... otherworldly? & nudes at 11 ...

I'm listed on this Jamilton page as one who writes about world music. Except you may have noticed that I never write about world music.

(Truth be told, I'm not really sure what "world" music is, exactly. It's music that comes from the world.  I suppose that means I usually write about music that is...otherworldly?  Or something.  Hey, I ain't sayin' it makes sense).

Well, methinks I got the tag because of my radio show, Octopus Army, and my interest in Japanese music.  Which brings me to the point of this blog.  On Friday, July 4, I'l be presenting a "lecture" of sorts at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.  From their website...

"Evolution of Popular Japanese Music:
Talk & Listening Lounge with James Tennant

Rock and pop music grew up from the soil of blues, country, jazz and other contemporary American music. In Japan, these genres appeared fully formed in a country with no historic context. Explore the evolution of Japanese popular music with CFMU Program Director James Tennant, host of Japanese music show Octopus Army."

Which, actually, is kind of a cool topic.  I can't say I'll be going into enough depth for some of you - I could name you by name, but suffice to say, if I've seen you at an Acid Mothers Temple show, you're likely to know what I'm gonna say already, and you're likely to know which books I've been ripping off to get my information.  So just come for the entertainment value.

For the rest, drop on in if you can.  We'll be reaching back into the past with early instrumental rock ("eleki"), "group sounds," early psyche & experimental music, and then we'll move on to consider the important questions:  why is J-pop so cheesy?  And why is Japanese emo less so?

(They're not important questions at all.  In fact, we may not even get to them.  But my point is, we'll come up to the modern day).

Stick around after that for a screening of the film "Kappa" (Directors Bruce and Norman Yonemoto, with Mike Kelley, 1986 (U.S.A.), 26 min

"Kappa is a boldly provocative and original work, deconstructing the myth of Oedipus within the framework of an ancient Japanese folk story, quoting from Bunuel, Freud, and pop media. Additional collaborators include Gary Hill, Ed Ruscha, Jim Shaw and Shunichi Fujioka."

Well, hell, I won't be quoting Bunuel, but I will be quoting Yoko Ono's first husband, so yay for me.

It's free for everyone, so come on out.  Stay tuned to this space...I'm trying to put into words what it's like to sing Broadway music in the nude.  And you're not gonna wanna miss that, are you?