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
Homecomings and Surprises
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In this engaging episode of Music Elixir, we take a deep dive into the exciting shifts occurring within the K-pop landscape. Join us as we celebrate the returns of beloved idols like EXO's Kai and Monsta X members from military service while we reflect on how their comebacks will energize their groups and the industry as a whole. Our heartfelt discussions explore the challenges of maintaining group cohesion in the face of rising solo projects, highlighting the delicate balance between individual artistic expressions and the desire for unity among fans.
The conversation takes an informative turn as we address unexpected tour cancellations and the visa challenges many artists face when crossing borders for performances. We celebrate the announcement of new groups emerging from established agencies like STARTO, emphasizing the exciting new possibilities for fans.
Prepare for a whirlwind of K-pop and J-pop commentary, reflecting on how the industry evolves and how artists adapt, all while balancing the nostalgia for the past and the thrill of what lies ahead. Don't miss out on this vibrant discussion packed with insights and updates that will keep you connected to the beating heart of K- and J-pop culture.
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The conversation may seem a bit one-sided at times, we had a technical issue (we left the funny part of that in there) but we worked through it to maintain the flow of the conversation as best we could!
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DJ Panic Blog:
OK ASIA
Introduction and greeting
Speaker 1Welcome everybody to another episode of Music Elixir with me, sarah and Miss Panic. I don't know why I always laugh when you say, miss Panic, I don't know you find me funny. Because you say it different every time and you get this look on your face sometimes Like you're like.
Speaker 2Yeah, miss Panic Sassy Extra sometimes.
Speaker 1All the time.
Speaker 2Really, but not like Dice Gang.
Speaker 1No, definitely not, he's super extra. Exactly.
Speaker 2Exactly.
Speaker 1Well, so today is February 23rd. Yes, and we're going to do some ranting and rambling. Yes, because there's a few new things in the news.
Speaker 2Mm-hmm, the clock says 2-2-2.
Speaker 1Why yes, it does. That's crazy, mm-hmm, that's good.
Speaker 2So yes r yes, ransom rambling. I was telling sarah that I found a few things for the k-pop industry. Not much going on. There's something just to people, just debuting people and whatever. Yeah, I know that starship debuted a new girl group called kiki, oh, all right. So, uh, more to come for them. I just heard about that.
Speaker 1You were pointing at me, you were well, because I just remembered that after our last episode that two of some of our favorite members of groups, artists, just got discharged from the military. Kai got out on February 10th, oh yeah, kai From EXO Kai is out. And Kyun from Monsta X just got out. Oh, I think the 21st, okay, or the 22nd, I mean just like literally a couple of days ago, oh, yay, so almost all of Monsta X is out. Yeah, waiting on one.
Debuts in the K
Speaker 2Mm-hmm, mm on one, the one that really not wanted to go there's always one or two in the group. They're like I don't want to go. I don't want to go.
Speaker 1I mean, I don't blame them. Well, I was going to say I'm not sure anybody really wants to go Exactly, there's some people who are just a little less enthusiastic about doing it yeah understandably so anyway. So they're back and he was doing a little. He's in his uniform doing a little dance challenge thing so it was very cute.
Speaker 2Oh my god, kai's out. Yes so? So, now that you said that, remember when, k when Kai went to the military and then there was like a brouhaha going with the two XO members that they wanted to leave, and it was in one of our rants and ramblings, oh really that we were like, oh, kai is gone, kai is going to be in the military, he's gone. And then all of a sudden there's two members just decided to be like we don't want to be any xo anyone I do remember that now we were like you know, it's like what happened right, they were waiting for kai to leave.
Speaker 1Well, he's in the military now, so nothing we could do. We're off. Bye but then uh, latest things smooth and you know, and it, yeah, I think like one of them just left the company but not the group, yeah, which you know is a thing.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1Monsta X has had the same issue, so you know.
Speaker 2Yeah, but anyways. So that's some of the, so we'll see what's going to happen with EXO Right.
Speaker 1Or is he going to do more, just solo stuff?
Speaker 2Most likely. This is you know this. You know our groups, we love our groups, but they never stay together forever, so a lot of them like to do their own thing, and this, you know this. Should I call it this bandman, because usually it's not really Well it's yeah, it's sort of weird, because usually it's not really well.
Speaker 2it's yeah, it's sort of weird like they don't do an official group breakup, but just everybody starts doing solo projects right, and you're like uh-oh so you know, like you know the group group, things are not really happening anytime soon or anytime at all, so we'll just see, we'll wait, let's see what's going on, yeah, so anyway.
Military enlistments and returns
Speaker 1So I that's cool, he is back and actually so in the, the monster x thing. Since ju honey got out he got out at the end of january he's been doing a lot with shonu and I can tell you sh Shono has not looked so happy in a really long time. Like I know, he and I am, we're doing little promo stuff here and there and he was, you know, putting on a good face and enjoying himself, but I don't there's something about. Juani just obviously makes everybody happy.
Speaker 1And because Shono has been like really beaming, smiling.
Speaker 2Yeah, you're back I miss you.
Speaker 1So it actually gave me a little hope that monsta x is going to continue and maintain right. You know, for a little while it was like oh I don't know it's.
Speaker 2Yeah, a lot of things were happening, you know like I am not being with the company, but still with a group yeah, and just everybody having to go into the military.
Speaker 1Yeah, and shonu had gone ahead of everyone so it was sort of like he was the only, you know, the one lone standing man. So I think that this right, they're starting to gel back together. So we'll see. It was just something I observed.
Speaker 2We love this group, but this group has gone with so much shit yeah, they've really had a hard time. Oh my god like something smooth and then all of a sudden, something happens. We're like what happened? What happened? Everything was fine, what is this now? You know, know it's insane the roller coaster of Monta X Jeez. All right, so you know we're good vibes, positive vibes. We haven't said that in a long time. Positive vibes for our boys.
