that i learned the hard way.
hope y'all heed my advice.
never, EVER eat a can of chili and a can of refried beans within the same day.
it'll just rip you apart...trust me.
and for those people who just can't stay away from these lethal legumes, here's something that may bail you out of those embarrassing moments.
Friday, November 05, 2004
STOP THE INSANITY!!!
someone, someone PLEASE tell me that this isn't a bad nightmare i'm having...
another 4 years of this guy??? i'm getting sick just thinking about the lame-duck shennanigans dubya has up his sleeve...
but while the rest of america was waiting with baited breath over the results from ohio's voting precincts, i was out in osaka attending more pressing matters, namely giving my eardrums an auditory cleansing.
tuesday night heralded the arrival of the U.K.'s bass-heavy mix masters BAD COMPANY and
DJ FABIO.
k-rate, bella rockwell, and i reached osaka's club triangle at about 2:00 in the morning, just in time to catch the second half of FABIO's set, as well as the sinister sounds of BAD COMPANY's D-Bridge.
after giving our auditory senses a thorough pounding thanks to their respective one-hour sets, our crew came to a decision that while
BAD COMPANY possesses excellent beat-making creativity, DJ Fabio is by far the more skilled artist in terms of track selection and mixing.
all in all, it was good getting a break from all of this election madness.
at least the rerpurcussions of dubya's impending second tour of duty won't numb my senses for a few days...
someone, someone PLEASE tell me that this isn't a bad nightmare i'm having...
another 4 years of this guy??? i'm getting sick just thinking about the lame-duck shennanigans dubya has up his sleeve...
but while the rest of america was waiting with baited breath over the results from ohio's voting precincts, i was out in osaka attending more pressing matters, namely giving my eardrums an auditory cleansing.
tuesday night heralded the arrival of the U.K.'s bass-heavy mix masters BAD COMPANY and
DJ FABIO.
k-rate, bella rockwell, and i reached osaka's club triangle at about 2:00 in the morning, just in time to catch the second half of FABIO's set, as well as the sinister sounds of BAD COMPANY's D-Bridge.
after giving our auditory senses a thorough pounding thanks to their respective one-hour sets, our crew came to a decision that while
BAD COMPANY possesses excellent beat-making creativity, DJ Fabio is by far the more skilled artist in terms of track selection and mixing.
all in all, it was good getting a break from all of this election madness.
at least the rerpurcussions of dubya's impending second tour of duty won't numb my senses for a few days...
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
GHOST SHELLED
it's far and wide between when i get all inspirational and try to put together a track...usually because i don't have enough time (yeah, i know it's a sorry excuse).
my latest creation uses samples pieced together from a beat made by
Yoko Kanno, who is currently the music composer for "stand alone complex," the television series continuation of "ghost in the shell."
an individual often shrouded in mystery, Yoko Kanno has done past work on japanimation projects like "Cowboy Bebop" and "Macross Plus." she has also collaborated with j-pop, jazz, and contemporary music artists alike from around the world.
although she remains fairly enigmatic to the general public, her tracks are very much available through various media outlets. perhaps what makes Yoko Kanno such a talented and well-respected composer is her ability to mesh together musical styles from opposite ends of the spectrum. an excellent example of this is a commercial series that she designed for fuji xerox, where Kanno combined human beat-boxing elements provided by AFRA with the classical chinese erhu, as well as with the violin.
what is arguably her most impressive achievement, however, has been her work in constructing the music soundtrack for the "stand alone complex,", currently in its second season out in japan (airing in november in the states?). her arrangements vary from dark, wet dub tracks and soulful italian ballads to jazzy jam sessions and drum'n'bass heavy tech-step numbers. it helps to define the fast-paced but content-rich storyline of "S.A.C."
at age 40, Yoko Kanno continues to crank out tune after tune, inspiring mutant DJ's like myself and countless other head-noddas worldwide.
it's far and wide between when i get all inspirational and try to put together a track...usually because i don't have enough time (yeah, i know it's a sorry excuse).
my latest creation uses samples pieced together from a beat made by
Yoko Kanno, who is currently the music composer for "stand alone complex," the television series continuation of "ghost in the shell."
an individual often shrouded in mystery, Yoko Kanno has done past work on japanimation projects like "Cowboy Bebop" and "Macross Plus." she has also collaborated with j-pop, jazz, and contemporary music artists alike from around the world.
although she remains fairly enigmatic to the general public, her tracks are very much available through various media outlets. perhaps what makes Yoko Kanno such a talented and well-respected composer is her ability to mesh together musical styles from opposite ends of the spectrum. an excellent example of this is a commercial series that she designed for fuji xerox, where Kanno combined human beat-boxing elements provided by AFRA with the classical chinese erhu, as well as with the violin.
what is arguably her most impressive achievement, however, has been her work in constructing the music soundtrack for the "stand alone complex,", currently in its second season out in japan (airing in november in the states?). her arrangements vary from dark, wet dub tracks and soulful italian ballads to jazzy jam sessions and drum'n'bass heavy tech-step numbers. it helps to define the fast-paced but content-rich storyline of "S.A.C."
at age 40, Yoko Kanno continues to crank out tune after tune, inspiring mutant DJ's like myself and countless other head-noddas worldwide.
