When Alex and I were helping Charles move into his place over in Tani 9, Osaka, I saw this old collage of paper that had been in a show Charles did with another Osaka artist, Gareth Jones, a couple years back. It's called "Collective Memory" as it was made from scraps of paper collected between 2001 and 2004. He informed me it is on sale for 16,000 yen. While you're scraping together funds, you can listen to a bunch of his music over in the music folder or watch his videos over in the music video or places folders. I recommend starting with his first China video.

Posted by Rob.

P.S. For the same video set to music by Quest a.k.a. Hayden, click here.

This is another video from my brother Hans who just got back from a birdwatching tour of the Colorado Rockies. Hans says, "We went on a run to see all of Colorado's chicken-like birds doing mating displays on their breeding grounds." Which, to birdwatchers means something. For the rest of you out there, this video segment features snow, an impass due to snow and more snow! Stay tuned as the saga unfolds! To be continued... Posted by Rob

My next-to-last gig in Osaka (before moving to Tokyo) will be at Cafe Pangea by the marina in Sakai City. Please come! The afternoon will feature "Radio Tapestry," DJ Satoshi, DJ Ryosuke Takeuchi and me, "El Gringo." It'll all get started around noon and continue till around 11:00 p.m., so plenty of time for last train. 「La Terrazzaã€? @ Cafe Pangeaã€?2006.04.29（sat/ç¥?日）・・・通常営業。DJs: Misu Satoshi, Takeuchi Ryosuke & 「El Gringoã€?。 営業時間オールDJタイム。 心地よã?„カフェタイムを演出。 今回ã?¯ã€?休日ã?®å?ˆå¾Œã?«ãƒ©ã‚¸ã‚ªã?‹ã‚‰ç¹°ã‚Šè¿”ã?—æµ?ã‚Œã?¦ã?„ã?Ÿã? ã‚?ã?†å??曲ã?Ÿã?¡ã‚’å¼¾ã??語りã?§ã?Šå±Šã?‘ã?™ã‚‹ã€ŒRadio Tapestryã€?ã?¨ã?®åˆ?コラボレーション。 ã?‚ã?ªã?Ÿã?®å¿«é?©ã‚«ãƒ•ã‚§ã‚¿ã‚¤ãƒ ã‚’ã?Šæ‰‹ä¼?ã?„。 ã‚‚ã?¡ã‚?ã‚“ 入場料ã?ªã?©ã?¯ã?‚ã‚Šã?¾ã?›ã‚“。 通常営業ã?§ã?™ã€‚ 春ã?®é€±æœ«ã‚’ パンゲアã?§jazzyã?ªå¿ƒåœ°ã‚ˆã?„音楽ã?¨ã?¨ã‚‚ã?«é?Žã?”ã?—ã?¦ã?¿ã?¦ã?¯ã?„ã?‹ã?Œã?§ã?—ょã?†ã?‹ã€‚ La Terrazzaã?®å?ˆé–“ã?«ã€?4月ã?®Radio Tapestryã?Œé–‹å‚¬ã?•ã‚Œã?¾ã?™ã€‚ 2Stage→→14:30/16:30。Radio Tapestry are vocals カトウトモコ（La Turbo) and piano ヨダナオミ (dada)。

So you had too much to drink and got a tattoo ? Find out what the Chinese characters on your arm really mean here. All credit goes to artist and designer Stan Fairbank who is collaborating with Learn Japanese to make these great videos for learning Kanji. You can check out his excellent website at www.endless.com

Hans was up in the Colorado Rockies for a week looking for ptarmigan and whatever other rare birds he and his buddies (I think he mentioned Jim Brighton on the phone) could find up on Guanella Pass. Thanks for adding to our video collection of exotic faraway places bro! Posted by Rob.

BULA! Andrew, Claire, Makiko and Rob find themselves on Waya Island, Fiji, for Andrew's birthday and New Year's 2006. All four are original members of the News From The Other Side art & culture community. Andrew and Claire eat frequent flyer miles for breakfast everyday. Both are accomplished linguists and photographers. I'll post their links soon. Filmed by Makiko. Edited by Makiko and Rob. Post by Rob. WARNING: PARTIAL NUDITY.

