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
Music Elixir: Rants, Ramblings, and Fan Interactions
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You've caught us in our natural habitat – Sarah and Ms Panic doing what we do best: rambling about the music we love and responding to your questions! Welcome to our March 1st edition of Rants and Ramblings, where we celebrate our birthday month alongside musical favorites like Fuma, Kenty, Suga, and more who share our March-born status.
We kick things off discussing the importance of fan interaction through our feedback form (always in the show notes!) and how listeners help us understand lyrics in languages we're still learning. When it comes to being a fan, we share some heartfelt advice about patience and positivity – be ambassadors for your favorites instead of warriors, because karma works in its own time.
The K-pop universe is buzzing with G-Dragon's triumphant return as his album "Ubermensch" smashes records and tops charts internationally. Meanwhile, our boy J-Hope has launched his "Hope on Stage" tour with electrifying performances that have us seriously regretting not scoring tickets! We're hoping for a livestream or theater showing to catch the magic.
On the J-pop front, we celebrate timelesz finally arriving on streaming platforms and discuss XY's upcoming double single release. We tackle listener questions about how groups evolve after member departures (specifically GENERATIONS continuing as six members) and offer our take on the Japanese music industry's gradual global expansion. One listener's comment about discovering Travis Japan, Ballistic Boys, and Psychic Fever through our recommendations reminds us why we started this podcast – to introduce amazing music that transcends language barriers.
Have our concert recaps sparked your interest? We're excitedly preparing for upcoming shows with Hwasa and ONE OK ROCK, so stay tuned for those episodes! Please rate, review, share, and consider subscribing to help us maintain this archive of musical conversations. Until next time, keep your musical horizons expanding!
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DJ Panic Blog:
OK ASIA
Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Music Elixir with me, sarah Ann. Miss Panic, you sounded like you were. That was a mantra, miss Panic.
Speaker 2Yes, Miss Panic.
Speaker 1Anyways. So yeah, today we're going to do Rants and Ramblings.
Speaker 2Yes Would you like to date stamp today's date.
Speaker 1So, yeah, today we're going to do rants and ramblings. Yes, would you like to date stamp today's date? Yes, today is March 1st. Yes, beginning March 1st of our birthday month.
Speaker 2Yes, Along with a lot of other people here comes the shenanigans and things that are going to be happening. Oh yeah, and of course, uh, a newjamin rabbit, rabbit, rabbit well, that's that's an old old thing though.
Speaker 1Yes, yes I did.
Speaker 2I did deep dive on it and I was like, oh, wow, okay, this is pretty cool, all right, all right well, it's got to do with the moon, right?
Speaker 1yeah, because the rabbit is in the moon, like some people have the man in the moon and then there's the rabbit in the moon.
Speaker 2So yeah, anyway. So rabbit, rabbit, rabbit so it's a new beginning for the month of march. Um, we actually posted on our social medias, especially x twitter, that we have a form. We always have. This form is always at the bottom of the show notes, but I know some of you uh, just just listen and check out the show notes.
Speaker 2Some of you do, which, thank you. Thank you for reading the show notes, so the form is always there so you can give us feedback, make a comment, especially a comment, because these episodes are a open conversation. We will love to hear what fans have to say, especially when we talk about music, because there's some songs that we're like as our non-native well, as only English, well, me, english and Spanish language, but especially when we do these episodes are in English. A lot of these songs will have just a hit, the sprinkle of English, but we're like, what are they?
Speaker 1saying, and then our limited knowledge of whatever language they're singing. Right, we sort of piece things together.
Speaker 2But we don't always know, we we can kind of cipher a little bit more on the japanese, but if it's like filipino, yeah, korean maybe a couple words here and there, yeah um, and you know, like thai, also, like no, uh, no, you know, those are really no, we're like uh, if it's there's a lot of english in there, we just go by the english words and take our music and the feel of the music.
Engaging with Listeners Through Feedback Forms
Speaker 1So yeah, well, I was gonna add too, just so people know, in those show notes show notes notes we have links to the artists, social media, we have links for the songs we're talking about so that you can check them out and all of that.
Speaker 1So if you're not reading those show notes, and you're not looking in it, you won't find those links and you won't find the google form which we really we love when people interact with us. So definitely check it out. And then again, those links make it easier for you to find artist information if you're interested in someone. So I throw that in, sorry, oh, yes, yeah so they, they see who we talked about and they're just like oh okay, I'm just gonna listen to it because I like so and what you know? Check out everything, cause some of our descriptions are funny to us.