Monday, October 18, 2004
MR. OCTOBER
autumn in japan is known as being "the season of food."
and true to its word, i've had more than my fill!!!
not so much in the edible sense, but more in terms of action-packed adventures across this archipelago.
here's a breakdown of the past 2 weeks:
october 10th BATTLE BY THE CASTLE, part II
like a brawny football player suiting up to do battle on the gridiron, i once again had the opportunity to venture up to izushi to take part in the mighty fighting mikoshi festival. it just so happened to be the 400th anniversary of this suicidal ceremony, in which rival floats from across the town gather at the town square and proceed to bash each other to pieces. thugs and ruffians alike come to participate in this craziness, with about 150 people carrying various mikoshi which weigh the equivalent of a small truck each.
half-drunk and soaked to the bone from a sudden downpour, i did my part in the festival and tried in vain to shatter our rival mikoshi's support beams (huge trunks of cedar wood lashed together with bolts and heavy steel wiring). there was chaos all around me, with teenage hooligans and adults alike trying to beat each other senseless. the result was a draw, plus a nasty hangover from the ensuing drunken debauchery that happened later that night...
october 15th MIX MARKET MADNESS
not to be bested by the love parade back home in the bay area, DJ Kase-K and i braved a 5-hour round trip journey up to shiga prefecture and back to have a peek at DJ Nao's farewell gig. She's off to sunny okinawa in search of bigger and better drum'n'bass venues.
it also brought the visit of two of london's heavy DNB hitters, DJ Makoto and Deeizm MC. although the venue itself was held in a small space, the crowd was packed and the energy vibe was off the charts. DJ Makoto's smooth and sultry tracks laid a perfect background to Deeizm's melodious MC'ing wordplay.
both of them are in japan, asia, and australia until the end of the year headlining different events, as well as working on a track or two for GOOD LOOKING recordings.
october 16th & 17th FOOTBALL FOLLIES
once again, not the american kind.
the 2004 all-japan ALT soccer tournament was held on the sunny island of awaji this past weekend, bringing 12 teams from western japan together to compete on the pitch used for practice by team england during the 2002 world cup.
i did my duty, suiting up to play in goal on hyogo prefecture's much-feared B Team.
although we ended up losing all 4 matches, i was glad to have a chance to run around on a pristine field of grass and enjoy the late autumn sunshine.
next up?
a visit from mike the canuck, canada's most-feared law enforcement officer, plus halloween havoc up in northern hyogo!!!
BIG-UPS and SPECIAL MENTION to...
a HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Moonlight and the
Silent Crew out in san francisco on celebrating their 2nd anniversary.
it's good knowing that the DNB scene is in good hands with this mighty crew...
autumn in japan is known as being "the season of food."
and true to its word, i've had more than my fill!!!
not so much in the edible sense, but more in terms of action-packed adventures across this archipelago.
here's a breakdown of the past 2 weeks:
october 10th BATTLE BY THE CASTLE, part II
like a brawny football player suiting up to do battle on the gridiron, i once again had the opportunity to venture up to izushi to take part in the mighty fighting mikoshi festival. it just so happened to be the 400th anniversary of this suicidal ceremony, in which rival floats from across the town gather at the town square and proceed to bash each other to pieces. thugs and ruffians alike come to participate in this craziness, with about 150 people carrying various mikoshi which weigh the equivalent of a small truck each.
half-drunk and soaked to the bone from a sudden downpour, i did my part in the festival and tried in vain to shatter our rival mikoshi's support beams (huge trunks of cedar wood lashed together with bolts and heavy steel wiring). there was chaos all around me, with teenage hooligans and adults alike trying to beat each other senseless. the result was a draw, plus a nasty hangover from the ensuing drunken debauchery that happened later that night...
october 15th MIX MARKET MADNESS
not to be bested by the love parade back home in the bay area, DJ Kase-K and i braved a 5-hour round trip journey up to shiga prefecture and back to have a peek at DJ Nao's farewell gig. She's off to sunny okinawa in search of bigger and better drum'n'bass venues.
it also brought the visit of two of london's heavy DNB hitters, DJ Makoto and Deeizm MC. although the venue itself was held in a small space, the crowd was packed and the energy vibe was off the charts. DJ Makoto's smooth and sultry tracks laid a perfect background to Deeizm's melodious MC'ing wordplay.
both of them are in japan, asia, and australia until the end of the year headlining different events, as well as working on a track or two for GOOD LOOKING recordings.
october 16th & 17th FOOTBALL FOLLIES
once again, not the american kind.
the 2004 all-japan ALT soccer tournament was held on the sunny island of awaji this past weekend, bringing 12 teams from western japan together to compete on the pitch used for practice by team england during the 2002 world cup.
i did my duty, suiting up to play in goal on hyogo prefecture's much-feared B Team.
although we ended up losing all 4 matches, i was glad to have a chance to run around on a pristine field of grass and enjoy the late autumn sunshine.
next up?
a visit from mike the canuck, canada's most-feared law enforcement officer, plus halloween havoc up in northern hyogo!!!
