Thursday, September 15, 2011

Where The Boys Are

Top five all-male bands (in no particular order) that inspire the lone woman in this band in terms of music and showmanship.

1. U2 - Showing that socially conscious Christian kids can rock.
2. Journey - Hometown pride. Lights can bring me to tears at times. I don't care if tone-deaf, drunken fools at karaoke and overzealous Giants fans have killed Don't Stop Believin' for the rest of the world, it will always be my favourite song ever. (p.s. Let's Go Giants!! So what if they never win another World Series in my lifetime, I'm happy to have witnessed it at least once.)
3. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - the only all-male band from my previous influences list (not counting one-man band Self haha).
4. X Japan - Pretty much only for Yoshiki, but seriously you guys! YOSHIKI!! And that sexxxy crystal drum set that he rocks out on!!!
5. Arashi - for the lulz. Always for the lulz.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Post-show thoughts

Well, we did the show yesterday, and it was fantastic. We played to a grand total of... nine people, after Holden had invited 130: my two bandmates' parents; Joe (a school friend of my bandmates) and his girlfriend; Mario (for whom Holden wrote an affectionate parody that we obviously performed) and his lovely female companion; and my mother. (My stepfather had eye problems, so he stayed home; he had to be taken to the hospital after the show.)

The rest of you who didn't go after saying yes?

You missed out.

Friday, September 9, 2011

A song you might find anywhere

Now, I'm known for fangirling our band's namesake (how else could we have come up with the name?) but he's actually legit talented. I daresay some of his self-penned solos are among the best in J-pop today - they're well-arranged and the lyrics show a sensitivity that belies his quick-witted, almost bratty façade (except for when he's acting, of course - he's the resident tearjerker among currently popular J-actors).

I've been wanting to post this song for ages, and I finally got around to it - I thought the eve before our first performance as Nino Blankenship was as good a time as any.

I want to write more about this song, but I have to be at practice soon.

どこにでもある唄 (A Song You Can Find Anywhere)
二宮 和也 (Kazunari Ninomiya)
Translation by Yarukizero
¡Con subtitulos en español!



何が正解で 何が間違えで
What is right? What is wrong?
だから大丈夫 なんて言っちゃって
So I said, "it's okay"
その言葉が自分を 消してくから
Those words were erasing myself
それが一番怖いことだから
That was what I was most afraid of

めいっぱい叫べ 「ここにいるよ」って証のように
Yell with all your might "I'm here!" like it's proof of yourself
僕らはそんな弱くはない でも強くもないから
We are not that weak But we're not that strong either
だから泣いていいんだ 恥ずかしいことじゃない
That's why it's okay to cry There's nothing to be embarrassed about
明日がある人しかできないことだから 明日への合図だから
Only people who have a tomorrow can do it Because it's the signal of going to that tomorrow

泣いて 求めて 転んで また泣いて
Crying Searching Falling down Crying again
君は そうして 大人になって
That's how you become an adult

傷つくことを恐れて
Afraid of getting hurt
ずっと泣くのを我慢してたら笑えなくなってた
If I always try not to cry, I'll won't be able to laugh

気付いたら独りになって恐かった
When I realized I was alone, I was scared
その時差し出してくれたあなたの声が痛いほど優しくて
That's when your voice came, so gentle it hurt
泣いていたそうしたら「あんたが泣き虫だ」って言うから
If I cry, then you'll say, "You're a crybaby"
あんたもだよ」なんて言ってみたら 楽になってた笑ってた
When I tried to say, "You are too," I relaxed and laughed

いつも見たいに ふざけたこと言い合って
Like always, messing around and arguing
懐かしいなんて言わないで今を 
Don't say it's nostalgic right now 
そこにある今を握りしめて
Tightly hold onto the "now" that's there

ほら、息を吸って吐いて 生きている
Look, breathe in and out You're living
一歩一歩歩いている ただそれだけでいい
Walking one step at a time Just that is enough

大丈夫僕らはずっとここにいるよ
It's alright, we'll always be here
だから全てさらけ出してみて
So try confessing everything
さあ、胸を張って言えばいいんだ
Come on, you should stand tall and say it
「それが僕らだ」
"That is us"

ずっと ずっとずっと
Always, forever and ever

... So yeah, I think this is a pretty appropriate anthem for our band, and not just because our namesake wrote it.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

All your base are belong to us

After about 8-9 years for my bass drum's batter head, and the entire life of the drumkit for the resonant head...I finally splurged and got a new set of skins for the old workhorse!








Here's me taking out the original resonant, complete with logo for the budget company that constructed my kit!



And installing its replacement:



I also scored a second crash cymbal!  Specifically inspired by a specific Stan Lynch rhythm part to add this to the set...