It’s Wednesday and it’s new releases!  Which artist/group did the best?

1. Koda Kumi - FREAKY
2. Ketsumeishi - Mata Kimi ni Aeru
3. Berry’z Kobo - Kokuhaku no Funsui Hiroba
4. Nakagawa Shoko - Sora Iro Days
5. Yuna Ito - Mahaloha
6. GOLF&MIKE - Nippon Ai ni ikkyo
7. Onmyoza - Kokui no Tennyo
8. GReeeeN - Aiuta
9.  Kuwata Keisuke - Ashita Harerukana
10. Gackt - RETURNER - Yami no Shuen

It’s Wednesday and it means new releases!  Which artist/band did well for the day?

1. Amuro Namie - PLAY
2. GReeeeN - Aa, Domo.  Hajimemashite.
3. Quruli- Tanz Walzer
4. Teppei Koike - pieces
5. LOVE PSYCHEDELICO - GOLDEN GRAPEFRUIT
6. Maeda Nobuteru - Single Collection +
7. VELVET REVOLVER - Libertad
8. Crystal Kay - ALL YOURS
9. Park Yonha - Present - Park Yonha Selection Album
10. Nakamori Akina - Enka

JELLYNYC AND VICE PRESENTS:
BOREDOMS - 77BOADRUM
7/7/07

Legendary Japanese iconcolasts BOREDOMS, a visionary band who has spent over twenty years pushing itself toward new frontiers, will stage the most extraordinary concert of their career on July 7, 2007. A once-in-a-lifetime performance featuring 77 drummers, and meant to be performed just once (on 7/7/07), BOREDOMS will create 77BOADRUM as a free show in the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park section of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Located directly on the East River and majestically framed by the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park section of Brooklyn Bridge Park provides an arresting stage for this audacious performance. The free show will begin at 4pm and will feature performances by First Nation and Soft Circle and DJ sets from Gang Gang Dance before the 77-minute 77BOADRUM commences. Guests must RSVP on www.viceland.com/77BOADRUM <http://www.viceland.com/77BOADRUM> .

A volunteer army of 74 of the best players in New York City’s avant/experimental underground were selected by the event’s music director Hisham Bharoocha, including members of Gang Gang Dance, No Neck Blues Band, Sunburned Hand Of The Man, Excepter, Sightings, Onieda, and more. They will join BOREDOMS drummers YOSHIMI, YOJIRO and SENJU, alongside 77BOADRUM mastermind EYE on electronics, effects, and vocals. A live sculpture built of musicians, BOREDOMS stand at the center as 77 drummers on full 5-piece, 3-cymbal drum kits snake around them in spirals, like the coils of a boa constrictor.

The number 7 resonates on many levels to BOREDOMS. The Japanese people descended from the Amur, a primitive people living on the Amur River in Russia, to the North of Japan. The Amur were followers of Amaterasu, the sun god. The Amur River snaked down from North Russia to what’s now known as the Sea of Japan, delivering the Japanese people to Japan, who celebrate a cosmic connection with all that’s north, or above, the world. 77BOADRUM helps reconstruct the river into a river stars in the heavens. On July 7 all of Japan celebrates Star Day. “7 is the number when we try to express sun as sound,” says Yamatsuka Eye. “When I look at the sun, I see number 7.”

The influence of BOREDOMS in underground, experimental, noise, and performance-based music cannot be overstated. Starting in 1987 as a hyperactive unit blasting quick sonic punches of chaotic intensity, their early albums and violently happy live shows won them great support in the Japanese underground and art scene. This incongruously lead to one of the strangest major labels signings in music history, as Warner Brothers started releasing their albums both in Japan and the US. With support from bands like Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, and Nirvana, the band built a following in the US and won a spot on the 1993 Lollapalooza tour. Around this time BOREDOMS were beginning to evolve away from the chaos-rock of their past, zeroing in on tribal percussion, electronicized krautrock, and trance-inducing power rock, exemplified in the Super Roots series (1993-1999), recently reissued by VICE Records. Their most recent studio album, 2005’s Seadrum/House of Sun (VICE), and their recent live shows, take another step toward the cosmic in the way of ecstatic long-form ceremonies of percussive intensity. 77BOADRUM marks another new chapter in the constantly evolving soundworld of one of music’s most imaginative bands.

