Eternal Melody Blog http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/ ja Copyright 2007 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:23:31 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.31-ja http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss American Dog

As I got an email from Michael of the band called American Dog, I introduce his band for him. He said he released the album in Japan in 1990 with the band called Salty Dog from Geffin. Are there anybody who knows this band?

American Dog will tour in Japan in February, so if you are interested in their music, please check them out. See the tour dates in the poster above.

American Dog's official website]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/12/american_dog.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/12/american_dog.html Music Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:23:31 +0900 Snakebites - Tribute to Whitesnake 　　 I got the Whitesnake's tribute album, so I listened to it this morning. It was really great! The Led Zeppelin's tribute album I got before was great too. The singers on thie Snakebites album are all good, and somewhat similar to David Coverdale. I haven't heard Steve Grimmet's vocal for a long time. I liked his band called Lionsheart. It was a great band. It's 14 years ago that I went to the signing session of Lions heart ... time goes by very fast! The photo on the right side is the autographs of the band members from Lionsheart.
I recognize again that Whitesnake made many great songs and they still rock! And I really look forward to the new Whitesnake's music!!]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/11/snakebites_tribute_to_whitesna.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/11/snakebites_tribute_to_whitesna.html CD review Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:18:43 +0900 The Tribute To Led Zeppelin I bought the tribute album for Led Zeppelin's drummer, John Henry Bonham "24/7/365 The Tribute To Led Zeppelin". It was recorded by Frankie Banali and his friends. Frankie plays all drums and Tony Franklin plays bass. Different singers and guitarist play on each songs, so it's rich in variety. Singers there are Glenn Hughes, Don Dokken, Robin McCauley, Paul Shortino, Mark Boals, Jeff Scott Soto, etc. And the guitarists are Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach, Bruce Kulick, Gilby Clarke, Bill Leverty, etc. On the first song "The Wanton Song", Doug Aldrich plays the guitar. Everytime I listen to his play, his guitar play is getting cooler. I love his plays. Don Dokken sings on "Kashmir". I remember that Burning Rain played this song at live in Japan in 1999 ... Keith's vocals fit this song. Don's vocal is a bit softer, so it sounds different. "The Immigrant Song" is cool! I copied this song a long time ago when I was playing the guitar. All songs are cool, I think, because the original songs are great. I like Doug's play a lot, but Gilby Clarke is cool too. I heard Bill Leverty's play after a long time ... it's powerful. About the singer, I like Jeff most. Led Zeppelin's songs are rather simple, but great. I wonder why "Rock N' Roll" and "Stairway To..." are not featured on this album ... These 2 songs are ones of the best!]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/10/the_tribute_to_led_zeppelin.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/10/the_tribute_to_led_zeppelin.html CD review Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:04:27 +0900 Jacaranda / Twist International

Doug played for Sera Masanori's self cover album again. It was recorded in LA this summer and it's called "Jacaranda". It's the second album of Twist International following the first album released in 2003, "Sho". Most songs are Sera Masanori's old songs, but 2 new songs are included. And this time it's the acoustic album and sounds different.

"Anta No Ballad" is basically a heavy song, so it sounds different from the original one. It becomes warm and soft. Doug's slide guitar is cool on "Soppo" and Doug himself seems to like it most. The acoustic guitar is powerful on "Yadonashi" and "Hikigane". And the new song "Jacaranda" sounds relaxed and comfortable, and Sera Masanori's vocal is different from the other songs in the album. Both Doug and Sera Masanori's guitar is great.

The limited edition includes the DVD. It features the scenes from the recording and the interviews. Jacaranda flower looks very beautiful in LA. The studio looks a nice place filled with nature. The recording session has very good atmosphere. I can feel they really enjoy playing together. Sera Masanori has a longer career than Doug, and Doug says in the interview that he keeps learning from Sera Masanori's playing everytime. Twist International played in Japan with "Sho" album in 2003. I hope they will play some acoustic shows with this album.