BIG-UPS and SPECIAL MENTION to...
a HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Moonlight and the
Silent Crew out in san francisco on celebrating their 2nd anniversary.
it's good knowing that the DNB scene is in good hands with this mighty crew...
Monday, October 11, 2004
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
TRIUMVIRATE
september brought this tiny island country a bevy of typhoons and earthquakes, but it also heralded the creation of DA HEADNODDAZ, breakin' atoms and invading a pair of stereo speakers near you!!!
"Q"
the lyrical one.
Q is the rhyme animal,
the one who flows across eight-bars
with efervescent ease.
Q is a gifted storyteller,
weaving tales of personal tragedy
and triumph, along with the
occasional comedic jab to the mid-section.
hailing from the motor city,
Q loves his fam,
his quest for life,
and his detroit pistons.
K-RATE
the creative one.
making both London and Kobe
his home,
K-RATE will also be known as
the first BRIT ever to play
professional baseball in japan.
(just kidding)
a rabid hanshin tigers fan,
K-RATE is beat extraordinaire,
creator of PaRLaY records,
master of both turntables
and the mic.
always can be spotted in a club drinking his favorite liquid refreshment,
AKA the yellow, bubbly stuff.
aside from the love he has for BIZ, newest addition to the crew,
K-RATE wishes to give props to his heavy influences:
Derek n Clive, David Brent, Mark B, Rodney P,
Kanemoto, DJ Premier, Jay-Dee,
Pete Rock, Roots Manuva, and
"of course, my people around me."
Holla!!!
ZIG-NINE
the multi-faceted one.
hailing from the bay area, california,
Zig-Nine has made kobe, japan his home away from home
for the last 6 years.
like the mustard and mayo
that holds a turkey club sandwich together,
Zig-Nine adds additional zest and flavor
to DA HEADNODDAZ' tunes by inserting
samples that bring it all into harmony.
always can be spotted in a club sippin' on a gin & tonic
or a glass of shochu...
an avid basketballer who doesn't spend enough time in the gym,
Zig-Nine is co-author of "Famous Japanese NBA All-Stars, Vol. 2"
september brought this tiny island country a bevy of typhoons and earthquakes, but it also heralded the creation of DA HEADNODDAZ, breakin' atoms and invading a pair of stereo speakers near you!!!
"Q"
the lyrical one.
Q is the rhyme animal,
the one who flows across eight-bars
with efervescent ease.
Q is a gifted storyteller,
weaving tales of personal tragedy
and triumph, along with the
occasional comedic jab to the mid-section.
hailing from the motor city,
Q loves his fam,
his quest for life,
and his detroit pistons.
K-RATE
the creative one.
making both London and Kobe
his home,
K-RATE will also be known as
the first BRIT ever to play
professional baseball in japan.
(just kidding)
a rabid hanshin tigers fan,
K-RATE is beat extraordinaire,
creator of PaRLaY records,
master of both turntables
and the mic.
always can be spotted in a club drinking his favorite liquid refreshment,
AKA the yellow, bubbly stuff.
aside from the love he has for BIZ, newest addition to the crew,
K-RATE wishes to give props to his heavy influences:
Derek n Clive, David Brent, Mark B, Rodney P,
Kanemoto, DJ Premier, Jay-Dee,
Pete Rock, Roots Manuva, and
"of course, my people around me."
Holla!!!
ZIG-NINE
the multi-faceted one.
hailing from the bay area, california,
Zig-Nine has made kobe, japan his home away from home
for the last 6 years.
like the mustard and mayo
that holds a turkey club sandwich together,
Zig-Nine adds additional zest and flavor
to DA HEADNODDAZ' tunes by inserting
samples that bring it all into harmony.
always can be spotted in a club sippin' on a gin & tonic
or a glass of shochu...
an avid basketballer who doesn't spend enough time in the gym,
Zig-Nine is co-author of "Famous Japanese NBA All-Stars, Vol. 2"
Thursday, September 16, 2004
WELCOME TO THE MACHINE
it's been said that the first NINTENDO gaming system had much more computing capabilities than the APOLLO spacecraft.
pretty crazy thought, considering that we made it to the moon and back in what was essentially a bucket of bolts and wiring!
to celebrate this food-for-thought-of-the-day, i bring to you classic old skool shoot-em-up madness. enjoy, and make sure that your boss doesn't catch you slacking off.
and while we're askew on this mad tangent, one of my co-workers informed me rather solemnly that aliens have established a base on the dark side of the moon and have been watching us ever since. better yet, they were around to see neil armstrong and buzz aldrin establish their footprints on the lunar surface...
someone's been hitting the crack-pipe a little too hard!!!
it's been said that the first NINTENDO gaming system had much more computing capabilities than the APOLLO spacecraft.
pretty crazy thought, considering that we made it to the moon and back in what was essentially a bucket of bolts and wiring!
to celebrate this food-for-thought-of-the-day, i bring to you classic old skool shoot-em-up madness. enjoy, and make sure that your boss doesn't catch you slacking off.
and while we're askew on this mad tangent, one of my co-workers informed me rather solemnly that aliens have established a base on the dark side of the moon and have been watching us ever since. better yet, they were around to see neil armstrong and buzz aldrin establish their footprints on the lunar surface...
someone's been hitting the crack-pipe a little too hard!!!
