Japanese Noise Project

Here are a few photos of recent happenings in the last couple of weeks. It was unfortunate that I had to miss a few performances (I mean, interviews and shootings) but the other day I was able to have a great, long dinner with Tabata Mitsuru, an original founding (through briefly departing) member of The Boredoms as well as Hanatarashi. Currently Tabata plays in the Steve Albini-produced trio Zeni Geva with Yoshida Tatsuya and KK Null (who also appear in this film). Small world isn't it.

I sat down with musician, artist and friend Hisham Bharoocha a little over a month ago while he was in Tokyo for a few shows and fresh off a Boredoms performance in Australia. You may know Hisham through his solo music project, Soft Circle (myspace here), and you may know he's been a key creative partner of EYE- increasingly in recent years- with creative direction and co- production of the mammoth Boadrum perfomances in New York (7/7/2007) and Los Angeles (8/08/2008). I thought I'd ask Hisham for a few comments about his long relationship and experiences of working with EYE as well personal thoughts on the artist, some of which I'd like to consider appending to the rise of The Boredoms.

EYE and Hisham recently spoke together at the ICA in London where Soft Circle (with its new member, Benjamin Vida) performed. Check it out here:
http://www.ica.org.uk/26459/Talks/Boadrum-in-Conversation.html
and here:
http://www.ica.org.uk/26457/Music/Soft-Circle-EYE-Boredoms-Nedry-Baths.html

We're approaching another sit down with EYE Yamataka in the coming year and I'll be heading to Osaka for a few days for another couple of interviews with some artists and key figures (but don't want to mention them just yet!).

More later.

PSF Records, the record label overseen by Hideo Ikeezumi, is celebrating its 30th anniversary on September 25th with a show at Showboat in Koenji, Tokyo. Details as follow.

Nakahara Masaya is going to have a Birthday event and we're all invited. There's going to be live performances by Hair Stylistics, Suicidal 10cc (which is Nakahara Masaya with Jim O'Rourke), as well as a solo performance by Jim O'Rourke and then what appears a collaboration with Hair Stylistics, Eiko Ishibashi, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (profile in Japanese) and AyA (of ooioo), kayo, GJ (from lastdaybikini) / DJ: kayo, GJ (from lastdaybikini).

Opens at 19:00 and starts at 20:00 and ¥2000 gets you in.

The Boredoms will stop by Tokyo for a now sold-out performance with the following collaborators. We're looking forward to being back in Tokyo, catching the show and talking closely with EYE and Hisham of Soft Circle. The line up is as follows: EYE, YOSHIMI, YOJIRO, Hisham Bharoocha (Soft Circle), Zach Hill (HELLA), Butchy Fuego (Pit Er Pat, NA FUEGO), Kid Millions (Oneida), Jeremy Hyman (Ponytail) and Shinji Masuko (DMBQ).

The Boredoms will also be playing this years Sense of Wonder Festival too.

Thanks to Jason Bergman for the photo of The Boredoms at Terminal 5.

Masaya Nakahara will perform with a multi-speaker arrangement for four hours, as listed. Nakahara will team up with Yoshio Kuge of Flying Rhythms and Atsuhiro Ito of Optrum, certainly no stranger to this blog.

Here is what you need to know:
Venue: Super Deluxe
Time: opens at 17:00, starts at 17:30
Price: 2500円

Reservations are currently being accepted for a solo performance at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art. Ito will perform in The Hall, a uniquely shaped space rarely opened to performances to be followed by a talk by the artist. For those who may not know, Ito also makes time to work as a university professor of sound art, theory and approach; one of the many reasons why I always enjoy our interviews.

Information:
Sunday, September 13th in the Museum's Hall at 6:30 PM (doors at 6:00).
￥3000 for General Admission, ￥2,500 for Museum Members (with a guest).
Includes one drink and admission to the ongoing exhibition (so you can check it before the performance).
Reserve via telephone at 03-3445-0669 or info (at) haramuseum.co.jp