Showing posts with label つばき、Tsubaki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label つばき、Tsubaki. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 31, 2017

君のこと

10:23 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
I think I'm still really sad about Isshikisan.

I'm not sure if it's sad, but there's a loss that lingers in my heart that wishes he was still alive, that wishes he wasn't dead.

I was walking to the studio yesterday and passed the florist by the corner and they had a really pretty flower there. Seeing the flowers made me think of Isshikisan and how I wish we was still alive to see flowers like this still.

And today I was at polly and Art-School's show at FEVER.

I managed to get a spot in the first row on stage right and it made me think of Isshikisan because FEVER was the last place he had ever played a guitar live, in Tsubaki's last anniversary show on the night of December 10th and the morning of December 11th. He chose to end with Hikari.

And I remember this spot was probably the exact spot that I stood that December when I saw Isshikisan packed up his guitar after the show. And I always wondered to myself how he felt that moment knowing this was probably the last time he'd ever pack it up. That morning, Uraino guy who was DJing was joking around A LOT and just making a huge party at 4am, and I remember while Isshikisan packed, he was looking at the Uraino guy who was at the drink bar, and Isshikisan was smiling.

They coaxed him (Isshikisan) to sing along this song but Isshikisan was a little reluctant at first but after more teasing, Isshikisan pulled out his phone and pulled up the lyrics and sang to the song passionately albeit jokingly. Haha.

So today, standing there, at that very same spot, with those very same blue lights that illuminates FEVER stage, I thought of Isshikisan that night, having fun, smiling, and being alive.

But now he's gone.
And he'll never return to that stage.
He won't ever play the guitar again.
And he'll never sing again.


Standing there tonight, I thought of Okamotosan's farewell message about her friend, her band mate, her husband Isshiki, "he's reunited with his parents and he can finally play his beloved guitar once again".

I want to think of that.
And his smile.
And his happiness.
Like that night on stage.

But I couldn't help but wish, I wish so hard, he was not dead. That he could still be here to be here with us tonight.
So he could smile.
So he could sing
So he could play his beloved guitar once again like he did that night when he was still alive.

I wish so hard that someone like him could still exist and be alive in the world today. I wish he were still living somewhere in this world healthy and happy with Okamotosan even though we can never see him again. I just wish so hard he hadn't died. I just wish so much he was still around somewhere. I just wish so hard he didn't meet the end that he did. It's not fair to him, to Okamotosan, to everyone who loved him, it's not fair to him that he had to die, that he can't live. He's not alive.

The world is indeed less of a wonderful guy like Isshiki.

And so I cried again tonight watching Polly as they played.
Because he's dead.
Because he will never be here with us again.
Because he can't and will never be here on this stage again.

The stage is empty now.
The stage is without you now.

 

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Thursday, May 11, 2017

「今日も明日も」

11:30 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
I actually really don't know how to write this post.

I don't think words can capture the immense loss and the aching sadness in my heart over Isshikisan.

I don't know what to say, you know.
What can be said?
What can be said about a person whom you did care about and had wished and hoped and prayed with all your heart that he wouldn't reach this absolutely hopeless and final end?

 

Today.

We went to Isshikisan's memorial service at Aoyama Funeral Parlor.

I'm sooooooo happy he and Okamotosan got married. I wished they had told us when they did.
I want so much to say to her "CONGRATULATIONS!" But.. "I'm sorry...".
I'm so happy they were married because it was such a great love story of a band, isn't it?
But I'm so happy they were married because he got to be married and he had her with him all the way till the end and even beyond that, I'm glad he had her there for him tonight.

I'm so glad that the girl that became the drummer who become the wife and who is his companion. I'm glad she was, tonight, his wife, and not merely the drummer of his band.


Tonight.

We went to mourn.

People  often say "you should celebrate their lives, not mourn their death",  but there really was nothing to celebrate tonight. Surrounded by family, by friends, by fans who attracted to the light and hope and the fun that was Isshiki, probably should've been disposed to celebrating- but no. All there  was tonight was tears, sadness, and loss.

I would like to say that people joked around and shared funny stories of Isshiki.. but no, there was none.

The memorial started with an introduction video- I missed the starting bits coz  I got there late with Toshie (who graciously accompanied me so I won't commit a faux pas). I arrived in time to see videos of Isshiki's Shinto  wedding  with Okamoto-san. A video which abruptly cut to a shot of his casket moved into the funeral parlour.

The eulogies started with one  by his Meiji University classmate,  who was sobbing while talking about their friendship.

The second  by Odakasan, who was also crying while chronicling Isshiki's intense fight the final two weeks of his life- literally, the fight of his life for his life.

The last, by Ogawasan, the usually stoic and strict "older-brother"-like figure to playful "younger-brother" Isshiki, tonight overwhelmed with tears as he spoke about his relationship with Isshiki,  their relationship with Tsubaki, and how playing as the three of them as Tsubaki is, was, the best in the end.


Then.
We took our turns to say our goodbyes.
First the family and friends in the main funeral parlour hall.
Then the fans in the second hall.
It struck me that moment as I stood there  in the hall  with these fans waiting for our turn: this was really NOT the Tsubaki event we ever wished we were invited to. We could do without this end.
We will never hear him sing, we will never see him smile, we will never hear him make all  his stupid silly Isshiki jokes again.

They played Tsubaki videos one by one as we waited our turns.
Isshikisan's heart,  his youth, his dreams, his youthful aspirations for an entire life ahead of him, his voice echoed through the halls, now he won't ever sing anymore.