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
NO SLEEP 'TIL...
typhoons...tsunami's...and tectonic activity.
whatever the reason, there have been quite a few natural disasters taking place on this tiny island nation.
not to be slowed down by any of this, Mark from Cause 4 Concern and E.N.O. from PaRLaY records made a two-week stopover in japan, headlining in osaka, tokyo, and hiroshima.
i had a chance to catch up with both of them, and they seemed to have enjoyed their brief but action-packed stay out here.
Mark from Cause 4 Concern
beverage of choice: whiskey and coke.
can clean off an entire bottle in the course of one night.
weapon of choice: Final Scratch.
a revolutionary turntable program which enables you to use any song you download off the internet and feed it onto two 12" vinyl records...
vinyl of choice: bad-ass photek tune featuring king tubby. release date TBA.
being the nice guy that he is, Mark heeded his lady friend's request back home to stock up on hello kitty. without any choice, the four of us (Mark, E.N.O., K-Rate, Zig-Nine) ventured down to the nearest sanrio store and ripped the store apart.
quite an embarrassing scene...
E.N.O. from PaRLaY records
this was E.N.O.'s second tour of duty in japan, and he knew the ropes this time around. rumor has it that he was spotted in a karaoke bar down in hiroshima belting out coolio's "gangsta's paradise." i smell a grammy!
E.N.O. is also the other half of PaRLaY records out in the U.K., playing at the big drum'n'bass venues in Edinburgh, London, and Manchester.
avid football (the FIFA kind) fans, the entire crew (Biostepperz, KSK, K-Rate, Zig-Nine, Mark, E.N.O.) stayed up until the wee hours of the morning on saturday watching England square off against Austria.
perhaps the biggest dilemma Mark and E.N.O. faced was choosing which Gundam robots to take back to London with them. after scouring downtown kobe for several hours looking for the meanest gun-toting mobile suit around, i realized two things.
1. DJ's are closet robot-freaks.
remember Q-Bert in the film "Scratch" with his assorted robot collection? it's a universal hobby amongst DJ's. so freaky it's almost like a religious sect.
2. you can never buy only ONE.
eventually, it turns into a shopping spree of sorts. because Mark and E.N.O. had a 7-hour stopover waiting for them in dubai on the way back to heathrow, it made sense to load up on 3 or 4 robots each to work on.
all in all, their stay was an experience enjoyed by everyone.
NOBODY BEATS THE BIZ...
no, not the one who picks boogers.
last week also heralded the arrival of BIZ the wonderdog,
daughter of proud parents K-Rate and Bella Rockwell.
a little over 4 months old, i had the privilege (?) of baby-sitting this pup for an evening.
after proceeding to run around the PaRLaY studio over the course of several hours, she promptly fell asleep.
now, the thing about pug's is that they have huge goldfish eyes, plus a serious underbite.
seeing BIZ snoring away was a cross between FIDO from Looney Tunes and the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead."
cute regardless, though!
typhoons...tsunami's...and tectonic activity.
whatever the reason, there have been quite a few natural disasters taking place on this tiny island nation.
not to be slowed down by any of this, Mark from Cause 4 Concern and E.N.O. from PaRLaY records made a two-week stopover in japan, headlining in osaka, tokyo, and hiroshima.
i had a chance to catch up with both of them, and they seemed to have enjoyed their brief but action-packed stay out here.
Mark from Cause 4 Concern
beverage of choice: whiskey and coke.
can clean off an entire bottle in the course of one night.
weapon of choice: Final Scratch.
a revolutionary turntable program which enables you to use any song you download off the internet and feed it onto two 12" vinyl records...
vinyl of choice: bad-ass photek tune featuring king tubby. release date TBA.
being the nice guy that he is, Mark heeded his lady friend's request back home to stock up on hello kitty. without any choice, the four of us (Mark, E.N.O., K-Rate, Zig-Nine) ventured down to the nearest sanrio store and ripped the store apart.
quite an embarrassing scene...
E.N.O. from PaRLaY records
this was E.N.O.'s second tour of duty in japan, and he knew the ropes this time around. rumor has it that he was spotted in a karaoke bar down in hiroshima belting out coolio's "gangsta's paradise." i smell a grammy!