77BOADRUM music director Hisham Baroocha is a writer, photographer, and musician who collaborates frequently with BOREDOMS. The Japanese-born Baroocha was previously a member of Lightning Bolt and Black Dice, and performs currently as Soft Circle and in Pixeltan.

77BOADRUM is being produced by JellyNYC and VICE. JellyNYC was founded on true creativity and the integration of many talents and ideas. The company is an inter-media collaborative specializing in creating one of a kind experiences for their audiences and partners. They seek to create and support projects of the highest artistic quality that resonate across the lines. The members of JELLYNYC are constantly pushing through barriers, seeking out new ways to bring people closer together on many different levels whether that is through great music or authentic brands. VICE is an independent media company founded in 1994 which encompasses Vice Magazine (distributed in 18 countries worldwide); VICE Records; VICE Films; VBS.tv, an online video network; and VIRTUE, a creative agency. VICE Records released seven BOREDOMS records in 2006 and 2007.

77BOADRUM is supported by Nike, Scion, American Apparel, Sapporo, Howling Monkey Cola and Slingerland Drums.

WEBSITE http://www.viceland.com/77BOADRUM

MORE INFORMATION, PHOTOS, and DOWNLOADS http://www.viceland.com/77info

KEY LINKS
Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boredoms]
Allmusic [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifrxqw5ldde~T10] <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&amp;sql=11:0ifrxqw5ldde~T10]>
Boredoms on VICE Records [http://www.vicerecords.com/boredoms.php]
Listen to their latest studio album Seadum/House of Sun [http://www.vice-recordings.com/boredoms/seadrum]
Download a podcast telling the history of the band by Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker [http://www.vicerecords.com/download/never_boring.mp3]

MAP, PARK INFO AND DIRECTIONS
No pets, alcohol, or bikes will be allowed in the park. Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged. Nearest subway stops are: A/C to High Street, 2/3 Clark Street, and F to York Street. More info here: http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/index.cfm?objectid=EE3D2631-3048-7098-AFC50924E8001E1D <http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/index.cfm?objectid=EE3D2631-3048-7098-AFC50924E8001E1D>

PRESS QUOTES
“Today the Boredoms are nothing if not surprising, a characteristic that makes them fascinating, vital torchbearers of rock’s original free spirit.” Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

“Over the course of the set, the Boredoms suggested dub reggae echoes, a grand rock anthem and the stop-time chords of a big band; Yoshimi crooned like a jazz chanteuse and belted a house-music hook. There were drumbeats devised from Asia, Africa, breakbeat electronica, New Orleans funk and beyond.” Jon Pareles, The New York Times

“Their music has never been rooted in a particular rhythm, vocal style, or genre. What the Boredoms do is capture a specific energy, and move around it until they’ve exhausted its possibilities.” Sasha Frere-Jones, The New Yorker

“The Boredoms have transformed the weary rock format into something commanding, shocking, beautiful and new.” Mark Richard-San, Pitchfork Media

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to plug the latest J!-ENT special feature and interview with ANNA TSUCHIYA.  Bio was written by David Hickey, interview was done by Wynne Ip and contributors such as Hiroshi Tagawa, Misty Creech and Dennis A. Amith.

A lot of cool photos as well!

CHECK IT OUT!

Former Morning Musume member Yaguchi Mari (24) promoted her new book “Chicchai Yaguchi no Dekkai Anata ni Ai ni Iku no da!!” on the 26th.

Of course, media wanted to talk to Yaguchi about the things going on with Morning Musume (or former MM members) as of late, especially Tsuji Nozomi’s recent marriage and Yaguchi talked about her fear of going out (because the Hello! Project girls have been targeted by paparazzi and tabloid shots holding the hand of a talent/boyfriend have led to Yaguchi leaving Morning Musume).

More on this article 

Photo courtesy of Sankei Sports

The death of Sakai Izumi (ZARD) was a major hit in Japan for music fans and a month after her death (Note: Sakai died after a slip and fall from a stairway at a hospital where she was recuperating from cancer treatment), fans continue to mourn and also celebrate the life of Sakai.

