1965 Records

the thing with digital cameras is you forget what you have and what you do not..here's a picture i took of Saul just before the gig today in Osaka...i kinda like it...feel free to pass it onto your friends and family - pretend you took it - i really don't mind.

anyway charlie the bass man, mat the manager and myself took to the streets this afternoon and evening....boy oh boy....Culture Shock is an old single by a band called Shake from the late 70's if my memory serves me correct and featured Jo Callis who ended up in The Human League around the time of the Dare album...anyway it sums up the last 5 or 6 hours....from the Neon to the pet shops with tiny cats and dogs drugged up to the eyeballs to all manner of slot machines and video games to the street food you want to run from before it gets you and crawls up your trouser leg.....the whole thing is another world from Soho and the 1965 offices - but beautiful all the same....i guess it's what being a kid is like - you learn and see something new on every corner - your eyes are wide - without the comedown.  your mouth is wide open in awe....it's beautiful in a way that cannot be described in language alone....the noise, the smells even the touch....

anyway enough of my yakking - i'm checking in early tonight...we fly to tokyo tomorrow and head for the punk rock bar for one final blow out before crashing back down to reality on tuesday...

charlie got recognised in a bar as well - bizzare....even more so when the bartender couldn't stop playing the 4 tracks on myspace...i swear we heard those tracks 5 or 6 times each....anyway let me go....

here is charlie (with lobster hat - what else) and mat on a street a couple of hours ago....now if only computer screens were scratch and sniff.....

the headline of this ramble is the name of our translator out here...he's a top fella and you should look him up next time you in this part of the world....a japanese metro to be sure....all hail you shinn

a final congratulations to the boy Travis who played his first game for crystal palace today...not sure of the final score but i heard they were winning 4 - 1 at half time...

until tokyo

j a m e s   xx

you know those times when you were a kid and christmas day never really lived up to the expectation and excitement you'd been feeling for weeks? well yesterday in tokyo was nothing like that. the metros climbed the summit of the mountain stage and took it for all it's worth....it really was one of the best shows i've ever seen them do - about 5 or 6 thousand people were singing and a dancing along...the bands joy was there for all to see - a big shout out to barry and andy for all things techy and soundy and whatever else they do....the rest of the afternoon was spent seeing old friends from the UK, drinking cold beers and generally having a good time in the press and tv area. a big hello to Ray who brought a smile to my face with his west london t shirt....

we then flew to osaka early evening on a plane full of bands...the young, the old and the ugly..answers down below please....checked in to the hotel and then ran off to the rockrock bar....some of the bands got lucky or was that in my dreams? the streets of osaka are like being on the set of bladerunner - you really have to check this place out one day...

on a personal note i slept really well last night...here's a picture of sauly and the fella from the jing jang jongs....

peace in georgia please and see you on the sky stage in osaka...it's called the sky stage because it's outdoors...see what they've done there..? clever clever clever

james xx

so i'm sat here backstage at summersonic...it's 9.45am and the boys take the stage in just over an hour - they reckon about 5k will be there to witness the ragamuffin charms of south east london...

yesterday was more of the same...ended in a great radio interview on j wave fm....don't ask me i'm just the messenger...

we hang here for a bit then fly to Osaka for groundhog day tomorrow

we might come home via Beijing and bring a few medals home for y'all....

keep on keepin' on people and as a friend said to me earlier today

DON'T LET THE DRONES GRIND YOU DOWN

love and all that

james xxx

we rose in the heat of the morning and are about to fall to sleep in the heat of the night...

the other cats have all arrived and it's been a day of interviews for radio, press and tv....we ate Kua'aina Burgers and drove to our new hotel in the middle of some industrial estate about 40km from tokyo....it's near the venue i guess and i saw some dude in a buzzcocks t shirt....anyway de niro is on the tv - i'm listening to the cricket on radio 5 via the internet and the boys are drinking fine japanese ale...we rise early on friday and finish late...

wish you were all here - rod made it - why couldn't you...?

james xx

and charlie found one...full of paintings of his ex girlfriend....

the bands ep is sold out everywhere in tokyo....there is anticipation for their gigs and it looks like they'll be back in November for more shows...

we all had fun tonight....food and drink....it's still hot though....

oh the boys have been filming as well so look on their site and myspace and you tube in the next week or so to see how the peckham 5 took on the might of japan...

more soon....i'm off to sleep and dream of.....answers below please

ra ra ra

j a m e s xx

ok...it's wednesday sometime...jak and charlie metro are with me in tokyo...the other cats arrive thursday along with the Schneck.....there are interviews and tv shows and photo sessions to be done - and a couple of shows - one in tokyo and one in osaka....

anyway watch this space for updates and pictures and stories....

it's hot hot hot here....there were a couple of sex pistols on the flight....i kid ye not my friends.....

above is the view from our hotel and a picture of Jak with blonde hair and sushi galore...

roll on sleep and then we hit the punk rock bar and drip drip drip

go on - talk about it

james xx

check our new hip hop group above....and they say britain has no talent...thanks to SAM THE BLINGMASTER for all things shiny....

the hugs have landed and play with the dandy warhols wednesday night...they are here for a while so check the site and their my space thingy for action...

holy ghost revival have been shot by roger sargent....and mighty fine they look too....they are spreading their wings up and down our fair isle...

the metros are gearing up for a bunch of gigs nad the release of the third single...talk about it my friends...

the view and their second album are almost all done....and it's an album of epic proportions....trust me people...

the draytones are gonna be at the 12 bar next week with a couple of v special guests

derek meins is still a famous poet

twelves trio are just around the corner.

toddla t is all ours now....the dotted line has his X....he's big chillin' in a week or so...maybe see ya all there

larry jon wilson is being interviewed by Vice magazine....and you say we don't kick over the statues...

if i left you out then kick my butt

raf is off to jamaica to find his soul.

H is running down the yellow brick road.

I'm off to a secret garden party in a day or so...

love and kisses.

j a m e s  xxxxx

The Metros are releasing their 2nd Single, Last Of The Lookers today! Available on download,Cd, 7" and picture 7" (feat. Toddla B-Side ey ey ey!).
Buy a bundle (3 formats for a fiver) and get every fashionista's dream...
Metros Spex (as modeled by the daddy)

1965 Loves You

xx

Be sure to catch the merry Metros on their way around the country. They're out promoting their forthcoming single Last Of The Lookers (out June 2nd) Here's a picture of 5 satisfied lookers at the Glasgow show. There's some tickets up for grabs from www.themetros.com too. Go see...

the great Mikey Dread died the other day....he was an innovator...a great artist who turned a whole generation onto the beautiful music....respect and rest in peace...

on another note thanks to all who turned up on monday at the windmill in brixton....it was a hell of a night....thanks to tim, raf, helen, derek meins, golden silvers, ben and pete, the view, billy the kid and the metros....and all the cats xx

roll on next march 17th....

james at the controls xxx
 

go check out the metros live from last week at this link below.....if it works....rah rah

http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricproms/2007/artists/metros/