siiittin' in the raaaaain

we weren't on our A-game today but it was fun anyway.

also shoutout: hey white girls who came out tonight, you rock!

new photo set

whee〜

yay low

Dekiagari〜

珍眼布、瓦斯燐寸

New stuff on sale〜

Updates

There's a nice two-page spread of Chemical Pictures in this month's Shoxx.

In it we announce tons of lives, our sponsored event on 7/20, and our One-man in September that will culminate our 5 consecutive singles.

There are also 5 people visible, which means that yes, we finally have a new guitarist.

He was going to debut with us this weekend, but he was hospitalized yesterday.

Things are going to be okay, but we'll still be playing as a 4-piece for now.

Here are our shows:

4/23 Ikebukuro Black Hole

4/24 Yokohama Dragon Club

4/29 Ikebukuro Black Hole

4/30 Shibuya O-West

5/6 Takadanobaba Area

5/15 Takadanobaba Area

5/21 Shibuya O-East

5/29 Esaka Muse

5/30 Nagoya Electric Lady Land

6/3 Takadanobaba Area

6/12-13 Seoul Live club SSAM, Korea

6/23 Takadanobaba Area

7/3 Omotesando Fab

7/10 Nagoya Heartland Studio

7/11 Shinsaibashi FanJ-Twice

9/17 Shibuya O-West ONEMAN

#2

Recording is done!

Thanks to Cryptomayhem for pointing it out, but the first single in our campaign is up for pre-order on cdjapan!

Also keep an eye out in Shoxx maybe?!?!


help us sell out because we're not with a jimusho right now D:

Fukkatsu

Recording is going ahead of schedule.

Yesterday I put down piano and synth tracks, and today I put in my vocal parts. As of today, all guitars are done, and tomorrow we finish up vocals. Then mixing, I suppose.

Recording is my favorite part of bandness, honestly.

Happy Easter!

what

We're on a tight schedule today and yet the guy in charge of the place we rented out isn't here yet.

We'll be getting an extra hour or two of service in exchange, I trust.

Just frustrating when you're up at 4am and now standing in the middle of Ikebukuro in the rain in full costume and makeup!

Still, this shoot should be cool.

Shiun and I laid down bass and drums for 5 songs yesterday in around 6 hours.

basically we are over-rehearsed :-*

Shigatsu Tsuitachi

Almost ready to hole up in the studio for the day.

Planning hasn't gone as smoothly as I'd have liked, but that's what happens when you decide to record 20 or so songs and release them in bursts over the next half year or so.

Remember how I've been saying that there's lots going on, but not much I can write about?

I've been given the go-ahead to exclusively let you guys know.

Later on in the year, I'm launching a solo project and we're going major.

For those of you who find this hard to believe, I'll just say that the Korean shows are a jumping-off point for a much, much wider tour...that's all I can say for now! Maybe just an Asian tour...

Or a European tour...

Or a world tour...

Lately I've been trying so hard not to spill anything and I'm kinda proud of myself that I was able to keep my mouth shut for so long!

See you when I get to the studio. :)

check

Final check; recording starts tomorrow!

whoops

forgot the pictures!

hmm

That sure was a live...

Not great. New outfits always throw you off the first time. And the stagehands were frustratingly inattentive.

But the crowd was great so who cares really :D

The contacts are new too; from 9mm Sfx in the US. Pricey but look great. Theyre much bigger than regular lenses, which is a little daunting at first.

Crypto said I look like a drum major; I think I look like a wild west barkeep.

Next is photoshoots AND RECORDING

asia

Weh heh heh〜

KOREA

Chemical Pictures
&
D=OUT

TWO-MAN LIVE in KOREA

June 12 & 13, Seoul LiveclubSSAM

info:
http://blog.naver.com/violetlive

secret

Today is a secret live at Cyber, suckaz

the 314 day

One-mans are relaxing and yet busier at the same time.

