26.9.12

Yumemiru Uchuu lyrics

Translations of all the lyrics for the songs on Yumemiru Uchuu are now up on Not Greatest Site, so hasten over to inspect them!

Feel free to comment here on which ones are your favorites.  As always, please keep your comments constructive and concise.  I reserve the absolute right not to publish essays or haterade.  Or anything about your personal dislike of your precious sad Byronic hero Acchan's use of the word "Baby."  Because, if he called you "Baby" to your face, I daresay you'd enjoy it.

However, I will publish all comments that include scatting.  Shoobie doobie doobie do DAH.

24.9.12

Parade Day 2

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Mobile phone cameras take terrible photos in the rain, in the dark.

Yes, Buck-Tick played a different set list than last night, and yes there were fireworks.

Yes, unfortunately Mr. Imai joined Pay Money to My Pain to play some sort of attempt at a cover of "love letter."

No, Mr. Sakurai did not participate in any guest sessions.

Yes, N'Shukugawa Boys were surprisingly fresh and funny.

Yes, Dir en grey's Die was a special guest guitarist of D'erlanger, and there was a makeout scene.

No, the makeout scene did not involve Sakurai.

Yes, we got to see Messrs. Imai and Higuchi cosplay members of the Polysics.

No, I have not written a live report yet, but I will as soon as I can, so wait patiently.

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23.9.12

Parade Fest Day 1




And tomorrow it continues...

21.9.12

Buck-Tick Movie

It has been announced that in honor of Buck-Tick's 25th anniversary, a (feature?) film about the band's history will be released in 2013 and screened in (selected?) theaters.  

Right now that's just about all the information they're giving us.

Oh yeah, and the movie will be starring Johnny Depp.  With a soundtrack by Radiohead and Justin Bieber.

Official web page here.

18.9.12

Yumemiru Uchuu Displays

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Yumemiru Uchuu display in Tower Records Shibuya.

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Yumemiru Uchuu display in Tsutaya Shibuya.  This one was giving out free Buck-Tick fans, too (get it?  Buck-Tick fans?  Get it?)

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Lyrics translations will be forthcoming.

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NicoNico Buck-Tick Cafe, Part 2

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Thusly did Blog-Tick and friends brave the NicoNico Buck-Tick Cafe.


There were many creepy BuckNicos to be found.


The black mannequins somehow did not look quite as saxxy as the band members themselves did.


Detail of Yutaka's bass-inspired lapel.


Detail of the hot glue stains on Imai's amazing gold pants.



Django the Dazzler, in the flesh.


Acchan 4 U.


Hide's jacket.


A table at which one could theoretically sit and eat that horrific-looking curry.  No one was eating it while we were there.


The Buck-Tick fan Wall of Love!  Anyone could draw or leave messages on the wall.


This drawing of Mr. Sakurai strangely resembles the vocalist of now-defunct Buck-Tick copyband B-T-K.


But this one of Yutaka is darling.


Buck-Tick cats are much better than NicoTubby Bucks.


And look!  A raptor on a velociraptor!  Someone must be thinking along the same lines we do!  I should buy them a beer!  For those of you who can't read Japanese, the caption says something like "Give me more Inter Raptor!!"


Buck-Tick purikura, where you could take a picture next to your favorite band member (virtually.)


The third-floor shop was sadly devoid of most of the colors of the Parade t-shirt, but full of NicoBucks.  No one was buying the t-shirts but they were sold out of the towel.  Full marks to the purikura, though.  It isn't often you can take purikura with a virtual Toll.

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17.9.12

Sax For You


Fanarts


I dunno who drew this, but it's a pretty sweet pictorial rendering of Toll's 50th Birthday gig (though the artist appears to have made off with Issay's clothing.  He never stripped at that gig, ok?)  But, no doubt Genet would be delighted to see himself depicted so slim and muscular as this picture makes him look...almost like those years of ramen have all disappeared!  And Chuuya looks exactly like that in real life...especially the hanging upside down from the ceiling part.  How could the artist have known?