Speaker 2Oh my God. Yes, so I know I was mentioning something to you, because HYBE actually has many like sub satellites.
Speaker 1There's one here in America.
Speaker 2There is one in Japan which, on February 14th, it looks like they have changed their name. 14th, it looks like they have changed their name. So, according to sunping hybe label, japan has changed its company name. So on february 14th, japan-based hybe uh subsidiary announced that it will be rebranding as yx labels you know it's either xy or yx. Yeah, well, they went with yx I know so the agency which currently homes the group and team also unveils a new logo as part of this announcement, so they only have one group hmm, interesting.
Speaker 1Yeah, that is, I was like wait a minute only. Maybe they have other not debuted groups so far.
Speaker 2This is from sumpi at and team is the only group on the there and they're not doing much with the boys either well, I know they've had some music come out because there were some new things out on Spotify for them.
Speaker 1Yeah, I'm wondering, you know, is this because of sort of all the bad press Hybe has been getting as a company?
Speaker 2Yeah, that's what I was thinking too girl.
The challenges of group dynamics in K
Speaker 1Like all right, we'll be part of you, but let's distance ourselves a little, you know who knows what's going on down there, maybe some people are around there like but I mean for those who know the company, they're still gonna be like uh and now?
Speaker 2just because you rebrand yourself doesn't mean that you're still a good company. But then of course, those who do not know how, but they see that company and be like oh, let's go over here. Yeah, exactly you know and then later on finding out oh no.
Speaker 1But you know, I'm just wondering is it sort of like how under HYBE, there's Big Hit, there's Adore, there's you know the other one? Like if they're trying to do this to be like we don't want to be high, we want to be something separate within the organization? So maybe that's their sort of thinking, I guess.
Speaker 2All right, so more to come with that? Yeah, because you know it's always interesting, something that is one name and they're all telling, oh, with this it's like why are you trying to clean up? Yeah, you know, oh you know, you know, you know.
Speaker 2So, um, also, this is another thing that came up because this group is coming to the us, but I found an article before their announcement to the us that, uh again this is from soompi still with the k-pop psykers cancel asian tour due to visa issues and local circumstances. Now this article came out on january 16th. Okay, so on january 16th, uh, the the group officially announced that the Asia leg of their world tour, tricky House first encounter, initially scheduled to span Thailand, malaysia, macau and Indonesia for January 17th all the way to February 1st, has been canceled due to visa issues and local conditions. What do you mean? Local conditions? I don't think snow is over there.
Speaker 1Probably nice, unless there was a lot of water, though it could be it could be, weather it could be other things, although here, february 21st, they've announced that they're going to embark on a 2025 world tour called Road to XY. Enter the gate.
Speaker 2That's the thing.
Speaker 1That is the kind of like weird thing Right, because how is your visa not, I don't know. Well, we've talked about this before. We've gone to events where people didn't show up because they had trouble with visas.
Speaker 2That's always the excuse Sorry, we have visa problems, so we ain't coming.
Speaker 1Yeah, because we had, I think, two bands at KCON that that happened to, think two bands at kcon that that happened to, and then an event out in las vegas had to get pretty much canceled practically because half the artists couldn't get visas worked out. But but that's very interesting, I so they're they can't they can't do asia, but they're going to come to the us so that's the whole.
Speaker 2When they say visa issues, I'm I'm always thinking is it because the promoter didn't pay for your visa?
Speaker 1well, yeah, who's responsible for exactly the promoter, or your exactly company?
Speaker 2that's why it. That's why I always think I'm like, why there's always? Well, you know in issues when you know you're going to be overseas.
Speaker 1This, this is planned ahead of time right, well, and it could be, because there's there's also just travel visas, but there's work visas. So you know, if they just get a travel visa because they're like, well, we're just traveling to the us, but technically you're working, so you need work visa, you know what I mean? Like is that?
Speaker 2the problem thing you can't, you can't be a travel visa if you're going to be entertaining people over here, right, that's a completely different visa.
Speaker 1So that's like from the two different perspectives of you coming from Asia or coming from the US and going somewhere else. The rules are different everywhere, you don't we?
Speaker 2don't need a visa to travel everywhere we want to travel in. My gut feeling is all about money. Somebody's not paying your visa to come over here and hey, and do your dancing and whatever, yeah, so this is that's my thinking, that I'm gonna look that up. I gotta look that up because how can like wow, all all these dates and they're like, no, we're canceling the Asia tour and I'm like who is not paying for your visa?
Speaker 1Well, hopefully they've got their visas in order for here, because they've got.
Speaker 2I don't know. Okay, this, okay, this is me thinking. So it all depends on how much ticket sales, right, banking. So it all depends on how much ticket sales, right, if they didn't sell enough. And let's say, the promoter is the one paying for the visa. If it didn't meet the threshold of the of the money, hey, we're canceling you.
Speaker 1no, no visa yeah, we can't cover the cost of bringing you here. That could be, but as of right now, they do plan to kick off this tour on may 3rd. They're going to start in in seoul and then they'll be coming over here hitting. Uh, let's see new york rosemont, which I'm not sure is that in chicago?
Speaker 2I think that might be so um, I'm assuming they're gonna kick things off, like you said, in solo may 3rd. Uh, then they're gonna be going to new york on may 7th. Uh, roseman, that's actually roseman theater. I don't know where that is yeah, that's that's on may 9th. Then they go into atlanta yeah not, not, of course, boston, never. Um, then they go to dallas and fort worth and they ended up with los angeles on may 17th. So the rosemont, I don't know, is that new york?
