Pop Levi + Fujiya & Miyagi

03-03-09

Fujiya and Miyagi, Fujiya and Miyagi, Fujiya and Miyagi... Vanilla, Strawberry Vanilla Strawberry... hehe If you know which songs I am talking about, you'should think this is funny! lol

This time Meg and I went to the Echo to see Fujiya & Miyagi who is from Brighton, England.
It was a good show, however unfortunately we had to realize we really like their sound but after all we had to think their sound is all same over 20 songs.... Lyrics from every songs fits to one sounds. Their beat is about same, the vocalist sings in same style... Their sound is not bad at all and actually I loved it when I listened their 3rd album "Transparent Things". But 4th album "Light Bulbs"... Hmm...? I have heard this sound before... And I had to think a moment, and realize the sound is similar to "Transparent Things"!
You should listen to "Photocopier" (Transparent Things), and "Ankle Injuries" (Transparent Things) and "Knickerbocker" (Lightbulbs) . They are all same. I am pretty sure Fujiya & Miyagi reads won't this article, but in case if they did read my article, I have to say "Sorry!" but this is how I felt... I like each songs individually though! :D

One of the opening band, Pop Levi was pretty cool except the vocalist plays like Jimmy Hendrix-ish... And his play was pretty comical. I loved it.

Fujiya and Miyagi, Fujiya and Miyagi, Fujiya and Miyagi... Vanilla, Strawberry Vanilla Strawberry... ははは、もしこのバンド知っててどの曲のことを私が言ってるか分かったらこれ、結構笑えると思うんだけど、どう？？ひひひ。

今回はThe EchoでFujiya & Miyagi (前座：Pop Levi)をもちろん、私のバディ、めぐっぺと行ってきました。ライブはなかなか良かったのですが、今回気がついちゃったことがあるんです。このバンド、全曲を一曲づつ、（続けて全部ではなく）聞けば「全部大好き！」って言えるんだけど、２枚のアルバム(Transparent Things と Lightbulbs)を一気に立て続けに聴いてしまうと、なんと音が皆一緒！歌詞が違うだけで、リズムも歌い方もほぼ一緒だから、「あれ、さっきこれやらなかった？」と錯覚してしまう訳です。。。ちょっと残念なバンドだわー。もったいないーー！
皆さんに聴いてもらいたいのが、「Collarbone」、「Ankle Injuries 」、「Knickerbocker」。最初の２曲はTransparent Things (サードアルバム）、で３曲目のがLlightbulbsから。フォースアルバムです。

"Collarbone" (これ結構有名かも。CMで使われてます）結構むごい動画だな〜。初めて見たけど。。。



"Ankle Junkies" ビデオ面白いよ。by Wade Shotter



"Knickerbocker" この曲結構好きなんだけどな。。。by Wade Shotter



"Sore Thumb" This is cool video by Wade Shotter ( I guess this band loves Director, Wade Shotter!)



Left: Fujiya - Steve Lewis (synths, beats, programming and backing vocals)
Right: Miyagi - David Best (vocals and guitar)






なかなかにっこりしないボーカルだったけど、ちょっとニヤリする時、なんかハニカんでる感じでちょっとかわいかったww







Pop Levi. Their I mean his performance was pretty comical. He made me laugh... (he was serious though)










Pop Leviのショーは結構突っ込みどころ満載で、歯ギターあり、熱血ギター弾きあり（ジミヘンみたく）、芸人さんも笑い転がる面白顔もあり、、、で、楽しかった〜。








歯ギターまで見せてくれたよww











Extra/おまけ：Pop Levi "Sugar Assault Me Now"　Funny Video..結構笑えるビデオです。

Zazen

3-2-09

Lately, I feel stressed out from my work because things don't just go the way I want it. And my projects are not single-person task, so of course it takes the team to work the project running. It wasn't the case for this particular project... I was frustrated, and irritated and seems like I feel this way at the end of the day "always". And I didn't like that at all how I felt... well who does, right? But I just don't have time to chit chat during work hour and I just carry the frustration over to home. And this happened repeatedly. Can you see how much frustration I have now?
One day, my friend invited me to a dinner to have some soon tofu with her, and I spilled my frustration at work out to her over the dinner. I guess I needed someone to talk to and she was a perfect person. :)

It's not that I needed to complain about this particular situation, I was also frustrated that I am not strong enough to accept these type of envitonment. I know I can't change the person, so, I need to change myself so then I don't have to feel frustrated much. What can I do in order to be strong?

So my friend took me to this Meditation workshop in Santa Monica last night. The regular teacher wasn't there, and some substitute who teaches you ZAZEN there. I was surprised I would do this in United States. I haven't even done this in Japan!

Anyway, I learned a bit from Zazen, I think... When I stared a white wall in front of myself (he told us not to close eyes because you WILL start thinking so many things. By opening your eyes and staring at blank wall, you won't have much disturbance during the session), millions of things came up in my mind, but also I started to learn to let them go since I knew I wasn't supposed to "think" anything. And it gave me relaxation, and calmness since I didn't have think anything. All the stuff which frustrated me on that day just discharged from my body which means it went back to ZERO point and I can start a new day next day. That was a great feeling to have at the end of Zazen. :) I think I will go back there again to attend Meditation workout next Monday...


About Zazen >>

最近仕事にやられてる気がします。思うように事が運ばない、、、。毎日（いつも午後あたりから）こんな調子でしかも忙しいから喋ってる暇もなく、休憩も取らずに仕事をずーっとしてることが多い感じ。この「喋る暇もない」っていうのがやばくて、イライラしながら家に帰り、また喋ることもなく次の日を迎えるということもざら。だからストレス溜まってた。
この間、ちょうど友達がご飯一緒に食べない？って誘ってくれたから、その夕食時に溜まってたガスみたくバーーーーーっとそのイライラ感というかこういう状況をどう変えられるか、どう自分が強くなればこの状況を乗り越えられるか、みたいなことを一気に話したら、この友達、超いい解決法みたいなことを提案してくれた。

で、、、メディテーション（瞑想）のワークショップがあるから行かない？って誘われてサンタモニカまで昨晩行ってみました。瞑想のクラスではなく、座禅のクラスだったけど、これがまたなんか気持ちよかった。座禅なんて日本にいた時もやったことないし、そんなに知識ないけど、とにかく目の前にある白い壁を目を開けたまま、みつめなさいという指示に従って、30分間座禅を組んでみました。座禅＝無ってことになると思うんだけど、これがまた難しい！でも「無」をトライして、まだ何か頭に浮かんでくるからまた消して、、みたいなことをやってるといつの間にか、何も考えなくなる。さっきのイライラ感もどっか消えたし、仕事のこともどっか消えたし、なんかゼロに戻って次の日新しい日を始められる感じだった。座禅を組む事によって、体のバランスも脳みそのバランスも素に戻るからこれも気持ちいい。ちょっと何か習ったような気がします。一緒にクラスを取った人達も同じように精神的に強くなりたいっていう人達だったからクラス後話していてちょっと仲間を見つけたような、、、。また
来週行ってこようと思います。（変な宗教とかそういうんじゃないから、ご心配なく）

座禅について＞＞