Makiko films Rob and Yo discussing Murphy's Pub on the way home. Did it suck? Or did Yo suck? Who is Yo? Yo has been a buddy of mine since we met in Nebraska in 1997! We've played on the same soccer and futsal clubs, although, he has always been much better at both. We've also painted together from time to time. He introduced me to my favorite oil for oil painting--walnut oil. He is currently working on a Masters in art at UNLV. His sculptures are amazing! I'll post a link for him soon... Makiko has been making a lot of short videos lately (...). She has also been recycling old clothes by quilting, producing kilos of homemade soap and baking dozens of bagels. Photo shot at Calibre Cafe, in Shinsaibashi, before going to Murphy's. Posted by Rob.

There is one place to be in Osaka this weekend, and unfortunately I won't be there 'cos I've got a ride to Tokyo which I'll be taking advantage of to move some of my stuff up there (Yes, the rumor is true, I'll be moving 1 May. But, if I were in town tonight (it's Saturday at the time of this post) I'd be at the hottest DJ lineup in town: CHERRY BOMB! If you for some reason you're not sure about crawling out from whatever rock you've been hiding under, you can check out all their mixes on the Bike Club DJ Mixes Master Post (except for Dimitri, but I'll vouch for him). Posted by Rob.

Pick up a girl 70s style.

Posted by Alex.

Subscribe to Alex's solo podcast, Prapatang Living, on iTunes

The Trenchparrots. This will be the last Trenchparrots song for awhile... Norv is playing the music and singing a song that I dictated the lyrics for between dozing off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. It was taking him awhile to compose, so I was napping. I'd wake up and listen to a bit of music, mumble some lyrics and fall back to sleep. Quality work though, isn't it? A photo will be posted later. Posted by Rob.

Today will be my last Cafe Absinthe DJ event before I move to Tokyo. As usual, I'll be starting at 9:00 p.m. NO COVER CHARGE. 今日�夜９時�らCafe Absinthe�ＤＪ�����京�引�越���最後�ＤＪ�� （他�場所����やり��）���も通り�NO COVER CHARGE.

The Trenchparrots. "Footprints" was our second "release" from 1994. Part of the lyrics by Lis. Photo by Norville Parchment. Posted by Rob.

Who is Alex Brooke, REALLY? To find out, stay tuned and win lots of PRIZES!!

This is a video about painting at Guido & Kaori's studio in Kizugawa, not far from Taisho (see Loop Line #1 video). The video was shot by Alex who used a cell phone camera and it shows me displaying my new poster art for the outdoor event which replaced "September Sky" and was renamed "Groove Harvest" in 2005. The making of the Groove Harvest poster is archived on the The Beb & Alex Show homepage. Posted by Rob.

This song was done in one take late one night in the spring of 1994. One reason it was done in one take is that it really did my voice in. Another reason was that we couldn't stop laughing after the first take. I think we might have tried two or three times in all, but the first version stuck. I'd be curious to hear Norv's version of the story. Suzanne dear, please sign us to your record label like you did for DNA and don't sue us! Posted by Rob.

This all but forgotten ditty should dust off some shelves in a few small collective memory closets. The spring of 1994 was a giddy time for some of us. Fake Brit accents were a sign of... I'm not quite sure what. The world may not have been ready for this, and it might never be! Re-introducing The Trenchparrots!! Norv and I had nothing better to do, so in one coffee-induced hyperactive all night recording session, we used his keyboard, a mac and a 4-track reel-reel recorder to produce this two-track masterpiece, and a couple others. I'll release more Trenchparrots songs, if we don't lose all our subscribers after this post! Osaka cherry blossom photo by Rob. Posted by Rob.

After an eternity of half sleep, the orange princess awakes and stares in quiet desperation at her records. Not only does she have to worrry about what to wear but also what to play tonight. Her records almost seem to compete for her attention to be played. "Take me, take me" says the 80s remixes, "no, forget him I'm going to rock the floor" says her house mixes. And all the while the growingly fatigued orange princess starts to lose another hair as all the records start to blur and become one incomprehensible mess in her mind. Zing and the throbing expectant masses await the orange princess in the small hours of the morning. Can she deliver ? Will the people be happy ? Of course ! It's the orange princess. Catch the Orange Princess (a.k.a. DJ SACHIKO) at ZING TONIGHT!!