We all met up in the 'Book (that's "ikebukuro" in bilingual brat slang) and drove on to Black Hole, which is a small live house that's gotten some more use lately as bands are trying to branch out and break away from the typical model of a floundering business. We hung up some decorations ourselves, tested the video projector, and did a nice lengthy sound check.

We have a few songs with lots of bells and whistles and we're using a cumbersome multi-track and mixer that Shiun has to control himself. We had been so, so strapped for time, what with building two of the three songs that use the douki from the ground up, that we were re-programming and re-mixing levels basically on the fly that day.

We got into makeup, took zillions of polaroids which I hate taking because they're time-consuming and I never know how to pose or what I should write on them, but they sell like drug-laced hotcakes so take them I must.

some Askew staff came to report and shoot, and Tomo from echostream also came, which was cool because I've only ever chatted with him over our Japanese blogs. Our one-time support guitarist Jun came, as did Jojo from Gyaro and shoot what was the crazy guitarist from Backdrop Zero-shiki's name...? And Musha and the accessory craftsman we work with and a bunch of other people. We're doing a 4-man with Satsuki at Black Hole later on and that'll suckkkkk because the backstage area there is practically non-existent.

Anyway. The show went really, really smoothly. There's something about having 200 people in a room that came JUST TO SEE YOU that pumps you up. I was drenched with set merely a few songs in, and we still had an hour and a half or so to go, and I thought I'd keel over any moment. And it was one of those situations where, keeling over would be awesome and SO rock 'n' roll, haha. Or so you think, in the moment.

Highlights I suppose would be "Planetarium", the clip of which I linked to Tenten's blog earlier. That's from the ending section, and I'm typically never really impressed with my staging when I re-watch videos, but I think it looks really cool.

Joe's strap broke right at the end of Kanjou Kuzubako Kyoukaisen, so the beginning of Yamusora was a bit anemic, but that's why we have lotsa gear waiting backstage. And two roadies!

I found myself reflecting on the lyrics to Reincarnation as we played it. On the surface, they are very deep, and to hear Tenten explain it, it really is a deep message, but when reminiscing on the high I felt during the performance, I remember the lyrics were inspired by Tenten's chihuahua back at home, and I laugh a little bit.

I should translate the lyrics and put 'em here, actually.


The first encore was a song we'd written in the week leading up to the show, based on guitar and keyboard parts Joe brought in. I haven't seen the lyrics yet, but Joe tells me he was impressed by them. It's a ballad, and it drags on quite a bit for my taste, but I'll help tighten it up if we decide to lay it down on wax. (hey youngsters, masters used to be pressed on wax discs. also we used to store data and play music via magnetic tape! DO YOU BELIEVE ME? it was just a metaphor anyway)

The second encore, which we hadn't really planned for, was Praparat. By this point I was seriously at the end of my physical rope. We went off stage and collapsed in a collective heap.


Oh, and what set the mood for the whole night? The curtain was closed, lights go down, an electro number we made starts playing, and the announcements come up...

Dr SHIUN Official Member
Crowd: yaaaaaaaaay
2nd Maxi Single
Crowd: Heeeeeeeeeeh!?
3rd Maxi Single
Crowd: Heeeeeeeeeeeeh??!!
4th Maxi Single
Crowd: HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH?!??!?!?!?
All the way up to the 6th, and then the one-man announcement, great applause, and then the curtains whip open and we busted into My Harlot Broker.

As we were standing there, quivering with nervousness, listening to those surprised cheers at the news... we were grinning like idiots.

...It feels kinda, almost wrong writing a live report about my own band that's as gushing as this might read to be, but there was definitely something good about the event that'll always stick with me.

Thanks to Cryptomayhem, Biju-Ska, and all the other white dudes and ladies who were there, because it's so nice to know that I have supporters, in spite of the disjointed junk I write all up on this blog. You're all lovely friends.