A makeshift memorial was created for Sakai Izumi which was decorated with 200,000 flowers and photos of Sakai Izumi overlooking the flowers. Singer/producer and composer Oda Tetsurou who composed “Makenaide” lent Sakai’s sheet of her writing the lyrics for the song to the memorial.

It was also announced on the 26th that a special memorial live will be done on September 7th and will include some familiar friends from the past from bands such as T-BOLAN, DEEN, B’z, artists such as Kuraki Mai and many more.

More on this article

Photo courtesy of Sankei Sports

ADV ACQUIRES NEW SERIES TOKYO MAJIN

Teens Defend Tokyo in Fast-Paced Action Series

HOUSTON June 26, 2007 – ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce it has acquired the exclusive home video and broadcast rights in North America for the new 26 episode anime series Tokyo Majin.

Tokyo Majin is an amazing new series from the production teams at AIC Spirits (Tokko) and BeSTACK (The World of Narue).   The series is based on the hit Japanese game series for PlayStation, but fans of Bleach will feel right at home with this supernatural shounen show, which pits high school rivals against weird monsters determined to take down Tokyo.  With cool characters, fluid animation, and more action than you thought could be crammed into a single series, Tokyo Majin is an A-list anime series for teens and adults.

Synopsis: Deep beneath the streets of Tokyo, the spirits of the long-dead and forgotten grow   restless.  Holy shrines of once-great men are being desecrated, and a string of murders and missing bodies plague the police. Innocents are dying and the dead are rising.  In the midst of the madness, mysterious transfer student Tatsuma Hiyu arrives at Magami High School. Thrust together with resident delinquent Kyouichi Horaiji, class president Aoi Misato, captain of the archery team Komaki Sakurai and wrestling club captain Yuya Daigo, Hiyu and the others must fight a swarm of evil.  The dark forces these youths confront are shrouded in mystery, but the threat to Tokyo is clear.

Tokyo Majin is a 26 episode series presented over six DVDs, the first release of which has yet to be scheduled.

Chosun recently interviewed “LOST” actress Kim Yun-Jin in regards to “LOST” and being back in Korea.

According to the article, “We immigrated to the U.S. when I was 10, and my parents sold things from a trailer. We lived in it, too. These days stars ride and move in trailers. They rest, do their makeup and change their clothes in them. So when I got my first trailer, even though I was supposed to be happy, it reminded me of my past.

“Kim Yun-jin, the star of the smash U.S. hit TV show “Lost”, was in Korea in time for the release of her book, “The World is Your Drama”, and to work on the upcoming movie “Seven Days.” When the Chosun Ilbo met her for an interview at KOFIC Namyangju Studios in Gyeonggi Province, she kicked off the talk by asking, “What’s it like to see me in person?”

More on this article

Photo courtesy of Chosun

The general meeting of shareholders for Avex Entertainment, Inc. got together for the 9th annual general meeting with the largest turnout of 6,100 people.

The shareholders were treated by a performance by some the company’s top music stars such as Hamasaki Ayumi (28) and Koda Kumi (24).

Hamasaki performed her upcoming two songs “glitter/fated”, which will be released on July 18th.

More on this article

Photo courtesy of Sankei Sports

HOUSTON, TX — June 25, 2007 —  Don’t miss one of the most anticipated series to reach our shores this year when Air premieres July 19,  2007 on Anime Network—America’s #1 Anime Channel!

WHAT:            U.S. VOD Premiere of AIR

Yukito Kunisaki is a wandering puppeteer on a journey to find “the girl in the sky,” a tradition his family has held for generations.  Upon arriving in a new town, he is befriended by a lonely young girl named Misuzu, who offers him a place to stay.  Yukito soon begins to suspect that Misuzu has ties with “the girl in the sky” when she begins to speak of dreams of flying, but before his suspicions are confirmed, Yukito meets two more mysterious girls.  Now Follow Yukito as he pieces together the lives of three different girls to discover the truth of “the girl in the sky” when Air premieres on America’s #1 Anime Channel!

WHEN:            Episode 1 available beginning July 19, 2007

WHERE:         Anime Network,  America’s #1 Anime Channel

HOW:              Don’t have VOD? Don’t worry! Catch Air on DVD, Tuesday 8/14/07!