Collaboration with Kevin A. Shakey ~ Cộng tác với nghệ sĩ Kevin A. Shakey ~ Kevin A. Shakeyさんとコラボレーション

Kosmische sounds, wild piano, running tapes and even a magnetic cat.

Kevin A. Shakey, an uncensored artist exploring the prolific vein of Kosmische Musik, just released his new album, mysteriously called "Strange Record".

Kevin, influenced by the likes of La Monte Young, Léo Ferré, Terry Riley or CSN&Y, just to name a few, wasn't afraid to ask yours truly the old Cat to put some vocals on the song "A Travers Le Temps". Although I was lucky to be a part of it, I couldn't describe the tune -nor the album- with the right words, so take my advice and download it now, it is still on free (and legal) download :

http://kevin-shakey.blogspot.com/2009/05/kevin-shakey-strange-record-2009.html

"Strange record" features 4 stunning pieces of music :

1). Strange Piano
2). A travers le temps
3). Conceptual Music II
I- Terry Riley
II - 1st German Lesson
III - 2nd German Lesson
4). 4 v 09

If you wish to discover more about the unusual and creative work of Kevin A. Shakey, he has a Myspace page too:

http://www.myspace.com/kevinshakey

Âm kosmische, piano hoang, tapes đang chạy và một con mèo quyến rũ.

Kevin A. Shakey, một nghệ sĩ mà chơi nhạc Kosmische, vừa mới phát hành một album mới tên "Strange Record".

Kevin, mà chơi nhạc chịu ảnh hưởng của La Monte Young, Léo Ferré, Terry Riley và CSN&Y (v.v...), đã mời tôi hát trên bài hát tên "A Travers Le Temps". Các bạn có thế download album này ở đây :

http://kevin-shakey.blogspot.com/2009/05/kevin-shakey-strange-record-2009.html

1). Strange Piano
2). A travers le temps
3). Conceptual Music II
I- Terry Riley
II - 1st German Lesson
III - 2nd German Lesson
4). 4 v 09

Kevin A. Shakey cũng có một trang web Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/kevinshakey

Kosmischeなサウンド、野生なピアノ、速いテープ、 マグネチックな猫等・・・

Kosmische・MusikのアーティストのKevin A. Shakeyは『Strange Record』と言う新しいアルバムをリリースした。歌の『A Travers Le Temps』には雪猫ジルの声が聞こえるよ。

あなたはLa Monte YoungやLéo FerréやTerry RileyかCSN&Yが好きだったら、やっぱり『Strange Record』をダウロードしなくちゃいけないと思います。

http://kevin-shakey.blogspot.com/2009/05/kevin-shakey-strange-record-2009.html

1). Strange Piano
2). A travers le temps
3). Conceptual Music II
I- Terry Riley
II - 1st German Lesson
III - 2nd German Lesson
4). 4 v 09

Kevin A. ShakeyはMyspaceサイトも持ってる:

http://www.myspace.com/kevinshakey

Wondering stars | 遍歴の星 | Sao băng mà đi lang thang

I still remember that night on Beppu beach. How could I forget ? It was magic. The stars were shining everywhere, mixing their white glow with the colorful lights of the city, far away on the other border. The air was not exactly warm, fresh enough to make lovers getting closer to each other. Whispers of couples, talking sweetly to each others' ears, making promises or wishes. Stars everywhere. But for anyone in love, isn't the brightest star their beloved one, after all ?This is a special present for you fans. Listen to Gilles Snowcat's private version of Nakashima Mika's "Stars" to fly to Beppu beach, that very night. Click here to download.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Tôi vẫn nhớ đêm đó trên bãi biển của Beppu. Tôi không thế quên đâu. Ma thuật. Những ngôi sao đã sáng chói trong cả bẩu trời, pha trộn ánh sáng chói lòa với ánh sáng có màu sắc của thành phố, xa, ở trên bờ biển khác. Không khí không nóng, nhưng mát mẻ, để những người yêu ôm nhau gần hơn. Tiếng thì thẩm của những đôi vợ chồng mà đã nói chuyện bằng cách êm ái, đang cam kết hoạc làm lời chúc. Sao khắp mọi nơi. Nhưng theo ai mà đang yêu, sao mà sáng chói nhất là người yêu, phải không ?Đây là một món quà đặc biệt cho các bạn fans. Nếu bạn nghe bản 'cover' của "Stars" của cô Nakashima Mika mà Gilles Snowcat hát, thì bạn có thể ở bãi biển của Beppu, vào đêm đó. Click here to download.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

