Archive for the ‘別府’ Category

“This Mouth” 10th anniversary remaster: if you just love clean acts, don’t bother buying.

Posted: November 14, 2018 in In the studio, Interviews, Japan, Music, News, 別府
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Music wasn’t that bad in 2008. I mean commercial music. You could turn on the radio or TV and listen to some good things, Timbaland, Kanye West, Nelly Furtado, Lily Allen, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, that was fresh air compared to the boring 90’s. Hey, even Oasis started to release something that sounded meaningful in 2008…

And “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” from yours truly. Gosh, it’s been 10 years. So the high-powers decided to give it a remaster test. Pass? Fail? Let’s dig deeper.

How does the remaster of “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” stand out, compared with the original version?
It’s like listening with HQ loudspeakers after 10 years of earphones, to give you a metaphor. It’s the same album, same sound, but different, enhanced. Like a gramophone with a new stylus.

Why did you choose to remaster “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” instead of any other of your records?
I found I still had the original masters, that were actually cruelly lacking mastering, also it’s its 10th anniversary today, and despite its lo-fi sound, it’s a fans’ favourite, so why not cleaning it a little?

Did you remix the songs as well?
Not a slice. The multi tracks have been long deleted and there’s no way to remix the songs, even if my life depended on it. Which is good, since I don’t want to fuck up with history anyway.

Are there any bonus tracks from the “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” sessions? Any demo?
No. And no. There’s the original bonus track that you get if you’re a good girl (or good boy) and download the album instead of lazily streaming it. There’s a demo or two somewhere, they might appear someday in a “Rare Grooves” collection album, or not, I don’t know.

What makes “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” so special?
There are some powerful energies involved in its making, back in 2008, and you can feel them when you listen to it. It’s a soulful record, it has its own kind of groove. Its dysfunctional for the better, should I say…

What gave it this lo-fi mood?
Some experimentations went bananas.

Is “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” a concept-album?
Yes and no, it has a unity for sure, and some underlying stories that connect the songs, so you can say there’s a concept behind it.

Who should never buy “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)”?
It’s surely not for everyone. It’s quite libidinous, booze-infused, things could go berserk sometimes, so if you just love clean acts, don’t bother buying. It’s like an exclusive club, you need to pass a test, and if you love “This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo)” you’re in.

* This Mouth (Nhạc Cho Em Mèo) 10th anniversary remaster *

Made in Japan, 10 years ago (別府NIGHTS, behind the scenes.)

Posted: December 16, 2016 in Art, In the studio, Japan, Music, News, Xmas, 別府
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『別府NIGHTS』 was released on 15th of December, 2006. 10 years ago. Besides making it now available on Bandcamp, Gilles Snowcat leaked a few laconic comments on what many still see as his masterpiece, and some rare pictures of what was nurturing the creation of those 5 unique pieces of music.

There’s a double truth about rock stars: they all want to find their musical DNA. And they all fall in a deep, consuming love for Japan once they step inside the Rising Sun for the first time.

Waiting for the evening. (別府市)

Let’s take David Bowie. He always admitted having found his musical DNA with his so-called Berlin era. And he fell in love with Japan, to the point of finding some shelter there.

What’s the link with Gilles Snowcat? Obviously, it’s even stronger: he found his musical DNA in Japan. Precisely: “There’s a span of time, let’s say, when all the good witches were suddenly very present, very awake, and they were like saying Go ahead, little Cat, write songs and they’ll be good, very good.”

Blue is the prelude of the night. (別府市)

That span can be seen as from the Autumn 2001 till early 2016, but Snowcat gives a more focussed explanation:

“It really started with the Cà Phê & Pizza song, I don’t know but something strange happened, it was a feeling that something new has just arrived. You could feel the air was carrying some magic, not sissy magic but some spell, some bewitching…”

When there’s rock, there’s fuel. (別府市)

After all, wasn’t Gilles born on Mardi Gras day? This inspirational trance led to a bunch of great releases, including the most seminal, Beppu Nights, making the news 10 years after its release.

