Music Elixir
Eavesdrop on a conversation between two friends about their favorite Asian artists and music and how music is their tonic of life.
Music Elixir
Celebrating the Unifying Power of Music and Dance Across Communities
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Picture a stage where reggaeton meets goth, where classical strings soar over urban beats, and where the scent of celebration fills the air. Our journey doesn't stop at music; witness the glamour and grace of flamenco's fiery dance as we discuss our weekend plans.
Then, let's buzz about the debut of Aぇ! group under STARTO Entertainment's wing and what it means for the music scene. Their fresh tracks are already causing a stir, and we're betting on their unique mix of pop rock, and dance to shake up the industry. We'll also spill some personal anecdotes about fan club memberships, the dynamics within them, and how celebrity social media tactics can forge unbreakable bonds within these communities. It's a deep dive into the heart of fandom, where the love for music and dance unites us across cultures.
Closing the curtain, we laugh, reflect, and give thanks for the adventure of running an independent podcast. From the unpredictability of weather to the unpredictability of securing interviews, we share the behind-the-scenes hustle that keeps Music Elixir thriving. Our gratitude is immense for your support, and as we continue to evolve, we promise to bring you along for the exciting ride that lies ahead in the world of music, dance, and fan culture.
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DJ Panic Blog:
OK ASIA
Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Music Elixir, with me Sarah and DJ Panic. Bum bum bum.
Speaker 2Evil as ever.
Speaker 1That villain era is lasting another year.
Speaker 2baby, oh my goodness, yes, I'm living it.
Speaker 1Loving it.
Speaker 2But my, I don't know. I want to say my villainy is villain, I don't know. Good, I guess villainousness, I guess I don't know how you want to call it, but it's all right so this is gonna be a ransom rambling. It is I'm speaking, a post-Bat Bunny concert mode. I'm wearing a Bat Bunny. I know we talk about Asian artists, but I went to see Bat Bunny on April 20th, which is a huge holiday for the. United States.
Speaker 2And apparently people were celebrating, right oh, my goodness, okay, why am I making a joke out of it? Because 420 here in the us, that's, that's equal, like, I don't know, the holiday for marijuana. You know cannabis and you know, for some reason there's a whole slew string and not legends, but talks and people, why they track it with they tracking it with, uh, about marley and I don't know. I think it's also his birthday and I don't know.
Speaker 1I thought it was because of 420. Was a a drug related police bust like that's the code.
Speaker 2See, there's so many things behind 420, that's what I thought it was, but it's always related but it has been always related to marijuana yes so it was yesterday, but bonnie was in hartford, connecticut, had a big show at the excel center and I was telling, was telling sarah, the minute that we I drove into the block where the location where the venue is at it just already smelled like pot. That's the outside, that's on the streets of hartford. So I'm like maybe when we get closer to to the venue, or I mean inside the venue no, it was you can smell pot in the parking lot. You smell pot on everybody's car except for mine and also just people walking around smoking pot openly. Again, connecticut is legal to smoke marijuana. Uh, cops were just doing nothing. You know, they're just like whatever I think they they look like. As long as you're not a nuisance, there's no problem. And Cos was just like standing around, just like what's up? Yeah, have a good time, have a good time. You know, everybody was just being respectful and we got into the venue.
Speaker 2More pot smoking everywhere. I'm thinking I thought it was more like cigarettes. You cannot smoke inside. No, fuck it. I mean screw it. There's lyrics there, everyone was smoking, everyone and I noticed that when somebody, if their favorite song, was about to start, they will puff away, they will take a big puff and I'm like, really you don't take a big puff before start yelling the lyrics? Sure, why not not? Hey, you know, like you know, you do, you, it's your thing. Yeah, always. Yeah, it was pot, perfume, cologne, smell. Everybody was wearing their best, you know. But money did amazing. Um, his stage it was, um, he had two, three stages, it was like a half circle, one side and another, and then in the middle he had like a walkway, a suspended wall, um, like a walkway like, out into the venue or just up on the stage in the middle, suspended okay, like a catwalk, okay.
Speaker 2So like he was like, oh, look at starto entertainment kind of thing, because one of the uh stages raced up and I'm like, hey, that looks familiar, is he gonna go over the people? But no, it just raced up so he can get that catwalk and then he just went up and down the thing. I'm like how can you do that, benito? I mean I'll be like no way, but he's there doing his thing. It was amazing. He had an orchestra. Oh wow, he started with an orchestra because some of his um songs do have strings, orchestras so there was an orchestra there.
Speaker 2His dancers were amazing. You know the, the vaticano, oh my god, the dancers and him. That was amazing because they're all it was. It was gothic, it was like reggaeton.
Speaker 2It was gothic, gothic reggaeton. Never, ever, only bat bunny will pull something like that and it will be perfect. I was was just like I'm loving this. I mean, I already love him, I already love his music. Just pulling that off, making it work so well, I'm like, damn boy, I'm so proud of you. He did a little bit of theatrics there, so that was really cool. Well, that's awesome. I was like, wow, he had everything Classical music, golf music, techno, reggaeton. He threw some oldies in there. Oh, he was amazing. Oh, and a horse, like a real live horse. Yes, yeah, on the second act. So he had a little video reciting one of his verses, or actually just reciting a poem, I want to say, and he's riding a horse. So we're like looking, because we have heard, you know, he rides a horse in one of the on stage. I'm like on stage, how's he gonna do that? But no, it's like outside of the stage. It's just like he does ride a horse. I'm like what? He's like full-on production going on.
Speaker 1yeah, I'm like what he's like full on production going on, yeah.
Speaker 2I'm like, I'm telling you it's not a reggaeton type of act, he's an entertainer, he's a complete entertainer.
Speaker 1That's awesome.
Speaker 2You know, when you think like reggaeton acts, you know, just like dancing and whatever they do, you know it's different. I guess I don't know. No, he just full-on show.
Speaker 1I'm proud like like a stage production yes, that's awesome.