He will never sing again.
We will never, ever hear him sing again.


Then.
It was  our turns and we filed  towards the main funeral hall.

We were all given flowers- mostly white or yellow daisies.
I brought my own  flower- a white Dahlia in lieu of a white chrysanthemum but which resembled Tsubaki's tsubaki logo more- and I also took a daisy (faux pas!)

And  then we stood.

Isshiki's guitars were  set up around his casket  among the altar flowers.
Seeing that really crushed  me and  brought home the moment to me.
The guitars, HIS guitars, the guitars he had loved to play- sits by his side, orphaned, alone, silent.

Okamotosan, well Isshiki  Naoko-san, and Ogawasan were standing by the right.

We stepped up to the table where we could place our flower.
For the life of me, I can't remember what picture they used  for his  altar.
But we bowed our heads and prayed.

ありがとう、一色さん、本当にありがとう。

I remember crying.

And turning to Isshiki Naoko-san and Ogawasan and bowing, like soooooo many times before after all those Tsubaki shows when they came out to greet fans but now..... now, it's just the two of them left, Tsubaki is incomplete, Tsubaki will never be complete again, Isshiki is gone,  it'll always just be only the two of  them.

I'm so sorry.


Then we left and went back to the second hall to look through old Tsubaki things they had set up for us fans.
I think they're so thoughtful. I think we fans are such bothersome things. It's just a personal and private time for them- they had just lost someone they loved and cherish and they must be feeling in the pits of sadness and loss. Yet, in all this confusion and loss, they still have to entertain the fans, the fans who albeit was a great part of his life and his work, but still... we're just merely fans,  you know? Fans and unrelated people in this very very very intensely personal time.

So I do thank the family and band, and company (there were some UKP staff setting up things definitely, like the speakers outside the hall for the final farewell bid), thank you for being thoughtful and considerate and in making space for outsiders like us fans to share in this deeply personal mourning.



And then, the time came.

The time came for the absolute, eternal, final farewell.

The casket was brought out, Isshiki Naoko-san preceeded him carrying his picture- a picture no doubt for a photoshoot that was definitely not meant for this.

I think, from now  on, always, when I listen to a Tsubaki song, it's sad but I think every time I listen to the songs, I will forever remember the image of Isshiki's casket being loaded into the hearse: that was final, the end was absolute.

Nothing is as absolute and as absolutely final as death.


A fan tried to clap but no one clapped with him.

I don't think anyone could cheer.

Because this really wasn't the end any of us wanted for Isshiki.
This really wasn't the fate and the final destiny we'd hope Isshiki would reach.
In the depths of our heart even though we knew he was so so sick, in the depths of our hearts, I think we all desperately wanted  him to keep living as much as he too fought so valiantly to live.

But in the end, the man who always sang about hope and dreams and never giving up and never giving in, lost.

And he's gone.

And he is never coming back.


He was so positive.
So hopeful.
So cheerful.
So wonderfully good.

He worked so so so so so so hard.
He fought so so so so  so so much.
He wanted to live, he wanted to sing, he wanted to perform again.
He wanted to be alive with his friends, his family, his band, his wife.
I'm sure.

It's just so unfair that life had to be taken, to be stolen from such an amazing and wonderful and positively bright man.
It's just so unfair.


I want to believe that what Isshiki Naoko-san said in her closing speech was true, "Now you get to be reunited with your family that  you longed so much to meet, and now you can finally play your beloved guitar again after such a long time".

It's so so sad.
All he wanted to do was live, play his guitar, make music, sing and be happy and alive.

Yet, at the end- he could do none of those; he couldn't even breathe.


My sadness lies not in myself.
Yes, I feel sad we won't see you live and hear you sing anymore and we won't ever get to hear your jokes again.
But beyond  that, the sadness and loss that I feel is for you. Is for you because you've been robbed, you've been cheated by life, you've been given such a terribly horribly bad deal: first losing your parents, then having your guitar taken away from you, but you still fought so hard to regain what you had lost, you kept trying to come back  to sing, you even got married and found your own family-- but fuck,  in the end, ALL OF THAT ALL OF  THAT was once again snatched away and taken from you forcefully.
It's not fair, it's absolutely not fair to you. You  had done NOTHING wrong, you hadn't hurt a soul. You asked for so little and fought so hard for all you had and yet! fucking life REFUSED to give anything  to you.
That's just so so so so so so so so incredibly unfair to you.
And that, that breaks my heart the most.

All you wanted was to be happy, to ask for so little, just life with Naokosan, with your friends, your family and to sing. That's all. That's all.

But you couldn't have any of that.
Not for long anyway.

And I feel so sad.
I feel so sad for you and everyone around you who loves you.


Rest well, Isshiki-san.
Thank you for having fought so hard.
Thank you for having lived.
Thank you for  having sung.
Thank you for being wonderful.
Thank you for being encouraging.
Thank you for your words, your songs, your smile.
Thank  you for the short time you had shared with us.
You were a blessing to us.

Rest well, Isshiki-san.
And I shall sing with you, still, always.
一人の夜もそばにいようぜ
君と僕の歌を歌う。

 
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Tuesday, May 09, 2017

サヨナラ

10:44 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post

ありがとう、一色さん。
これから。。ゆっくり休んでね。
一色さんとつばきに出会えて良かった。
ありがとうね。

I wish you could've won the fight.
It isn't fair that this was your end.
It isn't fair at all.
Not after how hard you fought to live.
Not after how much you wanted to live.
It's not fair to you at all.