]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/jacaranda_twist_international.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/jacaranda_twist_international.html CD review Sun, 30 Sep 2007 01:16:39 +0900 Kuni with Jeff Scott Soto

I found the old movie on YouTube. It's the show of Kuni Special Band in 1988, and it's the one which I saw then. I was in the center of the second row at this show. I used to copy "Strangers In The Night" with my guitar ... How time flies!

Kuni doesn't seem to play the guitar recently. This show was the first time when I saw Jeff Scott Soto live. He looked great and his singing was awesome. They did the signing session at the instruments stores, so I went there too. Doug Baker, the bassist, had well-balanced body and looked warm and kind, and he was shooting the video around. The drummer was Mike Terrana. He played with Doug in the band, Beau Nasty, after this band. They seemed to break up. Mike played with Yngwie Malmsteen after, and I sometimes see his name in some bands recently. Jeff was around 20 years old when he was singing in the Kuni band ... I was young too at that time.

My favorite song in the "Looking For Action" album "Strangers Of The Night" And the title song of this album "Looking For Action"

]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/kuni_with_jeff_scott_soto.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/kuni_with_jeff_scott_soto.html Music Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:21:03 +0900 B'z on RockWalk B'z will be awarded by Hollywood's RockWalk!! It's the first time when the musician in Japan and Asia get it. And they have the 20th anniversary now! Amazing!!

I remember Zakk Wylde got it recently. The ceremony will be held on November 19, and they will be there. Japanese fans are very proud of it, I think.

B'z Official Website
RockWalk Official Website]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/bz_on_rockwalk.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/bz_on_rockwalk.html Music Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:03:26 +0900 Nagasaki I went to Nagasaki to see my parents from September 1 to 8. I should go there on the Bon and the New Year, but recently I go there when the plane is cheaper. This time was hard, because I felt sick on my stomach late August and had a pain in my stomach, so I couldn't eat anything for a while. I felt better by taking some medicine, but I felt sick again ... so I decided to examine my stomach. I took a test by an endoscope for the first time on the day before I left for Nagasaki. I was so worried about it, but one of my co-workers recommend a good hospital near my office. I could take a test without a pain. The result is not so serious. It was not no problem, though.

I didn't feel well in the first 2 days after arriving in Nagasaki. I felt better after that, but I seem to be a bit sick mentally. This time I went to see my father in a hospital and visited my family's grave as usual. The country side is slow and easy, so I can be relaxed. My mother looks older everytime I see her. I stayed at my aunt's house, because it was closer to the hospital where my father was. There is a street car around my aunt's house from the Nagasaki station, and there is the Matsuyama station where was the center area of the atomic bomb dropped. I got off the train at the Urakami station, and I found the memorial monument of the victims by the atomic bomb. When the atomic bomb was dropping in Nagasaki, my parents were not in Nagasaki city, so they were not bombed. But my grandfather was. He is already dead, but he attended at the ceremony for the victims by the atomic bomb every year. I watched this ceremony on TV and prayed silently every summer when I visited Nagasaki in my childhood.

While I was staying in Nagasaki, the typhoon hit Kanto area including my place. There seemed to be a heavy rain and wind around my place. I was watching about it on TV news in Nagasaki. When I returned home, the weather was fine. It was so hot in Nagasaki. The summer becomes hotter every year ... scary.

Another photos from Nagasaki

]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/nagasaki_1.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/09/nagasaki_1.html Travel Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:30:33 +0900 Ratt & Winger Ratt & Winger package tour in Japan is confirmed. I saw both of their shows in 90's. Recently many bands I saw in 80's or 90's come to Japan. That means the band which has a long career are still rocking. It's great. I want Steelheart to come too. Ratt official website Winger official website ]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/08/ratt_winger.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/08/ratt_winger.html Music Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:13:36 +0900 Samurai The new song of Tacky & Tsubasa, "Samurai" is very cool. It's as great as KAT-TUN's "Real Face". I found the promo video of "Samurai" on YouTube, so please check it out! :) Samurai / Tacky & Tsubasa]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/08/samurai.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/08/samurai.html Music Mon, 20 Aug 2007 22:35:40 +0900 Ozzy Osbourne & Bon Jovi * On June 13, Bon Jovi's new album called "Lost Highway" will be released in Japan earlier than the other countries. The limited edition with the DVD will be released also. They will play in Japan for the Asahi Super Dry Live on June 28 and 30. And on May 30, they will release the new single called "(You Want To) Make A Memory". You can hear the full version of this song on their official site. It's a good ballad.

