It’s time for more Flickr love. I’m not that into HDR photos but I really, really dig this one. It captures Shibuya’s chaotic energy. You totally get the feel of what it’s like being in front of Shibuya eki-mae as hordes of Tokyoites stream around you in an urban frenzy. I love it. Takes me right back there. One day I’ll be this good.
Archive for August, 2007
Lost in Shibuya
August 31, 2007“Drivin’ Me Wild” – Latest Video from Common.
August 31, 2007
This is a video for the third single from Common’s sensational new CD, “Finding Forever”. The track features the British super-cutie, Lily Allen on backup vocals and she also makes an appearance in the vid. As a long time fan it is exciting to see how Common continues to grow from project to project. He’s spent approximately 13 years in the music industry but he sounds as fresh and innovative as, and brings an exuberance to his music that’s seen only with, newcomers to the often brutal industry. I think his latest offering is one of the few discs out that’s actually worth buying. Trust, it is absolutely terrific and if you haven’t heard it yet your cheating yourself.
Japanese Atlantis?
August 31, 2007
Masaaki Kimura, a Japanese marine biologists from Ryukyu University believes the underwater formations discovered in 1985 by scuba divers off the coast of Yonaguni island in southern Japan are the remnants of an Atlantis-type city inhabited by an ancient japanese civilization that sunk into the sea after an earthquake 3000 years ago.
you be the judge…
Amy & Blake, Bobby & Whitney.
August 30, 2007See, and you thought making insane amounts of money from music, being idolized by millions and having an unfettered access to whatever your little heart desired equaled a life filled to the brim with never-ending happiness. Well to put the kibosh on such fantasies I put fourth exhibit A: Amy Winehouse and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil and exhibit B: Bobby Brown & his ex-wife, Whitney Houston.
Yesterday, Amy’s father-in-Law, Giles Fielder-Civil (please explain to me how a man can have two last names) called for a fan boycott of Amy’s music saying that his son & daughter-in-law were, basically, out of control crack addicts. This followed an incident (that the press just won’t let go of) where Blake found Amy in a drug/booze binge in a seedy hotel with a hooker and the couple put a smackdown on each other that left them both bruised and bloody.
On this side of the pond, Bobby Brown is desperately trying to maintain hold on his former meal ticket. He has been vigorously fighting to have his divorce from ex-wife Whitney overturned all while he has a lawsuit filed against her for not allowing him visitation with their 14 year old daughter. You gotta laugh.
Maybe he can team with K-Fed on a project. Anyway…
These people all had so much going for them. it’s such a shame, I LOVE Amy Winehouse. I hope everything works out for her. Ditto for Whitney. Mr. Winehouse I can’t comment on but there’s no hope for Bobby Brown.
August 30, 2007
DJ HASEBE featuring Sugar Soul / いとしさの中で
This is a song from Adore, Tokyo’s DJ Hasebe’s 1998 release. The vocals are done by his Sugar Soul bandmate, Aiko. It is my favorite Japanese song. The beginning of the video is actually another song from the CD, a six track e.p. that also featured Japanese rapper Zeebra and little known but incredibly talented American chanteuse, Adriana Evans.
August 30, 2007
DJ HASEBE featuring Sugar Soul / いとしさの中で
This is a song from Adore, Tokyo’s DJ Hasebe’s 1998 release. The vocals are done by his Sugar Soul bandmate, Aiko. It is my favorite Japanese song. The beginning of the video is actually another song from the CD, a six track e.p. that also featured Japanese rapper Zeebra and little known but incredibly talented American chanteuse, Adriana Evans.
Tokyo by night
August 29, 2007
Another of my many favs from flickr, Chris Kutschera took this beautiful picture in on of the many back alleys of Shinjuku in the the world’s coolest city, Tokyo.
This area of Shinjuku known as kabukicho is one of the oldest in Tokyo and dates back hundreds of years to the Edo period when Samurai and other travelers would stop here on their journey to and from Yokohama and Kyoto.
Don’t you just love the color saturation?
Changing Image of Beauty in Japan.
August 29, 2007Traditionally, Japanese women have found their beauty images in foreign markets. American and European actresses and models have graced print and t.v. ads as far back as the 1950s setting trends and beauty standards. Japan’s women have responded in kind by mimicking the women they saw in advertisements, changing their hair color from its natural black color to shades of brown and even blond, perming their hair and adopting western color palettes for their make up.