Speaker 2It's so cool. I'm like of confetti, of course, and fire and all that stuff, lasers here and there awesome.
Speaker 1Well, I went and saw flamenco dancers.
Speaker 2Oh, yay, I know I was like yay. And then you said could I be on set? I'm like, ah man, I got Benito. I'm going to go see Benito. I'm sure it smells a lot better than Pots. But with that being said, even with all the marijuana smell, we saw no fights. Well, that's good. Everybody was chill, it's want to smell. We saw no fights. Well, that's good.
Speaker 2Everybody was everybody everybody was chilling hungry all I saw was a lot of nacho chips, cheese, popcorn, everywhere, hot dog wrappers. All you saw was just food sodas. There was hardly any beer cans?
Speaker 1Well, because, yeah, if you're a pot smoker, that's what you use to get your fulfillment for the show Right. You don't need beer.
Speaker 2So for those who don't smoke, I guess they were doing the drinking. Everybody was just chill. So I was like, see, there should be more shows like this Everybody's full pot's, there's no fights everybody's just loving each other.
Speaker 2Everybody's dancing and singing, just feeling the music. Oh, speaking of dancing, I dance my butt off, of course. So now I'm paying off because my legs are shot. No, just from dance, not from standing like jelly huh dancing. At one point I'm like I need to stay, I need to sit down, oh my goodness. But then, of course, every song that came out, I'm like before it's my favorite and this is my favorite. And then my other favorite and I'm like geez, can you give me a rag boot? Even family. They're like oh man, I can't believe this is like. This is the first concert. I came out like dead tired because we were dancing, so much we were, we danced like everything the whole time.
Speaker 2That's awesome oh, my goodness great love love, love, love this show, oh anyways, okay, tell me about flamenco, which I love too.
Speaker 1I used to dance that yeah, it was really cool because it was a very good fusion of the like traditional flamenco dancing with some more modern touches thrown in here and there. They had people with the castanets, they had people with the, that big cape. You know that you fling around with the fringe, yes, um, a cane hat. You know doing specific movements with the hat right and the lady, of course, with the big train skirt that they flip around.
Speaker 2Yeah, oh my god, they were. You need to have skills for that dress I mean major skills.
Speaker 1They were amazing and they had men dancing with the skirt and with the fan. You know the flip. So it was really cool because they were allowing, sort of, instead of traditional, the male role and the female role in the dancing. Okay, they were switching off and it was just. It was really cool. Everybody was amazing and tall, short, they like full range of sizes. It was three men, three women and they were just amazing I like that so you'd have really enjoyed it.
Speaker 2You would if you have the skills, it doesn't matter how tall or short. You are right, it's, that's true. If you have the skills, it doesn't matter. Oh, that's awesome. So there's like inclusion in there.
Speaker 1I like that right, yes, they were. That's what I mean, like the men were grabbing the fan and doing the thing and one of the guys put on the the skirt with the big long train thing and he was working it I was like you go, wow, it was awesome, it really was.
Cross-Cultural Dance and Music Epiphany
Speaker 1Oh, hopefully they'll they'll come around again. Awesome I'll. I'll get you all the the other particulars. The troop is named after the woman who founded it, the main, you know she put it together, so they were named after her, but I don't want to say it wrong. So, okay, I'll get you the info. But they were amazing. But I mean any flamenco that you get to check out oh yeah, it's just awesome.
Speaker 2Oh, I love flamenco.
Speaker 1I saw jose greco when I was like four damn yeah, like he was the penultimate. For a very long time he was. He was the be all, end all of flamenco, and it was my parents were like you, were just riveted. You couldn't stop watching his feet go.
Speaker 2No, you can't the man please? Paul lee, yeah, no, that was like the name. If you were able, I think you did, did. I saw him when I was a kid as well. I gotta see. If my mom remembers. I gotta ask her anything that had to be with flamenco. She took me because, you know, I was in dance school as well and that's one of the things because my abuela is like she needs to learn how to flamenco because of part of family that we had did live in Spain. So we kind of still want to get those roots in me, you know, because it's part of my culture. So, yeah, oh my God. That and classical music as well, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1I had to do classical music, the symphonies and the orchestras.
Speaker 2We went to that too, but my mom was really good at taking me the ones that like Tchaikovsky, especially for like the Christmas time More, that are more upbeat than the slow ones, so I wouldn't get bored, but I mean. I was was like, I like everything now you know, and then I, just you know, start following more on that yeah, I was gonna say wagner's a little intense for young kids.
Speaker 1Yeah, the ring, the play that like the, uh, the opera that lasts like five days or something, I mean that my mom never took me to an opera.
Speaker 2She knew very well that was like too intense you know, oh yeah, no, most of them are. There's very few happy, yeah, especially carmen, oh god, yeah, oh jesus yeah, forget even those like one of my favorites. I later on, I think it was on pbs, did you know, sometimes they show it. Well, let me see this and I was like wow, I do really like carmen, but, oh my god, yes, not good, tragic yes, like I said, most of them do not end well, yeah, but you know what I really liked?
Speaker 1as I was watching the flamenco, I realized something because I had also, just a few weeks ago, gone to see the Irish step dancers and the way that the style and the whole, you know, point of it is like these intricate steps that are loud that you can hear Like it's part of the music and what's going on. They're very similar. Yeah, it's like wow. So you know cross cultures. Everybody has this form of dance. Where it's, it's all about intricate footwork and in mesmerizing you with what's going on with the feet as opposed to, you know, big flowy ballerina arm show as well you know, it's like it's.
Speaker 1It's crazy. I was like oh my god, some of my roots on both sides like to stomp their feet.
Speaker 2Awesome, that's yeah it's considered more the peasant dancing because you saw that more like people in bars and the loose life, that's what you call it. Yeah, they will have that dance.
