Damo

(1st Set) Damo Suzuki with Ryo Abe (Cajon), Hisyochi (Sax), Teruhisa Nanbu (Drums), Sue (Sax) and Kenichi Tanabe (Bass)
(2nd Set) Damo Suzuki with Backy (Sax) Tadashi Kumada (Drums), Love (Fretless), Mari Sekine (Percussion)

The day of mistake. but somehow get positive.

Strange day which you can remember anytime as I thought this concert will be happen tomorrow, so I was completely forgetting……. The story begun from Izu peninsula around 3 hours travel from Tokyo by train. I had brake for 3 days, so we decided to go to Onsen (Hot Spring). As you know Japan is volcano island, there are many hot spring. also this is Japanese tradition to take Onsen since Japanese folk begin to live here. It’s really comfortable, relax and so healthy. We booked 2 nights at not-well-known “Hokkawa Onsen”

When I was in Australia I checked through internet. I wanted to go to Onsen but closer to ocean. Ocean is something which makes me feel good and deep into it. Water is such an energy. As you know 70 percents of body is water, 70 percent of our planet is water…. Found website of this Onsen Ryokan (Ryokan is Japanese traditional style hotel generally including dinner and breakfast) just in front of Pacific Ocean and small fisher harbour. I like place just out of tourism. This Ryokan has only 8 rooms….this is the scale I like. so, I booked without think twice. The Ryokan has reserve ab le bath on top of the roof, open air from there you can see ocean. Even this village has public bath option placed at just wave side. Taking bath drink Cava watch at moon on dark mystery sea.

Next day we walked to next village through mountain, strangely we didn’t have feeling that time is passing. Something like we spend…let’s say two hours…look at watch just 10 minutes are gone. Also we saw only few people. Were we in time trip? Travelled through 4th dimension or what? Magical experience. In an another world….After, weather got really badly. a kind of storm. hard rain beating my face, getting wet like flog, strong wind against my walk direction. Foods at the Ryokan is amazing, different fresh fishes which domestic fisher man cached today. This is fish at the best, more better mainly they had Sashimi on table…had more than 15 dishes of Jewel from sea. In Japan, to eat fish if this is fresh, we eat raw, fish is 2nd days old, then they cook, if there is more rest for 3rd day, then they fry. I told you once, stomach is most conservative part of your body…My all real DNAs are at my stomach. It’s doesn’t matter so many years you’re spending your time in foreign country. Stomach never lies. and this is at best taste from your nature.

After this wonderful days, I got idea to go to Kamakura, the ancient Japanese capital city between 11th to 14th century, for rest of the day. Kamakura is very near to where I was born and glow up. Also I love tram called “Eno-den” which goes from Fujisawa to Kamakura, very short distance in turtle tempo. This tram is single trail, through very very narrow way, sometimes you feel like cross one’s private garden and has it’s charm, you’re almost riding in toy tram….special at 21st century…a kind of nostalgic form ..which you can smile, you know what I mean. In Kamakura, there are many many temples from 11th to 14th century. But, mainly I miss them to see as temple gates are closing at 4PM. Every time I visit Japan, I come once to Kamakura like if I meet my old friends from school days. Unfortunately (but this time it’s fortunately) we had bad weather had to back to Keiichi’s. Bad weather followed us all our trial along .

Reached at Keiichi’s, I found a sheet of paper with notice on table which says I have to call Keiichi immediately when I back he is in Cafe opposite his place. Now I found that I was completely  forgetting the performance tonight. A couple days before I left Tokyo I told to Keiichi he should visit doctor as he was quite ill. So, he has to visit doctor this day. He was quiet as he didn’t have drink and smoke for a couple of days. Takazou came and picked me up with exciting or stressed face which he cannot hide, drove me directly to the venue. The supporting band performed more than they do normally to keep time for sleeping Damps performance. Sorry, sorry I’m very sorry!!!!!! I was so late, one hour delay or more. Love-San, the organizer of this event saw me and happy that I showed up eventually…..Almost no breath to relax.. jump up on the stage. This was first real last minutes performance. If weather in Kamakura wasn’t bad…I’m sure I stayed much longer in Kamakura…then I made angry people. Sometimes anything is help you…this time I was served..something had helped me to come to this venue.  

