Idoru, Part 2

Everyone has influences, and it's not a bad thing. Just like evolution, art builds on what came before it.

In the case of Buck-Tick, they were built on Murphy's law: Ashes to Ashes, fun to funky. As shown in the following screen captures.

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Peter Murphy sexually harrasses Daniel Ash on stage

And...Sakurai Atsushi sexually harrasses Imai Hisashi on stage

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Daniel Ash shows off his guitar skills while crouched down on the floor

And...Imai Hisashi shows off HIS guitar skills while crouched down on the floor!

But please don't accuse Buck-Tick of copying Bauhaus.

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After all, there's Peter Murphy's thong to consider.

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Idoru

This is Atsushi, from the group EXILE. Right now he's one of Japan's most popular male idols.

Atsushi says, "Bitches love my haircut, and if they don't, they're fuckin' skanks."

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This is Sakurai Sho, from the Johnny's group Arashi. Right now he may just be the very most popular male idol in all of Japan.

Sakurai Sho wants you to know that having a pierced belly button does not make him gay, even though he seems to have taken out his infamous belly button ring for this photo. Incidentally, the writing on his chest says, "A Man's Body."

Funny they should call him a man, because to me he's always looked like a bratty little boy.

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Anyhow, these are some badges I found in a novelty shop down a back street in Harajuku.

Buck-Tick fangirls always get the last laugh.

Also, the lady at the artisanal bakery in the basement under Chanel got really excited about my Memento Mori tour bag while she was wrapping up my chocolate croissants. When she pointed and exclaimed, "Buck-Tick!" I wondered for a paranoid second if I'd somehow accidentally written B-T on my face in eyeliner before leaving the house, but then I remembered I was carrying the tour bag, and breathed a sigh of relief.

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Tour Announcements

By rights I shouldn't be posting this seeing as it's "Fish Tank classified" info, but if I'm not a muckraker I surely am Buck-Tick's closest thing to a dedicated tabloid writer, so I'ma post it anyway.

*drumroll*

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Buck-Tick at the Night Side 2012

Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo, Hibiya Park, Tokyo

Tickets: 6900 yen + fees

You get a special present if you go to both shows.

June 9th, 2012 -Fish Tanker's Only- (open 17:00/start 18:00)

June 10th, 2012 (open 16:30/start 17:30)

If it rains, the show will go on. If there's a crazy-ass typhoon or some shit, the show will be cancelled. General ticket sales begin May 26th.

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Buck-Tick Tour Parade 2012

Tickets: 6500 yen + 1 drink and fees

June 17th (Sun) at Zepp Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture

(open 17:00/start 18:00)

June 24th (Sun) at Zepp Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture

(open 17:00/start 18:00)

June 26th (Tue) at Namba Hatch, Osaka Prefecture

(open 18:00/start 19:00)

June 30th (Sat) at Zepp Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture

(open 17:00/start 18:00)

July 4th (Wed) at Yokohama Blitz, Kanagawa Prefecture

(open 18:00/start 19:00)

July 6th (Fri) at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture

(open 18:00/start 19:00)

July 7th (Sat) at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture

(open 17:00/start 18:00)

Why has Zepp Tokyo been renamed Zepp DiverCity Tokyo? No fucking idea, but if you get the chance tell them it's a stupid name.

Special guests will be performing with Buck-Tick on this tour, so stay tuned! Fish Tank advanced reservations are for first-floor standing room only. General ticket sales begin May 26th.

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Buck-Tick Fest 2012 On Parade

September 22nd & 23rd at Chiba Port Park

Single-day pass: 8919 yen + fees

Two-day pass: 17000 yen + slightly cheaper fees

Open - 12:00 pm

Start - 13:30 pm

End - 19:30 pm

None of the performers besides Buck-Tick have yet been announced. Tickets are all standing and children under five years old will not be allowed in. If it rains, the show will go on. If there's a crazy-ass typhoon or some shit, the show will be cancelled. General ticket sales begin July 14th.

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Fish Tank members can reserve tickets for all three events between March 31st and April 9th, and the reservation period ends at 2pm Japan time just FYI. There will surely be another round of ticket reservations, though.

Have a Brilliant Future for Future

Whatever punk uploaded this video disabled embedding, so you'll just have to click on the link to find out what it is.

They didn't even have much of a fan following back then.

Sakurai (or should I say, "Vocal Devil Man") had just switched from drums to vocals.

Perhaps the one and only video still out there of "Vaccum Dream" being performed live.

Also, though we know Vocal Devil Man's vocal devil technique will get a lot better in his brilliant future for future, note that Mr. Higuchi already can play a pretty mean bass guitar.

But they totally fall to pieces on "Plastic Syndrome."

In so many ways, this is amazing.

And NO snarky comments, I mean it (looking at you Angel Tears.) This is history.

The Big One

This is it...the one you've all been waiting for!

Buck-Tick's new label management aren't complete idiots in the realm of PR after all, because they have announced that, instead of just taking the DIQ 2011 videos off YouTube to be annoying, they did it because they'll be releasing a live DVD Day in Question 2011. You can all throw your hats in the air and jump for joy.

The new DVD will be released on May 23rd. The special edition will cost 9975 yen and contain two DVDs, one with all 18 songs from the main set, plus six encore songs, and another with special bonus footage. The package will also contain two CDs with live tracks, as well as the requisite special box and 64 page photobook containing photos of Toll looking awesome and Sakurai looking like the totally un-photogenic unfortunate he is. The regular edition DVD will cost 5250 yen and contain only one DVD disc with the 18 songs from the main set plus the 8 encore songs. There will also be a Blu-Ray release of the regular edition, available for 6825 yen. These will be Buck-Tick's first live video releases from Lingua Sounda.

The set list is as follows:

01. HURRY UP MODE

02. SEXUAL×××××！

03. PHYSICAL NEUROSE

04. ANGELIC CONVERSATION

05. 悪の華

06. さくら

07. JUPITER

08. die

09. love letter

10. idol

11. MY FUCKIN’ VALENTINE

12. Baby, I want you.

13. 極東より愛を込めて

14. GIRL

15. ROMANCE

16. Alice in Wonder Underground

17. Memento mori

18. 独壇場Beauty -R.I.P.-

-Encore-

19. ･･･IN HEAVEN･･･

20. MOON LIGHT

21. 夢魔-The Nightmare

22. DIABOLO

23. JUST ONE MORE KISS

24. COSMOS

But wait, there's more!

On May 23rd, through Lingua Sounda, Buck-Tick will also release a new single entitled "Eriize no Tame ni" ("For Elise"). Because those m-f's are tricky bastards, the new single will also be available in a first press and regular edition. The first press edition will cost 2500 yen and contain two CDs, one with the single and b-side tracks, and one with live tracks from the Day in Question 2011 concert held at Zepp Sendai. The DVD will contain the PV for "Eriize no Tame ni." The regular edition of the single will cost 1260 yen and will contain only one CD with the single and the two b-sides.

The track list for the single is as follows:

1. Eriize no Tame ni

2. Yumemiru Uchuu

3. SANE -type II-

And I would be willing to bet a decent number of beans that the title track of that single was written single-handedly by Imai and the second track is the work of Sakurai and Hoshino. Just smells that way to me. But I could be wrong.

Anyhoo, save your pennies.

Happy Birthdays and stuff...

Happy birthday and stuff, to Mr. Sakurai.

Raise your hands if you wish it was you eating that cake instead of him.

Raise your hands if he's at least twice your age now.

Raise your hands if you wish Blog-Tick were a macros blog instead of serious journalism.