Speaker 1you know it's funny because everybody goes there rosemont theater. Yeah, it is Chicago. Okay, I thought so. Sorry, chicago, we had to look that up.
Speaker 2Why not put Chicago why?
Speaker 1they gotta put Rosemont.
Speaker 2Everybody else got a city.
Speaker 1Yeah, I don't know. We're in King's Theater, New York.
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't know?
The importance of solo projects
Speaker 1Well, it's the. When Suga came, I don't think they said New York, they said Belmont, because he was going to Belmont racetrack, the UBS arena, which is attached to the Belmont racetrack.
Speaker 2That still doesn't make sense, because that's okay, I can't remember. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1It's the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, illinois, I guess In Chicago, chicago. It's Chicago okay, no, those, actually all those cities are like the exact same ones. Everybody seems to hit. Yeah, it's only occasionally. Certain artists come to boston. Yeah, luckily we'll be seeing a couple of them in the upcoming months. Yes, hopefully, yeah, well, one, okay, rock they, oh my god very steadily come to boston.
Speaker 2Yes yes, I'm very, very, very grateful for the boys, very, very, very grateful they have playing from from dinky places to paradise, to where did we? And also opening for all the groups.
Speaker 1Yeah so, yeah, no, it's cool, we'll see so I like their promoter.
Speaker 2What were they using?
Speaker 1well, you know, it could also be their own preference. They've been to Boston. Maybe they just really liked it. They liked the vibe. They liked the. I mean when you play the Paradise. That's really That'll make or break your decision to keep playing Boston, because it's one of those places it's got a certain kind of charm.
Speaker 2But yeah, but it's a historic rock club. Yeah, oh, it's got a certain kind of charm, but yeah, but it's a it's a historic rock club.
Speaker 1Yeah, oh, it's iconic, I mean sure the people that have at least us whoa, at least the bostonians.
Speaker 2It is come on you had like old punkers, oh yeah you know that they have been there we, which some of them still do, yeah the damned love the paradise.
Speaker 1They love the paradise.
Speaker 2They've been there, we've seen them. Sarah touch what tomorrow? Oh my god, dave vanian, yeah, I'm like you.
Speaker 1What you touched him, what he was walking, I he was walking by. I put my hand out. I didn't grab him, I just put my hand out and he at the last minute.
Speaker 1That's when I saw this figure going by and I'm like oh, my god, I think, and you're like, oh, like no well, because it took half the audience, like he was past the majority of them before people figured out he was walking through the audience. I know my eye was on him the whole time. That's why I put my hand up, because I was like if, if he's willing to reach out and touch my hand, that's fine, but I'm not gonna grab him. I just put my hand out and he right, he grabbed it because he was like someone knows I'm here. You touched the legend.
Speaker 2You have touched a rock punk god legend. I know right.
Speaker 1I was so excited the whole rest of the time. I was like woo you touched it.
Speaker 2Our daddy, I know right, he pretty much could be our dad. I know you know right, it pretty much could be your dad.
Speaker 1It doesn't mean we can't still appreciate him. He love his music, that's fine.
Speaker 2He liked my post when, um, the captain got sick and I'm like please recover, captain. And he gave it a like. I'm like, yeah, he recognized it. I'll take that. Like, yes, he recognized it. I'll take that could be his wife just doing that.
Speaker 1I don't care, it has his picture on it?
Speaker 2it was him, oh my god, so anyway anyways so good luck to the guys. Um, they're under kq entertainment, which is also ats, so I'm just I'm just saying this is like the younger brothers of ats, um, so we wish them luck with their tour in the us and hopefully there's no visa problems I know they got until may, so so let's start making some payments.
HYBE rebranding and new labels
Speaker 2That's what I can think of. I gotta look uh, find out more of the whole visa thing, and that's you know. That sucks, though, so sorry for those those people who bought tickets for the uh asia tour, I know right. So anything else before we move on to the j-pop, I don't think so.
Speaker 1I'm sort of glancing real quick. I don't see anything.
Speaker 2I'm kind of glad there's nothing talking about gd, because every time we talk about is there something gd?
Speaker 1something happened with gd seems to be maybe people are listening be like, oh, these people are onto us that we are picking on gd well, no, I mean, just three days ago, they did announce that uh, g dragon's gonna perform at the singapore grand prix 2025 nice, but that's not not anything negative. It's just more, more stuff he's doing so awesome. That won't be happening until october, but they did announce it so, wow, it was funny, because you were saying don't talk about gd and I'm like, wait, it's right here, he's gonna. Okay, he's doing something nice and it's it's good news. It's a great picture of him too in the article.
Speaker 2It's crazy is it a black and white one? Yeah, with the hero sticking out. Yeah, yeah, I've seen it. Yeah, that's awesome. The man, he's just he is amazing.
Speaker 1Oh, and the face like the attitude. Yes, it's because he really has. We, we mentioned it before. He's overcome a whole lot of bullshit and he's coming out on top.
Speaker 2You know what I mean he's like it's me, I'm me, I'm so happy for him. God, the man struggle yes, definitely.
Speaker 1So. The man struggle no, the bs, but he's gonna.
Speaker 2He's gonna be busy this year, so that's good you know, yes, so he's coming over for that festival, remember, yep, that uh number I is gonna be part of. You know, the 88 rising, oh my goodness, oh, those, I think.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's officially called, I believe, head in the clouds festival. Yes, yes so if people are interested in looking into it, that's what you're gonna. That's what you're gonna be seeing head in the clouds festival from 88 rising there's gonna be so many artists there.
Speaker 2oh, yeah, I wanted to check a few that I was like, who are these people? I keep forgetting to make a mental note to like check them out and see how they sound like, because it sounds like a very eclectic, awesome, just music festival. Yeah, definitely, all right. So I received news from Starto that this happened. Actually, I made this announcement that, uh, this happened on. Actually, I made this uh announcement anyways. So on february 14, j-pop group stands there and I'm reading this from panics blah, blah you can find it on okasia digipaniccom.