E.N.O. is also the other half of PaRLaY records out in the U.K., playing at the big drum'n'bass venues in Edinburgh, London, and Manchester.
avid football (the FIFA kind) fans, the entire crew (Biostepperz, KSK, K-Rate, Zig-Nine, Mark, E.N.O.) stayed up until the wee hours of the morning on saturday watching England square off against Austria.
perhaps the biggest dilemma Mark and E.N.O. faced was choosing which Gundam robots to take back to London with them. after scouring downtown kobe for several hours looking for the meanest gun-toting mobile suit around, i realized two things.
1. DJ's are closet robot-freaks.
remember Q-Bert in the film "Scratch" with his assorted robot collection? it's a universal hobby amongst DJ's. so freaky it's almost like a religious sect.
2. you can never buy only ONE.
eventually, it turns into a shopping spree of sorts. because Mark and E.N.O. had a 7-hour stopover waiting for them in dubai on the way back to heathrow, it made sense to load up on 3 or 4 robots each to work on.
all in all, their stay was an experience enjoyed by everyone.
NOBODY BEATS THE BIZ...
no, not the one who picks boogers.
last week also heralded the arrival of BIZ the wonderdog,
daughter of proud parents K-Rate and Bella Rockwell.
a little over 4 months old, i had the privilege (?) of baby-sitting this pup for an evening.
after proceeding to run around the PaRLaY studio over the course of several hours, she promptly fell asleep.
now, the thing about pug's is that they have huge goldfish eyes, plus a serious underbite.
seeing BIZ snoring away was a cross between FIDO from Looney Tunes and the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead."
cute regardless, though!
Friday, September 03, 2004
MONKEY FUN
One time I hired a monkey to take notes for me in class.
I would just sit there with my mind a complete blank while the monkey scribbled on little pieces of paper.
At the end of the week the teacher said, "Class, I want you to write a paper using your notes."
So I wrote a paper that said "Hello, my name is Bingo. I like to climb on things. Can I have a banana? Eek eek."
I got an F.
When I told my Mom about it she said "I told you never trust a monkey!"
The end.
yeah...never trust those mischievous monkeys...
One time I hired a monkey to take notes for me in class.
I would just sit there with my mind a complete blank while the monkey scribbled on little pieces of paper.
At the end of the week the teacher said, "Class, I want you to write a paper using your notes."
So I wrote a paper that said "Hello, my name is Bingo. I like to climb on things. Can I have a banana? Eek eek."
I got an F.
When I told my Mom about it she said "I told you never trust a monkey!"
The end.
yeah...never trust those mischievous monkeys...
Thursday, August 26, 2004
JOE'S BED-STUY BARBERSHOP...WE CUT HEADS
following in the footsteps of famous baldies before me, i took up clippers and a mirror the other day and shaved my head.
not only is it a great way to beat the summertime heat, my friends think it's the funniest thing seeing me go from spiky-haired techno boy to bad-ass shaolin monk.
just be sure to keep the following things in mind if you decide to do the same:
1. SHAPE IS KEY: be careful! some people just don't have the right-shaped skull for a shaved head. it should be spherical and free of any cranial lumps. growing a goatee is recommended to balance out the entire facial structure.
2. DO-IT-YOURSELF: don't spend $15 at the local barbershop!!! with a pair of clippers and two mirrors, you can save that bit of cash for some food afterwards.
3. BE THOROUGH: just be sure not to leave any frosties behind. frosties are those few annoying tufts of hair that you may have missed the first time around.
4. ASSEMBLE CAPS/HATS FOR THE MOMENT OF REVELATION: it adds drama as well as crowd appreciation (oooh's and ahhh's) upon first viewing...sombrero's are a plus. it'll help to cut down on those mean summertime UV death rays as well.
happy head-hunting!!!
following in the footsteps of famous baldies before me, i took up clippers and a mirror the other day and shaved my head.
not only is it a great way to beat the summertime heat, my friends think it's the funniest thing seeing me go from spiky-haired techno boy to bad-ass shaolin monk.
just be sure to keep the following things in mind if you decide to do the same:
1. SHAPE IS KEY: be careful! some people just don't have the right-shaped skull for a shaved head. it should be spherical and free of any cranial lumps. growing a goatee is recommended to balance out the entire facial structure.
2. DO-IT-YOURSELF: don't spend $15 at the local barbershop!!! with a pair of clippers and two mirrors, you can save that bit of cash for some food afterwards.
3. BE THOROUGH: just be sure not to leave any frosties behind. frosties are those few annoying tufts of hair that you may have missed the first time around.
4. ASSEMBLE CAPS/HATS FOR THE MOMENT OF REVELATION: it adds drama as well as crowd appreciation (oooh's and ahhh's) upon first viewing...sombrero's are a plus. it'll help to cut down on those mean summertime UV death rays as well.
happy head-hunting!!!
