Nothing Taboo

This is a good read about J-Pop. On the music, the lyrics, the popularity, the possibility of J-Pop going worldwide and producing music for the Japanese market and more.

Marty Friedman spoke at the MIDEM last 29 January 2012. He ran a workshop on J-Pop for Music Publisher's Association of Japan (MPAJ).
According to wiki, "MIDEM is the acronym for Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale which is held been annually in and around the Palais des Festivals et des Congres in Cannes, France. The event, which is billed as the world's largest trade fair for the music industry, has been held since 1967. Several thousand musicians, producers, managers, and journalists from around the globe regularly attend the event, which is currently held at the end of January."

His workshop is called 'What is J-Pop? Exposing the myth of Japanese Music Phenomenon'.

You might remember Marty from Megadeath and from Arashi ni Shiyagare teaching Sho on the individual corner. ^^ (The guitarist with long curly hair)

Anyway, you can download the pdf transcription of his workshop from the MPAJ's website: (26-page long, includes Q&A with his audience. The journalist from Spain has a couple of good questions. ^^)
mpaj.or.jp/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/workshop_transcription_7mar1.pdf

I think you can gain a different insight from reading the perspective from someone who is actually within the industry than outside spectator looking in. ^^ Budding musicians and producers who want to work in Japan (write for Arashi or something) might find this useful.
Yes, there is a tiny mention of Arashi. I was googling for another of his comments on Arashi's music production value and found this instead. Still trying to find the other comment. XD

Sho will star in the first part of a three-episode special drama on TBS this Spring.
The series will be aired for three consecutive nights between the 5~7 April 2012.

The drama is called 「ブラックボード～時代と戦った教師たち～」 - [Blackboard ~Jidai to tatakatta kyoushitachi~] - [Blackboard ~Teachers who fought the times~].

Sho plays a junior high school social studies teacher, Shirahama, who has trouble adapting to the post-war education system after being an exemplary militarism-based educator during the war.

On top of that, Shirahama also lost his right arm in the war and is struggling to come to terms with the changing morale of the post-war era.

Through this drama, Sho wanted to convey the 'spirit of revival' to both adults and children alike. To believe in a better future while living through many obstacles.

Playing as one of his colleagues, an English teacher, is AKB48's Oshima Yuko. Miyazawa Rie also starred as Shirahama's sister-in-law.
Second and third episodes each will have a different story and cast.

Filming will be in February and March.

First episode with Sho will air 5 April 2012.

~~~~~

Apparently Sho's going to cut his hair and stuff. Can't wait to watch. ^^

Also, Happy 30th Birthday Sho! \^o^/

Kouhaku will air on NHK World Premium.

You can find out if it's available in your country here:
nhkworldpremium.com/apply/index_e.aspx?ssl=false

I checked the Special Program list on the website and noticed that
Arashi's Journeys for the Future will air again on 24 Dec at 21:00~22:13. Tomorrow, on Aiba's birthday! ^^

The 62nd NHK Red and White Year-End Song Festival (Kouhaku) will air on
Dec 31 (Sat) 19:15~23:45.
Repeat broadcast in the morning on 1 Jan (Sun), 7:20~11:55.

Special Program list:
nhkworldpremium.com/guide/genre_e.aspx?genre=11&ssl=false&c=26

Hope you can watch Kouhaku on real-time as well. Happy Holidays everyone. ^o^

Ohno Satoshi - Leader of Arashi
One of 2011 GQ Men of the Year!
^_____________^

Now people can send messages to the singers on Kouhaku. ^^

Go here:

www.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/message/contribute/

Those labelled * are required. (All of them ^^;;)
~~~
Submission Form

Gender: Male / Female

Age Group: (choose from drop down menu)

Nickname (within 10 characters): Write down the name to be used during broadcast

Location: (choose from drop down menu) - Last option: 海外 [Kaigai] - Overseas

Singer your message is addressed to: (choose from drop down menu)

