This is volume one of a new thingy I just thought up: Japanese Culture Vol. 1 - Chindon'ya (チンドン屋). A new super cool and special series (maybe)....
Chindon'ya advertising the opening of a new pachinko parlor.
What is "Chindonya"? Chindon'ya (チンドン屋) is also called a "Japanese marching band." A very long time ago they were called Hiromeya (広目屋 or 披露目屋). Ok, so what this is is that way back when, before there were TV's and radios, etc. These elaborately dressed musicians would march around the shopping areas of town and advertise the opening of new shops and establishments. They also could be seen around these shopping areas promoting sales and events. They were still commonplace in the sixties and seventies (Thanks Roger Marshall) and you saw them sometimes in the eighties, but they've become rarer as the days go by. Nowadays, Chindon'yas are pretty rare in Japan. The only time I ever see them is when they've been hired to promote the opening of a new pachinko parlor or sometimes at matsuri (festival times)... of course, whenever I do see them, I shoot a video. The Chindon'ya consists of Japanese sound symbolism chin and don to describe the instruments, and the -ya suffix which roughly equates to the English "-er" suffix in this context.
Enjoy this video... This is a glimpse of the past! Chindon'ya (チンドン屋) (If the video doesn't play, click here for higher quality video or if the video doesn't play: https://youtu.be/jnMb9-kd9ZU)
Welcome back to another episode of Cool & Strange Music for May 17, 2017!
And do I have some hot tunes for you today. These tunes you can really dig and you can use to clear the dancefloor or have those pesky guests leave your place and go home when you are ready to sleep! But first up, let's get serious. First up is some awesome guitar playing from a 19-year-old guy named Alexandr Misko from Russia. He says: "My fingerstyle guitar world here - covers, originals and more. Hope you like it! Cheers from Russia!" Check out his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrmisko/ Holy shit! This guy is incredible! Tons more amazing stuff on his Youtube page: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdZe3OmKYiIwyrLFEEbNwVw) #4) Alexandr Misko - Michael Jackson - Billie Jean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx4okVd3K14
Next up is something that always makes me laugh. Back in the day, Sesame Street used to make some funny music video parodies. Besides that, Sesame Street was basically useless for anything but babysitting kids. It certainly didn't teach them anything (Trust me. I know the rights owners!) Anyway, they made some really great musical parodies. This was one of my all time favorites! It's the Beetles!
OK? Cool, eh? OK, let's keep up the laughs. Next up is Stevie Riks. Stevie Riks is a Multi-talented Comedian and Impressionist, Comedy Writer, Voice Over Artist and multi-instrumentalist Musician from the United Kingdom. He does some really funny "Misheard lyrics videos." There's lots more funny stuff at his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MrStevieRiks/
At #1 is a song that I picked especially for my friends Lee Popa and Jolee Popa of Pinksideofthemoon. Lee and Jolee were hanging out with me in Tokyo when I mentioned (for some reason) this song. I don't think they'd heard of it....Lee! Jolee! I think this is simply genius. Zlad is actually named Santo Cilauro. And this is the funniest parody of an 80s track you'll ever hear! Wikipedia says: Santo Cilauro is an Australian television and feature film producer, screenwriter, actor, author, comedian and cameraman, a co-founder of The D-Generation. He is also an author and former radio presenter on the Triple M Network, and achieved worldwide fame with the viral video Elektronik Supersonik.
Pay close attention to the lyrics. This is hilariously genius.
Come and get it! Pinksideofthemoon full album free download! See link below!
Who is pinksideofthemoon? Jolee and Lee Popa. Lee Popa is legendary! Here's what Discogs says about him: "Lee Popa is a primary figure in the industrial rock scene since the late 1980s, Lee Popa served as live engineer for Ministry’s legendary 1989/1990 “The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste” tour (as documented on the 1990 live album, “In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up”) and Killing Joke’s 1990/1991 “Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions” tour (as documented on the 2007 compilation, “Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals & Live”). Popa’s extensive resume as a remixer/producer/sound engineer includes work with Tool, Living Colour, Korn, Cheap Trick, Prong, White Zombie, Danzig, Phunk Junkeez, KMFDM, Queen, Gnarles Barkley, Phantom Planet, Bad Brains and Bush, and pinksideofthemoon among countless others. Popa was the frontman of Slammin’ Watusis, a Chicago-based group that released two albums on Epic Records in the late ‘80s and toured with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour and King’s X."
pinksideofthemoon will be guests on my regular Sunday radio show, "WTF?" on InterFM 897 from 8 am ~ 10 am.
