31.3.13

B-T Data

B-T Data, a book published by the magazine CD Data in honor of Buck-Tick's 25th anniversary, has just been shipped.  Fans who ordered it through the fanclub received it with a special plastic slipcover, but even without the slipcover, it's a handsome book, paperbacked and pocket-sized, sturdy and portable.

As for the contents, it contains a small original photoshoot and a shall collection of photos from CD Data's archives, as well as photos of a selection of band goods, including staff passes, staff jerseys, and all the covers of all the issues of the Buck-Tick Club and Fish Tank newsletters.  However, there are actually relatively few pictures.  Most of the pages are taken up by long personal interviews with the band members, as well as interviewers with some of the key players in supporting Buck-Tick's professional existence over the years, including Yokoyama Kazutoshi, the keyboard player and programmer; Hayashi Wataru, the video director; Tanizaki Takayuki, the makeup artist; Yagi Tomoharu, the stylist and costumer; Sakaguchi Ken, the art director; and Akita Kazunori, the designer of many of the album covers, among other people.  I look forward to reading these interviews and I hope to post some highlights, though if you want a full translation, I'll require compensation.

But if you are wondering whether, as an overseas fan who doesn't speak Japanese, you should buy this book, my answer is, seriously, do not bother.  The appeal of this book is the text, not the photos.  The photos are nice but there are very few of them, get someone to scan them for you.  If you are primarily an Acchan fangirl, this advice goes double. There are no fanservice-type photos. You'd be wiser saving up your money for the forthcoming Yumemiru Uchuu live DVD.

Or better, yet, save it for a case of wine, and join us and the band in our alcoholism.  It's a known fact that everyone speaks Japanese better while drunk, even Japanese people.  In fact, a lot of them are too polite/shy/laconic to talk while sober. Especially the men.  That's why the getting-to-know you drinking party is an integral element of Japanese culture.  You don't truly know a man till you've gotten him drunk.  The Britons on here know what I'm talking about.  So too, no doubt, do the Australians, the Irish, and the Russians.

30.3.13

Cosmic Dreamer Tokyo Area Highlights

I've written a lot of live reports about this tour already, but I posted a new article about the highlights from the Tokyo area stops of the Cosmic Dreamer tour over at Not Greatest Site, so go check it out if you want to read about Sakurai's pre-birthday hissy fit.

Leave your comments here!  I love to hear your comments!  They give me the motivation to write more live reports!  So please comment, and perhaps Kim Kardashian will like you.

27.3.13

Alcoholism

Just to get the record straight.

The Buck-Tick members love getting wasted drunk.

So do the fans.

In fact, between them, they are responsible for a full third of the yearly alcohol consumption of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area.  Statistical fact!!!!11

It's also quite true that here in Japan, an alcoholic beverage called shochu is very popular.

It can be made with rice, barley, sweet potato, or in some cases, shiso leaf, or even weirder ingredients.

One of the most popular ways of serving shochu is mixing it with green or oolong tea.

We like to call it an "oolong highball," or "oonlong-hi" for short.

We drink it in fine bone china teacups.

So does Lady Gaga.





Now repeat after me: I AM TEA TOTAL.


25.3.13

Don't Stop Wining

An update from the Buck-Tick Vineyards, otherwise known as Imai's Winehouse.

The wine can be purchased here.

If you hire a shopping service or a Japanese person to buy it for you, you can buy it from overseas, too.  Be aware that drinking while underage is a crime and they won't sell it to you if you look less than a third of Acchan-sama's age.  Also you can't cancel the order once you place it so you had better really mean it.  Or send it to me, because I mean it.  The wine will be delivered to your supremely Epicurean doorstep sometime in April.  Devil, Angel, and Epicurean, let's go.

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The copy on the wine page reads:

"The Buck-Tick members have always enjoyed their wine.
This time, after a wine-tasting,
In which numerous options were presented to them,
All the members together selected and named these:
The red 'Diabolo,' the white 'L'Ange.'
The band members themselves selected the taste,
And produced the appearance of the label and the box
For this wine set, which is forever one-of-a-kind.
As fitting decoration for their 25th anniversary
We urge you to taste a drop of their world."

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Details on the wines:

Diabolo is a dry blend of Cabernet and Syrah, and is described as, "A beautiful deep garnet-color, almost black, this wine is redolent of violets and black fruits. Its rich, thick flavor leaves a beautiful, elegant, lingering finish."

L'Ange is a dry Chardonnay, and is described as, "Perfumed with scents of ripe peach and vanilla, this crisp Chardonnay has a gentle, rich and creamy touch.  Hand crafted with old-world aplomb from harvest to fermentation."

Both wines hail from Chile, and both are about 15% alcohol.

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Fun fact #1: Toll's favorite kind of wine is the kind of wine that comes in a box.  With a spout attached.  This wine does come in a box though so I guess it technically counts...