Speaker 1You know, they were like very loudly and you know, but I mean it is a whole body movement oh yeah, it's just different, because it's really all of the action is in the feet. Yeah, you do put your hands on your hips and wave them up over your head a little, but like yeah, flamenco's a bit more sexy.
Speaker 2Yeah, because you also dance with attitude, that's what I love about that?
Speaker 1Yes, definitely.
Speaker 2You know, yeah, the Irish is really sort of more about making noise. Yeah, like you hear me out, but it was awesome Mm.
Speaker 1Hmm, very interesting that when I was watching I was just like, oh my gosh, the correlation between the two is just really striking to me all of a sudden I'm like god, you know, I've grown up watching both and I've never really stopped and said they're so similar. It is really music and dance. It's just a universal thing, universal language. Everybody has similar you know, not the same, but similar things they do to express themselves musically and it's just, we always talk about that and it. Last night, watching this dance and the music, I was like, wow, you know, and the same thing, like intense guitar and drums and violins, you know, strings, like the music is just as intense in both cultures too. It's just crazy. Yes, I don't know, you know, in all my life. Suddenly last night I had this epiphany Like wow.
Speaker 2It's like that meme that you see around. It's like after how many years? Blah, blah, blah. It just dawned on me this or something you know. After many years, I just found out I was today years old. Yes, I was today years old when I realized.
Speaker 1Well, and I've probably always noticed it, it's just when you're in a particular moment. You're in that moment, so you don't associate it with other things, but because these two events happen so close together. I was like wait a minute.
Speaker 2I love it. I love it. It's like yeah, your brain like made an evolution there. It's like hey, look, look, actually do get together. I'm like yes yeah, that's how brain function. It happens and sometimes people are like, uh yeah, like where you've been one of those things you just yeah, you've always known it.
Speaker 1It's just, you have this exact moment where you put the two together and say, oh my gosh the epiphany time, I know my, the two halves of my ancestry colliding and me going whoa. All right, now I know where I get it from.
Speaker 2I need to stomp my feet all the time.
Speaker 1Anyway, we should probably like yeah, well, that's our entertainment weekend for us.
Speaker 2You know it's not always about asian artists. But you know, we, yeah, we love music, we love the cultures and different things are happening and we get to experience that. We're so privileged about that, you know yeah, definitely that's awesome. And speaking of being privileged, I don't want to.
Speaker 2Just well, true, come on, and I made that statement on a tweet I made on tuesday that well, I was privileged enough to see this man and shake his hand twice. Oh, yes, yes, and it's uh reita from the gazette sarah's representing by wearing a gazette t-shirt. I'm wearing bad bunny, sorry, I'm still in. I'm still in ohio, bad bunny, but no, we just uh. That was a very shocking news. It was uh, reyta passed away on april 15th, on that monday, tuesday morning. I'm just waking up to that. It was like it really it didn't even need a coffee, it just like woke me up. I'm like what happened?
Speaker 2you know the statement was that he has passed on monday and they have made the announcement on tuesday and for, uh, you know everybody to give time for the band and family members.
Speaker 1You know everybody to like respect them yeah, let them process and grieve right the way they need to right, the fan club uh did not say how he passed.
Speaker 2We're respecting that as well. Everybody should respect that as well. Uh, band members have made a statement after that, after they made their time grief, but I mean, they're still griefing, you know, it's everybody still.
Speaker 1You know, after a week, almost a week, well, and it's going to be a long process for them because they were together over 20 years. Yes, you know, this core five members Right Just basically grew up together.
Speaker 2Yes, you know, so that's gonna. It was Reita, ruki and Kai, I believe, the three original members of the Gazette. So yeah, it's hard, especially those three. You know I did all my my pay my respects. Yes, played four songs from the Gazette. Know, I did my pay my respects.
Speaker 1Played four songs from the Gazette.
Speaker 2Just like I did with all the past favorites of ours. I like to do that, but you know, fans are still grieving and you know, just take care of yourself, drink some water, eat Don't forget to eat, you know. And yeah, take your time, you know, because it's hard.
Speaker 1The whole world is they were police loved worldwide and yeah, everybody, just you've got to grieve in your own way and in your own time yes and everybody be kind to each other out there exactly you know correct, because everybody does handle it differently.
Speaker 1Everybody does. I have horrible, horrible reactions to news like that. I'm, you know, usually in so much shock that I just can't even process. You know, right, people are like so and so, just passed away, and I'm like what? No, like I just talked to that, you know, just saw them, I just, you know, anything like that. So it's, I'm one of those people who I laugh when I'm going to be a horrible mess, oh yeah, and I would rather like find something to to humor myself with for a moment, to sort of brace myself for the onslaught of emotions that are coming, you know oh yeah, so it's just yeah, People definitely give each other time, give each other space and let everybody handle it the way they need to.
Speaker 2Exactly so. You know the world is grieving. The band said that they are actually going to continue, so we're going to support the remaining members They've all talked about.
Speaker 1he will always be there on stage with them. So, yes, and I believe that I believe they will definitely. Yes, all right, sad news out of the way.
Group Debut and Future Plans
Speaker 2yes, forever in our hearts definitely yes, so thank you for that. Now, moving on to all the news. So a group finally debuted, a. So statue entertainment sent me the the awesome news that the long-awaited, because I'm like, when are they gonna debut? I know they've been a group for ages, for ages, I know so I think we've talked about it before.
Speaker 1We were like did they debut? Because you know we keep seeing them pop up in the news. I'm telling you they're listening.
Speaker 2Because when Star just sent me the email, they're like it's pronounced A Because we have this thing. Is it I? Because there's an A and an E. You know kanji E. So we're like thing, is it I? Because there's an a and a e. You know, and you know kanji.
Speaker 2So we're like is it I? But it just dawns on me that in japanese the a is ah, so to pronounce the a group, it has to say a, so it's a. So I was like ah, so it's eight. So I was like ah. And I understand, but I'm like anyways. No, I like talking. Start to entertainment when they send me news. They're funny.