I mentioned in an earlier entry that I don't like music much these days, and Silv knew exactly one of the interviews of which I spoke, in which an annoyed Patton interrupts himself to complain about Wolfmother on the next stage over. (The other one, in which he makes the same sentiment regarding new bands, is much older, and he is eating a sandwich.)
I was having a very spirited discussion with my best friend about my recent artistic apathy when I realized that even when nothing else thrills me, I can throw on my post-rock/metal mix and totally get into that. And though they often get lumped with prog rock, Porcupine Tree's older, long, super-ambient stuff relaxes me. But recently I'd also been getting into Deftones, and now with new songs coming out, watching their recent live performances and everything, they're really the sort of band that makes you want to join a band. I can't place a finger on what I like about their vibe.




SECRET SHOW THIS FRIDAY

Stuff I forgot

So our "new member" "Rudolf", its blog is over here.

A very short clip of last night's performance of "Planetarium" is here.

Also...

We are going to be releasing 5 singles, 1 each month, starting from May, culminating in a ONE-MAN at Shibuya O-WEST on September 17th, and the whole dealio is called "The Man who Sold the World".

:)

oh hey

you should very probably click right here

real quick

hey whiteys and other english-speakers who blessed me with their presence tonight:

You make me SO HAPPY. And you have a knack for incredible gifts.

Goodness gracious I love you all.

haha who says goodness gracious

placeholder

Amazing. DEFINITELY writing more tmr.

1 year

One year ago today I played a fun show.

Only 3 of us remain, but we have new friends on board to mark the occasion.

Should be fun.

One-mans are surprisingly relaxing for me.

Itinerary

Here is our mission for March 14th, 2010:

1. My Harlot Broker
This is, at first glance, a typically heavy soaring VK anthem made distinct, in my opinion, by the tons of interesting vocal and guitar layers. New song, and one a friend worked on with us.

2. 笑うピカソ / Laughing Picasso
We've been playing this song a lot this year; very Thee Michelle Gun Elephant-ish.

3. 溺れる魚　/ Drowning Fish
Weird dancey riffs that go into a fast punky chorus. Debuted live with Warau Picasso.

4. Human Rubbish
One of the first Chemical Pictures songs. Masami helped out with this one.

5. Bluesmen -MC-
A competent, slow and smoky blues jam, because Tenten hates MC'ing over silence. It does mean, though, that I get very few breaks. :-P

6. 闇に降るプラネタリウム / Planetarium
Another new song; Tenten plays guitar live for this, which he enjoys all too much.

7. 翼を下さい / Give Me Wings
The heaviest we get without being outright metal.

8. 感情屑籠境界線　/ Emotional Boundary Wastebasket
I have no idea how I should translate that. (don't tell anyone but this isn't going to be my favorite song anytime soon if you catch my drift)

9. 病む空 / Sick Sky
This song's been around since before CPS.

-MC-

10. 奈落に咲く / Blooming in Hell
My first songwriting contribution to Chemical Pictures I've done all on my own. I've been sitting on this song since I was 17, and I'm afraid it will show...

11. Black Box
Another old song.

12. Reincarnation
You should know this one.

13. 素晴らしき忌々しさ / Beautiful Stupidity
Another old song.

14. Walking Ashland
Good ol' country rockabilly craziness, I dunno.

15. Stand By Me
Another old song, and our standard closer.

16. (music)
If anyone remembers the old old CPS site, there was a flash intro that started with Schwarzwald and after a divebomb squeal went into a 6/4 groove; that's what this is. We should probably name it one of these days.

Nervoussssss and now I will sleep!

314

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of Chemical Pictures.

Sorry I haven't written much these days. I'm still in that process of REEVALUATING MY LIFE and stuff.

Do you ever find yourself hating music? I'm in that boat right now. I saw an old interview with Mike Patton recently where they asked him what new bands he thinks are good, and he says he hates music. I could definitely relate. I find myself listening to free lectures on my iPod far more than music, except outside of CPS stuff I have to learn.

We've got a huge setlist tomorrow and lots of shenanigans so it should be really cool, actually.

In other news, I just fixed some hardware and electronic problems on my 5-string and I haven't felt this manly in years.

NHK MJ

No closeups of me but still there it is. I was sort of waiting up to watch it, as it had been pushed back to 1:30am because of figure skating, but then I fell asleep. Thank goodness for the internet.