I wish this could've been different.
I wish this, THIS wasn't the ending of your song.
You who always sung about dreams, and hope, and holding on.
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Tuesday, March 02, 2010

one color

9:34 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
I still love Tsubaki, and Isshiki is still damn cute. ahaha

 

I mean look at him! so cute~
lol




Look at that... even a cut of pic... so cute~ lol..

Actually, no.. I really like Tsubaki and no, it's not coz of Isshiki =) (although, imho he's very cute indeed, albeit getting old, ne! ^_^ )

I'm really, really, really glad I love 花が揺れる... It's a really incredibly great Tsubaki song... I think it's my favourite newer Tsubaki song. Really good. One of those good blends of the usual Tsubaki-punching rock songs with newer Tsubaki sound and styles. Very nice blend.
And Isshiki's singing is just amazing here too.. Really strong and powerful, nice range and very awesome styles... Mannnnn I just can't get the tune out of my head!!!!
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Monday, October 26, 2009

Tsubaki Official Youtube!!!

10:36 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
okkk I guess I am DAMN LATE in knowing this coz I never check their website often but... TSUBAKI つばき has a Youtube space anddddddddd... THEY HAVE VIDEOS OF THE 9/11 Kyoto Mojo live!!!!

Here is Kinou no Kaze!



This is the first song they played!!! I almost cried when they first started this song!!! I hadn't expected them to play this song but more than that, this song had meant alot to me...

When my life was not going well last year, I was listening to this song alot... And there is a part that goes, "雨の向こうなにかある？"... and it's like "what is there beyond the rain?"... And at that time, when I was listening to this song, I really prayed and hope inside my heart that there would be something wonderful waiting for me after this storm has passed...

And when I went for the Kyoto Mojo show, that was just 6 hours after I got to Japan, and I also got to meet Isshiki-san that day... And after the whole heartwrenching ordeal with Snake, I had this feeling in my heart, I felt that, if I met Isshiki-san, if I saw Tsubaki live, I will be alright....

And I met him (and Okamoto-san) and when Tsubaki started with this song, I was really really touched and overwhelmed...

It was as if, there IS something good for me beyond the wind and rain...



I really hope there is something waiting for me beyond the wind and rain....
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TSUBAKI!!! FIGHT ON!!!!

3:37 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
OK, here is つばき again.

These are two of the newer/latest Tsubaki songs that I really love. Kimi ga inakereba （君がいなければ） and Hikari （光）! I really like these songs coz I thought Isshiki-san's vocals are really powerful here! He sings really really really well in these two songs~ His voice has definitely matured since!


Actually, I'm sending it coz I am really sad for Tsubaki. I think they're an awesome band, would you not agree also??? But for SOME TERRIBLE reason, they just won't get popular... I think it's really sad!!!

I got to know Tsubaki after Lunkhead, of course, but at that time when I first saw Tsubaki live, I thought they were bigger than Lunkhead, since it was Lunkhead who was the support band for Tsubaki's tour. But within a year after that first live, Lunkhead actually became more popular than Tsubaki!

And then, after that, Tsubaki... Well, Isshiki-san anyway, in his blog introduced Merenge　（メレンゲ） to the readers. He spoke really highly of the band... And guess what? Not even 6 months after that, Merenge actually became even MORE popular than Tsubaki!!! Everyone (well most of the usual j-rock/pops/indies English-speaking listeners online) started listening to Merenge! MORE THAN TSUBAKI!

Then after Merenge, we found out about this other band People in the Box, through random downloads of course..... And guess what??? Five months later, People in the Box, which was almost unknown just last year, has now rivaled Tsubaki in popularity!!!!!

WTH!!!

I mean, okay, it's not a popularity contest, of course... But really, still... I think Tsubaki is an amazing band and people should know about them... I guess... Tsubaki is not one of those new and suddenly popular bands... I guess the more you listen to this genre, you'll find out about Tsubaki and at that time you'll only know how awesome their songs are...

SO I HOPE!

頑張って！つばき皆！！！


光〜hikari〜(Akeboshi Piano Version ) - つばき - Tsubaki

君がいないければ - つばき - Tsubaki
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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Day 1: And I still can't open an onigiri correctly

1:21 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
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Onigiri. Why does the nori of my onigiri STILL get torn even if there are CLEARRRRRRR GRAPHICAL instructions on how to tear the plastic out correctly!


So I promised myself I won't cry in Japan. I promised myself, that I MUSTN'T.

But I remember, there had been only twice before that had I cried when a plane took off... One was when I left Malaysia for America... and the next was when I left America for Malaysia.... And the third was today.

I guess, it hurts being in Malaysia itself... There's just too many reminders about everything about him...

I know I will still think about him... But, I mustn't cry. Not in Japan.

Anyhow... I think today was the first day I hadn't thought about him a whole lot, actually, coz maybe I was thinking about Tsubaki more!!!


I was crying when I slept.... When I woke up, I saw this...

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It was a really nice sunrise on the horizon..

and the clouds looked really pretty below..

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Well anyway, the flight seemed short... and we touched down at Narita... I think I spent a total of 10 minutes in Tokyo... From the Narita Express, into the corridors of Tokyo Station and 5 minutes later, on the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto.


Anyway, I met up with Cindy in Kyoto and we had lunch together... After that, she took me to the hotel and the livehouse... The livehouse was nearer to the station than the hotel but she suggested we go to the hotel first before we picked the tickets up from the livehouse...