Speaker 1Uh, at least my contact is funny well, you know it's tough for us, because if we don't have access to hearing how things are said, I know we're left to our own devices. So you know what that means.
Speaker 2You know it looks like they were listening to our number I episode. We were calling it number one and it's like, let me let, let me let the Japanese know that it's supposed to pronounce A not.
Speaker 1I.
Speaker 2Let us stop you right there. Yeah, this is like low key giving me. This is how you really need to pronounce it Sassing you online.
Speaker 1I know.
Speaker 2But they're just so polite, sassing you online, I know, but they're just so polite. We understand. But thank you very much. Start to let me know how to really pronounce the name of the group, because we I mean, before I even got the name um, the, the news about it, we always knew them as a I I know right so it's like how is this?
Speaker 1I I well, it's sort of like when stones first came out.
Speaker 2We were like six stones.
Speaker 1Yeah, no, it's just stones. We're like, okay, silent, x got it. Thank god, snowman is just I know I am so happy about that.
Speaker 2I am so happy about that imagine saying that wrong right. I think this is one of the reasons they're so popular, because people can't pronounce their name. Besides them being an amazing group yes, definitely. You know everybody in there has their own character, their own voices. I love this group. They're like a super group to me. I don't know.
Speaker 1Anyways.
Speaker 2But so, yes, a group. They just announced they have a new YouTube. Now they're on YouTube. So on April 15th, a single just came out, which thank you for starting. I got that single, so it's called A Beginning. So I'm like that's awesome. Hopefully they're working on an album. They should it's been around for quite some time. Hopefully they're working on an album. They should have been around for quite some time. Uh, the group is, um, pretty much mixing aggressive mixes of like dance and also pop rock, which we didn't hear on this debut song, but hopefully that's what I'm going to be hearing in the future and what I have been seeing for star to talent that they're actually gonna really push youtube music.
Speaker 2Because now for snowman on one of their latest x twitter, x twitter post uh, snowman, you can stream it now on youtube and youtube music. So so their album's now on YouTube.
Speaker 1Music, so they're focusing more on YouTube Music as opposed to other platforms.
Speaker 2Exactly. Oh, okay, I'm just thinking they're getting more of a payoff if they go with YouTube Music. That could be, yes, you gotta think it's all about money.
Speaker 1Well, and also depending on the music group that they're under you know the corporation, the label that they're under might have some say in that too. It's hard to know.
Speaker 2I know so for a group. They also have an Instagram, an ex-Twitter and, of course, their website, but that new single is already out on YouTube and YouTube Music, so please stream it out over there and support the group. Debuted recently now from Starto Woohoo, yes. So now, lately, I'm thinking what happened to Hi Hi Jets? That's another one that I was keeping an eye on yeah, well, I've.
Speaker 1I've seen them scattered about in the news, but yeah I'm thinking now, with the whole changeover and the way everything's going, starto is going to be a little less reserved about putting their artists out there. Yeah, I think that they're probably just, you know, biding their time and sort of reorganizing, getting everything set up, but I think that they're going to be a little more forthcoming with artists as opposed to you know, holding people back and waiting and sitting on it and you know they're just going to let everything happen, naturally, you know, let it take its.
Speaker 1Let everything happen, naturally, you know, let it take its course, and that's what you gotta do. You can't sit on talent, it's not, you know. I mean, definitely make sure there's talent, but sarah said not me well, no, I mean, you know there's definitely I'm not saying from starto specifically, but know there have been people you're like, ooh, they maybe should have practiced a little more, true, and I'm talking Western artists, oh yeah.
Speaker 2You know, I mean I'm still of an ah with some of our American artists and I'm like how did you get a contract?
Speaker 1That's what I mean. So so I understand you know you want to. You want to make sure you're definitely projecting some good talent, some good sounds. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2You want you want that there for sure.
Speaker 1But a lot of these kids, you know when a few years ago they were having the whole thing once you hit 23, either you're in a group and debuting or you're kind of out, like they've sort of changed that mindset and now they're like we're going to train you and work with you and get you out there and that's what you have to do. You you know what I mean.
Speaker 2Yeah, like I want to know how do they pick these children? Because they're you know, they do have to apply Right, they have to try out.
Speaker 1And I mean that's the thing is, you can have potential when you're 11, 12. But if you're not passionate, if you don't keep up with it, you're always going to be sort of at the same phase. You know what I mean. Right, passionate, if you don't keep up with it, you're always going to be sort of at the same phase. You know what I mean. People who really want it and really want to be there and work for it are going to move forward, move ahead. You know what I mean. And then there are some people, you know, just never can sort of grasp the idea of, like, memorizing choreography or just can't quite get them to hit that note when they're singing. You know what I mean. And that's again, you can see potential, whether or not it comes to fruition is another whole thing.
Speaker 1It's sort of the same way with sports. A kid can have a really good run of like hitting the ball or kicking the ball or whatever, but if they don't progress to be consistent with it and keep going, then they're not ever going to be, you know, taken off the bench basically so but I think that the old system was a little less focused on getting everybody to meet their potential. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2Yeah, one of the things that I'm look, that I hope and this is a great idea for all companies that besides, you know the, the dancing and the singing and the production and whatnot english classes have them being bilingual, I mean, or have more bilingual, uh, you know, um members, but at least have that as an extra.
Speaker 2It helps, you know it helps is if, especially if they want to go international, you know yeah which we have seen on k-pop groups, that the one who speaks english is all up on that person, is all up on that person. It's all up on that member to speak for all the members in there. You know, and it's hard, you know, for like one member to be translating everybody.
Speaker 2Hello Namjoon, yes, and you have seen it on his face that he's like you know, like he sometimes has to correct because members will try to speak english and it's like what he's trying to say and uh, you know, and okay, not just only will help them with the group but also in future work, maybe movies, if they want to go into the whole acting thing. You know they can get. You know movie roles because they know the language. You know that's a look at kenty yeah, you know kenty has developed the english language.