Is the bar moving? El Gringo administers eclectic and edgy tunes to make you keep one eye on your baggage while the other eye scans the excellent food and drinks served up on the anaconda skin that runs the entire length of the bar counter top! Check your inhibitions at the door. TERMINAL JET LAG: El Gringo & amigos @ TIME TABLE CAFE. April 8th, Saturday, from 9:00 p.m. till 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., or everyone leaves. NO COVER CHARGE. 今日ã€?夜9時ã?‹ã‚‰TIME TABLEã?§DJã?—ã?¾ã?™ã€‚æ?¥ã?¦ä¸‹ã?•ã?„ï¼? JR桃谷駅ã?‹ã‚‰å¯ºç”°ç”ºé§…ã?¸å?‘ã?‹ã?£ã?¦æ­©ã?„ã?¦ (400m / 5分ã??らã?„)。高架下ã?«ã?‚ã‚Šã?¾ã?™ã€‚店ã?¯æ˜¼2時ã?‹ã‚‰å¤œ1時ã?¾ã?§ã€‚木曜日やã?™ã?¿ã€‚電話番å?· 06-6779-1719。Photo stolen from Mimi. ...Directions: TIME TABLE is near JR Momodani Station. Walk exactly 400 meters along the inside of the Loop Line (clockwise) toward Teradacho station. you'll find the cafe under the tracks at the Katsuyama-dori intersection. I'll start at 9:00 p.m. and probably play till 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. Y'all come on down now, you hear? Photo stolen from Mimi. Want a listen first? Direct downloads: El Gringo @ Laba Laba 22.09.2004 & Mind Mangle Part 1 @ Oasis 12.11.2005 at Bike Club Osaka.

Here are an "automatic drawing" and an mp3 by an old buddy of mine that I've known since 1990! John Hayden lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is a jack-of-all-media. Some of the samples on the mp3 track are from previous NFTOS podcasts, including News from the Tub, and Loop Line #3. He thinks we should check out Hippocamp Ruins @ fredoviola.com. Posted by Rob.

This is an idea Beb had which turned out really well. Both Alex and I had something else in mind when we started, so it was a pleasant surprise to see what Beb came up with. Filming and editing by Beb. Photo by Rob. Post by Rob. Water! / The Beb and Alex Show

Listen as Alex, BEB & myself tackle a new vocabulary word and its use on Alex's i日本語 (i-nihongo) / Learn Japanese podcast. It's always fun recording with these two! Recording and dragon doodle by Alex. This post by Rob.

This is a Japanese language podcast from BEB's audio blog that she uses to rant (j/k) on various topics which interest her. In this particular episode she is talking about garbage, pollution and recycling in Japan. This post by Rob. 一人一人�心���地中�救�れる�も？�れ���。 BEB! Goody! Goody! homepage.

There's going to be a Brazilian art & music "festa" tomorrow afternoon at Chove Chuva in Higobashi, Osaka. Chove Chuva is a cafe and music store that specializes in all genres of Brazilian music. It is the unofficial home to several local bands and live performances are hosted there weekly. Chove Chuva is just north of Utsubo Park. The best way to get there is from exit #7 of Higobashi Station. From there, walk south along Yotsubashi Street past the Ehime Prefecture Tourism Center and East China Airlines. Turn right at the light just after Yoshinoya Restaurant and walk two blocks past Loco George's Second Hand Goods. Take your first left. Chove Chuva is upstairs from Earth Cafe. You can't miss the Brazilian flag waving from the second floor. Enjoy music from DJs Hitomi Nova, El Gringo, Wes, Dainari, Tatsumi and others! Poster art by Peter Morris. The following message in Japanese is from DJ Hitomi Nova: ã?¤ã?„ã?«ï¼?ã?¤ã?„ã?«è‡ªåˆ†ã?Œã‚ªãƒ¼ã‚¬ãƒŠã‚¤ã‚ºã?™ã‚‹ã‚¤ãƒ´ã‚§ãƒ³ãƒˆã‚’スタートã?•ã?›ã?¾ã?™ï¼?ï¼? 希望ã?¯ã€?３ヶ月ã?«ï¼‘回ã?®ãƒšãƒ¼ã‚¹ã?§ã€‚ ＤＪ経験もã?‚ã‚“ã?¾ã‚Šç„¡ã?„ã??ã?›ã?«ã€?大丈夫ã?ªã?®ã?‹ï¼?？ ã?£ã?¦ã€?ã?Šè©±ã?ªã‚“ã?§ã?™ã?Œã€?ã?ªã‚“ã?¨ã?‹ã?ªã‚‹ã?§ã?—ょã?†ã€‚ ã?„ã‚„ã€?ã?¡ã?Œã?†ã?¡ã?Œã?†ã€‚　やã?£ã?¦ã?¿ã?›ã?¾ã?™ï¼?ï¼? ※今後一緒ã?«å‡ºæ¼”ã?—ã?¦ã??ã? ã?•ã‚‹ï¼¤ï¼ªã?•ã‚“を募集中ã?§ã?™ã?®ã?§ã€?我ã?“ã??ã?¯ï¼?ã?¨ã?„ã?†æ–¹ã?¯ãƒ¡ãƒƒã‚»ãƒ¼ã‚¸ä¸‹ã?•ã?„ï¼? ç§?ã?Œå¤§å¥½ã??ã?ªå ´æ‰€ã€?CHOVE CHUVA。 西区ã?®ã?†ã?¤ã?¼å…¬åœ’ã?«éš£æŽ¥ã?—ã?Ÿè—¤åŽŸãƒ“ルã?®ï¼’Ｆã?«ã?‚ã‚‹ã€?居心地ã?®è‰¯ã?„カフェ兼ブラジルＣＤショップ。 公園ã?®å„ªã?—ã?„ç·‘ã€?å£?一é?¢ã?®çª“ã‚’é–‹ã?‘ã‚Œã?°ã€?季節ã?®é¢¨ã?Œå…¥ã?£ã?¦ã??る。 常時良ã?„音楽ã?Œæµ?ã‚Œã?¦ã?„ã?¦ã€?本格ブラジルコーヒーやã€?ジュースを飲ã‚?ã?¦ã€?時間を忘れる程ã?®ã‚“ã?³ã‚Šã?¨é?Žã?”ã?›ã‚‹å ´æ‰€ã€‚　 争ã?„ã?Œçµ¶ã?ˆã?ªã?„世界ã?§ã€?å°‘ã?—ã?§ã‚‚ã€?ã??ã?“ã?«å±…る人é?”ã?Œå¿ƒä¸€ã?¤ã?«ã€?幸ã?›ã?ªæ°—æŒ?ã?¡ã?«ã?ªã‚Œã‚‹ãƒ”ースã?ªå ´æ‰€ãƒ»ç©ºé–“を作れã?Ÿã‚‰ãƒ»ãƒ»ãƒ»ã€‚ ã?¨æ€?ã?„ã€?始ã‚?る事ã?«ã?—ã?¾ã?—ã?Ÿã€‚ 「ＡＬＥＧＲＩＡï¼?ï¼?ã€? ãƒ?ルトガル語ã?§ã€?å–œã?³ãƒ»å¹¸ã?›ã?¨ã?„ã?†è¬‚。ã?“れをイヴェントå??ã?«ã?—ã?¾ã?™ã€‚ 尊敬ã?™ã‚‹ï¼¬ï¼¡ï¼¶ï¼¡ã?•ã‚“ã?®ï¼‘ＳＴ「ＡＩＲＥ ＡＬＥＧＲＩＡ(幸ã?›ãƒ»å–œã?³ã?®ç©ºæ°—)ã€?ã?‹ã‚‰ãƒ’ントを頂ã??ã?¾ã?—ã?Ÿã€‚ 今回ã?¯å?‹äººã?®ï¼¤ï¼ª ロブã?®é€?別会も兼ã?­ã‚‹ã?®ã?§ã€?ＶＯＬ．ï¼?ã?¨ã?—ã?¦ã€?入場ã?¯ç„¡æ–™ã?¨ã?ªã‚Šã?¾ã?™ï¼? (店主ã€?カナミã?•ã‚“ã?®ã?”好æ„?ã?«æ„Ÿè¬?致ã?—ã?¾ã?™ï¼?) ※１ＤＲ ５ï¼?ï¼?円を入りå?£ã?§é ‚戴ã?—ã?¾ã?™ã?®ã?§ã€?ã?”了承下ã?•ã?„ã?¾ã?›ã€‚ ★４月２日(æ—¥)　ＰＭ３：ï¼?ï¼?〜　「ＡＬＥＧＲＩＡï¼?ï¼?ã€? ＠ブラジルＣＤショップ「ショヴィ・シュヴァã€? ＤＪｓ：hitomi nova, EL GRINGO, wes, DAINARI, tatsumi…and more! 大阪市西区京町堀1-13-2藤原ビル2F 電車：地下鉄四ã?¤æ©‹ç·šã€€è‚¥å¾Œæ©‹7番 or 本町28番出å?£ã‚ˆã‚Šå¾’æ­©5分 電話：06-6225-3003 ブラジリアンã€?ラテンã?ªã‚¸ãƒ£ã‚ºã€?ãƒ?ウスã€?ニュー・ジャズã€?ç­‰ 様々ã?ªéŸ³æ¥½ã?Œç››ã‚Šã? ã??ã?•ã‚“ï¼? ã?Šæ˜¼ã?‹ã‚‰ã?®ãƒ‘ーティã?§ã?™ã?®ã?§ã€?クラブã?«è¡Œã?£ã?Ÿäº‹ã?Œã?ªã?„人やã€?抵抗ã?Œã?‚る方もã€?ã??ã?£ã?¨æ¥½ã?—ã‚“ã?§é ‚ã?‘ã?¾ã?™ã‚ˆï¼? フードã?®ã?¿ã€?æŒ?ã?¡è¾¼ã?¿å¤§æ­“è¿Žï¼?ï¼?ã?©ã?ªã?Ÿæ§˜ã‚‚ã?Šæ°—軽ã?«ã?”æ?¥åº—ã??ã? ã?•ã?„ï¼?ï¼?(ã?Ÿã??ã?•ã‚“ã?Šå?‹é?”を誘ã?£ã?¦é?Šã?³ã?«æ?¥ã?¦ä¸‹ã?•ã?„ï¼?) 皆ã?§é¨’ã?„ã?§ã€?ピースフルã?ªæ¥½ã?—ã?„一日をé?Žã?”ã?—ã?¾ã?—ょã?†ï¼?ï¼? ＣＨＯＶＥ ＣＨＵＶＡã?®ã‚³ãƒŸãƒ¥ãƒ‹ãƒ†ã‚£ã?¯ã‚³ãƒ?ラ