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Hotel, 50 bucks! Nice and reasonable too!


After putting stuff in the hotel, we went to the livehouse...

There was NO ONE there.... But all of TSUBAKI's equipment were all in the corridor... I was hoping we could meet the band, and then, two people walked in and I recognized one of them to be OKAMOTO-SAN!!!

Cindy approached Okamoto-san and asked her about the reservation for the tickets... She told us to wait and went to get her phone... Then I told Cindy she was the drummer... Then I asked her, "Okamoto-san desu ka?" and she said, "Hai."

Then she went up to call someone...

We were on our way out, coz some guy told us that we werent' suppose to be there... As we were going back up, Okamotosan came back down with ISSHIKISAN!!!!! mauahahahahahahaha...

SOMEHOW, it's DAMNNNNNNNN weird, but Isshiki-san was handling all the online booking through the Tsubaki website!

Cindy talked some stuff to them about the booking which I totally didn't understand... Anyway Isshiki-san just told us, it's okay, I can just give my name at the ticket counter, then I can get the ticket later... since it's not sold out...

When they were mentioning my name, Isshiki mentioned about the letters I wrote to them.. Then Cindy asked me if I had written them any letters and I said I did... SOOOOOO... Isshiki-san got the letters and remembered it!!!

Anyway, I managed SOME Japanese and told them I will be going for their live on 23rd and 29th too.. Then Isshikisan said that he remembers my name for the 23rd.. Then he checked his phone and asked for my last name... So Cindy told him "Loh" and he said "Oh yes,"

Anyhoo, I guess u gotta as CINDY for what Isshiki-san and Okamoto-san really said... hahahahha..

Oh yeah I also said "Soshite, Isshikisan, Omedetou Gozaimasu."... He looked at Okamotosan and laughed, then he bowed and said thank you.

Anyways, that led us to ask them for a picture =D.... And Isshikisan said it was alright... And it would be better to take it now, coz after the live, there are too many people anyway.....

So we took a picture!!!

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Ato de, I asked for autograph! AT LEAST I could say "sign ga ii desu ka?" ahahahhahahaha~

Anyway, they were both cool about it =D

ANyways, that was it!

That was Tsubaki!!!

Isshikisan is a little different from how I had imagined him to but... He's a lot smaller, for one thing ahahhahaha... But still cute, ne!


Anyway, Cindy left after that... and I went to take a walk around, since it was early...

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Anyway.... After that, I went back to the hotel and went online...... TYpical me ahahahah... ACTUALLY, my leg hurts ALOT...... (excuses). SERIOUSLY! I travelled alot ok!!!


ANyway, I thought it was a really good way to start out everything... Meeting Isshiki-san and Okamoto-san...

While I was walking around.. I was thinking.... Actually, I didn't feel as HIGH or EXCITED as I had been when I met Odaka-san two years ago... I remember my heart was racing like MAD and I could not smiling the whole damn night.... But meeting Isshiki-san was almost like normal...


But that said, I realize I also thought about *him* (THE GUY) less... I also felt as if, the feeling of hurt and pain just seem a little further away...

Maybe it's just like a temporary drug (Isshiki-san and Tsubaki hahahaha) induced conscious coma... But I damn hope it lasts.

But I remember, the day after I left *him*... I remember that i told myself "it's okay, Elaine," and I thought to myself, "If i got to meet Isshiki-san, I think I will be okay," and that's why I had really wanted to meet him and I was really praying to God to let me meet him..

And really, I feel that with the great timing and AGAIN, the unexpected chance of SUDDENLY just being able to meet Isshikisan and Okamotosan without even thinking we could... We did... And Thank You God.. for having granted me this one silly prayer...



Anyway... I went to the live but was too early for it, so I decided I would walk to Kamo River.... On the Subway map it didn't look that far and I really felt like seeing the river... So i walked it......

IT WAS FAR.

But well... at least I saw it :)

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Well the whole walk from the livehouse to Kamo River and back actually took A WHOLE HOUR...

When i got back to the livehouse, I could get in to buy the ticket... Ogawasan was there!!!!!! But I didn't talk to him!!!!!!! :(

I had really wanted to! But i was buying the ticket, and when I was done, he had finished packing the goods table :(

Sorry, Ogawasan, I really wanted to say hello~~~!

He was as cool as ever. hahhhaha!


Anyway..... when I was waiting for the live to start... I really felt too old perhaps.... I'm already 27, u know? I'm not 19 or 20 anymore like I was when I went for all the shows in America... I'm NOT a youth anymore.... Maybe i AM too old for this shit!!!

But really but inside me, jsut waiting there and when i was walking around thinking about the live, it just gets my heart beating in anticipation for the show!

It's just awesome, you know, BEING THERE IN THE PIT!!!!!!

That said, there are actually ALOT more older people in Japanese shows... THere were a few women who were at least 40 there, u know...

SO MAYBE I AM NOT TOO OLD AFTER ALL!!!


Anyway............

The band came on and BAM! the first song started, I almost just cried when I heard "Dekiru nara waratte...."...

It was Kinou no Kaze...............

While the didn't play Katamichi Kippu....... Starting with that song just made everything so complete....

Last year, around this time actually, when I was feeling absolute shit about SriKDU.... I was listening to this song EVERYDAY....

And everytime Isshikisan sang, "Ame no mukou ni nani ka aru?".....

At that time I always felt there TOO was something waiting for me after this rain.... After all these shit, there HAS TO BE something for me beyond that... I really believed that at that time...