Speaker 2So stones drop another hit called barrier. Uh, this track is funky, with rock elements. That has stones, sexiness, you know, sexiness, uh. So the song is catchy grooves, strong vocals and fun vibes. It mixes high energy with a playful twist featuring punchy beats and lovely melody. Maybe one day we'll review it I've already reviewed it, but you know, um, so, anyway. So this song is actually going to be the theme song for the new movie adaptation of the manga I girl and her guard dog featuring jesse. So, of course, who's the guard dog? Jesse. So jesse's gonna be doing the, uh, the voiceover for this. No, it's a live adaptation, sorry, movie adaptation of the hit manga. So it's a movie. It's a movie, okay, all so this single is actually going to be available on March 19th. So yay, guys, cool and, as always, anime, that's how they get exposed. Yes, definitely, you know more people listening to them, finding out more about the group. You guys are super busy, of course, because even Hokuto has something else that he's doing.
Cancelled tours and visa issues
Speaker 2Hokuto's doing a lot of acting, hokuto, hokuto, yes, hokuto's doing a lot of acting, okay, okay oh my god, I was like uh, no, it is hokuto okay but uh, but right now they're just uh, promoting uh, jesse's uh, I mean the 14, their 14 single barrier and that jesse is gonna be part of that movie cool. Also, I'm surprised that I found out and I'm like omg sarah start to made an announcement of debuting not one, not two, but three groups. I was like what? Three groups which on 2020, they debuted a stone and uh snowman at the same time that everybody was like what?
Speaker 1two groups two groups.
Speaker 2It was insane. So I'm reading this from tokyo high uh starto junior.
Speaker 1Announces formation of three new groups aces, key to lit and banzai we'll have to keep an eye and an ear out to see what, what they do, what they got so, uh, aces is a five member group consisting of hidaka ikisho, yuto Nasu, ryoto Sakuma, ryusei Fukada and Ryuga Sato, for a key to lit.
Speaker 2It's also a five-member group with Taisho Iwasaki, mizuki Inoue, reia Nakamura, soya Igari and Taiko Sasaki. Now, this one that I find interesting because there are pictures. There's a drummer, there's a guitarist, there's a bass player, a violinist, a saxophonist, wow, yeah. So Banzai. Banzai is an eight-member group made up of Ryo Hashimoto, ray Yabana, taiki Konno, rine konno, rine sugata, katsuki motodaka, yuujin zuzuki, hoshiki kawasaki and michiharu inaba. Wow, so I will. This that's the one that I'm most intrigued is Bansai. I would like to hear what they're all about. They don't, so they have only introduced their names. But yeah, bansai, I want to know. But from the picture I have drummer, saxophonist, bass player, guitarist that kid is I don't know what the heck is he holding Microphone. Then I have the violinist, another guitarist, oh yeah, and the keyboardist. Maybe that guy's a singer, but wow, that's huge.
Speaker 1Violinist. Yeah well, hey, you know, whatever somebody can, can play.
Speaker 2If you can fit it in, you can, I'm very, very intrigued is are we finally gonna have a band?
Speaker 1well, that's well we've. There've been a few others. Yeah, no, but I mean this is yeah talking about the senpai is fine.
Speaker 2It's been a while since there's been a band from this company Like a full-on actual. Like the Senpai Super 8, yeah, okay, and then we have like a group that they do their thing. But is this going to be like a solid band? No singing, no flamboying. This is just like a band.
Speaker 1Do you have a picture of them? Let me see.
Speaker 2Oh, it could be yeah, but I can't always go by a picture. No, that's true, because they show you a picture and then they start doing dancing and doing whatever, and I'm like dude, no Yo, come on, let go of that. Let's have some diversity on like artistic, you know things, just dancing, acrobatics and whatnot you know.
Speaker 1Having, yeah, having a group that's playing their instruments as well as doing the singing, instead of, yeah, just a formulaic sing, dance, wear matching costumes, kind of thing. Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 2We'll have to just wait and see what what they come up with, yeah okay what they put out, so the picture looks promising, but then of course that could be deceiving. All right, so good luck to the guys we? Yeah, definitely see if I can get a hold of my contact. Be like hey, I need to. Can we have more information on this? Can I have more information on this?
Speaker 1please. Well, I was gonna say yeah, because they did. I mean it was on their official site announcement too, so let's see. I was just looking to this year's had. Have you seen the fuji rock 2025 festival lineup? They got some good creepy nuts are going yuko and sunset roller coaster I know yuko, I'm like wow, it's been a while I miss them bombing tiger. This is sort of. This is a festival that has people from all around the world yes but a name I hadn't heard in a while radwimps oh yeah I mean it's, they've been around for a long time oh yeah, long time.
Speaker 1That's pretty cool. I just it popped up so I was like, oh hey, cool in the middle of the most hotness in japan.
Speaker 2Right, yeah, that is.
Speaker 1But it's at what the naeba ski resort in nigita yep so still hot.
New groups forming and industry updates
Speaker 2Yeah, but that means it's sort of mountainy area, so it'll be a little cooler you will think, maybe if it's anything like puerto rico I don't know yeah, I don't know either, but you know, yeah, it's definitely I did feel some relief when we were almost like up in the you know the mountains, when I went to uh el guabate. That was nice. It rained a bit but you know that was nice, just you know, because there was a lot of vegetation and I don't think there's a lot of vegetation on this part here so it might be hot, who knows? Never been there, but one day we will yeah, so that's so.
Speaker 1This is cool. End of july, everybody. July 25th through 27th, it's something to aim for. I don't. I don't do well in heat, but we.