Message (within 100 characters): Write your message in the box

Keywords in your message (Select all which applied):
紅白 - Kouhaku
歌 - Song
希望 - Hope/Wish
勇気 - Courage
あした - Tomorrow
応援 - Support/Cheering
---
家族 - Family
友達 - Friends
思い出 - Memories/Recollection
涙 - Tears
感動 - Deeply moved emotionally
恋愛 - Love
---
大好き - Really like
この一年 - This year
その他 - Others
~~~

Finally click the big orange submit button at the end. ^^

Since there is 'Overseas' option and the fact that NHK is available to most parts of the world, we can write in as well. Yay!!!

If Meikyuu Love Song is Arashi-ish,
then Energy Song ~Zekkouchouchou~ is ARASHI.

Not Arashi-ish.
It is Arashi.

Damn you J-Storm. This song deserves to be released as a single!
With its own music video and the making of.
Heck you can just film them recording the song and make that into a PV.
How hard is it to film on their mobile phones?!

And damn you for only making it available on a site which doesn't allow international order. -_-***

Best Arashi song of the year 2011

エナジーソング～絶好調超!!!!～ - Energy Song ~Zekkouchouchou!!!!~
作詞：嵐 - Lyrics: Arashi
Rap詞：櫻井翔 - Rap: Sakurai Sho
作曲：二宮和也 - Music: Ninomiya Kazunari
編曲：ha-j/二宮和也 - Arrangement: ha-j/Ninomiya Kazunari

I fervently hope that Arashi will perform this during one of the end-of-year music shows.
Praying harder for Kouhaku. ;)

Definitely buying their concert DVD next year. ^o^

If Arashi were in the Regency Era...

This is based on Arashi's costumes on Heyx3 Meikyuu Love Song performance.
If I were to give them a social rank based on the Regency Era...

Sho - Duke
Jun - Marquis
Aiba - Second son of a nobility
Nino - Bank Owner/ Gentlemen's Club (Casino) Owner
Ohno - Navy Admiral

.... Makes for a good historical AU fics. XD
No royalty cause they're not that interesting. Though I'd put Sho as a prince in a heartbeat. :D

NazoDi is getting better. You're missing out if you're not watching it.
Sho nailed Kageyama perfectly. ... Hmm... That sounds a bit...
Anyway, Kageyama is getting more impudent and his tongue is sharper. I love it!
Seriously, the biggest mystery in NazoDi is, 'Who the hell is Kageyama?!'

I would pay to watch a NazoDi movie telling the story of Kageyama.
The character has a life of its own.
Much like Puss from Shrek - which also have a movie out now. (Not yet released here though. I want to watch~ Puss is my favourite, of course)

Possible storyline, Kageyama is at the Butler Academy learning the trade and protocol and a serial murder happened there.
It would be an Arashi movie, if I have my way. Heh...heh...heh... Arashi butlers solving the crime together. One of the killer's targets is in their group, so the matter is urgent to save their nakama. (Okay, I've been watching One Piece these days. :D)
This is of course before they went their separate ways.

Or the Arashi butlers were given a vacation and decided to do a reunion trip on a cruise ship or isolated island where a psycho was triggered to kill or something.

Or Kageyama followed Reiko on vacation at some exclusive luxurious place where he met Arashi members as the other rich patrons. Including Sho - his look-a-like - who is being targeted (or the suspected assassin and Kageyama has to save himself). Being 'twin-like', confusion and mistaken identity insue. XD

One can always dream... ;)

Yes, Sho is magnificent in this butler role. And I have to say, his acting improved.
Having used to seeing his big reactions for variety shows, the subtle, yet unmissable, expressions in NazoDi leave strong impressions on me.

Anyway, the end of the year is always a good time for Arashi's performances.
Miss watching them singing and dancing on stage. ^^

Ooh... Is Kageyama rubbing off on Sho? In Music Lovers, when he smirked before smugly saying his mobile is au and they should've known better and use the alarm function, didn't Sho pulled a Kageyama on Arashi? Jun immediately rose to the bait. 'Mine's au too!' The rest quickly followed. 'Me too!' XD

Much love to Aiba for plugging NazoDi. ^^

Speaking of Music Lovers, about Sho's worry. It seems like he had a lot of encounters with people mistaking him for another member. I wonder why that is...
Maybe some people have this image of Sakurai Sho = Keio Boy = snobbish, wealthy intimidating douchebag.
Then when they met Sho and he was all nice and easy to work with, reality didn't meet expectations, so maybe the people were like, 'Can't be Sho, must be Aiba or Ohno or etc'.
Or it could just be because they have similar hairstyle and height. XD

During the Love Rainbow performance (and also in concerts), Sho is such a total 'equal opportunity' giver when it comes to fan service. If he can't give to everyone, then no one will get anything. Doesn't matter if you are a celebrity or whatever. He gives everyone the same kind of attention - or no attention. No one is that special. Nor deserving any special treatment. XD