WhattheFunday 今週(5月7日）のWTF?のゲストは「pinksideofthemoon」 彼等からのプレゼント！！！ 下のリンクをクリックするとフルアルバム無料でダウンロード！！ 今すぐ！！ - マイク This week’s WTF? guest is “pinksideofthemoon.” And they give you a great present! Free download of their newest album! No catches, no charges, no email! Go get it FREE at the link below. - Mike
It’s May 3, 2017 in Japan, and the first day of Golden Week!
What is "Golden Week" in Japan? Japan Guide tells us: "The Golden Week is a collection of four national holidays within seven days. In combination with well placed weekends, the Golden Week becomes one of Japan's three busiest holiday seasons, besides New Year and the Obon week. Trains, airports and sightseeing spots get very crowded during Golden Week, and accommodation in tourist areas can get booked out well in advance." And so, since the entire nation comes to a grinding halt, I can't get shit done! Oh, I added the italics and that last sentence in bold fonts. So since no one is around. And I can't get anything done... So, why waste time? That's why we bring to you a special Golden Week edition of Cool & Strange Music! First off we got a letter from "Jay in Kyoto" who writes, "Mike, where do you find this shit? You must be one helluva twisted mutha. Stop digging in the trash cans at the radio station.! I replied, "Thanks, Jay! It's not "digging," it's "treasure hunting" and trust me, the best music at the radio station is in the trash cans; they most certainly are not airing it!" OK. enough of my yakking. What do you say? Let's boogie! And do I have some really cool and twisted stuff for you today! We go the entire length of "Cool," "Strange," "Exotica" and "Hilarious" today! #6) Tikiyaki 5-0 - Supernova https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMNMwShJwBA This is something brand new from Tikiyaki 5-0. "Hey! Where have I heard that name before?" Yep! They used to be known as The Tikiyaki Orchestra (and maybe they still are!) But for this EP project, they are known as Tikiyaki 5-0. Tikiyaki is from Los Angeles and they do the entire spectrum of Cool & Strange so they kick us off today! This is the real surf guitar sound. Cool!
So, now they are doing surf guitar.... But they used to be an orchestra! Some history: One of the guys who is legendary in Exotica music is Martin Denny. I figure the leaders of Tikiyaki must be Martin Denny collectors! At #5 is the The Tikiyaki Orchestra from their 2011 album entitled, "Aloha Baby!" This is real Exotica!
#4) Patty & Megan - What if God Smoked Cannabis? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PybtBKSAtLM At #4 is a freaking out hilarious cover written by Weird Al Yankovic (or Bob Rivers? Who knows?) and sung by Patty & Megan. It's a parody of the Joan Osborne (4 Non Blondes) smash hit, "What if God Was One of Us?" Wish I could tell you more about this track, but I can't find any info at all.
There are some really twisted minds out there and thank god for that! This next video will either make you laugh out loud or drop your jaw. I'm not really sure who is responsible for this. But imagine if we took the hit song, Dancin' in the Street by Mick and David from 1985 and removed the music. Yeah. All of it. No drums, bass, guitars... And then imagine if David and Mick were only allowed to whisper as this is a "Silent Music Video" (kind of like singing in a library)... OK? Ready? Go! I think this is really funny.... Try to watch at least a minute and a half! Chuckles!
#2) Bohemian Rhapsody Played by 100+ Year Old Fairground Organ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTnGI6Knw5Q Ok. This is way cool. It is just as it says in the title; a 100+ year old fairground organ playing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." OK? Let's get geeky. The organ is a 1905 81 key Marenghi Organ. This fab track was introduced to us by my friend Christine Bertino! Thanks Christine!!!!
#1) Postmodern Jukebox Material Girl - Vintage 1920s Madonna Cover ft. Gunhild Carling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUuQ4hoXsCM Ah, do you often feel like I do? I mean I often long for the "Good Old Days." As Groucho Marx once said, "Things are not as good as they used to be... Although they never were." Here's a new artist doing some cool stuff (but of course, you'll never hear this on the radio - only on Cool & Strange Music!)
Cool & Strange Music is dedicated to Dana Countryman. Oh! Let me brag!!!! I "chatted" with the legendary Dana Countryman the other day. Really! Dana has a fab new album out that I have been playing on my FM radio show, WTF? What the Funday on InterFM 897! (https://www.facebook.com/WhattheFunday76.1) The album is called, "Girlville" and it features 19 great new tracks sang by girls in the style of yesterday's hits! It's awesome! You can check it out and learn more and even stream some tracks here at their webpage: http://www.danacountrymansgirlville.com/
Wishing, hoping and believing. The three are close in definition. But there's a huge difference. I think people too often get them confused and use them interchangeably to their own disadvantage. I think it is best to know exactly what they mean. Words have meanings and using them incorrectly can cause a disadvantageous situation.
