Clips and snaps of Berlin Japanophilia

[imomus]

The new edition of Berlin "electroniclivingaspects" culture mag De:Bug is out, and it's a Japan Special.



A writer called Timo Feldhaus came round and interviewed me about Japanophilia for the issue, and later Mary Scherpe took some portraits in Jan's apartment round the corner, sitting on his tatami mats:



I think De:Bug used a different photo from the same session for the article (I haven't actually seen the paper copy yet). Mary is one of the founders of streetsnap style blog Stil in Berlin, which has just launched as a free paper magazine too.

Being a Japanophile, I'd have to say Drop Japan is probably my favourite street style blog at the moment.

On Friday night at Madame Claude there was a fantastic chance to see Ben Butler and Mousepad supporting Oorutaichi, the future of music. He turns out to live remarkably close to Hisae's family home in Tennoji, Osaka, so we're hoping to drop in on him in Japan when we visit (we fly on Friday).



Oorutaichi's set in the Madame Claude cellar was wonderful -- shrieky and tribal -- but I just want to note here how great Ben Butler and Mousepad now are live. The group consists of Joe Howe and his friend Bastien. Here's Joe with his girlfriend Emma, both wearing some "Jewish" glasses Hisae made for me, with locks of her own hair hanging off the arms (I'm wearing them in the Oorutaichi snap too):



Ben Butler and Mousepad sound like a blend of YMO, Herbie Hancock and Synergy. Who's Synergy, I hear you ask? I didn't know either until I watched this clip on Joe's blog:

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Synergy is someone called Larry Fast, who made music for Commodore computer games in the 80s, I guess.

And here's a snatch of Ben Butler and Mousepad on Friday night playing their most YMO-ish number:

Ben Butler and Mousepad Live at Mme Claude's (mp3 file)

More on their MySpace page. If you want to book Ben Butler and Mousepad (festivals! weddings! bar mitzvahs!), email marie@julietippex.com.

Comments

[deathcircle.livejournal.com]

This music is great! Really reminds me of the stuff on Alex Mauer's netlabel:

e.g. Ensis by Disasterpiece (http://internetwebsiteonline.com/ensis.mp3)

This is from a free compilation available at Pause music (http://www.iimusic.net/catalog/2008/06/heartcode)

[milky-eyes.livejournal.com]

Oorutaichi is awesome. Its cool to see him touring so much.

the tatami photo is good... the multi color cord behind pared with your glasses cord...

I'm liking your new look. an odd meld of I'm not sure...

but here is a question... is there such a thing as japanophile anymore... I"m mean, seriously. not really right?

I think its turned into something different... something less divided... something less 'phile' perhaps.

[(Anonymous)]

I hate to say it (but someone must) but these tracks have no synergy and magazines just seem so out of date even before they are published now.

[count-vronsky.livejournal.com]

"the multi color cord behind pared with your glasses cord... "

Hisae's cable covers (http://imomus.livejournal.com/348179.html) :)

"Jewish" glasses

[(Anonymous)]

Is Klezmer style music a big draw in Japan`

[parchesss.livejournal.com]

Larry Fast is a session musician also known for playing in progressive rock bands. He's played synthesisers for Peter Gabriel, and he also plays in Tony Levin's solo project. Tony Levin was my musical idol years before I even heard of Momus.

Perhaps in a few years I'll be explaining who Oorutaichi is on someone else's blog.

[constructionism.livejournal.com]

tapes....so eighties. I just got a new (old) cassette deck too.

technostalgia

[(Anonymous)]

tape decks are technostalgic for digital nerds, as record players are for vinyl nerds.

DYMO

[(Anonymous)]

[anagokamaboko.livejournal.com]

Love the imomus but get them jikatabi doghouses off the tatami!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Poetic license!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Yes. I think she sold three, and they were such a hassle to knit that she gave up.

[(Anonymous)]

Larry Fast programmed synthesizers for Seawind but for some reason omits to mention this on his website and seems to have annihilated each possible online reference to it. Seawind was my sister's favorite music group during the late 70s; she collected all of their albums.

Re: technostalgia

[count-vronsky.livejournal.com]

[bubblegumsex.livejournal.com]

Dropsnap doesn't get updated that much it seems. But the individual bloggers' pages are also interesting.

[(Anonymous)]

As mentioned, I'm sure you've heard Larry Fast's work filtered through Peter Gabriel's artistic choices... unless of course you've avoided Peter Gabriel's earlier solo albums.

I do not think his intricate synth prog sounds that much like YMO though there is a related connection. Matsutake, YMO's hired synth guru (as Fast was to Gabriel for a time) left YMO and continued as Logic System. For unknown reasons he went for a very American synth rock sound that was rather comparable for a while. The early 80s Japanese band Dada was also pretty comparable though now little known.

[milky-eyes.livejournal.com]

god, what a drag. they are really awesome...
But I couldnt or wouldnt spend $75 for one...

but that doesnt take away from them being amazing...

Re: technostalgia

[(Anonymous)]

more tapedeck porn please

[microworlds.livejournal.com]

I really like your hair this length, it gives you are more streamlined, youthful look.

Also, you should visit the Osaka Pokemon Center and see how amazingly bright it is inside. Total sensory overload, and I've only seen pictures!