Speaker 2Could you know, I please? My last festival was in florida and I said never again, I'm done. No lie, my last festival was at mansfield. Mansfield, at the xfinity, where we saw the pixies yeah, right there, that was my last festival yeah, that's awful and I said okay, I don't know if I can do this anymore.
Speaker 1Yeah, I had probably. I went to um the boston calling a few years ago, oh my god, and that wasn't even not even like middle of summer, it was, I think, the end of may or like june, and it was already lethal. And I did one year also go to a jazz festival out in chicago. Oh my god, that was in july. Forget it never again. It's just too hot. And they're right on the great lakes. You'd think there'd be like some cool air or something. Nope, no, nope.
Speaker 1Hotter than blazes, oh no, in chicago that's yeah, that's the problem with festivals is they happen during the hot time of the year and exactly it's just no, no, I want some cool air, tea, air conditioner, please, indoor, please, please, please.
Speaker 2So anyways, remember a while ago where yoshki's uh had a step down of his role for xy, his group thingy oh yeah, yeah, so the board members, or? Yeah, we talked about that um, a little bit a while back. So you know, because they wanted some changes and whatnot, and one of the changes was that they brought yuya tagoshi to perform on bus rhythm. So, hey, that's uh. So yuya is uh in this group, called now tnt, which is part of the the audition thingy that mr yoshiki did.
Speaker 1Like a reality TV formed group which is a common thing.
Speaker 2That seems to be the trend lately. So, according to Tokyo Hive, a fresh spin-off band TNT has been formed with Yoshiki's boy group XY. The group is composed of Yuuya tagoshi on vocals, jay on vocals, kairi on guitars, furutatsu on bass and kiyohei on drums. So tnt's creations, so TNT's Creations. Follows a studio session between Tegoshi and the Instrumentalists. Instrumentalists.
Speaker 1Instrumentalists.
Speaker 2Thank you, I am Tontai, I need some water On Yoshiki's Super Star Project X, season 2. There's a second one. I didn't even know. There was another one, uh, air between october and december of last year. Oh, no wonder the powerful chemistry between and jay know for their contrasting vocal styles and led to the information of this band, of this formation of this band, with a version of channeling that energy into a new rock sound. Okay, so the band name tnt stands for the next trigger, the next trigger.
Speaker 2Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people are triggered about this band.
Speaker 1That's for sure, well, did you read why? Symbolizing their ambition to shake up the music scene with their unique take on rock, what does it say? They're set to become the catalyst for change, pushing boundaries with their sound.
Speaker 2I have to hear this to say that.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's a big statement. It a huge statement.
Upcoming events and conclusions
Speaker 2It is pretty big, testing the boundaries, pushing the the envelope seeing where things are getting into a rock group, should I, should I say my assassin? Should I spill out my sassiness? So that Yuya is actually embarking on a rock group, just like his ex-bandmate Taka from 1OK Rock, which are worldly popular? Hmm, so he's evolving. He wants to try that out, see how, testing the waters of the rock world, and with the help of yoshki and the rest of this group. Okay, much luck to the guys.
Speaker 2I can't wait to hear this song, the next, so the next trigger? Let's see, because that's the group, my group name. So, last but not least, I wanted to talk about this. My children, my children, timeless, finally, finally, my, you know, I have now new kids. Oh god, I'm always have new kids, but anyways, um, I've been following the timeless audition project on netflix. Fine, of course, because I'm in America and they don't drop the episode like a week later, which I'm like I had to avoid x twitter completely. So those who follow me on x twitter and they have you have noticed that I have, besides that, x twitter being not getting political here, but you know, you know what it is exactly. Um, of course, twitter's gonna tell me, like, how it went down, and I did.
Speaker 2I was trying to avoid all that for the episodes. Even our friend, I had to like make a shush on her because, like, I can't watch because she'd be she'll be translating everything. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, I want to be surprised, for, you know, because I'm watching this a week later than everybody else. You know it's awful, because I'm like, I got to get off the social media. I had to Right, no, I had to like block my. I had to block Timeless, I had to block all these other ones because I did not want it to be spoiled by. You know, everybody's like oh my God, so they picked this one. Oh my God, my favorite is not there, you know. And things happening. So, were you following on Netflix? No, you were not following on netflix no you are not.
Speaker 2No, I didn't let me tell you at that. I was just like at a few auditions I was like why are you picking that boy? Why are you picking that boy?
Speaker 1well, you know what fluma would say to you I know and I'm like and why is that?
Speaker 2and I'm like oh, how come you didn't pick that other one? Like oh you know, and I'm like okay, but and then I had to, I had to put my friend on mine after seeing the episode that you know I'm not really there, so I'm not seeing everything, because they're just only projecting whatever they want, you know it needs to be um entertaining and it needs to be controversial.
Speaker 2You need to have shit going on for people to be like oh you know, yeah, contra controversy so watching this, seeing kids cry and hurting, going through mental anguish, going through pain, physical pain, um, seeing fuma getting really nasty, that I'm like, whoa. Seeing shorty getting nasty, shorty, shorty, that I was like, and so there is a side of him that you think is mr sweet, but when he gets pissed he doesn't have to say anything. It's that look. Oh my god, it's just like this darkness comes to him. I'm like yo and I was like he will not yell, but he just like, passing up roughly, like tells you stuff, like, and you're like, so, um, through the audition, um, they also brought members from the starto and agent to also audition.
Speaker 1Oh, really remember that was part of it too.
Speaker 2Okay that it was going to be also, uh, people who were not debuted yet. There were juniors. They can also audition all right so like just open audition in general right, okay, so they brought three of them, and there was uh, oh, they brought one. I'm gonna say his name, hada whoa, the minute that I saw this boy. Well, he's 29 now, so okay.