Thursday, August 19, 2004
BACK TO THE MOTHERLAND
i always complain about how short my trips are back to the bay area, especially because it usually only involves a period of a week or two.
however, this time i lucked out and was able to escape home for close to a month!
not even the bad airline food, seemingly 10,000 VERY UNHAPPY babies, and gut-wrenching turbulence could dash my hopes.
looking back on it all now in retrospect, i can't help but feel like it STILL wasn't enough time for me to go around and visit old friends, duck into local hangouts, sample good eats, and escape this insane japanese heatwave.
i saw a fitting quotation from the honorable robert nesta marley hanging on a wall in my brother's house.
"Good friends we have,
Oh, good friends we have lost
Along the way
In this great future,
You can't forget your past
So dry your tears, I seh"
i've been blessed with wonderful friends, thankfully of which none i've lost to tragedy. it's people like them who keep me stable and keep me in check.
thanks, guys.
so in no particular order, here's to the madcap, whirlwind award tour back to the homeland:
BALL GAMES
nothing beats summertime hardball in the bay area...
whether it be the freezing nosebleed seats at an A's game, or the comfy confines of the Giants' SBC park, seeing barry bonds and co. go to work was divine.
and the garlic fries at SBC are mighty grubbin' as well!
SELECTA!!!
i was able to meet with DJ's, both new and old. big props go to MR. MOONLIGHT of the SILENT crew.
he's helping us distribute the PaRLaY 12" out in the states, and i had the privilege of finally catching up with him back in the bay area.
a talented musician as well as turntablist, you can catch him and his crew in action down at IL PIRATA.
a special "BO SELECTAAAA!!!" also goes out to my man TEKTITE, who will be joining us expats out here in japan within the end of the year.
i caught PHOTEK in action down by club 550, where sadly, the crowd wasn't as packed as i hoped it would be. nonetheless, he succeeded in pulverizing the crowd with thunderous amen breaks.
RIBBONS IN THE SKY
there must be a case of the wedding bug going around...
part of the reason why i was back in the states this summer was to watch my friends Jeff and Heather tie the knot.
not only was it a beautiful ceremony (so perfect that it made me SICK...gross!), it enabled me to hang out with peeps from my college days, some of whom i hadn't seen in over 5 years.
extra-special big-ups to:
DREW, PRINCE ROGER, DOUGHBOY, KEITH "nine-iron" ROBERTSON, and MAKO, as well as the entire california-ites crew.
FOR A RELAXING TIME...
i brought back a bottle of
SUNTORY whiskey for my brother. apparently, it's been quite a hit amongst his roommates as well as our mutual friends. like i've already mentioned, the best part of the trip was just being able to hang out and kick likwits with old friends.
things i noticed: everyone has protruding bellies (mine included), a stronger tolerance for alcohol, undying interest in ESPN, and nice cars...
thanks to: ERIC "blanka", JASEN, PARIS, and especially to my little bruv, NISEIKID (in every sense of the meaning, little brother, THANKS. i owe you big-time).
"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
it was a reunion of sorts with all kinds of different people...some i've known for more than 10 years, others i had met by chance.
seeing the gang brought back long-lost memories of college, and it just felt good to pick up the conversation where we had last left off. thanks for dinner...and you know it's ALL about the cheesy bread and oysters!!!
extra special gracias to LIZ, NOOGIE, SANDRA, MEL, and AMY. i'll miss you guys!!!
what was sort of surprising was seeing such a large japanese following at drum'n'bass events around the city.
although i'll be the first to admit that it's not exactly the world's most popular music genre (my brother compares it to heavy metal), i'm certainly happy that it's always had a niche amid the hustle and bustle of san francisco.
a whole lot of yoroshiku's to SAORI, SHOKO, NORITO, SATOMI, and YU-HEI.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY!!! GOOD NIGHT!!!
i always complain about how short my trips are back to the bay area, especially because it usually only involves a period of a week or two.
however, this time i lucked out and was able to escape home for close to a month!
not even the bad airline food, seemingly 10,000 VERY UNHAPPY babies, and gut-wrenching turbulence could dash my hopes.
looking back on it all now in retrospect, i can't help but feel like it STILL wasn't enough time for me to go around and visit old friends, duck into local hangouts, sample good eats, and escape this insane japanese heatwave.
i saw a fitting quotation from the honorable robert nesta marley hanging on a wall in my brother's house.
"Good friends we have,
Oh, good friends we have lost
Along the way
In this great future,
You can't forget your past
So dry your tears, I seh"
i've been blessed with wonderful friends, thankfully of which none i've lost to tragedy. it's people like them who keep me stable and keep me in check.
thanks, guys.
so in no particular order, here's to the madcap, whirlwind award tour back to the homeland:
BALL GAMES
nothing beats summertime hardball in the bay area...
whether it be the freezing nosebleed seats at an A's game, or the comfy confines of the Giants' SBC park, seeing barry bonds and co. go to work was divine.
and the garlic fries at SBC are mighty grubbin' as well!