Oh and by the by, KuRt's revival show was amazing. Humbling and invigorating at the same time.


One-man on the 14th, some shows after that... I think we've got a new website in the works so we can all finally read what the heck is going on with us. Good news coming up as well.

kurt

KuRt has a one-day revival show and I'm off to go see.

open source

There's a relatively new band around that I almost joined rather than cps. The song samples you can hear are songs I helped write. I made the right decision, personally, but it'll be interesting to see how far they go.

Oh, and liquid room show was fun, forgot to write 'bout that!

ELL

Not a bad show; not a bad show at all.

AJ n me and all the others

Starts at 3:31. I don't know how to embed AND do a timestamp because I am living in 2003 apparently.

on the road

Comin' home.

Fun show. First time I've said that in awhile.

Kamiyu is talkin' Kansai-ben but he don't fool me, he is an Aichi boy through n through

more pix later!

headbone

just watched skull

drummer and lead guitar are siiiiiiick

yakisoba

Nagoya's a tough crowd to read but we will rock anyway

Former Jakura guitarist Kamiyu has been our manager today, and he is cool people.

Sekuan's vocalist Yudai is super nice and they are a cool band, seriously go watch "Good Morning Subculture".

Did anyone see us in Cure? we were tiiiiiny

upp

All done.

Hair is shorter, makeup guy is fast, and I have the distinction of being the first gaijin he's ever done. :D

dog

hey dog on a post

that does not look too fun for you

already in nagoya

it's...

it's adorable D:

v-day

i get chocolate from fine ladies

being in a japanese band is full of perks like that

Nagoya again?

Yep, off to Nagoya again. Playin' with Sex-Android, Skull, Serial Number, Vanessa, Tokyoes Shitei and Michael, and Vanilla, the one with the semi-colon.

Band names are usually terrible.

Sorry I haven't written much. There's just not so much I feel like I can write about rehearsals and stuff without feeling falsely grandiose with nothing of substance to show yet. Also yes, I am pulling away a little bit, a small retreat of sorts as I evaluate what kind of life I want and how to get it. It's actually quite nice and I recommend it, although I owe lotsa people emails, like Ken and Crypto and such.

I cut my hair, though?! Man long hair is overrated.

Pictures later!

Gnomes

Ryo, the drummer that played with us when I first played with Steve, was back from Miyavi's world tour and it was great to catch up with him again!

There were tons of artists also there today.

-Leona Lewis has a lovely, lovely singing voice, and only when you talk to her does it remind you that she is British.

-AJ got along with us effortlessly and he's cool to be around and shoot the breeze with.

-Karasu, the VK superband composed of Mucc, Alice Nine, jealkb, Ayabie, and Sadie members, were also there. JJ had been in an A9 PV once and he and Hiroto recognized each other, and the three of us had nice chats during downtime.

-Kimura Kaela is TINY. Even in heels she was TEENSY. Also just uncomfortably and distressingly cute. We went on after her and when we passed each other we said our requisite otsukare's and she smiled and clapped for me and oih my freakin goodgness egbonjggnorgggurogdfsdffhtnbvwvrerth

-Perfume are very clearly good friends and have loads of fun being around each other, and I think that contributes to that something they have that makes them so infectious. When we greeted each other, I mentioned that we had both been on the same broadcast of Music Fair when I played with Tommy Heavenly. I'm 150% sure they didn't remember at all but they just seemed so pleased to hear this and looks of doubt or attempts at recollection never crossed their faces, and they were charming and adorable. Between meeting Kaela and Nocchi, I think I can die happy, like right now. Also, A~chan is much prettier in real life.

-Every single member of AKB48 was there, and while I can't say that I found a single one of them to be my type, each and every one of them exchanged proper greetings with me as we got ready for camera checks, and that was quite nice of them. Of course that means I had to respond 48 times as well. (Or more, because apparently there are actually more than 48 girls? I don't get it whatever)


tomorrow is some other stuff
also new cps schedule, i will write it out later

You Key Gah Foo' Roo

Just played bass at NHK Hall, which is huge, with AJ of Backstreet Boys. It was fun and I'm kinda fanboyin' bout other stuff so I will try to write when I get home. Meanwhile, it snows.

dudes

-the s.a. guys are just intensely interesting. I'm convinced Yudai is a 70-year old time traveler from the past and Junro is part gnome.