And, a pictorial rendering of the infamous "Masquerade" performance.  Almost like one of those drawings of high-profile criminal trials where they don't allow cameras in the courtroom.  I'd never post something like this, only it was drawn by a fan who attended the show and it's so accurate it might as well be photography.  Here on Blog-Tick we're dedicated to serious journalism, you know, the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so, I'ma let it stand.

14.9.12

Buck-Tick Bus

There will be a Buck-Tick bus driving around Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku and Roppongi all next week.  See if you can spot it!  Send your best photos of it to me and I'll post them on Blog-Tick!

12.9.12

NicoNico Buck-Tick Cafe

From September 15th to September 21st, a special popup Buck-Tick theme cafe will be opening at the NicoVideo headquarters in Harajuku.  The second floor will feature an exhibit of the band members' stage costumes, as well as live videos, photos and other "precious items"...no word on what those may be but in the mean time let's allow our imaginations to run completely wild and amok.

Meanwhile, the shop on the third floor will be stuffed to the gills with Buck-Tick crap for sale, including all 25 colors of the Parade Festival t-shirt, as well as a special NicoVideo x Buck-Tick collaboration t-shirt featuring the band members transformed into the NicoVideo mascot/logo, which kind of looks like a cute-ified cross between a Teletubby and Mike The TV from Reboot (if you liked Reboot, I REQUIRE you to post a comment about it!)  There will also be a NicoTick collaborative towel on sale.  I suppose these NicoTick band members are less creepy than the Dokudanjo Voodoo dolls, but...somehow I still don't really like the image of Toll as a cartoon TV screen with a mohawk.

But!  If miniature TV anthropomorphized TV screens cosplaying the Buck-Tick members don't float your boat, you can go back to the second floor where there is really, literally going to be a Buck-Tick cafe, serving "Aku no Karei," a special black curry, described on the NicoVideo web page as being "made in Buck-Tick's wild image, but not as evil as its name suggests, with a mild flavor."  The title, "Aku no Karei" is an untranslatable kanji pun on Aku no Hana.  The first kanji of "Karei" is the same kanji as the "hana" in "Aku no Hana."  The word "karei" means "magnificence," but it sounds the same as, well, curry.  Lul.  

The Buck-Tick cafe will also be serving a harusame noodle salad "loosely based on one of Mr. Imai's favorite Thai recipes."  Drinks-wise, the cafe will be serving two original cocktails: the "Aka Ai-Ai" ("Red Eye-Eye") which is a pun on the traditional cocktail Red Eye (beer with tomato juice) and Imai's favorite red curlicue guitar, Aka-Maimai; and the Shandy-BUCK, which is a pun on a Shandy Back (beer with ginger ale) only they spelled it BUCK, like Buck-Tick...get it?  Get it?  Get it guys?  

P.S. Even though Imai would fall asleep against the wall at a party before he'd drink non-alcoholic beer, both these cocktails use non-alcoholic beer.  Probably because NicoVideo doesn't have a liquour license, but still.  Guys, this is Buck-Tick.  They drink champagne in the morning and call it breakfast.  Let's try a little harder next time.

But wait, there's more!  If the non-alcoholic cocktails don't tickle your pickle enough, there is also a Buck-Tick-themed purikura machine, with seven original NicoTick frames to terrify you forever more.  No word on whether taking photos of yourself inside the magic Buck-Tick purikura machine will make you look more like Acchan, but fanboys, you can always hope.  Everyone knows the hottest BT fangirls only date Acchan lookalikes.

In addition to all these ongoing celebrations, there will also be two special events held at the cafe.  Fans who reserve copies of Yumemiru Uchuu at the third floor shop will have a chance to win a ticket to a Yumemiru Uchuu listening party on September 17th, at which you'll be able to listen to the whole album a whole day ahead of everyone else, surrounded by hot fangirls and their Acchan-lookalike fanboyfriends, while drinking still more original non-alcoholic cocktails.  They will also give you a free Buck-Tick poster and a free Buck-Tick fan (get it?  A Buck-Tick fan?  Get it?)