Make the news like 10 years ago… and 10% discount ’till 1st of January 2017 if you buy Beppu Nights and type the secret code ILOVEJAPAN.

More visual memories from that enchanted era -when you reach a point and know that whatever you’ll do next, you’re in and there’s no turning back and that’s the thrill of it all. That’s Japan. That was in 2006. And still in 2016. Merry Xmas and have a shockingly great year 2017.

Blur is the night. (大分市)

The train was leaving at some point. (小倉市)

Gilles Snowcat, somehow under heavy fascination. (別府市)

Lust for life, life for lust. (京都)

Creatures of the night. (東京)

Cats DO rock. (小倉市)

Limousines in waiting for some ageing rock star. (熊本市)

Another city, another night, another river, another high. (京都)

Leather and old trains. (大分市)

Addicted to the mighty 餅. (別府市)

Yet another city. (大阪???)

Another rock star pleasure. (大分市)

Colours of the night are like a siren’s song to rock children. (東京)

Mokomoko killed the radio star?

Posted: November 24, 2014 in Japan, Music, News, 別府
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This little piece of art lower has a glimpse of an answer:

What time is it? Ask a Japanese top model.

Posted: August 25, 2013 in Music, News, 別府
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Video News ２１０３年８月

What time is it? Ask a Japanese top model. Also featuring: Sousbock, and Gilles Snowcat’s art gallery in Beppu.

 

United Coulours of Yellow Line (別府)

Posted: December 15, 2012 in Art, Japan, 別府
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United Colours of Yellow Line

Does the Yellow Brick Road give vibrations?

Posted: June 8, 2012 in Japan, Music, 別府
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Dorothy took (the Wiz) took the Yellow Brick Road. Does she know that riding the Yellow Line gives (even more) vibrations? Is the Mean Ol’ Lion a Mean Ol’ Snowcat? Take the taxi. And ride the Yellow Line…

乾杯、

G.S.

Antisocial cat goes social?

Posted: March 31, 2012 in Japan, News, 別府
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Dear friends, enemies and passing smiles,

you’ve asked me, I can almost reply: yes there some smell in the air of a Moko-Moko Live. And it smells good. But I still keep cooking, and when I serve the dish I call you. Something else: the “social” media -they call it “social”, gosh……..

Not that I’m really a fan of that social media thing, unless I am working I’m at a tablet factory -which, thanks god, I’m not-, but hey that thing is kinda useful to spread the hots. So, just to let you know, there’s now a Twitter account specially dedicated to the awaken – Snowcat -Nekokawa whatever related news, and it’s simply and arrogantly http://twitter.com/Awaken_Official

Easy, easy. And for that site where people are ahem ‘friends’ and ‘like’ or dislike, that’s here: https://www.facebook.com/snowcatmusic

Oh by the way, for once I wanna get a little personal.  Just a little. Well it was on March 17th, year 2006, that yours truly the Old Cat stepped out of a train in a then unknow place called Beppu. Wow, if I knew how it would change everything…. It quickly became, and heavily remains, something that turned out to be a sweet obsession, and a delicious booster. A magic source of inspiration. Chances are if you like that Awaken stuff, you are kinda interested in that magic city too. Beppu has now a great fan page, We Love Beppu, ran by the great Yûtarô Murayoshi (村吉優太郎). It started gently and it’s growing and growing, I bet you can have a view and know more about the magic source that inspired some of my ‘umble music:

Visit We Love BEPPU （別府）here. (Ah, the bird account is :  http://twitter.com/WeLoveBEPPU)

Let’s end with a heart-warming news, your beloved “Moko Moko Collection” is in Le Petits-Pois, the magazine for Japanese friends living in Belgium. It’s here that you will read.

Have a drink on me!

乾杯、

G.S.