Speaker 2So because he, he has a future, he's like I want to do things. You know like I want to do more than just this. You know he was the spokesperson for sexy zone. Um, in the input I want to say overseas I mean he was the only one speaking english when he had done the acting. He had spoken in english to a lot of people. You know he's, he's really going out there. He's like I am going far, I don't want to stay here, I want, I want a future doing something else.
Speaker 1Well, I want to. I want to reach out to a further exactly actually it's funny. While you were talking about that, it just made me laugh because my boy, my favorite, ono satoshi, refused. I mean, he knew words here and there, but there were a couple of funny things with arashi.
Speaker 1They sent aiba and ono out to try and converse with some people in english yes, oh my god, the lady was asking a question and ono was just like it's beautiful, oh, and she was like that wasn't the question. Oh, my god, it was too funny. Oh, but he was cute and he said it very well. That what he did say in english he said very well. It was just not the answer they were looking for. And I bet too he he mixes up words, which is very common anyways. I'm sure every time I try speaking another language people are like what are you the only?
Speaker 2one who's a perfectionist. There's june. June will just like how do you say this in english, and I want to say it properly and he will keep continuing practicing that day and night until he gets it right. We have seen him. He was with a tutor and then the tutor was in there. He's like, he's like oh, okay, yeah oh, june, he's the spokesperson I'm gonna say it well.
Speaker 1Oh, and speaking of him, he's gonna be in london doing that play yes, that's people are already like I want buying tickets.
Speaker 2The amount of people.
Speaker 1I was thinking should I take some time off, lady?
Speaker 2I was thinking that too and I'm like I got my passport, I just need money to get there. I've never been to England, so hey.
Speaker 1I would love, love to go there to see him, and that would be amazing.
Speaker 2Do you think it's sold out?
Speaker 1Probably At this point, definitely, oh man.
Speaker 2Starto Help me out. I know you have gone there before. I know you have One of our chats. You were helping somebody out in France.
Speaker 1Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2So look at me Start to slay.
Speaker 1Shut up, lady. I wonder if Takuya must speak English, because he was the one who was in France. Takuya Kimura oh Kimitaku. Yes, and actually I think Shingo K katori. He must speak english, okay, because he was here doing, he did a.
Speaker 2Yeah, he does talk like singing, oh yeah company.
Speaker 1But yeah, might be those. Yes, I'm sure he, and he probably speaks french and spanish because he works with. He works in canada a lot. He works in south america a lot, acting wise, oh my god yeah, speaking yamapi in spanish, I probably die I don't know for sure, but I just if he does, and if it's broken, I don't care.
Speaker 2I'll be like oh my god, that's so sweet because I know he was his acting.
Fan Club Chatter and Fandom Trends
Speaker 1He goes all over the place oh yeah, man takes acting gigs everywhere there's another one, busy, mm-hmm so, yeah, and tomoyakura, he's been out there doing a lot of acting, so he, him, he's got a new thing coming out, him, and june.
Speaker 2Every time I see them, it's like they're like twinsies.
Speaker 1Well, they were. They were like joined at the hip when they were juniors. It's like twinsies.
Speaker 2Every time and when I see them, I'm like you and you, you the same, like, like mannerism and looks and intense oh, I'm like wow, oh, and actually did you see Yama P was going to join Fuma Kun's fan club.
Speaker 2I know, oh my God, I love it. Okay, now that you did that, transition our Fuma Kun he did a live who he said I'm going to keep it on for one day and then I'm going to take it down. I don't know why, fuma, why are you like that? Like when he does talks for himself, he's like I don't like that, but like he's. When he does talks for himself, he's like I don't like that, but when he's with other members, he keeps it on. Yeah, like hello yeah, you're nino.
Speaker 1Well, he, he doesn't control it.
Speaker 2No, that's the truth, that's true, that's true. But you know, when it comes to him, he's like I'm gonna go get this off for like one day. So, anyways, and an announcement that he has his own fan club. Yay, yes, so I'm thinking of joining, but then, of course, I have to join Kenty's as well, because it's like I can't leave my, the twinsies, always in competition.
Speaker 1Of course Big brother. It's like friendly competition, but competition still Kenty's older than Puma.
Speaker 2So it's like little brother doing the same thing as big brother. This is like I'll be brothers doing it. I want to do it too, but I think there's a lot of. Actually, I think there's yamara also, or am I just predicting um?
Speaker 1no, I don't think he does. Our. Our friend put up a list of people and I was actually like, wow, I did not realize, like Subasa, umai I'm sorry, amai, not Umai Subasa, umai Taki and Subasa, he still has a fan club and he retired for health reasons but he still has a fan club. I was like, really, okay, like a lot of people in it according to this little chart. Oh. So I was like, wow, but uh, still have a fandom. See, yeah, I, I didn't realize a lot of them, so many of them had individual fan club accounts. Okay, huh, when I saw that list, I was like, oh really, I thought it was all just based on the group.
Speaker 2So so there you go, I'm gonna see fuma kun. I hope you open for overseas, because mama panic, you know, I gotta, I gotta well, he was saying it's it's through a different company.
Speaker 1Okay, like the fan club is run by another entity, not actually starto, so it may in fact be open internationally. Okay, sort of like how, like the family club versus johnny's web versus or starto now, yeah you know, back before there were like three different things that you could join right some were only if you were in japan. Some were only for other asian countries, some were international it depended.
Speaker 1You know what I mean I think that that's what this is all about. Fuma was saying he's it's it's a separate entity running the fan club okay so the odds are a little bit better that we'll be able to join, because, like to join the Arashi fan club, I'd have had to find someone in Japan so that I'd have an address that things could get mailed to, and it was just always too much work. We have a friend who did do it.
Speaker 1She was like best decision I ever made. I was like it just seemed like so much work and trust that you need to have in the system.
Speaker 2You know what I mean, right? Hey, when you're a fan like that you will find a way.
Speaker 1well, I just I made friends with other people who we, we found, found each other on whatever sites and they'd be like I'm going to the concert, do you want stuff? I have so much merchandise from concerts. I never saw that. You never saw that except for on DVD. You know, when it came out two years later but my RSU I could open a museum with the amount of RSU merch and the only stuff I really got to see in person was the hawaii, the hawaii everything I know.
Speaker 2You're like bring up, I got five by 20 and it's like well, you were there. It's like no, I just bought this stuff.
Speaker 1I only are too funny. I was like well see, but you know, I got some fan club stuff from friends who were there and you know they were like oh, I don't want the fan club thing, do you want it? Oh sure, I'll take it. So you know, pay for shipping and there it's mine.
Speaker 2I just started to get into all this. But, fumacom, definitely I'm going to join your fan club as long as it's open to the overseas.
Speaker 1Going to have to look into that. Yeah, that could be fun.
Speaker 2So one of the last Yo Nino the A group was there. Oh so they got to talk to everybody there group was there. Oh so they got to talk to everybody there. And I can tell that nino's favorite member is richard. I can tell he talks with to him with a smile when nino talks to you with the smile he likes you.
Speaker 1Yes, definitely when it's a gen, because he talks to a lot of people with his smile.
Speaker 2You're like no, no, no you can tell on nino's face when he talks to you and if there's no, like it could be a kind of a smirk. That's not really a smile right but when he's like really smiling and talking to you in a way yes, that's, you're the fave. So I I can tell that richard is his fave. That's awesome, that's cool. I'm like yay, because richard is my fave too.
Speaker 1Now actually you want to know what it is. What's? Probably because richard was, like you're, my favorite member from irish.
Speaker 2That's all all nino needs to hear is that you like him and he's like you're my favorite the way he was picking on daigo.
Speaker 1Yes, that's oh yeah, that's true. That time he's like daigo nino-san, nino-san, this nino-san that well, that's why yamada's on yo nino and not shinen, because he likes.
Speaker 2Oh, no more, I'm just kidding everybody so he doesn't play favorites even the same thing with fuma. Probably fuma says that nina was favorite, but I don't know. I always been seeing fuma. I don't know fuma that talk highly about show. Oh, show like shows. Uh, rap is so awesome. I love show, raps and about it. I have heard him talk about that, but no, no, show doesn't have any show. Show is just show, show, show, show. That's for sure. Okay, maybe just you know, just like I'm just gonna have you because you're a nuisance and I need somebody to be like that we need somebody scrappy on here and loud it's nino.
Speaker 2And then then then we have now that whole fuma and and nakamaru love affair.
Speaker 1They've come so far I know from the beginning where, like the body slams and the, the dirty looks I know, and they yell we'll have dinner. I know now they're just like hi, I'm gonna be in town, do you?
Speaker 2want to have a meal together.
Speaker 1They take these sweet pictures with each other like oh, but yeah definitely gonna have to to look through the list of who actually has their little fan club things and okay see who we can join. I did see some things about merch, like they now have a spot for certain things international, oh so yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2That's what I'm saying Things are changing Through the company that it was.
Speaker 1I didn't look real deep into it, okay, but I just remember seeing there was definitely a link that said international orders. Of course international orders could still mean just you know, right to china, to korea, to, so I have to look into it more. But okay, hopefully, hopefully they're opening it up because they everybody's starting to see there is audience for these artists all over.
Speaker 2I mean england erupted june is coming, I know someone from arashi is setting foot in england exactly june is coming. Matsu, june is coming. Mj is here. Nj is coming. Roll out the red carpet. We won the lottery. Yes, bring out the royal carriage, forget the king.
Speaker 1It's so funny, right? Because everybody's for any K-pop, j-pop, t-pop, p-pop, you know, everyone's always like the US always wins. I'm like Californias always wins. I'm like california, exactly that. That is another country. For anyone on the east coast that is like, yeah, that may as well be going to europe, us, is huge and vast it's not like, yeah, we got them in la, and that means half the country can't go exactly. It is not exactly driving straight through, it still takes three days. Yeah, no, you still need a plane.
Speaker 2You still need it. Yeah, no, come on people. They're like did you get him in the us?
Speaker 1I'm like no one day in like yeah, california, you know yeah, so that was funny because that was something I was reading. They're like, you know, like there's a map, they're going to be in the US, so they color in the whole US. I'm like California is one teeny spot way on the left, yep, and not everybody can get there. So you know, yeah, all right, sure, we're lucky they came here at all, but it's the same thing.
Speaker 1Most of us aren't gonna see it no, so don't be you and I, we always talk, of course, like they're not even coming to new york, which is at least one of the other big cities exactly.
Music Festival Highlights and Fan Support
Speaker 2That's close enough. No and then no, speaking of new york ats city field, but city field made a, made a, made an announcement. Oh my teeth. And we're like families like ats ats and I'm like, listen, this probably will be like bts type, you know, getting tickets definitely so don't I mean we try, yeah, we can only try. Well, because they played, was it AT's, at's? They actually played New Jersey.
Speaker 1Yeah, like a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2Yeah, and we had a friend who she was like.
Speaker 1Do you guys know how I can get tickets to this for my kids? We were like nope, you just play the game like everybody else to get in there it's hit or miss.
Speaker 2Yeah, you, you exactly, is ticket master, and if you want to get somebody else to scalpers, in other words to bite through that, that which we do not recommend, no, it's just do not recommend, because you know a ticket that is quote, unquote, a hundred bucks, it was gonna cost you like eight to seven hundred dollars it's, it's ridiculous. I'm like what the hell?
Speaker 1well, that's the thing it's. Because there's no filter, there's no way to prevent scalpers from going in and buying all these, because there have been times for shows where, like, we're in line, we're all set and the next thing, you know, there's not a single regular seat available, just verified resale tickets, which are now 10 times the price of the original, and it is absolutely ridiculous. So, anyways, yeah, good luck with the tickets for ATs. But speaking of ATs, they killed it, crushed it at Coachella, as well as Number Eye, wow.
Speaker 2When they came out with Fuji, I was like, I was like oh yeah, yes, and then go yeah, go hell break, lose one goat camera, I know right well then, of course, we had a surprise, because ada rice their surprises within you know that show their presentation I was like oh mg jackson. I know right comes jackson, wing comes out.
Speaker 1I'm like what that's so cool, trying to think like anybody's fooled with the hat and the mask right exactly, and I like that he was wearing black as well like the group.
Speaker 2So it was kind of like I'm kind of part you know a little bit just going to blend in but I hear future collaboration with you know number I and jackson could be.
Speaker 1Oh my god, they hung out for a little while after, oh, yeah, after coachella, yeah, and. But that whole, the whole 88 rising set, yes, that that stage, that whole stage was just incredible from start to finish. Yes, the energy was amazing, yes, and I loved so many female artists being represented through that. That was awesome. That was awesome, it was just not only males.
Speaker 2That's awesome.
Speaker 1It was, you know, just so cool awesome.
Speaker 2It was just not only males. That's awesome. It was, you know, just so cool. We started with um tiger jk and you marry, you marry, yes, you marry, I think that's her name. Uh started that.
Speaker 1Then we have a girl group killed it and then most of the y'all.
Speaker 2So be as well. You know that's a co-ed group. You know I mean, let's do it, but you know it's a co-ed group. It was a duo, but you know it's a whole group, the whole band. And of course we had Number I and then with Jackson, well, a-witch, a-witch, oh girl, I was like that stage is gonna be on fire, that stage was on fire fire, and then she brings a collaboration that she did with other female you know female rappers. Yeah, I was like yay, that was so that was so cool awesome very colorful I think her presentation everybody's colorful.
Speaker 1Everybody brought their own style and in presence and aura to that stage it was, that was like fire, that segment with all those women, I was like yes yes, yes, yes, yes, not about bb, yeah, so love her outfit also bb with jackson.
Speaker 2Yes, that was nice fiery, that was pretty fire. It was like, oh my god, me and jackson. Be real, like you know, already people are like hey, come on, they're performing, but that was.
Speaker 1That was cool yes, definitely as well. So yeah, and I can't say the the name correctly xin the chinese. Yeah, yeah, I know she's been around, but I never said her name correctly well, that's what I mean, because I have trouble with the the x pronunciation right. Jian lu.
Speaker 2Okay, jian lu, jian lu okay, but I get to learn about her there. I know she's been around but never got right.
Speaker 1You know well, no, well, no To experience the music Me either, but that gold outfit, oh wow, I loved that and another artist who just crushed it on stage.
Speaker 2The energy was insane Did you saw her fandom Were their front row. They took the. You know what.
Speaker 1The barrier yeah.
Speaker 2And they put like her name on it.
Speaker 1Oh really yes, I didn't catch that. I was just really focused on like it's like I was seeing these people dressed the same.
Speaker 2I'm like something's going on there's a group of fans there's a fandom right there, you can tell. And as soon as she came out, they all bring down the like their each letter of her name. They're like fruit and like it's like. Oh yeah, there you go, that's her fandom they're right there.
Speaker 1That was an amazing. Like I said, the whole stage, the whole from start to finish, was amazing, yes. And then afterwards, though, I switched to the outdoor stage to watch the rose. Yes, oh, they were so good. It was in their mariachi outfits, looking hot, figuratively and literally, because it's california, so of course, they all started shedding clothes the drummer, especially, was the first one to start shedding clothes.
Speaker 2Hello, it's drumming, you know? Yeah, the hottest job on stage exactly, and then with a positive message. You know as always, their brain is always about positive vibes, and you know, and then I just love them. We were hoping to see them again in boston, but it didn't happen. But hey, it just maybe I'm sure they'll.
Speaker 1They'll be back around. I hope so, definitely soon, because that was a sold out show, if I remember. Yeah, it was. And actually um dojoon just had a birthday. Yes, they were celebrating his birthday all over the place, so I like to do that.
Speaker 2Then today, everybody say happy birthday and, of course, the fandom will always make little like birthday celebrations and do their little thing. Oh, so that is cool. Yeah, and because of the big rising from number I and jackson kishi has now an instagram on april 14th he opened his instagram so right after yeah, after.
Speaker 1The weekend and he posted at last, I kishi will start instagram, of course, him being funny, like always well, I'm sure he was like wait a minute, jingooji and show are out there like snapping photos everywhere and posting stuff exactly, he's like I gotta get in on this exactly. And actually the cute them walking down the street. They were talking on their free time, their free day and show walks into, into a palm tree or something on some branch palm try to play it off.
Speaker 1It was so cute they. Because they were so excited, yeah, I mean the energy after that show must have just been incredible, because the audience was amazing oh no, they were so supportive of everybody.
Speaker 2It was awesome after that, let me tell you, everybody started doing. Let's do streaming parties for number I yeah let's do this and that I I seen that. I seen the fandoms you know, especially the jackies were very supportive. You know it's like, oh my god, number I is so cool we need to support and that's amazing. I like seeing that from fandoms you know supporting each other that's how we should collaborating exactly this was supposed to be, not like hating on each other, like right.
Speaker 1Yeah, you know we're all together in the love of music, and it may not everybody's your cup of tea, sure, but there's usually something, at least one song, you like.
Speaker 2Yeah, so there's absolutely no reason for the hate.
Speaker 1Exactly. Just take joy, and especially when your faves start working together like that. Even if they don't end up doing an official collab, the fact that they were there together on stage, working together, should make you happy, and that shows they have a mutual respect. So as fans, we should show mutual respect.
Speaker 2You know what I mean, yep yeah, and definitely people.
Speaker 1We're sharing the love with that and that's awesome yes, and I hope for a future collaboration between number I and jackson.