And I guess, it's a feeling I want to have back now...

To believe, that after this rain, there is something waiting for me too...


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ANYWAY... nothing beats the ringing in your ears, the air thick with the mass of bodies moshed together, the sensation of wind blowing in after the show.... DAMN, I really miss this feeling you know? Whether I am getting old or not, I relaly don't want to think about it... If i can keep myself thinking mentally I am perpetually 20, I WOULD.....

I will never stop going for show, I NEVER want to feel i am too old for this shit, you know... It's just.... too alive, for me to feel I'm too old for this anymore...... I don't want to feel that at all!


So after the live... there was a crowd getting out and lining up to buy Tsubaki goods...

Then as we were waiting, Isshikisan came out to meet the fans and to SELL stuff.... He's so wonderful to do that, you know... Considering he'd have to meet like 400 over people and shake the hands of over 400 people... But he did that.

And so when it came to my turn he was like "oh! Hello,"... I DIDN'T say anything to him at all except "this" and "this"... and he was so nice to take he things.. Then he said the total was "blah blah blah" and OF COZ, it was too fast and I was SUPER nervous, so i didn't get AT ALL what he said... ahahhaha.. So I just gave him all my money and he counted for me the amount and I said "sorry,"

Then he gave me the change and said "mata aimashou"... then he said "ah, 23nichi deshou?" then I said, "Hai," he was smiling and shaking my hands and THEN I TOOK MY HAND AWAY!!! he was a little shocked!! ahahahahahah.. DUDE, i wanted to shake his hands forever (very soft, his hands ahahahaha), but i don't know why i took my hand away when he was STILL GRABBING IT!!

DAMN STUPID ELAINE. U THInK EVERYDAY U GET TO TOUCH ISSHIKISAN???????????????????????????



Anyway....

My dad sent me on this trip, because he wants me to return home normal...

In the depths of my heart...

I really wish I will...

I really, really hope I'll have many more days like these....


Yes, it wasn't as exciting anymore when I met Isshiki-san... It was as if, I just can't feel truly truly excited or happy about anything.

Yes, I felt too old to be doing this shit standing there in the mosh pit with all these kids, yes, I feel that very much...

And yes, I don't know if all these temporary fleeting moments would even make a change or have any meaning at all when the day after tomorrow comes.

And yes, I don't know if this will even save me in the end, when i DO go back to Malaysia, will ALL the flood of pain return like before...


I Really don't know...

But what I do know is that...

I thought about *him* less today.

And right now, I sure as hell don't feel as bad as I did yesterday...


So thank You God, thank you dad, and yes, thank you Isshiki-san...


Soshite, Otanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu...
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Friday, April 03, 2009

つばき　「流星ノート」 Review! ^-^

8:57 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
Ok... I think this is long delayed hahaha..

Actually, I like Tsubaki a lot. In fact, if I really think about it, I like them more than a lot.

I think they're a great band with awesome, awesome music. I think their older albums are amazing albums and I personally feel that Portrait+ is a perfect album. I don't give out "perfect album" much! Really, but I do think that every song on that song was perfectly crafted and I think they went major on that album and that album's sounds and songs contained a perfect blend of Tsubaki's rock with the wonders (but not overdone) sound engineering and mixing.

And I love Tsubaki's rock songs. I think they're amazing to rock out with, I think there's a force that drives their songs, and I think some of them are amazingly catchy without being poppish. Wonderful, to sum it all up.


Anyway, okay, so brings us to Ryusei Note, their latest full-length album. Kudos to coming up with an album every year.

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Ryuusei Note (Meteor Note), Isshiki-san's own pic!


Well I wrote in the Japanese blog that I have a feeling that Isshiki-san might go indie rock on us! Lol... I mean, he seems to be listening to alot of indie rock bands lately, so there's bound to be some influence!

But this album, hmm...

For one thing, it's not as acoustic or as mellow as their previous album, Kakusei World (hey! wots with mixing Japanese and English words in the titles?!), but it's definitely not as perfectly molded as Portrait+ before that, and it's also not as raw and driving as their old stuff.

So where does this album stand?

Actually, I thought that at first listen, this album might not be as much of a force as a usual older Tsubaki albums (not including Kakusei World ). I thought the songs were well mixed, not too overdone yet, but too rounded perhaps and Tsubaki this time didn't have that much of an edge as their usual rock songs.... OR did Isshiki-san really go Indie rock on us?!?!?!?!

Well, I didn't think he did. I thought the songs were still quite rock, just that, it was quite different from Tsubaki's usual sounds! I guess that's why it feel different, perhaps!

BUTTTTT, I feel that the beauty of this album comes after careful listen-- When you do listen deeper into the sounds and hear the arrangements of the instruments and their coming together in a flow. I think the beauty of the album lies in there.

I think in that sense, this album is even more magically crafted than any of their previous stuff, Portrait+ including. When you hear the songs and not just at the surface, that's where you'll hear the brilliance of the composition.

Yeah!! So, I do enjoy this album and I think it's definitely a great release!

My favourite track are, 春の嵐 (dude! he sings "I love you" here.. Woo! Well I love you too!! Lol~ ahahhha. Btw, this is my fav song off the album.), 傘, 脱ぎ捨てて (the bridge part is awesome! Can't decide if I like this song better or 白い街の灯) and 君がいなければ, and of course 銀河列車 and 光.... I think the other songs in the album can DEFINITELY grow on you! Cause they're quite catchy!! Somehow they got some catchy dancy tunes in this album hahahaha... TRY 膨らむ夢に薔薇の棘 or even 銀河列車! That'll get you dancing in no time! lol...