Jun, Ohno and Aiba were generous, of course. Arms were reaching out when Arashi went to the narrow extended stage. But the arms were totally off the stage when Sho and Nino came strutting down.

Maybe it's just me, but I think Sho slowed down and possibly gave the fans a look (or a don't touch me or I'm not touching anyone aura) before stepping on the narrow stage. He ackowledged the fans, but he didn't approve of them trying to touch him. Like we can have fun together, but there are boundaries that I won't cross and neither would you.

Or... Maybe with Sho and Nino both having histories of broken.fractured bones on their hands, they were more reluctant to get involved in wild free-for-all hand grasping. Being cautious? Or maybe it's in their insurance policy to avoid such contacts. XD
Ahh... Speculations...

Oh, and if you have an OTP or more, it brings a lot more dimension when watching them on tv. :P Mine are Sho x Jun and Sho x Jun x Aiba. ^^ OTP and OT3. Heh...heh...heh... Such fun~

I want to hug the choreographers of Meikyuu Love Song. Geniuses! Love, love, love the performance. I hope to see a different angle during the kneeling part - with Arashi directly facing the camera, looking directly out of the tv screen. So far, only side views. Heck, they can do split screens like NazoDi during that part. I want! ^___^

Are you guys having fun in the storm after the calm? Ho...ho...ho...

Arashi donate 300 million yen to disaster areas

Ever wondered what happened with the proceeds from the Nippon no Arashi book and the Waku Waku Gakkou Charity Event?

Thanks to Arashi, the book publisher, M.Co, and the fandom, around 300 million yen was raised and donated to three affected prefectures.

300 million yen is roughly US$3.85 million.

The amount is made of up of profit from the book sales, Arashi members' own book royalties, and proceeds from Arashi's charity goods.

A total of 420 000 copies of the book was sold in four months (as of end of October).

Amount breakdown
Book profit: 192 million yen (~US$2.5 million)
Arashi's book royalties: 49.5 million yen (~US$634 200)
Charity goods (Notebook and clear file): 60 million yen (~US$768 700)
Total: 301.5 million yen (~US$3.9 million)

Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima in the Tohoku region each received 100.5 million yen. (~US$1.3 million)

Profits from the book sales will continue to go towards the relief.

It was also reported that the proceeds from the Waku Waku Gakkou tickets and etc have gone to the Marching J relief project. About 200 million yen had contributed to the project.

That brings Arashi and their fans' donation to a total of 500 million yen so far. ^^

Well done fandom~<3

Thank you for purchasing the Nippon no Arashi book and contributing in your own way to help the recovery of the disaster-stricken region. mOm

エナジーソング～絶好調超!!!!～（新曲） - Energy Song ~Zekkouchouchou!!!!~ (New song)
作詞：嵐 - Lyrics: Arashi
Rap詞：櫻井翔 - Rap: Sakurai Sho
作曲：二宮和也 - Music: Ninomiya Kazunari
編曲：ha-j/二宮和也 - Arrangement: ha-j/Ninomiya Kazunari

The new track will be featured in the 7net Limited Edition of Arashi Beautiful World album.

The 7net special edition will only have 14 tracks. They omitted the songs from singles, like Lotus, and added the Energy Song.
Price is 2 800 Yen (~US$37).
Release date: 28 November 2011.

www.7netshopping.jp/all/static/arashi20111024.html

www.7netshopping.jp/cd/detail/-/accd/1301136093/subno/1

Tried to sign up, but they only accept Japanese address - well, my postcode is much too short and was rejected. Not sure if other country's with similar number of postcode would be accepted though. ^^;;

I want one~

Arashi ni Shiyagare
Air date: 22 October 2011
Aniki: Mitani Koki

Theme: Acting lessons. Serious acting lessons.

MUST WATCH!

I wish this was a SP so that it'd be longer. It was one heck of a show.
The aniki was serious about acting.

About the aniki from Wiki:
"Kōki Mitani (三谷 幸喜) is a Japanese playwright, screenwriter, actor and film director. ... In an attempt to add his own character to his movies, as a director he takes most of his scenes with a one-scene=one-shot system, moving the camera around as opposed to cutting. He claims this comes from his experience in theatre, where there are of course, no cuts. Mitani does not use a computer."

The lessons ended with an Arashi short drama.
Like an alternate universe of what if they weren't in Arashi - the concept in past au CM, only much much better.

I wish the show is longer. The aniki can come on again. Do a sequel SP.
This is one of my dream Shiyagare theme, acting lessons. and it was great. Highly recommended. ^^

Oh, and it also has the closest we ever get to watch Sho and Jun in a back hug. Not an actual hug, but close enough. :P