私は、あの夜もう覚えてます。忘れることが出来ないよ。別府のビーチにいました。魔法だった。星のいたるところにあり、街の色鮮やかな光は、遠く離れた他の白い光混合との国境に輝いていた。空気は愛人のために、アタタカくなくて、涼しくて、お互いに得をするに暖かくされていない。カップルの囁き、優しくお互いの話を耳には、約束や願いです。星はどこでも。しかし、誰でも恋には、一番輝いている星は、恋人でしょうか？これにより、ファンのための特別なプレゼントだ。雪猫ジルから中島美嘉さんの「STARS」のカバーを録音した。プライベートなバージョンで、ファンのためだけです。聞いたら、別府ビーチへ飛んでるかも。ダウンロードはこちらから。

Where are the recruits ? (bằng tiếng Anh ~ 英語で)

Where are the recruits ?
From Awaken-live to the mysterious Mrs & Mr C.

Drunken Kuma auditioning to become member of Awaken.

Last year, if you remember well, I posted an ad to recruit live musicians for a new version of Awaken. I’s time now to give you desperate fans a clue of what’s happening.

Desperate fan : "How come I don’t see any trace of that promising new line-up yet? "

To my delight, several musicians were enthusiastically interested in joining the team, but due to geographical issues, we had to call it a day before even trying anything.


Desperate fan : "Oh… bad bad ! "

Nooo, two of them were eventually hired.


Desperate fan : "Two ? Who ? "

Wait. This story is the proof that sometimes, “the journey is more important than the destination”.
So, on a warm evening of Spring 2008, a couple of friendly musicians (a female singer with her male multi-instrumentist partner -both names will be left secret for, let’s say, contractual reasons -laughter-) to see what an integration into the Awaken Universe could offer them.
A delicious Vietnamese dinner and some glasses of wine later, it was decided that we would have to give it a try, if not more. The power of Vietnamese food ? Wine ? Probably both.

Two recruits... is it really the new line-up of Awaken ???

Desperate fan : "Yeah !! When is the concert planned ? "

Our friends (let’s call them Mrs & Mr C, since their family name doesn’t start with C at all) also had a bunch of songwriting ideas in their pocket.
Not surprisingly, it quickly became obvious that more than just playing the old Awaken stuff live, we would also work on new songs. A new Awaken single. Then play all live.


Desperate fan : "Great ! "

Yes, but then came the distance problems again. We began to face a dilemma: continue to reach the goal of launching a new Awaken, with the risk that it could not be active before the next 10 years, or creating a new project, where I would only become an active guest, rather than a ghost full-time member of Awaken.

Mrs & Mr C were already members of their own band (which name will also be kept secret, for te same improbable reasons). After a few negotiations, it was finally voted to work on their first album. I became their musical partner, songwriter, arranger, additional keyboardist, or whatever boasting title you can imagine. An employee, to look on a more realistic side of the denomination.

Awaken during a rare live performance, 9/1998.
from left to right: Gilles Snowcat, Julie "Cunégonde" Absil, Paul G. These are NOT Mrs & Mr C.