Hachiouji is quite outside of Tokyo, but has own city center and many shops, Restaurant and Izakayas. For “Uchiage” we went to Izakaya, surprisingly open until 10AM. We’re 6 to 7 sound carriers, share table, ordered dishes and bottles of Syochyu (Rice Snaps). One slept under the table, then next and so on…everybody was totally drunk and tired…Automatically, when first train begin to move, we move from Izakaya and get train…This time Love-san’s place. After while Love-san took us to Zindaiji-Temple which is quite near from his place. Not real touristy place, so silence and relaxed place. cannot imagine this is in Tokyo.

We took our breakfast at Soba (Noodle) restaurant on tatami mattress and traditional Japanese folks ambient.

Damo Suzuki with Reibun Otani (Guitar) and Fujikake, Tabata & Miyashita: Masataka Fujikake (Drums), Keiichi Miyashita (Guitar) and Mitsuru Tabata (Guitar)
http://www.ufoclub.jp/

Middle of 80’s, friend of mine who work at a studio (special for heavy metal) rung me up and say “Do you have time or interest to look after Japanese heavy metal band…do you know MARINO?…you can translate and support them somehow…” I supported their recording. they were 2nd famous heavy metal band that time and the label sent them to record in this very famous heavy metal studio. You and heavy metal? One of most closer sound carrier friend Keiichi was surprised when I first toured West Coast with him and LA sound carriers I call them Metaphysical Transfer, so called released double CD as well. Keiichi told me Reibun the guitarist of MARINO is his teenage hero even he interviewed him when he was school boy of 15years old. And he told to Rebun “One day I will play guitar with you” A couple of months before, I asked Keiichi if he likes to perform with Reibun. He was so surprised and also he was really happy to perform with his young age guitar hero. Reibun appeared with Junpei, a his long time friend, the drummer of that band. Music is music…but, there are many worlds. They never had real contact to alternative or underground or however record industry categorize. So, for Reibun this is new challenge.

Opening band NISENNEN MONDAI is instrumental female trio. They are tight energise band play Krautrock (This word I don’t like. just I used it as you understand how sound like). Always nice to have interesting openers, also they are sweet Japanese girls…. I like to perform with them one time anyway. Now a days they are often in Europe now a days, so you can hear them.

I told you in last E-report about “Uchiage” …the after performance drink party in “Izakaya”. Tonight we’re almost 20 person (Sound Carriers on tonight, Supporting band Electric Rainbow Band and friends and girlfriends. some of Mondrian musicians) captured one of those Izakaya chains near the venue around few blocks.. Everybody order dishes this and  that, and drinks. after we share all ….everybody pay same amount. We share…this is good system in Japan….very social manner!!!…Maybe this is reason communism or socialist parties in Japan are never get strong. Japanese have this kind of system within people’s daily life and in history, so we don’t need it politically. Always same party rules in not progressive politic since WW2..Its pro US party, very conservative….when US catch cold Japan get cold. I think Japan will never get change in spiritual solution if one of three basis broken down. Theses three to talk about Japanese history are 1) Japan is Island 2) Japanese religion : Buddism and Shintoism 3) Tenno (Kaiser) System……these are very important to talk about Japanese history, today and tomorrow. They are living with all these as basis since 6th century.

(1st Set) Damo Suzuki with Varunk : Love (Fretless), Nozaki Masahito (Drums)
(2nd Set) Damo Suzuki with Fujikake Masataka (Drums), Hiroshi Higo (Bass), Shinya Kojima (Guitar) and Munenori Takada (Turntable)

I met Elke at Narita airport. We had arrival time difference of just 30 minutes. I came from Mel, She came from Germany. My dentist friend Takazou and his wife Yuu picked us up from Narita airport. Fortunately they have day off. Both work hard at their own dent house. Elke has come from an another terminal also she is first time in Japan, she took a bit time. It was rainy day through Tokyo to Hino, where Keiichi and Kiku live took 4 hours drive. Traffic jam and hard rain took so long. When we arrived there we were quite hungry, drop Yuu at their place.

Normally when I arrive I go to Japanese food restaurant at airport….they have many restaurants..this I really like from Narita Airport, you have many choices not in food style and also restaurants. Anyway today we didn’t go there instead went to so called family restaurant. This is chain restaurant but, if you sort out like Mac-something you are wrong. Most of family restaurant is not fast food here. They make fresh and assortment is huge. Look at menu they have, it shows measurement of calorie.

