Tokyo Trawler//special (vol.1): Got Faded Japan Interview

Welcome to the first edition of Tokyo Trawler//special, a new section of the blog which features extended interviews with especially productive Tokyoites, namely bloggers, podcasters, artists, musicians and other weirdos... In contrast to the regular 'Video Interviews', //special will feature an extended interview and questions about the interviewee's activities and work in Japan.

Vol. 1 features Tokyo's Got Faded Japan bloggers, 'zine producers and podcasters, Johnny and Shank. Coming from a skate and BMX background, these US natives have made it their business to dig out the weird, wonderful, and just plain f***ed up news from Japan and the rest of Asia. Never shy of a drink or two, these guys' blog, podcast and 'zine are all full of wit, fun and comment on the darker side of Japanese culture. Well worth a look. Here's the info:

Blog/Main site: www.GotFadedJapan.com
iTunes search: Got Faded Japan

Tokyo Trawler Recommedation #17 (28/10/10)

Artist: The Cure

Tune: Cut Here

Record: Greatest Hits (2001)
 

Category: Keep the bathroom cabinet locked

Having a distinctive* voice and a distinctive sound, and not becoming engulfed* by cries of "they're songs all sound the same!", is no mean feat*. Well, The Cure have, over the years, mastered the balance, and on Cut Here, they play to their strengths. Whilst both lyrically and vocally, this song is nothing short of being heartfelt* and melancholy*, the playful, almost sugar-coated guitar and keyboard combination refuses, in triumphant*, paradoxical* fashion, to bow to the weight of vocalist Robert Smith's loaded words. A song with a wide-ranging appeal, and spanning* a number of genres, a tale of regret has never tasted this sweet.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: A perfectly balanced sweet and sour diet. 

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: distinctive, to engulf, no mean feat, heartfelt, melancholy, triumphant, paradoxical, to span (動詞)

Cut Here URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sKWrpaEw0k

Video Interviews, Ikebukuro (#10)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Demian, USA

Artist: The Damage Manual

Tune: Sunset Gun

Record: The Damage Manual (2000)

Demian's essential rating: 5/5

Demian's Message to the People: "Check out TokyoTrawler.com, Dystopiaq.com and TokyoAnaba.com"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

"A mish-mash* of that kind of the electronic, grungy* electronic, analogue syth, digital syth with the rock", is how Demian described this song, and, despite sounding like the kind of crap* you get when you use a free internet translator, it has, upon listening to this tune, proven to be quite an accurate description*. Whilst this is certainly a 'grimy'* number, the layering* and production has the sort of precision* you might expect from something coming out of the so-called 'industrial' genre. With an utterly* infectious* guitar riff, this lyrically dark effort is the sort of song that has clearly influenced younger bands of more mainstream* backgrounds*.

Category: A frowny-faced, head-boppin' street strutter

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: A song only fully appreciated when playing air guitar on your spanner.

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: mish-mash, grunge, crap, description, grimy, layer, precision, utterly, infectious (3), mainstream (2), background (3)

Sunset Gun URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmoVIKDlZS8

Video Diary2

Latest Tokyo Trawler News etc...

News of the new type of Tokyo Trawler interview, featuring interviews with interesting characters across Tokyo and Japan about their work. First up, and coming soon, is an interview with the guys from Got Faded Japan (podcast and blog). Check out their site, and their podcast, for an interesting, and rather different look at the news from Japan and across the world. Well worth a visit, and pretty damn funny.