Speaker 2So, this boy comes out and I'm like, wow, wow, he has a look. And I'm thinking, okay, can you sing and can you dance? Because Nekinabio looks. It's just one of those guys you're like, oh, not like Yam Yam, but it's just, he has something that you just like. You just stare and it's like, wow, there's something about you that's just, oh, love this kid. Yeah, he has the it factor and I'm thinking so. He's been in the company for 15 years, 15 years. So you know, he knows all these guys. He was like, yeah, I used to dance behind sexy zone, I used to be one of their backup dancers and uh, so he has done acting and and whatnot, and now he is part of timeless and I'm like, yes, so through the audition I was like I'm like you better pick him. You need to pick. I'm like you gotta pick hara. Don't leave my hara behind, please, please.
Speaker 2There was another kid who was 17 that I was hoping that would keep him, but no, he was good, but he wasn't maturing us. That's what I think it happened. He was not because he's 17. Yeah, he was just not mature enough. But I'm like in my head, I'm like fuma please, please, keep him. I don't know why I was only channeling Fuma? Because he's the Pisces. Fuma, please help him, keep him, mold him, mold him. You can mold him. He is like he was eager. He was always eager to learn. He was always eager to do, always eager to better himself. It broke my heart that I didn't pick him. I'm like, no.
Speaker 2So today, this weekend, I watched the last episode. This is when I hell broke loose for my tear and my emotions. Hell broke loose because the host of the last episode was the one and only sakurai show. Oh, my god. Oh, I definitely am. I'll be watching my. I took both of my hands and put it on my mouth because I wanted to scream. I'm like what I'm like? This is really early in the morning, everybody's sleeping and I'm like like holding my scream. I was like everybody in the audience was like what screaming? There were girls there like shaking. They were. They pan over to the audience. There was like girls shaking. One girl was crying. There was another girl going like rocking back and forth. I'm like, are you kidding me?
Speaker 1I'm like you wouldn't even see what happened. I might not be recording all the time. Oh no, our cable is not, because I just noticed it again really okay. Maybe we need to invest in something and so it's not all time, because I've been watching to keep track, but all of a sudden there was no sound for me. Fuck, yeah, exactly. So anyways, but yes, so yay, zachariah show.
Speaker 2So he came to announce who was the final contestants he was there to uh introduce the new, the new group member. Okay, but the uh to introduce the new group, but the Shoti, fuma and Shou were the ones picking oh yeah, yeah. So Shou was just there to check out, just to be, like you know, to witness it. It's okay. So, yeah, please check that episode, alright. It's like oh my god, I was like what I was so excited. Like, oh my god, I was like what I was so excited.
Speaker 1Oh my god, he looks so good yeah, well, that was the thing, because I was like I saw all this stuff about show was somewhere and people were freaking out and I was like what was that? It was part of my news feed that went by. Sometimes, you know, you open it and you see a story and then all of a sudden your thing like refreshes. As you're looking at it, right son. Where'd it go? I don't know what it was pertaining to. It's gone.
Speaker 1I did flashed away so that's what everybody was freaking out I'm like, oh my god.
Speaker 2Yeah, I I felt like everybody else. I'm like, I'm so like, oh my god. Oh. So timeless announces new members and a new single called rock this party, which I already heard it. If you're listening to, if you were checking out the episodes, they actually did played it there. Uh, so out on february 28th, so pretty soon. Uh, now timeless officially introduced five members. Uh, the following finale on netflix original docuseries timeless project Project Edition, now streaming worldwide Woohoo, yay. So the announcement took place at a press conference at Universal Music Japan, making a new chapter for the group. I'm reading this on Tokyo Hive Formerly known as Sexy Sound, the group consists of Fuma Kikuchi, so Matsushima and Shorisato Adopted the name Timeless on April 1st 2024.
Speaker 2This rebranding coincides with the launch of a worldwide edition program in collaboration with Netflix, aimed at expanding the group's lineup. The series premiered september 24 and concluded in japan on february 15th, revealing the five new members takuto teranishi, yoshita, hara yay masaki, hashim Shuto Inomata and Taiki Shinozuka. This also, like I was saying before, let's see. During the press conference, fuma Kikuchi expressed excitement about the group's evolution, stating from now we call ourselves family and our family name is Timeless. He emphasized that enjoying the process is key to their continued success and share his dream of holding a dome tour in the future. Woohoo, hopefully, hopefully we'll go.
Speaker 1We see so wow, I was just looking. They had 18,922 people apply yep and only five came out that came out also in a joe nino channel.
Speaker 2Yeah wow where nino said how many?
Speaker 1you're crazy, you know well, I mean that's that is. That's insane anyway.
Speaker 2So tart start, though tartle start to entertainment. Also enter the competition anyways. The final selection took place on February 5. And eight finalists vying for a spot in the group. I like that picture.
Speaker 1That is so cute. Yeah, they're the one for the rock this party.
Speaker 2Yeah, oh, my God Lucas oh my God.
Speaker 1It's the very classic. Everybody circle around, stare down at the camera on the ground. I know, see if you can picture how it is. Well, it's hard because they're all upside down. Well, half of them are, I can't really tell. Let me look at the bigger group picture.
Speaker 2Okay.
Speaker 1Since I do have the article open as well, let's see so while you look for that, I'm gonna finish the article saying that timeless first song as an eight member group rock.
Speaker 2This party is set for a global release on february 28th so it'll probably already have been out. Across all streaming platforms. Woo-hoo, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait Today's, the 23rd.
Speaker 1All right, do you have the?
Speaker 2group photo Let me go.
Speaker 1The one on top, yeah, all right. So is he the one all the way to the right.