-Mine and Baku of Aaddies mentioned me extensively in their MC (°□°;)

-Nogod and us are way tight. Dancho said something early on and Shiun took mock offense to it so Shinno has a picture of Dancho dogeza-ing to CPS.

Dudes who don't play in flashy colorful mainstream vk bands are way cool and by extension I like this kind of music more.

DID I MENTION I RODE AN ELEVATOR WITH SHOKOTAN.

CORRECTION

HEY

so it's not called oboreru sakana

its called "Zugaikotsu Kurumi Wari Ningyou"

i dont care for either name but its a cool tune だよ

I've loved these bands that have been on this tour. Some great guys.

haha what

i just rode the elevator with shokotan

(shoko nakagawa)

good thing i look totally ridiculous today huh

Picasso's Fish

aw yeah we doin 2 new songs today

"Warau Picasso"
"Oboreru Sakana"

Can't shake the feeling that there's probably already a songwith the same title by someone.

oh well i will write ten songs all called 'sakura'

Ohio

Gozaimasu.

Today's the last one of the tour.

I just wanna thank everyone for your kind and sound words of support, advice, and encouragement, and that whether I continue with music or not, it's okay.

In the meantime, however, I shall continue to bring sufficient quotients of rock and adequate portions of roll.

wish me luck

Here we go!

Big Slope

In Osaka safe and sound.

I was done w/ makeup at 9am. (>_<)

I love you guys, seriously.
Got some other cool thing coming up and in Feb I should have more time and patience to write.

Osaka

Been super busy EVALUATING MY LIFE AND PURPOSE so it's been difficult to write.

On the way to Osaka for the next part of the tour. Stayin' in a hotel. Shiun's drivin'.

Quick thoughts:

-new year show
we were bad. crowd was great, even though we were playing an away game, as we are not undercode material.

-nagoya
getting better.

Things need to improve. Lots of work to do, though increasingly I find myself fantasizing about settling down for a normal life.

BUT WHO CARES NOW, cuz brb gonna stomp osaka in da face :)

lunch

oh man this is amazing

Rehearsals

Nogod is fantastic as usual, and the rest of the bands are quite nice. Sex Android in particular has that SOUND, just that right mix of guitar tone and drum power needed to make the simple songs transcend.

Our new flyer looks neat; will snap that soon.

self defence

in kobe, jieitai everywhere for some reason and we are pretending they are after us because we are six years old i guess

sf

Global Japan.

In Shizuoka now; pit stop. Watchin' Jelly and Kiyoharu DVD's in the backseat. So glad this tour is so spaced out, so I'll be back in Tokyo tmr morning.

Whee〜

Name Old Room

Tour starts today in Nagoya.

It's 5 in the morning and I got 2 hours of sleep maybe?

i feel like this combover puppy

recent life 4

Went into the studio w/Joe to test out various new gear we have acquired.

On the left is my new Fender Jazz bass, which seems to fit well with ChemiPi songs in general. I still use the 5 of course.

On the right is Joe's gift to me, a fretless bass. What a sound! Wish I had this when recording the g. solo section in Praparat! Still, I see myself using it in spots on future recordings.

recent life 3

aw yeah look at dis mochi

recent life 2

Outside the Egyptian Embassy in Daikanyama.

recent life 1

First off, one week late Happy New Year! Live report when I get home.

Yesterday saw Shiun's last live with MiU.

Saw this Resident Evil guy at Tea Water ("Ochanomizu" in Clever Japanese-speaking American parlance) and immediately wondered where I misplaced my Autobot t-shirt, because I am clearly five years old.

hny

happy new year ＦＲＯＭ ＴＨＥ ＦＵＴＵＲＥ♪