Wish is an intransitive verb. Merriam Webster defines "wish" as, "To have a desire for (as something unattainable)." Related words are, "crave," "hunger," "covet," "desire." "Unattainable"? Well, that's no good. It looks to me here that "wish" is sort of a waste of time. "Hope" is defined as, "To cherish as desire with anticipation," or "to desire with expectation of obtainment." "Expectation of obtainment"? Well, that's a bit better. How about believing? "Believe" is defined as "To have a firm religious faith" or "to accept something as true, genuine or real." I think, often times, that wishing and hoping can be a waste of time... Wishing is fine for children... Hoping too... But hoping, for adults, can be an awful waste of time.... I often hear from people at work situations that they "hope" things get better... Folks, "Hope" is a terrible business plan. Hoping that things get better at work is like being a leaf on the ocean being blown every which way. Is this your plan for your future and for your families well-being? Hope? Belief....Believing, and only believing, is the only one of the three that can deliver your hearts desire. Believing, along with doing the necessary preparation in order to achieve your beliefs, is what must be done. Think about when the Wright Brother's made their first airplane flight or the old story in the bible when Jesus walked on water. It was impossible for man to fly. Did the Wright Brothers fly because of hope or because of wishes? No. They flew, in spite of all, because they believed that they could and they made the preparations in order to do so. I also believe that the story of Jesus walking on water is a parable. Everyone knows that it is impossible for man to walk on water (even if he is the son of god - you and I are the son, the children, of god.... Don't they say we are all god's children?) So, I think the story of Jesus walking on water is a representation that if you believe, really believe, then you can do the impossible. After walking on water Jesus said, "I told you. All you have to do is to believe." Belief moves mountains. Also, instead of always wanting more and always climbing that mountain towards success, you also need to stop and make base camp. One cannot simply climb and climb Mount Everest. They must stop along the way to daily create base camp to rest before they can continue the journey the next day. You must do the same. You need to stop and to take an assessment of what you have and to give thanks to your loved ones and to your god. Here's what I do, and I do this religiously everyday; I write down in my notebook this, "Thank you god for all the truly wonderful things I have and all the truly wonderful things I am about to receive." I do this because, instead of always wanting and wishing, and hoping, or desiring things, I want to give thanks for the great things I already have. If I can wake up everyday and know in my heart, really believe, that I am one of, if not thee, most fortunate people in the world, I will create a positive and happy existence for myself and my loved ones and all the people who I come in contact with. I have another friend who has an ill partner. We met the other day and I related this story to him: When my 1 1/2 year old daughter was diagnosed as having a rare, deadly childhood cancer, I was devastated. She was given a very low chance of survival. That particular type of cancer is extremely rare and, in Japan, about 2 or 3 kids get it a year... Most of them die within the first 6 months. I sought out the help of a professional priest to help me and guide me with the battle I was about to enter alongside my daughter and my wife. One day, at the beginning when I was especially distraught and worried, I told the priest, "I have realized how to cure my daughter and have come to understand the way. All I need to do is to get the doctors and nurses to believe, to really believe, in their hearts, that she will recover and then she will. That's what I must do." To that, the priest replied, "Mike! It doesn't matter what they believe. All that matters is what you believe." Those words! That moment! It was like the skies opened up and god reached his hand down to me. Of course! It was all so simple! Why didn't I see it sooner? It only matters what I believe! My belief can move mountains! From then on, I didn't wish nor want, nor hope, that my daughter would recover from this rare and terrible disease, I knew. I knew it without a doubt. I also prepared and did what was necessary for that outcome because I believed. That was 16 years ago. My daughter is now a healthy, happy, beautiful high school student looking forward to college someday soon. She is only the second child to have ever overcome that cancer in Japan's history. She won't be the last.
At 16-years-old
You can do this too. Anyone can. Like Jesus said, "All you need to do is to have faith." From today, take account of all the good things you have. Be thankful for them. If you have a sorrow, then take account of that too and do what is necessary and what is required so that you can believe in a positive and good outcome. The only things that can be borne out of fear and worry will be more of the same. Prepare and do what is necessary and believe in the positive outcome. You can create your own reality. You can accomplish the impossible. And when you do, don't be surprised, you won't have been the first and you certainly won't be the last.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed. For Wendy... You amazed us all (except daddy. I knew you could do it). Thanks for your love and inspiration.