Speaker 2What color hair? There's three members all the way to the right. What color hair? There's three members all the way to the right in the group.
Speaker 1One of them is so, yeah, no, well, I know who that is the one seated above him above this one here in the middle. Yeah, no, that's not hara all right you're close in the region, so might as well tell you the one on the behind him, the one that was my next choice, I was gonna say the one with the sort of spiky hair.
Speaker 2Yes, all right, which just looks better than the other color that he had before. Oh, okay, oh, he had really bad blonde, oh yeah, which I'm like well, we've talked about this, not every not everybody can pull off blonde.
Speaker 1No.
Speaker 2Like from this group, so is the only one that can pull blonde.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, he looks really good blonde.
Speaker 1Yep, I have seen him blonde.
Speaker 2Just like, yeah, man looks blonde, he looks good blonde. So this kid, no, no, no good with blonde. I do like this, like black, ashy color. This is nice.
Speaker 1Interesting. All right, yeah. So, like I said, he was my second choice when we had talked about this. We we were talking about the article earlier and you were saying a few things well, also about the show. So I was trying to base who I picked on the impression I got from what you were talking about, because the other guy I'm not sure which member that is, but he fell a little more into what you were describing to me.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's just the picture. It's just the picture, okay. Yeah, well, it is. It's very different to see people moving and talking and and performing, as opposed to just the visual, yeah of a photo. So look at for my girl look at that boy, look at that attitude, I know.
Speaker 2Look at her sassy boy.
Speaker 1Proud mama give a little pisces boy with the stance although the the later photo with the little smirk, the one, just a fuma, just a fuma yeah, of course yeah you know classic fuma.
Speaker 2Look at that face. Oh boy, so cute. You just want to grab his cheekies. Yep, it goes. You're so cute boy. He's probably he tight grabbing his pinching them cheeks.
Speaker 1He's so cute he is you know what, though we forgot to talk about what cartoon. We should have done that first, I know, because then I mean the news is already what a week old right, maybe because I've been trying to avoid this bad news well, think of it this way. You know, one thing ends. We had now timeless is emerging. Those three other groups are emerging so okay.
Speaker 2So all right, let, yeah, let's, let's, let's twist it around that katoom no longer be katoom, one of the members coming ush. Which happy birthday coming ush. Um, it's leaving the company. He's doing his own thing, of course he's.
Speaker 1Yes.
Speaker 2The sassy fans out there going. Is he going to 2B? I'm not saying it. The fans are saying it.
Speaker 1Really you can find it, because that was the first thing I thought of there were fans out there going.
Speaker 2is he going to 2B?
Speaker 1Wow. So see, we all had the same thought, because that was the first thing I thought of when I read that article. I was like he's leaving to pursue you know? Okay, but yeah, so officially on march 31st they're gonna be right.
Speaker 2No, longer cartoon, no longer cartoon. So where I and akamaru are staying with stardo, yeah, they're staying with the company, but, um, so I'm assuming where I was doing his thing. He's been doing a lot of solo projects, a lot of acting. He did that musical project with other groups of other members of starto, uh, last year.
Speaker 1Um, we don't know he just does a lot of we don't know about that, camaro he lost his job at the TV station. He only just came back. That's what's so strange about this. It was only earlier this month or the end of last month that they announced he was coming back.
Speaker 2Yep, and then boom, cartoon's breaking out, okay, wow so he's quote unquote still employed under Starto, unemployed with the uh tv station that he was in uh. So we don't know what nakamaru is gonna be doing. Is he gonna go back to yonino?
Speaker 1yeah, I don't, I have no idea, because they really didn't say a whole lot other than his little statement of apology and saying you know I'm going to resume activities, blah like yeah, yeah, they, they didn't give any specifics, no, it was just his suspension was over, right, but it's just like I said, so bizarre, right, he comes back and then two weeks later they're like cartoon is going to dissolve at the end of March.
Speaker 2He's not going to be singing and dancing in a group. Yeah, everybody's going off to do their own thing. We're still thinking is he going back to Yonino? What else is he going to be doing in the company? If it's not going to be entertainment? Only time will tell. Right, you know, fans like us, we we're, we're thinking what is he doing? We know what weta's doing this away.
Speaker 1That's doing what he does, that's just. He has his sort of own whole agenda.
Speaker 2Yep, he tells you also on instagram what he's doing or not doing? Mm-hmm, you know I love his pants. The pants that he wears are like big, like they look like skirts.
Speaker 1Well, they're almost like hakama, but not quite.
Speaker 2No, it's like a modern style for it.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Which I'm like man. I like those pants. Mm-hmm, I want those pants.
Speaker 1Well, they give ease of movement, you know, yeah. So hey, no, no, no, I mean, what are you trying to say, Sarah? We're just making, we're trying to you know bring a positive to this news, but anyway, so yeah. So.
Speaker 2So them ending, though there's new things coming along you know, everything evolves, everything changes, so we might last three, but we're gaining five with you know well, I mean even more now with these other groups like right, eight, eighteen it was five, five and then eight in the other group. The new debut, you know Even more now, with all the groups Right Eight, 18.
Speaker 1It was five, five and then eight in the other group, the new debut groups, yeah, oh, geez Well, and considering, I mean Katoon how they've dwindled during that time. They started out as six and they were down to three. So you know, yeah, I think they probably just all of the events of the past year, I think sort of caught up with them all and they've all decided it's time to just do their own thing.
Speaker 2Yeah, so it's time to end it. They had a good run. They did so. Now, speaking of tattoo, yeah, I'm a p? Uh, so family was re-watching. Uh, alice in wonderland, it's some series. I said wonder on wasteland, I think it's.