We went tonight to place called “Tonden” this is my favorite family restaurant. They bring fresh fish from Hokkaidou, northern Island, every day and every 3 months they change menu and they have some specialty of the season. Keiich told me he know the venue when he was around 18 years old he played there. Kokubunji is part of Tokyo but, quite outside. ….Big city like Tokyo…outside is not that you can imagine. There are many shops tight to next building..it’s still busy area. Amber and Aalon showed up from Gumma, where they lives around two hours north from here. This might be last time I see them in Japan. They’re intend to move to Australia in harvest this year. So, I will see them next time, next year February in Mel.

Love-San is sound carrier friend and he arranged this show…that’s mean he will perform tonight too. Varunk is two piece band, Love-san plays fretless bass with Nozaki,the drummer. Fujikake is the drummer having trio project with my sound carrier friend Keiichi (Mandog), Higo is quiet nice guy plays bass. If you travel around the world you find always somebody similar to your friend. Higo reminds me of Mandjao, my African sound carrier friend (also play bass) lives in Cologne. They both don’t speak that much but, always smiling. Someone told me Higo made first Japanese indie label.

After performance, we go to “Uchiage” a kind of after performance party with sound carriers. “Uchiage” will happen at “Izakaya”, a kind of pub with Sake assortment and have to order small dishes of foods, which is very delicious……I like this place. “Izakaya” is just everywhere…like German has every corner pub, Izakaya, you can find every corner. I love this way to drink alcohol..and I think healthy, eat and drink combination.

Damo Suzuki with T.B.I.
http://www.myspace.com/theoldbar

I have a Japanese young sound carrier friend called Yuki, he learns Japanese Religion in University, is living since around 15 years in Mel…since when he was 15 years old. So, he has much Aussie mentality than Japanese from my perspective. He organized this concert and this is 2nd time I perform with him.

The venue is a pub musicians come and meet. Mel has much Asian people..around place I live (it’s also very close to Chinatown) you can imagine like Vancouver, sometimes you cannot realize you’re in Mel…could be in Hong Kong or Singapore or somewhere in Asia. There are three Japanese papers, one of them my another sound carrier friend, Nao is writing about music in Australia and he is expert on keyboard and wrote some books about that music instrument , also he has studio and record shop, is living really middle of music scene. And he will make sound engineering tonight.

Nao is a perfectionist. Sometimes he is DJing as well. Man of many faces in good sense. Both my friends I mentioned are very good in speak English and knows a lots about Aussie mentalities, society and whatever. They live without any handicap here at down under where tonero’s go other way around than Northern hemisphere. So, if I have performance some Japanese young people comes, I don’t know if they enjoy my music.

After the show the guy run the venue presented me their T-shirt. T-shirt, I have quite a lots at home. Every set I need one. I wear quite a lot. Believe me or not, I loose average 4 to 5 Kg after every show. So, take liquid is very important to back to my normal weight. Before it was beer, but now I try to drink just water or if I go to eat then I take noodle soup sort of things to cover my lost substance. After this show nobody goes to my direction …to the city center…so I took cab.

1st Set: Damo Suzuki with ‘it’s so fucking great to be alive’: Samaan Fieck (Guitar, Synth),Adnan Lalaar (Guitar), Kishore Ryan (Drums), Oscar Slorach-Thorn (Keyboard, Musical Saw), Christina Tester (Tapes, Contact Mic, Keyboard) and Michael Zulicki (Bass)
2nd Set: Damo Suzuki with Hi God People: Dylan Martorell, Dion Nania, Greg Wadley (Drums) and Julian Wiliams

This summer in Melbourne is nice. Very relaxed and not that much hot. Now autumn is quite near. The city lays close to sea so, weather is changing quite a lot even in same day. Morning and afternoon she has different face.

Show tonight is set up when I arrived in Australia. It’s quick set up one, I mean. Bass player of It’s Fucking Great to be Alive, Michael contacted me through E mail. Northcote is a part of Mel about 15 minutes ride by car from city center. Melbourne is 4 million city. there are different spot and all those areas different domestic people show up. Area to area different people. 2 sets tonight with two different band which I never perform together. Every time I spend my time in Mel, I have three or four shows, so in between I know quite a lots of musicians in this city.

As usual sound check begin with 2nd set band then 1st set band. Two different shows have done. I didn’t have ride back to Tim and Sally’s. Even I could take taxi I stayed at Michael whom share the big enough place with an artist. Next day we took tram to the city center…this is first time I take tram in Mel even I come here every year….I love city with tram!!!!

Photos at the performance http://api.flickr.com/services/feeds/photoset.gne?set=72157604033674397&nsid=66094064@N00〈=en-us