Well okay, now i just need to understand what he's singing, lol... But the songs seem to be upbeat songs lol)

Yeah... so did I tell you I like Tsubaki alot? More than alot alot? Lol...

I do..

lol.
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Sunday, March 15, 2009

「流星ノート」 Tsubaki - Ryusei Note Cover

10:16 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
Hmmm~ Seems like the cover art has been released!!!!!!

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Tsubaki's new album "Ryusei Note" (Meteor Note), this 25th March Release!

Hmmm... "Melody that meteor plays of drawing in the sky" - Hmmm... Sounds like a good description of meteor note I suppose!!!


Anyway, I still think there's something weird going on with Isshiki-san..... He's never said before that "I think I won't be able to update blog on tour, but it will be updated again when I am settled back in Tokyo"...... Errrr... But the Lost In Time Tour is actually just three days, no??? wth.... Kinda worrisome he's been a little weird lately... Lets hope he's not getting tired of this =( *please Tsubaki, don't announce anything too shocking for us! >_<
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Wednesday, March 04, 2009

「月と手のひら」

12:53 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
TODAY'S ON MUSIC!


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Isshiki-san's iTunes!


I'd give my.... parts of my liver... to have a chance to scroll through Isshiki-san's itunes music library!!!!!!!

hahahahah...

No, but seriously, I would...!!!

I damn like to know what he listens to and I want to know more bands!!!!! I think he's an excellent resource!! Seems like he listens to an incredible archive of music yo!!! Well yeah, okay, he's a musician...


Anyway, while we're on that... I really want to know more bands... There's this one guy in the forum I always download music from, Shiba-san... DUDE, I think like 99% of all the Japanese bands I checked out, at least 70% of all the albums were downloaded off him!!! He always password protects his files with his nickname, and whenever i unzip a file and forgot the password, most I can try"shiba" and it would be correct! hahahaha..

Anyway, I was browsing through all this posts today and it's incredible all these bands that he knows! Well, through time I have gone through and checked out 90% of those bands already, but it's just amazing how he knows these bands!!! Well, he's in Japan for one...

I mean, I really admire people who know like a zillion bands! Or knows ALL the bands in a single genre... And I really admire some of these dudes who are not in Japan but know just an awesome amount of bands! It's incredible!!!

But I just think it's hard and quite impossible to get to know fairly new and unknown BUT AWESOME bands without actually being in the country.

Sometimes reading through some of the japanese blogs, it's so envious! To be there! And to be able to just check out and know all these new and upcoming and all these indie bands, I think that's an amazing thing that I wish I could do.

Like you know we were in Japan and I was with Akio and just walking along Kamo river, and across Kamo River this band was playing their songs in the frigid winter. But the song was just amazing! And it sounded even more amazing and added to the movie-like atmosphere of that night!! I mean can you imagine it?? Walking along Kamo River in the cold, in Japan, and you're happy and you're with your friend... and to add to the moment is a live soundtrack! lol~

Anyway, the band was great!!! But....... you HAD TO be there (in Japan) to have gotten to know them.

That's what I mean.

I wish I was there.


Or, at least have a chance to look through Isshiki-san's playlist. lol!



ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


EXCITING (but sad) LUNKHEAD NEWS!!!!

New DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Live limitation only............ WHY ALWAYS LIKE THAT, LUNKHEAD??? WHY????

Anyway, AME is great!!! She's helping me to get them!! She's always soooooo super amazing!!! Flying from Hong Kong to Japan just for live all the time!!! And always so kind to help me buy goods!!! THANK YOU AME!!!!


Anyway, I was thinking about music and I really feel a little sad because I feel that I am stuck on Lunkhead's 月と手のひら (Tsuki to Tenohira)... I mean don't get me wrong, I love their other songs too and I feel that because I am a Lunkhead fan, I shouldn't JUST love ONE SONG too much!!!!! I think they have excellent songs and Odaka-san writes amazing tunes!! But... STILL, if you ask me what is my favourite Lunkhead song, or to recommend a Lunkhead song, it will ALWAYS be Tsuki to Tenohira!!!

It's just that... I that this song has a timeless beauty to it. I don't know how to describe it but.... This one song, it's just beautiful all over again, you know? I mean, I think this is probably the song I have heard the most often in my whole life. If added together from all the playcounts from 3 years ago till now, I think I've heard this song more than 1500 times.. (that's not much, actually, huh!!)...

But anyway... Sometimes, yes, I feel very burn out from the song, also... Like after listening to it too often, it loses its appeal..... Or I know that after the December live 2 years ago... I felt very sad to listen to Tsuki to Tenohira because it reminded me of too wonderful memories that were too painful to recall... So, I didn't listen as much... And also, other songs were released and they were all excellent songs too..!

But now again, listening to Tsuki to Tenohira again and.............. I hear and am moved by the beauty of the song once again.... I mean, it may be a very simple song, but I don't know how to describe it, but just the myriads of sounds that spreads out and converges in the song... and the simple beauty of the acoustic guitar, and the placid sad touching meaning of the words just... blends together in this song...

Would I call a perfect song? Well, maybe not to others.

But, in MY opinion, this is THE best song. EVER.


IS THAT TOO MUCH???? Sorry Lunkhead!!! I really love your other songs too!! But this song is too beautiful!!!! And it always makes me fall in love with it again and again!!!!