The second special even will be a Buck-Tick karaoke party, to be held on September 21st. Details of the party will be released on the 25-hour Buck-Tick special program, to be aired on NicoVideo starting at 8PM, September 20th, Japan time.  If you think this is cutting it a little fine to announce details of a party the next day, you're right!  And if you think that it would be hard to watch Buck-Tick over the internet for a whole 25 hours, you're also right!  But for those of you who can manage, the program will feature explanations of the songs on the new album by all the band members, as well as lots of old live footage, pre-festival comments, and maybe, if you're lucky, Toll playing drums in a bikini with a bunch of bananas on his head.  If you're lucky, that is.  But you better watch all 25 hours, or you might miss it!

Anyway, for once, I did not make any of this up.  It's all right there on NicoVideo's website.  Including the part about Toll in the bikini.

Incidentally, one of Cayce's friends is a Buck-Tick fan who owns a bar, and serves original Buck-Tick themed cocktails which actually contain alcohol.  Predictably, the most popular is the "Sakurai Atsushi"--it's a shot of Jack Daniel's and a dash of rose liqueur, served in a whiskey glass, on the rocks.  If you like your Acchan young and covered in lipstick like in the "Dress" PV, add more rose.  If you like him older and well-seasoned, add more whiskey.  I warn you underage fangirls, though, this cocktail is likely to waste you.  Or rather, make you wasted.  Really really wasted.  But, it will do so sweetly and gently.  And I know that's your heart's desire.  So drink up.

P.S. The "Imai Hisashi" is a shot of Pernod and a glass of soda water, in two separate glasses.  Mix them together and see what happens!  It's exciting.  As exciting as Imai's hair of many colors.  

P.P.S. The "Yagami Toll" is a paper Coca-Cola cup full of white Franzia box wine.

9.9.12

William Gibson Overdrive

Just a few days ago, Not Greatest Site's own Kame had the privilege of meeting the Prophet William Gibson in person.  Loath to let such a major chance go to waste, she presented him with her copy of Buck-Tick's album Mona Lisa Overdrive.

"Have you seen this?" she asked.

"Yeah, some people on the internet showed it to me a few times...it's cool to see it in person," said Gibson.

"Do you know the band?" Kame asked.

"Not really," said Gibson.  "Want me to sign it for you?"

"Yes, please," said Kame.

So Gibson signed it.



And guys, if you haven't read anything by Gibson...fix that.  Like right now.

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8.9.12

Let's Enjoy Please

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Special thanks to Juli for making this video.



Sorry, Sakurai...we know your real English skillz are way better than this, and you're a lovely person even if they aren't...but...mockery is what Blog-Tick does best, so...let's enjoy pleez.







Bonus points: look at the faces of the other band members while Sakurai talks.

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7.9.12

Drummers and Raptors, Part 2

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This.










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Click to enlarge.

I take no credit for this, this is all Randall Munroe.

It was published on Wednesday, so we must be sharing a brainwave here.

Go look at more of his work over at XKCD.

1.9.12

Drummers and Raptors

A live report of Yagami Toll's 50th Birthday Live is now up over at NGS, so if you are interested, please go read it. 

Also,there has been a marathon showing of the Jurassic Park movies on Japanese TV for three subsequent nights.  Cayce doesn't have a television, but nonetheless somehow managed to catch movies one and three at two different rock-n-roll bars.  But then, I suppose that's to be expected, because rock-n-roll and velociraptors have always gone hand in hand.  And speaking of raptors, in the most recent Fool's Mate interview with Buck-Tick, Sakurai and Imai explain the origins of the title "INTER RAPTOR".  Believe it or not, Sakurai came up with this title.  The meaning is very symbolic, so perhaps I will translate a section of the interview and let him explain it for himself.  But, he's referring to raptors as in, birds of prey.  Not velociraptors, unfortunately...though come to think of it, modern day birds of prey are basically direct descendents of velociraptors, so it all works out.  So the intelligent world believes, at least.  Unless you are a believer in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, in which case, Amen.  Imai doesn't know the world "interruptor."

Also, it looks like we're in for some Buck-Tick style surf rock and rockabilly.  Put on your dancing shoes and aloha shirt in anticipation of "Ningyo -Mermaid-" and "LADY SKELETON."

Also, Imai's section of the interview is entitled "Entrance of Space."  Is it just me or does that sound mighty kinky?