SELECTA!!!
i was able to meet with DJ's, both new and old. big props go to MR. MOONLIGHT of the SILENT crew.
he's helping us distribute the PaRLaY 12" out in the states, and i had the privilege of finally catching up with him back in the bay area.
a talented musician as well as turntablist, you can catch him and his crew in action down at IL PIRATA.
a special "BO SELECTAAAA!!!" also goes out to my man TEKTITE, who will be joining us expats out here in japan within the end of the year.
i caught PHOTEK in action down by club 550, where sadly, the crowd wasn't as packed as i hoped it would be. nonetheless, he succeeded in pulverizing the crowd with thunderous amen breaks.
RIBBONS IN THE SKY
there must be a case of the wedding bug going around...
part of the reason why i was back in the states this summer was to watch my friends Jeff and Heather tie the knot.
not only was it a beautiful ceremony (so perfect that it made me SICK...gross!), it enabled me to hang out with peeps from my college days, some of whom i hadn't seen in over 5 years.
extra-special big-ups to:
DREW, PRINCE ROGER, DOUGHBOY, KEITH "nine-iron" ROBERTSON, and MAKO, as well as the entire california-ites crew.
FOR A RELAXING TIME...
i brought back a bottle of
SUNTORY whiskey for my brother. apparently, it's been quite a hit amongst his roommates as well as our mutual friends. like i've already mentioned, the best part of the trip was just being able to hang out and kick likwits with old friends.
things i noticed: everyone has protruding bellies (mine included), a stronger tolerance for alcohol, undying interest in ESPN, and nice cars...
thanks to: ERIC "blanka", JASEN, PARIS, and especially to my little bruv, NISEIKID (in every sense of the meaning, little brother, THANKS. i owe you big-time).
"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
it was a reunion of sorts with all kinds of different people...some i've known for more than 10 years, others i had met by chance.
seeing the gang brought back long-lost memories of college, and it just felt good to pick up the conversation where we had last left off. thanks for dinner...and you know it's ALL about the cheesy bread and oysters!!!
extra special gracias to LIZ, NOOGIE, SANDRA, MEL, and AMY. i'll miss you guys!!!
what was sort of surprising was seeing such a large japanese following at drum'n'bass events around the city.
although i'll be the first to admit that it's not exactly the world's most popular music genre (my brother compares it to heavy metal), i'm certainly happy that it's always had a niche amid the hustle and bustle of san francisco.
a whole lot of yoroshiku's to SAORI, SHOKO, NORITO, SATOMI, and YU-HEI.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY!!! GOOD NIGHT!!!
Thursday, July 15, 2004
THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
Man it's hot. It's like Africa hot.
Tarzan couldn't take this kind of hot.
- Eugene Morris Jerome
with the end of the (extremely dry) rainy season officially in the books, summer has hit japan in full stride.
2 in the morning, and it must be something like 90 degrees...
as much as i slag the idiocies of californian politics,
it wasn't until after i left that i realized what a terrific climate i grew up in.
a week more of this mad-dog weather, and i can escape back home
to cooler breezes and some much-needed R&R. more to come in the following weeks...
meanwhile, i'm off to find a block of ice
big enough to cool off a wooly mammoth.
Man it's hot. It's like Africa hot.
Tarzan couldn't take this kind of hot.
- Eugene Morris Jerome
with the end of the (extremely dry) rainy season officially in the books, summer has hit japan in full stride.
2 in the morning, and it must be something like 90 degrees...
as much as i slag the idiocies of californian politics,
it wasn't until after i left that i realized what a terrific climate i grew up in.
a week more of this mad-dog weather, and i can escape back home
to cooler breezes and some much-needed R&R. more to come in the following weeks...
meanwhile, i'm off to find a block of ice
big enough to cool off a wooly mammoth.
Monday, July 12, 2004
LA COSA NOSTRA
R.I.P., don vito corleone.
of course everyone knows The Don was a pimp,but marlon brando wasn't exactly a happy camper in real life.
from his daughter's death to his son's long and expensive trial, i sure hope that vito's moved on to greener and happier pastures.
i managed to take home the last available copy from the local vid shop,
and will most likely spend the rest of this week reminiscing over the great cinematography and even greater one-liners.
"leave the gun...take the canoli."
R.I.P., don vito corleone.
of course everyone knows The Don was a pimp,but marlon brando wasn't exactly a happy camper in real life.
from his daughter's death to his son's long and expensive trial, i sure hope that vito's moved on to greener and happier pastures.
i managed to take home the last available copy from the local vid shop,
and will most likely spend the rest of this week reminiscing over the great cinematography and even greater one-liners.
"leave the gun...take the canoli."
