The Lady Spade!

So, it's been a few days since my previous entry, and for that I am sorry.

Well, maybe not sorry, but I do feel like I'm slacking.

Alright, not really slacking, more like just takin' her easy.

Okay, I'm straight up "lazy" and that's all there is to it.

So...what's happened in the last few days that deserves to be re-constituted digitally here-in? What epic moments have come to pass that demand to be shared with those who would most likely appreciate them? What most glorious occurrences have transpired which must be communicated unto you?

I dunno...I bought some bananas.

And guess what?

They're amazing.

Yes. Amazing.

After being here around 11 days and feeling like an outsider, something as simple as a banana can really help make me feel at home. Maybe I was lacking potassium.

In other news,

Moja was an awesome show. The band played in the middle of the floor instead of on the stage...these guys were bad-ass. Don't have a photo for yah, sorry...they're on the Mac computer.

But, the next day we had a crazy time filming the interview and show for The Lady Spade!

Here's a photo I snapped of them after the interview...and yes, they are as amazing as they look:

So with press passes in hand we saw their show which looked something like this:

Buckets of fun. They were straight out of a spy movie. Maybe James Bond? Maybe Austin Powers...hard to tell. Either way, it was a well choreographed 40 minutes of entertainment.

This was a whole different side of "underground" music in Tokyo, and was definitely a fun change of pace. After their set, there was a great set by an 8-bit band, who use sounds and tones from the Atari/Nintendo systems...they were called Sexy Synthesizer, and merged these old-school sounds with really awesome house beats.

I'm not a dancer. I mean, I can swing my hips like the next guy, but I don't go looking for the dance-floor. In any case, this music had me bopping around. I felt like I was the video game character, bopping around in a crazy dance hall of like-minded people. Wacky.

Ok...so what else has happened?

I went for a jog the other day, and ran from my place to Yoyogi Park, but when I got there, a policeman/guard said I wasn't allowed to jog in the park. What's the deal? I asked the guy "Where can I jog", but "No jogging in park" was all he said...

So I went for a walk instead.

And I discovered that the park had a large section that was part of a sacred area called the Meiji-Jingu Shrine. So I went and checked it out...again no photos...(I was jogging, lay off)...but it was a really cool spot. Large wooden gates opened onto a cobblestone courtyard. At the end there were stairs that led up to an alter where Japanese people where praying. I'll be going back at some point, and I'll bring the camera.

So since then, a few days have passed.

We've had 2 days off, and have watched about 7-8 hour long tapes, taking notes etc. Some great footage coming out. We'll be posting short edited excerpts on Youtube as we finish them. The first one coming is The Lady Spade, so you're in luck.

Also, we've put the Schmook Chronicles on the back burner. We've shot most of the pilot, but are holding off on following episodes for now. Got a bit too much on the plate as they say.

Anyways, big day tomorrow. 2 interviews, and we're filming Henry Tennis in the studio. Should be a good one. More photos a'comin'.

Until next time!

Ian-san

P.S. - Eric and I have been talking about recording an a-cappella album while we're here...stay posted.

P.P.S. - Here's a food collage I made: