The words of Chiba Yusuke

West Cabaret Drive

Growing in the quagmire, we bend over the foot,
It probably does not become the sand which dries,
As for the smoke which flows from the lung,
It burns at the temperature which dampens and has risen,
Burning bastions which rises,
The revolution it turns and it dances,

WEST CABARET DRIVE

Around Mexico the steal flying sluggishly, the steal it is,
The canary typhoon the night when you go away,
The area it is center starting dissolving,
It probably goes to that daughter somewhere,
The revolution it turns and it dances,

WEST CABARET DRIVE
WEST CABARET DRIVE

It is sucked to west,
Don't you think? The bonnet rolling,
The west cabaret drive which even then you are not concerned and not concerned,

WEST CABARET DRIVE

Dragging the pride suit,
The scene being cut off film short circuits,
Half purple it sank,
Just colour of the dawn remembering, the bend over,
Remembering, the bend over,
The revolution it turns and it dances,

WEST CABARET DRIVE
WEST CABARET DRIVE

Chiba Yusuke-Random Junks

Credit to Mr Snkupo from last.fm, copypasted from his journal here. The art is from 'milonogiannis' flickr gallery

•Is an avid collector of records. Used to have his own television segment where he introduced them to the audience.

•Played the violin when he was a kid. Once appeared on stage at the Budokan. Ran away from the classroom half of all the times he went there.

•Struggles with asthma.

•Was at a complete loss of words one time he appeared on the
HEY! HEY! HEY! MUSIC CHAMP TV program.

•Does not have a cellphone, but knows how to use a fax.

•Likes drinking, but is not good at holding alcohol.

•Smokes. Prefers Lucky Strike.

•Convinced a reporter to switch from another brand to Lucky Strike, but seemed to have forgotten about it the next time he met said reporter.

•Horrified of frogs and Kappa. Has said that he’d probably cry if he ever met one.

•Practically always writes the lyrics for all of the bands he’s been part of.

•Used to shoplift paint thinner and tobacco when he was in middle school.

•In October 2006, his forgetfulness was so bad he frequently had to ask the other members to remind him of the opening words in “Nude Rider” when performing live.

•Upon experiencing a hand cramp, once shouted “Hands! Hands!”. A staff member misunderstood and gave him a handshake.

•In a similar situation, he once shouted “Lyrics! Lyrics!”. Since it was close to Valentine’s Day, a staff member gave him sweets. NOTE: the pronunciation for “sweets” and “lyrics” are pretty much identical in Japanese.

•Likes the TV program “Today’s dog (kyou no wanko). Sometimes cries to it.

•One time before TMGE’s debut on Triad, he tried to stage dive. The audience moved away, resulting in Chiba hurting his back. Didn’t got to his part-time job the next day.

•Shortly after TMGE’s debut, a live show was cancelled after Chiba did not return after stage diving.

•Sometimes wakes up because of his own sleep-talking.

• Was once on the verge of tears because of the noise coming from his fridge.

•Was once seen drinking beer on the shinkansen bound for Nagoya. For some reason seemed like he was about to cry.

•Has lied about the origin of the name “thee michelle gun elephant” on several occasions, referring to the names of fridge producers, wanting to fly in the sky on an elephant etc. The real (and by now widely known) origin was someone mis-reading the band name “machinegun etiquette”.

•Also used to lie about his history as a member of other bands

•Once said he has a rival called Yoshio. Has not explained who this is.

•Spent a long time mistakenly calling drummer Kuhara Kazuyuki “Nobuo”. Kuhara gave up trying to correct him.

•During TMGE’s live shows in Los Angeles, worried so much about the staff, equipment, and illumination that the band almost cancelled the whole thing. In the end Chiba said “let’s just do it!” Everything went just fine.

•Guitarist Abe Futoshi’s parents once sent their son oyster. Chiba took it all, made fried oyster, and ate half of it, before letting the rest go to waste.

•Thought that strawberries could be planted and grown into trees.

•The only band member who has been a passenger with Chiba driving the car, is Kuhara Kazuyuki.



Conclusion; Chiba is a crybaby.

The Birthday-I'm Just A Dog

I'm Just A Dog

Tracklist
Horoscope

S to R
  Buddy
Naze ka Kyou wa
Red Eye
Tsumeato
SATURDAY NIGHT KILLER KISS
BABY YOU CAN
OUTLAWII
Silhouette
READY STEADY GO
I’m just a dog

 As promised. And yes, even I am surprised on how quick this was uploaded to the internet. Made me kinda depressed thinking about the rare stuffs I've been hunting for years and not a single fucking clue..

Gotta love Chiba's pimpin cane though.

New album ; June 15, 2011

Tracklist
01. Horoscope
02. S to R
03. Buddy
04. Naze ka Kyou wa
05. Red Eye
06. Tsumeato
07. SATURDAY NIGHT KILLER KISS
08. BABY YOU CAN
09. OUTLAWII
10. Silhouette
11. READY STEADY GO
12. I’m just a dog

Teasing teaser + Chiba in a dog(?) suit

New Stuff

The Birthday-Nazeka kyou wa 

i.Nazeka Kyouwa

ii.2 Seconds

iii.Tsumeato

The latest single from The Birthday with their new guitarist. There are 3 tracks total, and my first impression of the new guy..is quite good. Based on what little i had heard, his style seem more melodic, as apparent in the title track and the solo in track 3 is effin' delicious.  Second track is more of a straight rocking type, a good track, but somehow got overshadowed by the other 2.

Stupid youtube cant embed-here's the teaser for the first track

Nazeka Kyouwa PV-http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DW5CPB8D

Corkscrew World

01.Way

02.Dark Cherry

03.Your Smile

04.Genbaku to Milkshake

05.Friendly

06.Skeleton

07.Kiken Sugiru

08.Edge of the Universe

09.Little Linda(Corkscrew Mix)

10.Coyote(Corkscrew Mix)

11.Hello

12.Mad Surfer

13.Fixer

14.Spring Snow

15.Johnny Hell

A best of album. Songs are from his solo career, so can be assumed as his summary for that time period. Most of my personal favorite is in there as well, such as Johnny Hell, Spring Snow and Little Linda.

The Birthday Live-Rock in Japan 2010

Part 1:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3GPWOR06
Part 2:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I4N1JSLH
Part 3:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UTLPA6YY
Part 4:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NDNW037S

Chiba Yusuke, Asai Kenichi and Life Jackets

Japanese rock group The Birthday had finally found the replacement for their lead guitarist position left by Imai Akinobu last year. Kenji Fujii, ex guitarist of MY LITTLE LOVER(never heard of them, sound a bit too poppy), had previously worked with the bandleader Chiba Yusuke on an album by Q;indivi+. As I expected, Chiba cant handle the big axe, why, I dont know. Maybe he still not quite comfortable singing and playing guitar at the same time..maybe(sound like a pretty fucking lame excuse).  Just hope this new guy can lit back the fire of rock and roll in Chiba's heart cause it seem with every new release, Chiba(and The Birthday) stray even farther from my sonic preference. I mean even Lord Satan weeps at the sight of the man with dragon's voice singing slow indie-pop rock stuff like The Birthday's..

Move on to Chiba's counterpart, the Japan's King of Gretsch, Asai Kenichi. Different from Chiba's dragonlike voice, his natural voice is softer-almost womanly gentle- and in the beginning of his career he even try to force his voice to be more growly(check Ikaten King videos at youtube) it is almost embarassing to hear. Over time he become confident with his voice and emphasis more on his true forte, his genius guitar playing and song composing ability. 

Earlier, I got his 2009 'Sphinx Rose', I know, a bit late but that album is just a glorified collection of his recent singles plus 2 or 3 new songs. And the album was pretty decent- with more mellow songs than rock tunes, I give it a 6 out of 10. Probably the weakest effort of his solo stuff. But there is a little scan of the booklet that bring a big-stupid grin on Your Humble's face..

Its a shot of Asai's cool bike and the surprise: the small stickers on his gas tank, on top and bottom of the fiery 'Salinger'(a title of one of his song, also the name of Catcher in the Rye novelist-J.D Salinger)-the Malay/Indonesian word 'Jeket Keselamatan Didalam'(Life Jackets Inside)...

The musician I respect and champion the most, and a cheap small sticker in my language.

I grinned stupidly-and happily- in front of my laptop for 5 full minutes before the ability to think rationally return to me. No, I dont think he understand my native, insignificant language-even his english lyrics is sort of mumble-jumble. I believe he merely shares my little romanticism in enjoying the charm and curiosity of other unknown  language. 

But why,O my brother, would you put a life jacket in your gas tank ?

Chiba Yusuke Rare Discography

Chiba's work in the period between TMGE dissolvement and the kick start of The Birthday. This stuff become slightly rare outside Japan maybe because the facts that these bands are shortlived (1 album each) and lack of commercial succes i guess, so most people opt to post his more high profile band like Rosso and The Birthday instead. Most of this stuff sound very different from his TMGE, Rosso, The Birthday-more like an experimental phase, so consider yourself warned..

1. Raven

-Not much that I can find about this band other than it is actually a solo project of Terui Toshiyuki (ex-BJC) in which Chiba sung in all but 2 song.

Download

Raven-限り無く赤に近い黒(kagiri naku aka ni chikai kuro)

Single-Cherry Bon Bon PV




2. Midnight Bankrobbers


-Straight to my top 10 most awesome band name! After disbanding Rosso, Chiba and Imai Akinobu join forces and create 'Midnight Bankrobbers' duo in 2006. Most of the songs are instrumental and my personal favorite tracks are Shoplifter Runaway to Hell and Shoplifter Runaway from Hell, purely from the awesomeness of the titles. Just kidding, these tracks are great and would be the perfect theme for any midnight bankrobbing..

Download

Midnight Bankrobbers-Pinocchio in the winter

Himalaya PV





3. The Midwest Viking


Midwest Viking are: Lacoste, Arnold, Toroy and Hang Ten. In no particular order.

-Well this project is just for fun. All the members true identity never revealed, everyone wear shades, sombreros and hide their faces with bandana. And they wear footbal jersey. Their only output, a maxi-single 'Vamos Tokyo' is written in support of their favorite football team FC Tokyo. An ad from Tower Record reveal that it is "sang by original TMGE Chiba and Kuhara".

Download
Vamos Tokyo!

Vamos Tokyo-Audio only






Ah..what the hell. Lets get this out of my system. Since we're already here lets just have some Chiba-Yusuke-featuring-orgy.

You can convert the youtube video to .mp3, just use google.

1. Chiba Yusuke with Murder-All Day and All Night(The Kinks cover)


2. Rock n Roll Gypsies featuring Chiba Yusuke-Do The Boogie(The Rooster cover)


3. Katteni Shiyagare featuring Chiba Yusuke-Romeo single

4. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra:
a) Kanariya naku sora(Canary crying sky)-hands down Chiba's best hairdo.



b) Rosie(the Rooster cover)



5. Star Casino-Stroll Around the World

-This one track is made solely for the ost of Lumines II videogame. And it is Chiba+ electro music, kinda strangely trippy too.



Now that is one long ass post. If anyone want to request anything J-Rock related, just ask and I'll try my best to find it or at least point ya to the right direction. And Visual Kei stuff is NOT in my definition of J-Rock, so all you squealing fangirls can get the hell outta my page. Peace out, hombre.