"(You Want To) Make A Memory" / Bon Jovi

* On May 23, Ozzy Osbourne will release the new album called "Black Rain". I listened to "I Don't Wanna stop", and it's great. Zakk's powerful guitar is always great. Zakk rules!

Ozzy MySpace Page ]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/04/ozzy_osbourne_bon_jovi.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/04/ozzy_osbourne_bon_jovi.html Music Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:58:50 +0900 Sakura Festival Finally the sakura (cherry blossom) season is coming again this year. In this weekend there is the sakura festival in my place. It's held every year. But it was cloudy and windy today, so some of the sakura flowers are falling down on the ground. I hope it will be sunny tomorrow ... Sakura is really beautiful in this season. If it will be a good weather tomorrow, I will take some photos. April will start tomorrow, so I put sakura flowers falling on the top page of my Doug Aldrich fan site. How does it look?]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/sakura_festival.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/sakura_festival.html Season Sat, 31 Mar 2007 17:15:36 +0900 Bon Jovi's "Lost highway" Bon Jovi's new album "Lost Highway" seems to be completed. It will be out in June ... great! The producer is Dann Huff and John Shanks. I like Dann Huff as the singer and the guitarist too, so I really look forward to their new album. Bon Jovi will come to Japan for the special live in June. I can't see it, but I want to see them again on the next tour with this new album.]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/bon_jovis_lost_highway.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/bon_jovis_lost_highway.html Music Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:43:35 +0900 John West left Royal Hunt! I was shocked to know that John West left Royal Hunt. I was shocked too when I knew that D.C. Cooper left the band before. But John was a really great singer, so I liked him easily. He did great at the show in Japan. And I went to see his acoustic show at the CD store when he played there for the promotion of his solo album. His vocals was fantastic. I wonder who will be the new singer, but I want John to keep singing the great songs.]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/john_west_left_royal_hunt.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/john_west_left_royal_hunt.html Music Mon, 19 Mar 2007 02:38:54 +0900 Flametal Uriah Duffy Ben Woods

On March 16, I went to see the Flametal show at the live house called Y2K in Roppongi. This band, Flametal was formed by the Whitesnake's bass player, Uriah Duffy and the flamenco guitarist, Ben Woods, and their music is the mixture of flamenco and metal. This band features 5 members including 2 bass players, but this time only Uriah and Ben came to Japan for the promotion of the album released in Japan on March 7. At the show, the flamenco dancers danced on some songs and they played the famous Japanese animation song "Yamato", but it was too heavy for me. Ben's flamenco guitar was great, but I think his death metal vocal breaks the mood. But maybe his vocals make the sound like metal ... ?

After the show, they had a aftershow party in Shinjuku, so I went there too. I had already met Uriah on the Whitesnake's Japan tour last year, but I met Ben for the first time. Both of them were nice and very friendly. Uriah was drinking until early morning on the next day, and looked funny. Uriah has some bands, and he said he like all of them. Ben and Uriah are the roommates. They look good friends. I talked with Uriah for a while, and I felt he was young. Actually he's younger than I ... he was surprised to know that, though. He said he wanted to come to Japan again with the whole band. I hope they are going well.

You can hear the Flametal songs on MySpace.
Flametal MySpace

]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/flametal.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/03/flametal.html Music Sun, 18 Mar 2007 02:25:24 +0900 Flavor Of Life This is the new single of Hikaru Utada released on February 28. This is the theme song for the TV drama "Hana Yori Dango 2 - Returns". I've been watching this drama since the part 1. This is a kind of funny love story, but in the part 2, it becomes the sad and painful love story. Hikaru's vocal fits this story so well and it's great. Hikki's WEBSITE]]> http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/02/flavor_of_life.html http://eternalmelody.net/Blog2/2007/02/flavor_of_life.html CD review Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:55:39 +0900