[quote="BlazingSage"]Craig, do you personally know Manabe or something?[/quote]

Sorry guys, I've been gone for a week at a scientific conference out in San Diego.

Well, yeah, sorta. When I knew they were coming to Austin for SXSW, I got my butt up to the Caribbean Lights club and introduced myself to the management and then begged without shame to be guaranteed attendence.

The club owner did me one better, since she could see that I was sincerely head-over-heels in love with The Pillows; she offered to ring me in as security if the place was packed.

But I didn't take any chances. I started going up there every weekend a month before the concert, so I made damned sure every employee knew me. As it turned out, the manager is a very special lady, and by the time the concert rolled around I had sort of educated everyone in the place about the Pillows and Noodles, including the bartender with a Ph.D. in music theory. They gave me the run of the place.

So the day of the concert, I came in at 10:30 during the sound check and hung out with the guys all day. I had plenty of time to give them gifts (Breeders T-shirts and chocolate truffles for the Noodles, and DVDs and a CD for the Pillows) and have Manabe-san sign my guitar. Like I said- he freaked when he saw that I had his reggae albums.

Before it was all over, I managed to get across to him that he was a very important person to me- because of him, I decided to get serious about music, and take classical guitar and piano lessons. He seemed very touched, and we traded email addresses.

Since then we've had a few exchanges. I use a language translator, but I'm trying desperately to not bother him, since he's busy and I know he puts a lot of effort into replying to me- the translators have to be iterated to get clean messages, and it's time consuming.

I think a situation like this is very much like quicksand for a celebrity, especially one as modest and polite as Manabe-san. I don't want to suck him under with a avalanche of email that he feels obligated to answer after some initial closeness, so I'm trying very hard to behave myself.

So do I know him personally?

Well, it feels personal to me. But I can't be the only one he had that sort of experience with on their US tour, so he must be spread pretty thin. And at this point, I feel incredibly honored for the attention he has shown me, and incredibly protective of him and the rest of the Bad Music crew. Yoshiaki and the rest are just great people, and I want their experiences in the US to be without blemish.

craig . . . is a good person.

*dies of envy*

[quote="Marekenshin"]that was awesome. and go figure "here comes your man" is yamanaka's favorite pixies song. lol[/quote]

What's even cooler is that you can sing "Here Comes Your Man" right over the top of "Back Seat Dog".

It's the same song- just counterpoint. Absolutely cool as shit.

Absolutely my man. Your a very lucky dude. Don't forget it.

[quote="Marekenshin"]craig . . . is a good person.

*dies of envy*[/quote]

Craig is a 54-year-old-case-of-arrested-development-fat-white-guy and not worth dying of envy or anything else over, but who does have one redeeming virtue: he has good taste in music and knows quality when he sees it.

I can definitely tell you all this much: the Pillows- all of them- will NEVER forget their first US tour. They were absolutely STUNNED at the reception they got, and I think they were actually embarassed that they were unable to adequately expressed how happy the American fans made them feel. Sawao looked like he was near to breaking down in tears after the show. He's pretty good at putting on a stage-face when he needs to, but walking around back in the courtyard at Caribbean Lights, in unguarded moments? He looked like he'd been struck by lightning. He very carefully told me that he wanted me to know how happy they were- and he had to swallow hard a few times. He was really choked up for a second, I think.

I, on the other hand, had been choked up for a MONTH just thinking about it, and cleverly medicated myself with about a half-dozen Scotch and waters....so I was pretty loose.

I dunno. I've never been that close to so much emotion on the part of EVERYONE. The vibe was just tremendous. Even the bartenders- normally pretty jaded- were grinning like bandits.

dude. listen to some of their live songs. not busters on the planet, but a different one of hybrid rainbow. you can hear the emotion in sawao's voice.

yeah, its good stuff.

Almost as good as drugs?

yeah i'd say so.

not heroin

Not even close.

okay but it's still good.

[quote="knifin_around"]Not even close.[/quote]
no where close. its like what u guys call "ecstasy" besides the sexual part.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/kimxxchi/2001.jpg[/img]
u can see the emo too.

Yup.

[quote="Marekenshin"]dude. listen to some of their live songs. not busters on the planet, but a different one of hybrid rainbow. you can hear the emotion in sawao's voice.[/quote]

Yeah, I've got all the concert DVDs.

Someone around here has a sig that says something like "music isn't any good unless it can make a total stranger break down and cry"....and that's pretty much the level these guys are on.

I've got to say, though, that Manabe's Nine Miles albums just destroy me. The song "Word of Mouth" is an incredibly moving love song.

I just wrote a whole paragraph and deleted it because I'd rather not give details that were told to me in confidence. What I'll do instead is post the lyrics to that song, which I think he won't mind. Pay attention to the last line. I once had someone I loved like that.


Word of mouth / Ninemiles

I can hear the word of mouth
Though it is low and good frequency
If it hopes, your heart will can hear
It one hopes so frankly

Come back to this holy place
All is waiting for that you come back
Your distress is shown in your face
You don't need to hold on to me

If it asleep the perfect wave
It can be never go back again
I want it to listen by a feeling
like it never mind

Oh It is a smoldering wave motion
Let me tell you
Way than all
in ready now
Oh In the deep mountain of the mist
Let we go
Once again
Hold me now

Look for so good then keep it gently
Good action is returned to itself
Let's good it if you go where
This place will be a foundation

Tiny rainbow to shine is yourself
Then many people look up at it
I face with the ardent wish
Let's make it
be realized it

Oh It is a smoldering wave motion.
Let me tell you
Way than all
in ready now
Oh In the deep mountain of the mist
Let we go
Once again
Hold me now

Everything go away....
Everything go away....
Everything go away....