Fun fact #2: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has recently got her own wine production deal with Yellow Tail, for limited edition Kyary-brand Yellowtail Pink Moscato.  Who will win in the War of the Wines?  It remains to be seen.  But I can tell you that until a secret admirer sends me a case of Buck-Tick, I Cayce, will be drinking Kyary.

Fun fact #3: Cayce can't afford that damn wine but does own an awful lot of really cool red glasses.  More like, rose-colored glasses, I suppose. Or maybe, pink moscato colored glasses.

Fun fact #4: Pink moscato is Acchan's favorite color.  He'll be drinking Kyary too.

23.3.13

Dedicated to 451 kinds of wine

Two very important major announcements from Buck-Tick.

1) Video footage from the show "Dedicate to Gang 451" which took place at Zepp Namba on February 11, 2013, will be aired starting at 8PM on Fuji TV Next.  This show, which Buck-Tick headlined, also featured Kishidan, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, and Oreskaband, and was put together in memoriam of Kansai radio personality Yokoi Kunie, who passed away in 2006.  For those of you wondering why the number 451, well, it's a Japanese pun on Yokoi's name...4 can be pronounced "yo," 5 can be pronounced "go" (or in this case, "ko"), and 1 is "ichi" or "i," for short.  In fact, Cayce actually attended this show in the flesh yet failed to write a live report about it (sorry, sorry.)  

According to Show Ayanocozey of Kishidan, who told this story from the stage at the event itself, Yokoi is the man who first introduced him to Sakurai Atsushi via telephone.  Apparently, Yokoi called up Buck-Tick and just held out the phone to Show saying, "what are you scared of, just talk to them."  They way he tells it, Show was quaking in his boots and totally unprepared, but when he finally worked up the guts to speak into the phone, Sakurai was on there and said "sex" in a really sexy voice.  Wait, I lied, he just said "hello" in his normal voice but Show heard something different because, folks, this is how heterosexual men normally respond to Atsushi Sakurai while talking on the phone.  In any case, Yokoi was a great man, one of a kind, a terrible loss to the musical community, sorely missed, and they put together this show in his honor.

Sakurai's words on the subject, at the closing of Buck-Tick's set, right before performing "Yumemiru Uchuu":

Sakurai: "It's lonely."

Fans: "WHAT'S LONELY ACCHAN WE R NEVER LONELY WITH U!!!!!"

Sakurai: "To die, I mean."

Fans: "........."

Sakurai: "But we're still alive.  So!"

P.S. For all the Blog-Tick readers who couldn't attend the show. Meaning absolutely all of y'all, except one person.  That one lone Blog-Tick reader who went to this show would like you to know.  At the end of "Climax Together," Sakurai turned his back on the audience, and touched his own butt.  Kind of, like, you know, sensually.  And stuff.  This has been a public service announcement.  The end.

2) Buck-Tick will soon be taking reservations on very expensive OFFICIAL BUCK-TICK WINE.  In case you didn't spend enough following the entire Yumemiru Uchuu tour around the country (I'm looking at you, and you, and you, Blog-Tickers.  You know who you are.  You know you can't afford that wine.)  It costs 15750 YEN.  It comes in a fancy box.  It comes with pictures of Toll's hair, Imai's hair, Hidehiko's ultra-sexy mole, and Sakurai's hat drinking wine together, but it still costs 15750 YEN.  Reservations will open on Monday, March 25th, on a site linked from the BT official site.  The wine will be limited to 1000 cases, and it's called DIABOLO red and L'ANGE white.  I bet you didn't know that L'ANGE was the working title of Tenshi no Revolver.  Well now you know!  Don't whine at the messenger.

P.S. If you're a secret admirer, buy a case for Cayce.  Y'know, just in case.

P.P.S. Some Buck-Tick lyrics about wine.

Dokudanjou Beauty
"We have wine and roses and cigarettes
Makes me laugh to see it"

Doll
"I see myself reflected in your eyes
Crown you with a tiara
To match your corset the color of wine"

Kuchizuke
"No, no, we'll never return
Yet, it's fine that way
Gazing, staring into the midnight
Drinking down the blood red wine"

Cain
"Wine overflowing
Cain is lamenting
And we're drunk
You and I
At midnight"

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Yep, pretty much.  'Night peepz.

22.3.13

Like Button

VIRTUAL LIKE BUTTON ALERT.

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Post a comment that says "[your name] likes this" if you like this.

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13.3.13

Dreamy Cosmic Pictures

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Photos from the Cosmic Dreamer Tour.  Live report coming soon.

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Okinawa Namura Hall


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Like it says.


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Detail on a door inside Tokyo Dome City Hall.


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Like it says.


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To Buck-Tick, from Morrie.  Morrie to Acchan: "My birthday was first."


