Lesson 6ix:"Emotionless wings grew from my back, and I am swimming in the greasy sky"-West Cabaret Drive

I really need to get this out of my system..

THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT IS THE FUCKING GREATEST BAND EVER!!

To support this quite radical claim, I present to you a glimpse of TMGE greatness.







Seee..I told ya. You can stop shakin your feet now, seriously.Lets talk about this mighty fine band, shall we.




















Thee Michelle Gun Elephant is(from right to left):
Chiba Yusuke-Vo,Guitar,Harmonica
Abe Futoshi(R.I.P)-Lead guitar
Koji Ueno-Bass
Kuhara Kazuyuki-Drum

Formed back in 1991 by four Meiji Gakuen University students(Abe joined in'94), the band's unusual name originated from the mispronounciation of The Damned album(Machine Gun Etiquette) by their first bassist.It is too rare of a chance that four amateurs with godly amount of talent to ever meet up and make a band, I sense divine intervention somewhere.
Dressed in sharp black suits, the band can easily be misunderstood as a member of Yakuza without their gears. No wait, with their gears on they became the Yakuza of rock n roll, forcefully converting anyone lucky enough to encounter their lethal mix of garage-punk-blues tune, to become loyal worshippers.

This band has been very influential to me. They make me start to notice what a great scene Japan has, and I immediately make Japan as my primary source of audio fetish. Although it is a bit hard to find a good band(overload of V-kei band) cos of the language barrier and such, any good finding sure beat the crap outta seemingly stale western 'formula' of recent music.Yeah, I dont understand a single word they said(even the engrish one) but good music need no translation. I think the language used have some degree of influence to the shape of the music,the song. Thats why most Malay stuff tend to be more leleh2 or jiwang2, cos it is natural for our language and customs and mentality....




Another big influence from this band is the bassists Ueno Koji. The fucker's tank-like bassline and equally cool stage presence make me realise that I need to upgrade myself from mere listener to a musician. Its like changing from a peasant to a pawn.And the road to be a king is almost impossible at this rate...almost.









Sadly they broke up on 2003, after 12 years of rockin and 9 albums up their sleeve. Maybe they want to try different things:Chiba was in 2-3 project before forming Rosso(more bluesy,equally great band) for a few years and the The Birthday with Kuhara(indie-like,prefer Rosso though) up till now. Ueno was in Radio Caroline(3-piece garage rock) up till early this year and they disbanded. He then join a supergroup band The Hiatus and side acoustic project with Katteni-Shiyagare drummer/vocal Syohei Muto which play 'Mariachi Punks' concept(this one is super-hard to find any recording of, apart from 2 amateur-taped songs in Youtube). Abe Futoshi is also hard to track, he kinda keep on low profile and only play as guest guitarist in a few band until he recently died suddenly of acute hepidural hematoma(a rare disease) at the age of 42 on July 22,2009.



Damn, I was hoping they could somehow do a reunion in the future but without Abe in the picture, we can kiss goodbye to that dream eh..Currently 'the industry', like any good industry try to dig some $$$ outta this and release their farewell concert "Burning Motor Go Last Heaven" to a digitally remastered DVD titled "Michelle Gun Elephant 'Thee Movie'-Last Heaven 031011":same shite but better quality,different editing. Also a compilation(Thee greatest hits) and the most important: a 10-disc DVD box "Thee Live"-comprising the bands live footage from concerts and tours, TV perfomance etc. Now, if I can lay my hand on this, I'll be a very,very,very happy boy.






Links(credit to http://community.livejournal.com/indie_yuuwaku)
(1993.11.25) (mini album) maximum! maximum!! maximum!!! [128 kbps]
(1995.10.25) (mini album) Wonder Style [various]
(1996.03.01) (album) Cult Grass Star [192 kbps]
(1996.11.01) (album) High Time [320 kbps](1997.11.01) (album) Chicken Zombies [320 kbps]
(1998.08.06) (album) Rumble [320 kbps]
(1998.11.25) (album) Gear Blues [320 kbps]
(2000.03.01) (album) Casanova Snake [320 kbps]
(2001.05.23) (album) Rodeo Tandem Beat Specte [320 kbps]
(2003.03.05) (album) Sabrina Heaven [320 kbps]
(2003.06.21) (mini album ) Sabrina No Heaven [320 kbps]

The grand finale-two version of the very last song TMGE play, Sekai no Owari(the world's end).Burning Motors and Thee Movie version. If you look closely in the end of the song Abe's string snap but he keep playing, like he know somehow this will be his last song with the boys. A mere mortal named Abe die but his name will be immortal in the mind that his riff had touched. Rest in peace.



p.s- the dude with moustache's figurine(blog title background) is Chiba, sold for only ¥5,880/US$66.19. Now if only anyone feel charitable enough..