Speaker 1Or borderless and borderland alice in borderland I might be confusing it with another show. Yeah, yeah, it is Borderland. Yeah, it is Alice in Borderland which is a thriller series. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2Okay, so he was in the second season. Oh really, yes, family loves that type of series. So Family was re-watching the second season because apparently the third season is coming up soon. Okay, so they're catching up the second season, because apparently the third season is coming up soon. Okay, so they're catching up. So there's this scene and I see yamara not yamara, sorry yamapi's face. I saw yamapi's face and I'm like, oh, this one with yamapi, and all of a sudden changes from his face to the whole, the whole. No, make it. How low can you go scream? But what I mean is the man is naked. It was a shirtless yamapi that I was like oh, those pecs.
Speaker 2I was like no, who CGI this like?
Speaker 1no, he was such a scrawny little thing when he was like when he was young and in news yo you need to see them like, uh, topless.
Speaker 2So I was like asking family is he naked? And they're like watch. I'm like okay, so then they pan and all the. So they pan it like as to the back of him to show his whole body naked. I'm like wait a minute, is this a double or really him? Are we really watching yamabee's buttocks Bare butt? Probably is him. So family was like I don't know. But then I'm thinking too much on the top and no exercise on the bottom. What happened there? His legs, there was like no tone, it was all on the chest. So I was just like, eh, dude, you need to do some leg work. What's going on here? Skipping?
Speaker 1leg day.
Speaker 2Yeah, like I was just like kapow. With the front, I'm like damn. But then look at the back. What happened? Boo yo, you know you need some more attention in the back as well. Poor guy, but of course as an actor he's amazing.
Speaker 1Yeah, oh, yeah but.
Speaker 2I couldn't pay attention to his face.
Speaker 1He was really very much like focused on acting, even when he was in news and Kanjani, I mean, he sort of just moved around groups for a little while with with the old company.
Speaker 2so uh, so yeah, um so through the whole thing and I'm like, does this man put any clothes? And sam is like, no, the character has him nude. It's a book. I'm like really nude, why nude? Well, I don't like this type of thriller thing is it's already creepy enough that?
Speaker 2one of the characters is nude the whole time. Uh, and it was yamabe interesting, yeah. So I'm thinking, uh, maybe they use a double when it was a full shot, or I mean, come on just being half naked all the time and then naked at some shots, and there's girls there too, they're gonna be like Yamabe naked. I'm sure they're gonna be something to cover the front yes, they have.
Speaker 1Yes, yeah, I haven't seen it, so I don't know.
Speaker 2That's why it was, so I don't know, that's why it was so popular Yama Bees.
Speaker 1Naked.
Speaker 2All I saw was chest. Oh my God, no, I could not concentrate and I'm like, yeah, I can watch this. No, even though it's a thriller, yama Bees Naked. No, I can still not watch it. Just show me the part that he's on, I'll leave, oh my god, anyways, all right. All right, my friend, that's it yeah, okay we reached our limit yes, thank you everybody for listening to this ransom random no ransom, ransom random see, that's why I'm loopy, random, random rambling yes, please rate, review and share.
Speaker 1Share, share, give us five stars because we love our constellations, and please become a subscriber so we can maintain the podcast, the archive our shenanigans.
Speaker 2Yeah and yes, that's it. The archive our shenanigans. Yeah and yes, that's it, unless you want to give us a lot of money and then we go on japan and we do the podcast over there. Yeah, yeah, that would help there's a lot of money so we can eat, pay bills or something.
Speaker 1Find a place to live hey, if they give us a place to live. I'm thinking ropongi hills hey sure, probably the only place, because I think they're keeping all the americans there or well, not the americans but like go there, foreigners stay over there stay in ropongi hills, don't, don't, don't go anywhere else in japan. Very nicely to stay for you all right, I'll take what I can get right oh, oh, before we go.
Speaker 2So I was doing some cleaning and I have on my possession now. Okay, I must have this pen a long time ago because it was in my drawer inside my. I think you gave me this for christmas. It was a fancy. It was in my drawer inside my. I think you gave me this for Christmas. It was a flowery pencil pouch, pencil case. Okay, so I have all kinds of pens in there Pens from when we went to the Korean store on 32nd Street in New York. I had my old Big Bang and super junior pens in there and other pens. And then I found this one, just just like, oh, this one's really nice. Wasara university. I'm like, why do I have a wasara university pen? And it was a nice pen. And I'm thinking let me ask sarah if, if it's something that she might have picked up that or rachel might have picked up, if maybe they were at umass yeah, it might have been my sister.
Speaker 1Remember she gave us both the, the workbooks and stuff, so it might have been my sister, okay can you ask her?
Speaker 2because I was like how the hell, how in the world I got a hold of a Watsara University pen.
Speaker 1Yeah, that would be my best guess. Okay, ask her please. Yeah, I will, Because I was like whoa?
Speaker 2is this a sign? Because they're in Shinjuku?
Speaker 1Oh really, yeah. Well, you know, I told you once I've seen a picture of Ono Satoshi wearing a a UMass, amherst, umass, Amherst sweatshirt. I was like what, back in his like when he was still a junior doing uh theater in Kyoto. I was like, no way, that was my sign that I will meet him someday. I was like he's wearing my alma mater sweatshirt, so I'll run into him somewhere, is that?
Speaker 2crazy. Yeah, those were signs that things are happening in the future, so I'm like Waseda University. What is going on?
Speaker 2I mean I could be invited into something over there, maybe for a podcast to talk about music. And we'll be in shinjuku for a while, invited by wasara university. Let's see what happens. Yeah, that will be awesome, just to stay there, maybe for a couple of months. I mean, we'll hope, we'll love to stay for a year, but a couple of months is good, I guess. Yeah, to do whatever we need to do. Wow, okay, all right, so until next time. Bye-bye, jani.