Speaker 2Yes, yes, yes because I love when Jackson does the rap. Love, love, love. Oh, you know from when GOT7 was around well, he's still around, but you know when they were in their heyday. I'm like Jackson, jackson, you know, jackson. And then he did the solo when the Millionaires. I'm like, oh, my god, it's Jackson oh my god.
Speaker 1Well, he was definitely feeling the song. Oh yeah.
Speaker 2It was up his alley. He was, yeah, yeah, that's his thing. That was awesome. That was awesome, oh my God. And, of course, number I did a live after Coachella when they were already in Japan. They're like we're home, yeah. And then they did an Instagram live and of course, we talk about what happened. I couldn't understand much, but what I could get from translations here and there. Of course they have fun. Oh yeah, of course they have fun. I will have fun too. You know Anything else?
Speaker 1I think that's it right I think, yeah, we covered a lot of ground there was a lot happened this week. A lot happened this week and we're actually excited. There's a bunch of new music we're going to start talking about.
Speaker 2Oh my God, yes, yes.
Speaker 1We're gathering ourselves a playlist.
Speaker 2And more information, more news, more here and there, especially big news in April for Start to Entertainment. A lot of things are rolling out, a lot of things are coming to fruition, a lot of things that we have mentioned in the past that have come true. Hello, our last episode. We're like, listen, we have said some things and it has happened, you know, with the woo-woo, you know, or either people are listening yeah, I know they're listening because I got that sassy email but anyways, uh, so no, I'm glad, I am so happy and glad and uh, thank you everybody for supporting us too.
Speaker 2Yes, because, we have gotten, uh, a few, you know, posts on x twitter, you know, oh, the one that I said I, I did you read that one? Oh, no, I didn't. I mean see if I can find it, but I was just, I was laughing. Oh, chamina, she did something for prime prime, yeah, yeah I was like yes, yes, lady, yes, I'm with you.
Podcast Maintenance and Subscriber Benefits
Speaker 1Oh, oh, you found it, I think, so yeah, just finished listening. Thank you for discussing number I, dj panic, and sarah's laughter made me laugh too. Number I, I, I, I. Is that the one?
Speaker 2yes, it was that's awesome.
Speaker 1Thank you, and have a wonderful day you too. Yes, thank you very much.
Speaker 2I like that comment well, we haven't forgotten.
Speaker 1Now have we?
Speaker 2exactly, we have not forgotten. Alright, girl, let's all have some fun this Sunday cold.
Speaker 1Sunday, our weather took a turn for the worse.
Speaker 2Hello springtime last year we had a heat wave though yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1I guess no in-betweens for us no, geez.
Speaker 2That's why our sense of humor is all whacked, all right. So thank you everybody for listening to this rancid rambling. Please rate, review and share, share, share.
Speaker 1Don't choke over there, my friend it's because when we laugh I get like scratchy throat. I don't, I know we get nasal drip, we get so excited when we talk about our faves.
Speaker 2You know, I know, and everybody's our faves, please, okay. So we said that share, share, share.
Speaker 1So now we're on the give us five stars because we love consolations yes, and if you so choose, please become a subscriber.
Speaker 2Yes please, so we can maintain the podcast yeah know the maintain of the podcast means also keeping archive episodes. Sarah actually just posted, you know, a few changes. People have regrees discovering, like stones, which is an older episode, Right, and of course the Jasmines have been there. I'm wondering are they still called Jasmines now that they're called West? Oh, I don't know. I got to check on that. Check with the yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, no, the. I was looking through all the stats stuff. They've sort of rearranged some things, so they were like you have new listeners. So that's why I put out Dublin and Stratford, connecticut, nice. Dublin and Stratford, connecticut, nice. They tell you where new places started listening, and then they have this week's biggest episodes, they have the all-time ones. So I just went with what was most listened to in this past week and it's still West Stones.
Speaker 1And then I I forgot because I was just so amazed yeah, like those are still on top. Wow, our most listened to ever is still travis still travis japan.
Speaker 2Just yeah, that's our biggest episode, but yeah, it's crazy. So I.
Speaker 1I was like, oh, there's all these new ways of looking at different stats so I'm gonna try and keep up on the, you know that's all shout outs to the new listeners and and tracking what what people are still really listening to I was amazed. Like I said, it's been three years for both those episodes and for them to still be like the in the top listen to episodes, right, it's crazy.
Speaker 2I know. So you know, being a subscriber will maintain those episodes, those later episodes that we have made created.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2You can tell how different we sound back there from now. We're relatively new, so we were kind of shy at some point. You know, like, how are we gonna do this? You know because that for me, being on radio, my attitude is different because, you know, I'm listening to music, I'm more updated, I'm very in tune of what I'm playing, as per you and I just talking, it's completely different. I'm just going by your vibe and you're going by my vibe, right, and it's just yeah, please.
Speaker 2So if you become a subscriber, it's just to maintain those episodes. I don't know how long can our platform keep them, but you know, if we have some subscribers it will help with that. Maintain the podcast. You know it's just to maintain those episodes. Our craziness, you know the interviews that we have made. Trying to get interviews is tough, everybody. You know we we were lucky enough last year that we were able to land two interviews, we know, with banana, lemon and also second lady. But trying to get other groups in here it's tough. When you're not in a major company, when you are independent. If you don't have like the pool, like that you will have as a commercial company, it is tough, yeah, and we have gotten rejected.
Podcast Hosts Thank Supporters
Speaker 2Multiple times and it gets hard, you know. So we're trying our best to get interviews here. So everybody, I mean, thank you very much for those who love to hear us talk, but we would like to bring guests, so just be patient with us, and whoever gives us that chance, omg, yay you, thank you, thank you. So, yeah, so if when you become a subscriber, that helps you know and when you share the podcast, it helps you know and trending it helps, helps, helps help, all right, I know I cannot say that enough, but thank you, thank you, thank you for those who have been supporting us yeah, absolutely until next time.
Speaker 1Bye-bye.
Speaker 2Jani.