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Forum Japanese 1-2-3-Go! Gigs Artists
The best art is local. Art that comes out of its own time and place burns with a kind of power that can only come from reality. The reality of someone whose art is their life and whose life is their art. Tokyo is bigger than New York, more than twice the size of London and has more bands and live music venues than almost anywhere else in the world. Every month more than 800 bands play gigs in the Koenji area alone, but switch on your TV, tune in your radio, flick through the pages of the music press, and where are these bands? Where is the local art?
In recent years, music lovers in Japan have looked to London, to New York, to Detroit, to Liverpool, for their rock and roll thrills. It's been easy. These places have a network to promote new music. You don't need to search it out, it comes delivered to your door, fully packed and ready, with a recommendation from Snoozer or Rockin' On, and a full-page advertisement from Sony Records. But new rock is dying. The explosion in exciting rock and roll music instigated by The Strokes and The White Stripes has had its day, the wheels of fashion are turning, it was a cracking party, guys, but we'll have forgotten you tomorrow. You want something lasting? You want music that'll stick with you through good times and bad? Then look on your doorstep.
Our aim is to set up a network of creative people in the Tokyo area. Mostly based along the lively Chuo-line zone between Shinjuku and Tachikawa, we are looking for bands, musicians, photographers, music writers, web designers, film-makers, DJs, promoters, artists, and creative people, and especially creative people with ideas. We want people who love music and want to help to promote and encourage talent in their local area. We want people who are going to fight the boredom, fight the complacency, get up and do something. 1-2-3-Go!
1. Set up a web forum for people to exchange ideas, offer and request help, post information about new bands and upcoming events.
2. Start a newsletter. A biweekly e-mail collecting information on any new activities from the 1-2-3-Go! network, as well as any more interesting/important music related news.
3. Photographers and writers needed! When bands involved in the 1-2-3-Go! network are playing gigs, scholars are needed to ensure that this event is recorded for posterity. No-one wants to spend 2000yen to see a band that they've never heard of, so live reviews and photographs are of crucial importance.
4. On-line music. A web page collecting together music files from underground bands in the Tokyo area. Again, the cost of playing gigs in Tokyo is so high, that we have to take any chance we can to get more people into the live venues and listening to the music.
5. Bands. Gather together a pool of exciting, interesting, creative, bands. Competition is the essence of success and if 1-2-3-Go! events can gain a reputation for good quality live music, this can only benefit everyone involved.
6. Your turn... any suggestions to the forum. Don't wait, do it now. 1-2-3-Go!
Ian & Kaname
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