Makiko makes her own quilts, bagels, cloth buttons, pickles and the BEST HOMEMADE SOAP yet! And this is a song about it by Alex. Posted by Rob.

Here are the lyrics...Like a possessed demon, Makiko furiously kneeds bagel mix with her tireless hands. The clock rotates faster and faster as time and space warp and become meaningless, only the bagels matter, they will be created soon because the soap has to be finished. The bagels go into her massive oven and Makiko only has a few seconds to change into her industrial bio-chemical hazard suit and blow torch mask. She pulls hard on a heavy metal chain that lifts a vat of sulphuric acid up and over a larger vat filled with olive oil, rose petals, bats wings and the skull of a goat. Makiko chants the ancient words, "prapatang, prapatang..." and she slowly tilts the bubbling liquid into the steaming vat. The floor boards creak and and Rob trembles with fear from the observation station. Only a week ago he was teaching English to socially mal-adjusted business men. Now with a generous grant from the Emperor, he and Makiko have been charged with the creation of the highest quality soap and bagels for the land of the rising sun. Suddenly the chain breaks, melted goats skull, bat wings, a million liters of sulphuric acid ooze over the oven, half baked bagels, newspapers and dirty laundry. The ooze becomes self aware and burns through the wall and floors into the street. Flames engulf Waseda and the ground shakes under the weight of the mighty beast Makiko has created. Eventually the ooze cools and solidifies, the flames die down and Rob and Makiko carefully peer out of the window at the dead monster. Makiko gingerly climbs over the wreckage down to her creation. She dips a finger in as Rob gasps in terror. But all is well. Makiko speaks "this is the best soap I have made yet".