Japanese cosmetics company, Shiseido Co. provided them with something different, products designed especially for their skin texture, tone and hair type. Shisedo has long championed The beauty of Japanese women and now they’ve taken it one step further. The ads for their popular shampoo product, Tsubaki features famous Japanese women, not a new thing for Japan. I have seen ads and commercials there that showcase Japanese beauty.
However the extremely direct ad line, 日本の女性は美しい which translates to Japanese women are beautiful or lovely is what grabs your attention. This blunt approach is something completely new, even for Shiseido. In general, Japanese people are seldom so direct. Culturally, they go to some lengths not to offend, to be polite. Being blunt can sometimes be offensive. They leave that for us.
Over the last several years, Japanese people have been turning increasingly to their culture and history as a source of pride. last year it became hip to have natural hair and women all over Japan (my girlfriend included) were racing to the salons to restore their hair to its natural black and dark brown shades. Japanese band, Rin’ features three young women who play traditional Japanese stringed instruments and had an international hit in 2006 that featured Lisa Loeb on vocals. Additionally, young Nihonjin (Japanese people) are learning more about their history and taking up traditional Japanese skills like archery as hobbies.
Say It Loud, I’m Japanese and I’m proud.
Tsubaki has been a monster hit for Shiseido to the tune of ¥17,797,681,000 ($155 million). That kind of money tends to influence other companies as Proctor & Gamble are following suit in their Japanese ads that focus on Japanese aesthetics and beauty. Whatever.
The good thing that comes out of this is that women gain empowerment in a country that has pegged them as second class citizens for centuries. Now if only they’d pay women decent wages over there. Follow the links below to see more including the ads for Tsubaki on the shiseido site.
source: Yahoo!
Second Serving.
August 28, 2007 
Looking back on my life it is almost hard to believe how many things I’ve experienced. I mean, I’m still fairly young but I have up, I’ve been down and I’ve been every where in between. Growing up, a poor African-American from the south bronx, although I always dreamed big, I never expected to be afforded much in terms of opportunities. However, I found a great many opportunities in my life and win, lose or draw, I was full throttle, with all my chips in. As I said, I grew up poor, so what did I have to lose? I’d still be Black and poor so, hey… roll those dice and go for broke.
That was my mentality.More on that later. Being an African-American was sometimes rough in New York City. I know it was rough on other minorities, and women also, but my experience and perspective is that of a black male and as a black male that city can be a bitch. And not your ordinary bitch, I’m talking bitch on steroids.
Anyway, back to the life story/morality tale. The product of a broken home, I’d gotten into punk and new wave as a way of venting/expressing my angst, loneliness and frustration. Being a black punk rocker in the South Bronx only added to my angst, loneliness and frustration. When Mom – not understanding or wanting to put up with my ass anymore – gave me the boot at twenty, I headed downtown and met other like minded kids who introduced to nightlife. I loved it.
I re-christened myself Alan Sanctuary and started to build a name for myself, first as a doorman at underground bars and clubs in the East Village, L.E.S and Chelsea and then the infamous Limelight nightclub. I started DJing and then became a promoter and organizer myself. At one point you could definitely had made a case for me being one of New York City’s premiere organizers.
I was on the cover of a magazine with Moby, had worked for Deee-lite, was seeing movies with Bijou Philips, having dinner with Jamiroquai, entertaining Lenny Kravitz, throwing birthday parties for playmates, on first name basis with Depeche Mode, Tricky, Puff Daddy, John Singleton, John Forte and the like. I had dinner at Mos Def’s house with his entire family. Wesley Snipes called me at home to see what I was doing. I made up to $3000 a week. I was major.
I was featured in magazines and nightlife TV segments as far away Japan. Only the best DJs worked with me: Danny Tenaglia; Mark Ronson; Japanese superstar, DJ Kaori; Deep Dish; Jonathon Peters; the fabulous Jackie Christie; Doc Martin and Felix Da Housecat were only a scant, scant, scant few. At one point my events consistently drew people in the thousands. I could throw a party at anyplace I wanted to at anytime. Even former Mayor Guliani kept a very close eye on me. I got his attention by bringing 12,000 people to a warehouse in Queens one New Year’s Eve. He didn’t like that.
So how did I muck it all up? Tune in next time.