This is quite a première for me, having done my own stuff in a dictatorial way for a loooong time. With that new band, my big ego must accept the ‘censorship’ of ideas, the fact that they can be edited, rearranged or even sent to thrash without any trace of regret (except mine). Accept that a detail has to be reworked over and over instead of being spontaneously improvised, despite my urge to watch "Pressure Study" on TV. Accept that the music almost has to match a defined genre (something close to what they call brit-pop, to give you an idea). As you guessed, Awaken has never been into that kind of restrictions, the only limits being those of my own imagination, cosmic reception or technical (un)abilities. Working with Mrs & Mr C is an interesting experience, musically and humanly. To be short: a good lesson for my big ego.


Desperate fan : "So, when can I hear those new songs ? "

When the album will see the light of day is still a mystery to me and so is it to you. I don't know either if I will join the band for the forthcoming live shows, but be sure you'll be sp... errr... warned when the right time comes.


Desperate fan : "But tell me… what about Awaken ? Is it over ? "

Don’t worry, don’t commit any suicide nor strike or celebration: like a red day on blue street, nothing changes ! Awaken, Nekokawa and Snowcat-solo remain yours truly's main opus. Lots of ideas are currently under the process of creation. I came from Beppu with a bag full of new energy that is now impregnating the air (and with a little luck the tapes of the recording machine).


Desperate fan : "But when can I hear Awaken live then ? "

Oops… then I guess I should place a new ad.

GS, 08th of May, 2009

PS: if you really die to hear some live stuff, you can still listen to the recording made at Radio Si here.

Live performance at Radio Si, 7/2008.

Everyone's at her (bằng tiếng Anh ~ 英語で)

Everyone's at her (bằng tiếng Anh ~ 英語で)

Safe. Too safe. We are in the 2000s. Of course, security and safety are comfortable things. But they have a sadly unavoidable side-effect called boredom. That rule also applies to the music world. At least the new big acts. Listening to them gives the feeling of driving a new car: everything’s perfect, but where are the sensations ? Where are the Rolling Stones ? Where is Blondie ? Joy Division ? Eno ? Zappa ? The Clash ?

The Clash ? Wait…

Then suddenly came… Lily Allen.

Who dares to sing melodies that seem to come from a golden age of creative, yet kitsch, colored, daring and fresh artists from the British or American scene ?

Who doesn’t seem to care to please any formatted sticker, to the point of almost creating her own style ? Who has that rare ability to look spontaneous when saying “Fuck you” with a smile, in a time when everyone should look bored to gain credibility ?

Who would dare to record and release a song like “Who’d have known” in 2009 ?

Paradoxally, Lily Allen’s old-fashioned melodies are the freshest and most surprising ones coming from a young artist in these 2000’s. One could mention Britney Spears’ catchy songs, true, but her production still lacks that little spark that we find so easily in Allen’s records. Gwen Stefani ? Well, it was “Tragic Kingdom” and it’s already more than 10 years ago. Should have been god-daughters of Joe Strummer to break the wall of conventional sound ?

Enjoy “It’s not me, it’s you” (delectable title), the most unexpected album in this era where even music suffers an airbag.

PS: Today's updates in the Awa-net IV: more reviews ! Jump to the mp3 (Riding The Yellow Line Gives Vibrations) and and demo (Hold On My Heart) sections to read more. And why not contributing yourself ?

泡ネットの今日のアップデートはオンラインで、新しいレビューが一杯です。別府のビデオの「Riding The Yellow Line Gives Vibrations」とGenesisのカーバについてです。あなたのレビューはどこですか？

Updates của hôm này là bài phê bình mới về bài hát Riding The Yellow Line Gives Vibrations và Hold On My Heart. Các bạn vẫn có thế viết một bài phê bình nhé.

Do you miss Beppu ? Bạn có nhớ thành phố Beppu à ? あなたは別府にいなくて寂しくなるの？

Do you miss Beppu ? Bạn có nhớ thành phố Beppu à ? あなたは別府にいなくて寂しくなるの？

I know that feeling... So, why not riding that yellow line ?

Tôi cũng có cảm tưởng buồn như vậy... Thế thì, tại sao chúng ta không đi ở trên yellow line này ?

僕はその気持ちを本当に分かるよ...　だから、「yellow line」の上でドライブしませんか？