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From Genet and Yukino, of Auto-Mod, directly to "Acchan."  Genet, on his blog: "It takes a lot for starving indie rockers like us to put a big stand bouquet up next to all these loaded major label bands.  Normally we can only afford to do this once a year!  If it hadn't been for Twitter I'd never have known it was Acchan's birthday, Anii never told me..."


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The Nihon Seinenkan (Japan Youth Hall), where Buck-Tick performed their major debut live 25 years ago. This is where "We Love All," the charity live in honor of 3-11 was held.


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Tower Records Display for the release of the On Parade DVD.  This is one of their best live films of all time, in my opinion.  It's much better on DVD than on YouTube.  Even if you don't normally buy DVDs, I recommend this one very, very highly.  The quality of the film, the quality of the performance, and the quality of the sound are all exceptional.  No video can capture the experience of what it was like to actually be there, but this does an admirable job of trying.


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4.3.13

Priceless Quotes from Mr. Sakurai

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Spoken at the past four gigs, at Akasaka Blitz and Tokyo Dome (City Hall) respectively.

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Akasaka Blitz, Day 1, prior to "Elise":

Mr. Sakurai: "What do you want?"

Fans: Kyaaaaaa~~~~!!!!

Mr. Sakurai: "What do you want?"

Fans: Kyaaaaaa~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

Mr. Sakurai: "Do you want this?" *points to heart*

Fans: Kyaaaaaa~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111  Acchan!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Sakurai: "No...I think you want....THIS!" *points to (you can guess where)*

Fans: ACCHAN-CHAN-SAMA-CHAN!!!!

Mr. Sakurai: "SEX SHIYOU ZE!"

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(prior to "Miss Take")

(Sakurai pauses to retreat to the back of the stage, turn his back to the audience, open his pants, and copiously re-adjust their contents while the audience looks on and sees nothing.)

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Akasaka Blitz, Day 2 (Sakurai appears onstage with a deeply bloodshot eye.)

Mr. Sakurai: ".................................................................
.................................................................................................ahh."

(fans wait with bated breath)

(Sakurai says nothing more)

*song starts*

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Mr. Sakurai: "................................"

Fans: "ACCHAN!!!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: ".........I didn't think of anything to say today.  Should I have?"

Fans: "ACCHAN-CHAN!!!!!111"

Mr. Sakurai: "As long as your'e enjoying this that's all that matters right?"

Fans: "ACCHAN-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111111"

Mr. Sakurai: "Why don't you cheer for Anii, eh?"

Fans: "ANIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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Mr. Sakurai: "............."

Individual fangirl: "Acchan, ganbare!"

Mr. Sakurai: "Oh I am.  You don't know how much."

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Tokyo Dome City Hall, Day One (following Baby, I want you)

Mr. Sakurai: "Baby, I want you!"

Fans: "Baby, I want you!!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "Baby, I want you!!!!"

Fans: "Baby, I want you!!!!111"

Mr. Sakurai: "Baby, I want you!!!!"

Fans: "BABY AI WANCHUUU!!!"

*music stops*

Mr. Sakurai: "Baby, I want.....................sex."

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Mr. Sakurai: "Tokyo Dome City Hall, eh!  We've never played this venue before.  It's nice, isn't it?  It's fresh.  Of course...there was once a time when we played the Tokyo Dome..............right over there, you know.  And now...we're here.  How time passes."

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Mr. Sakurai: "LOVE!"

Fans: "KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!~!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "LOVE!!"

Fans: "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "You know why it's not love you?"

Fans: "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "I bet you don't know."

Fans: "TELL US THEN!"

Mr. Sakurai: "Because, you should learn to love yourselves."

Fans: "We HEART UUUUU!!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "Not love you.  Love...........ME!!!!"

*band plays "Love Me"*

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Tokyo Dome City Hall, Day Two (prior to "Lady Skeleton")

Mr. Sakurai: "Fuck me, Lady Skeleton!"

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(prior to "Elise")

Mr. Sakurai: "It's getting hot in here."

Fans: "ATSU!!!!!!!!!!!" (lol for those of you who get that dumb joke.)

Mr. Sakurai: "This is getting hot too!" *grabs (you can guess where)*

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(prior to Miss Take)

(Sakurai pauses to retreat to the back of the stage, turn his back to the audience, open his pants, and copiously re-adjust their contents while the audience looks on and sees nothing.  This feels like deja vu.)

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Mr. Sakurai: "This tour just goes on and on.  But at last the end is in sight."

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Mr. Sakurai: "Not that I have anything against touring.  Now I feel kind of lonely."

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(prior to Kimi no Vanilla)

Mr. Sakurai: "SEX!"

Fans: "...........................kyaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

Mr. Sakurai: "Sex sex sex!"

*song starts*

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*song ends*

Mr. Sakurai: "............sex."

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Ganbare Mr. Sakurai.

The End.