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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

つばき　－　「銀河列車（配信限定バージョン）」

12:05 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
ALRIGHT. Just downloaded Tsubaki's new song Gingaressha off iTMS!

Woahhhhh~~~~~~~

Talk about completely different from EVERYTHING they've done before! lol~~~

Do I hear disco????? Seriously!

Sounds more like something that'd pop out from Base Ball Bear's portfolio instead!

Seriously!


Woah! I'm looping the song and you can't even tell where it ends and where it begins! Lol~

Seems like they're really changing their sounds from album to album.... Tho, seems like Hikari is more like a reflection of their usual sound.

Well! I am looking forward to the new album!
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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Buckwheat noodles and Canned Coffee

2:31 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
What the heck............

ODK's post was nothing but buckwheat noodles........

Isshiki's post was nothing but canned coffee.........

oh well.... still.... they posted right?


It's still quite sad Isshiki-san is not posting as much anymore.... Not even about PV stuff and he used to post quite a bit, even though they were busy or something...

BUT ANYWAYS, ODK is posting almost everyday so that's cool!! Get to read something at least!!

Even if it's about buckwheat noodles or canned coffee...
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Saturday, January 31, 2009

TSUBAKI NEW ALBUM!!!

2:18 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
IT HAS FINALLY BEEN ANNOUNCED!!!!!!!!!

つばき NEW ALBUM

流星ノート (Ryuusei Note) (Meteor Note)

RELEASE DATE!!!! MARCH 25th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HORRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! TEN-SONG ALBUM!!!!!

もめでとう～～～！！！

ALSO!

TOUR DATES FOR APRIL, MAY has been released!!!

DEAR LUNKHEAD! PLEASE TOUR TOO!!!!

THEN I WILL GO!!!

ぜったい行くよ！！！！！！


(hmmm i noticed that Tsubaki always gives short notice on album releases, whereas Lunkhead would announce months in advance. Even for Kakusei World, the album release was announced just two months before release, and Lunkhead's Fuka was annouced at least 6 months before...)
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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Tsubaki's New Look!!!!!!!

12:00 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
I know, completely LACK UPDATES! lol............

つばき NEW LOOK!

HOORAH!

(me thinks there's a new album coming out, they've been recording)

Wots with the dark look man?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?! But Isshiki-san is such a fun guy!!! And the band is such a fun and rocking out band!!!! Don't be so emo~~~~~~~~~!!!!! Don't be too cool!!!!!!!!!! lol

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So sad, they're not posting on the blog lately. Actually, it's only Isshiki-san who posts regularly on the blog but even he's not been posting lately....... How sad =(

On the other hand, Yoshitaro has been posting damn lot lately! lol
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Friday, December 12, 2008

Favourite Animal

1:40 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
aloha~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!

TODAY!!! I listened to TsunTsunTsubaki Volume30~ ([つんつんつばき]vol.30)!!!!! They had the "nandemo top 3" (anything top 3) countdown as usual and Isshiki-san chose "suki na doubutsu top 3" (top 3 favourite animals).... He always likes animals!! I think he's an animal lover hahahhaha!! Anddddd... He's always taking picture of cats!!!!! And, he says on the blog that he wants to own a cat, and he wants to own a dog.......!

Anyway..... Isshiki-san's countdown!

NUMBER 3 was............. DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hehehe... they were all saying dogs are cute and all... So I guess that's why he likes dogs... HELL YEAH! They're damn cute... He should meet my Sugar doggie... she's da best! muahahahahah...

NUMBER 2 was............................................................... HORSE!
wth????? where the heck did horse come from? I was wondering like what?? HORSE? he likes horses better than dogs??? But anyway, horses are cool, so it's understandable... he's a horse lover hehehehehehe~~ wow... if it's ABOVE dogs he must REALLY like horses!

Anyway............ Then, I thought, surely number 1 was gonna be NEKO (CAT!).... Since he DOES ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS take pictures of cats, wanna have a cat, anddddddd Tsubaki even has a song named NEKO......... SO, surely number 1 goes to Neko.......

Then...

NUMBER 1........................................... ORANG UTAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTH??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? ORANG UTAN???????????? where the hell did THAT come from?!?!?!?!?!? SERIOUSLY!!! WHY THE HECK ORANG UTAN MAN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! NOT EVEN CAT!! it was ORANG UTAN!! That means............ AS MUCH AS HE LOVES CATS AND DOGS AND HORSE, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? He ACTUALLY likes ORANG UTAN better!! And DUDE! This guy REALLY likes cats, you know?! To imagine..... he'd actually be liking ORANG UTAN WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY MORE???? WOAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I WAS INCREDIBLY SHOCKED... As u can see, I am STILL shocked!!!

They did talk about the choice but my Japanese doesn't stretch THAT far to understand what they were talking about...

SO!! Isshiki-san, SERIOUSLY, WHY ORANG UTAN YO????????????

And then he said, by the way..... Neko would be NUMBER FOUR!!!!!!!

what the------ I can't believe it, I really thought he was a avid cat lover! With all the pictures of cats and things with cat and stuff......... BUT DUDE, HORSE and DOG.... and ESPECIALLY, WTH.... ORANG UTAN, even beats the neko! wth............. unbelievable! hahahahhahaha

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kinda happy though! He likes dogs better than cats then!! Albeit he takes WAYYYYYYYYY more pictures of cats than dogs! hehehehe....... He blogged before that he used to have a dog back home when he was younger...... Hmmm.... Thus, he's a dog person??