Friday, July 02, 2004
THE DAILY GRIND
my weekly routine has now begun to center around 3 things,
in no particular order:
1. rooting madly for the hanshin tigers
current record at games attended this season:
1 win, 3 losses
2. track-making
3. checking out the latest DJ world tours
of course, it all involves consumption of alcohol
and smoking various smokeables,
but my golden excuse is that
summer vacation's just around the corner.
as of july 22nd, i will be travelling back across the pacific pond
for a well-deserved sabbatical.
details are forthcoming. stay tuned...
my weekly routine has now begun to center around 3 things,
in no particular order:
1. rooting madly for the hanshin tigers
current record at games attended this season:
1 win, 3 losses
2. track-making
3. checking out the latest DJ world tours
of course, it all involves consumption of alcohol
and smoking various smokeables,
but my golden excuse is that
summer vacation's just around the corner.
as of july 22nd, i will be travelling back across the pacific pond
for a well-deserved sabbatical.
details are forthcoming. stay tuned...
Monday, June 21, 2004
GUTTER-BALL
of all the sports in the world, bowling is definitely not my forte. milling about on a saturday afternoon without a whole lot to do, i casually asked my girlfriend if she was up for a friendly round or two down at the local bowling alley.
now, the rules and layout for bowling are the same out here in japan, but what's missing is the grime, grease, stench, and 70's cheese that has so much become a part of ten-pin americana.
instead, you have un-sticky floors, computerized scoreboards complete with video playback, pristine bowling balls lined up neatly with hardly a scratch..."where's the dirt? the sleaze?? the protruding bellies???" i wondered.
undaunted, i was able secure an open lane, and the game was begun. first game to yours truly: 129-81. stupid me, i should've kept my trap shut...sensing another crushing victory in round two, i offered my girlfriend a 50-point handicap.
the result? i managed to finish the second game with a miserable sub-100 score, and lost the third and deciding round outright...the handicap didn't even matter anymore.
i assure you that it'll probably be a little while before i pick up another bowling ball.
in the meanwhile, i'll try to get some practice in through this little gadget...
of all the sports in the world, bowling is definitely not my forte. milling about on a saturday afternoon without a whole lot to do, i casually asked my girlfriend if she was up for a friendly round or two down at the local bowling alley.
now, the rules and layout for bowling are the same out here in japan, but what's missing is the grime, grease, stench, and 70's cheese that has so much become a part of ten-pin americana.
instead, you have un-sticky floors, computerized scoreboards complete with video playback, pristine bowling balls lined up neatly with hardly a scratch..."where's the dirt? the sleaze?? the protruding bellies???" i wondered.
undaunted, i was able secure an open lane, and the game was begun. first game to yours truly: 129-81. stupid me, i should've kept my trap shut...sensing another crushing victory in round two, i offered my girlfriend a 50-point handicap.
the result? i managed to finish the second game with a miserable sub-100 score, and lost the third and deciding round outright...the handicap didn't even matter anymore.
i assure you that it'll probably be a little while before i pick up another bowling ball.
in the meanwhile, i'll try to get some practice in through this little gadget...
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
THE THRILL OF VICTORY and THE AGONY OF DEFEAT
stupid ref...that's not a FOUL!!!
a picture paints a thousand words...
my good friend K-RATE informed me that EURO 2004 kicks on in portugal this week.
another reason to stock up on beer and indulge in the moment...
what's the time difference, anyways???
stupid ref...that's not a FOUL!!!
a picture paints a thousand words...
my good friend K-RATE informed me that EURO 2004 kicks on in portugal this week.
another reason to stock up on beer and indulge in the moment...
what's the time difference, anyways???
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
BLASPHEMOUS WEATHER
A flash of lightning!
The sound of drops
Falling among the bamboos.
-Buson
HAH!!! buson may have been gifted with words, but there ain't nuttin' pretty about the monsoon season in japan. known in more poetic terms as "tsuyu," or "plum blossom rain," it feels like you're standing inside one of those big chinese bamboo steamers...
and i have to put up with this nasty weather for a whole MONTH??? i guess i can start experimenting with the shaggy, wet look
A flash of lightning!
The sound of drops
Falling among the bamboos.
-Buson
HAH!!! buson may have been gifted with words, but there ain't nuttin' pretty about the monsoon season in japan. known in more poetic terms as "tsuyu," or "plum blossom rain," it feels like you're standing inside one of those big chinese bamboo steamers...
and i have to put up with this nasty weather for a whole MONTH??? i guess i can start experimenting with the shaggy, wet look
Friday, May 28, 2004
A GRAND DAY OUT
koshien...lovely
it fits 54,000 fans, and the hanshin tigers have sold out pretty much EVERY GAME this season at koshien stadium. lucky for me, bella rockwell was able to procure some much-valued tickets to yesterday's festivities.
several hours and twice as many beers later, the tigers were spanked 4-0.
not to worry. they bounced back today with a 12-5 trouncing.
and even better: i get to do this all over again next thursday!!!
our faithful crew
koshien...lovely
it fits 54,000 fans, and the hanshin tigers have sold out pretty much EVERY GAME this season at koshien stadium. lucky for me, bella rockwell was able to procure some much-valued tickets to yesterday's festivities.
several hours and twice as many beers later, the tigers were spanked 4-0.
not to worry. they bounced back today with a 12-5 trouncing.
and even better: i get to do this all over again next thursday!!!
our faithful crew
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