BUT WHERE DID THAT ORANG UTAN COME FROM?

well then, come visit us in Malaysia then muahahahahahhahahaha.......... and along the way, play couple of shows!!! hahahahaha!

*WISHFUL THINKING!!*


If i had a top 3 favourite animals.... it would be:

1) DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2) POLAR BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3)..... hmmm maybe rabbits.... coz they kinda cute~! though smelly, breed fast and die easily. HM!
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Sunday, December 07, 2008

みかん祭り4日:つばきとランクヘッド

12:53 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
YES ISSHIKI-SAN!!! YOU MAY PASS THAT OVER TO ME TOO~~~!! PLEASE! ^____^

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Lunkhead special limited edition New Single CD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was Mikan Matsuri Day 4.... TSUBAKI and LUNKHEAD!

Blood hell........ how depressing we're all missing it!

「またライブで会おう。」.... yeah.... Isshiki-san.... I really wish this was possible ='(.... it's really not as simple as such words when one lives 6000 miles way from that "ライブ"...... Oh well.... 「一色さん、いつかまたライブであいましょう。。。。。」
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Saturday, December 06, 2008
1:49 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
WOAH! I just had to say this!!! Listening to Tsubaki's new single now.... and I just had to say this.... Isshiki-san's singing has improved incredibly!!!! His voice and singing is AMAZING on the Akeboshi Mix!!!!! (or are they all the same but dude, it's GREAT AMAZING SINGING!!) He could hit such notes and his voice is soooooooooo much stronger now on high notes especially!!! And his voice has become stronger too!!!

Great work, Isshiki-san!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Lunkhead - Tsubaki - Icons~~~

11:39 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
Fuuuuuwaaaaa~~~~ This time it can REALLY be called Lunkhead and Tsubaki Icons!!! (Sorta!)

Anyway, here are the icons for the past 3 days~~


Odaka Yoshitaro - Letters to You

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Ok... ODK-san, I'm sorry, kinda cheated on this one, huh.... Can't even see his face :(
Anyway, I downloaded alot of textures, and I kinda, learnt something about using layer masking, yeap... just learnt it..... So, wanted to try out techniques more than anything else..... Kinda failure... :(


ISHIKAWA RYO - Everyday Happy!

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WOAH!!!!! An icon of Ishikawa-san!!!! woahhhh~~~~~~ Yeah, okay, I know I can't use this icon for the 50 icon challenge count, butttttt.... Ishikawa has really nice pictures, and he always takes really enthusiastic pictures too!!


Okamoto Naoko - I Should Be Your Girl *ahem* *ahem*

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Hola! I like to make colorful ones of Okamoto-san!!! Hmmm... However, this icon was really hard for me... took me 6 hours and I'm not happy with the final product.... I don't like the font for the text... I tried redoing it with other fonts too but for some reason, the text just blends into the background and won't stand out...


Isshiki Noriyasu - ROCKSTAR

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His icons seems to be really cluttered all the time!!! lol.... Anyway, this was a failure of some sorts... I actually wanted to put the text "Death Cab Rulz"... hahaha.... I got the idea after I looked at Tsubaki's myspace page and their Number 1 Top 20 friend was Death Cab For Cutie ;)
But anyway, I couldn't put that text in the end coz of the way i cropped the pic... there wasn't really any space for the text....


and LOOK! This was how I intended Okamoto-san's icon to be ;)

Icon - Tsubaki Isshiki Noriyasu Lucky Cat!Photobucket

Muahahahahahha~~~ So, ahem... Yeah........ 「◯◯くん, I should be your girl......」
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Sunday, November 16, 2008

Icons

12:45 AM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
Two icons tonight...

Lunkhead/Odaka Yoshitaro "I heart you"

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Hmmm... This is for the icon competition's theme "Truth"... So I put "I heart you"...... Meaning, the truth is.... "I heart you".... Urm... not really! hahaha... Haih...

Tsubaki/Isshiki Noriyasu "Lucky Cat!"

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The cat's damn lucky to be there with him. Muahahahahaha... Wow, I'm jealous of a cat, coz the cat got to meet him. lol.


Jarod says my icons all look like those purikura (sticker booth) icons... lol.... Maybe maybe!!! That's coz I don't have enough skills to make really cool icons... So it always ends up looking like something that can be made in sticker booths!!! >__<
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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

[つんつんつばき]vol.34

4:49 PM | Posted by | | | Edit Post
I really liked this episode of Tuntun tsubaki~~~ It's really funny~~ Hahaha... okay, i don't even understand 70% of it but dude, Isshiki-san was really bouncing off the walls on this episode!!! He's like damn talkative and hyper on this episode...!! Usually, he talks alot, actually, but this episode, even more so!! In fact the whole band seem more hyper than usual! hahaha

It's really funny~~ He talks about Okamoto-san's dad during the Hiroshima live being really damn enthusiastic and singing with all the songs at the side of the stage lol~~~ damn funny how he describes it and poor Okamoto-san is like so shy and giggling away... haha...

And then he says like "opps! sorry! sorry sorry~" in ENGLISH to Okamoto-san at one part~!! Damn funny the way he said it hahahaha... coz it was like him making a joke at her hahaha...

Well okay~~ I uploaded the episode~~ hehe...

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=cd9957c11cb351ded2db6fb9a8902bda


They're damn funny... But at least, I can understand Tsubaki better when they speak, somehow... than when Lunkhead speak together... too fast yo~~~~ And damn informal!!! Can't catch a word!! >__<

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Tsubaki（つばき）family day out =P hehehe
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