Speaker 2Yeah, participate. We will like to know more about the song. So thank you very much. Fans, you know fans are the ones that are out there, you know, supporting their favorites and communicating with other people who have just listened to the song, and then they're not native speaker of that song. Yay, this is a win-win because you're out there doing uh, how can I say promotion for your group. You know you are like a promoter.
Speaker 1Yes, that's like a pr person.
Speaker 2I would say fans are a pr person for their faves, because you know, know how it is. It's like oh, fans of so-so, oh, my God, you know.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2They start talking about it because I know we all get extra when something happens, but we need to keep our chill. Yes, exactly, I mean Sarah and I have gotten also uproars when things happen to our group because somebody is sending out malicious information on our faves and we're like but you know, hey karma is at the door so just watch that out and he's like no karma, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 2And I'm like you need to wait. You need to wait for karma. Sometimes, if it takes this long for karma to hit, it's because it's going to be huge. The karma is going to be so big that us fans are going to be like, yeah, there you go, like in your face, you know. So we need to be patient. I know how you all feel the passion and the justice that wants to be happening for your fave, but please, we all need to calm down yeah, yeah give it time it'll give it time, positive vibes, always, always, always.
Speaker 2Send out those positive vibes, right, it'll happen just be the ambassador for your faves. Exactly.
Speaker 1Like Panic said, promote them. So just be a good ambassador, show a good face, don't start the wars. Yeah, as upset as you are, things will work out. Things will happen. Yes, yes, yes, yes, alrighty.
Speaker 2I had to say that because it's just like the woo was being happening and I'm like, oh yeah, things are gonna happen all right. So I thought to come on, say, well, ransom rambling. When you started with ransom rambling yeah yeah, and I just want to say happy early birthday to see around, thank you birthday. Uh. Well, actually when this episode comes out, it will be way in the past. It already has passed.
Speaker 1Definitely, but still, it's like I said, it's our birthday month. Yes, we got the whole month we celebrate the whole month.
Speaker 2I know people are like, oh, it's my birthday weekend, oh, it's my birthday week.
Speaker 1And I'm like, no, we're taking the whole month, it's ours, it's our month yay, we're holding on to it well, and it's ours, but it's also two of our faves a lot of our faves are born in march well, actually more, more than two yeah fuma. We got kentie sugar, sugar bts, yeah, so we got.
Speaker 2We're in good company. We got with McCann and Kenty.
Speaker 1Suga, suga and BTS, yeah, so we got. We're in good company.
Speaker 2Mm-hmm, mm-hmm and our Mario's Yo was born the 30th of March. So same month, birthday month. It's like all of the sexy song in March, yeah Well ex-sexy song 2X yeah, he still counts.
Speaker 1He's not a Pisces, but he still counts?
Speaker 2No, but he's in the month of March, that's what we're taking.
Speaker 1That's how we go with it. Yeah, j-hope. We miss J-Hope, though, and he just missed being a Pisces by like a day. So he's with us, he's with us.
Speaker 1So any news that you have seen, are we're gonna start with k-pop or j-pop either one we could start with, though, uh, we had talked I can't remember when, but a little while back how the whole yoshike project band xy had come out. Right, we were talking about uh. Yuya tagoshi, who is right, previously been in other bands with another organization, was now in this group, but it's also just been announced that he is going to release a best album, sort of like his best of singles, and then he's going to do sort of a little mini tour. Do sort of a little mini tour. So that's very odd, because he's in this band and now this is according to tokyo hive he's gonna be embarking on his own mini tour.
Speaker 2I, I don't know ever since that whole thing came out of the shareholders. Talking about the group, the whole project of you know boy band project with Yoshiki.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And, like I said, shareholders pulling out and having a meeting and wanting him out because things were not happening, because it's all about money. You know when shareholders are like well, you know, it's because the project was not pulling enough money for them of course, yeah, then all.
Speaker 2That's the bottom line and that's when they bring in yuya. And I was like and then we looked at each other like, why is yusha, why is yuya doing this? I can't even say anything, nani, you're solo. You were doing really well as a soloist and now you are getting yourself into another group.
Speaker 1The whole dynamic was just very strange. Yeah, Like how did that even come about?
Speaker 2Yeah, exactly that's how I know about this is through. You know this platform, and maybe Oricon will see something like. Something like oh, what's going on? Oricon puts something. Oh, by the way, oricon, if you could please have a english, can somebody translate?
Speaker 1that'll be awesome they don't have a translation.
Speaker 2It's really bad well no, like I want, like you know, an employee and that you want like.
Speaker 1English. Someone who, yeah, can very clearly not Google Translate. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2That will be great. So I'm putting it out there in the universe, all right, all right.
Speaker 1So, anyways, that's the best of his singles. And then a tentative live tour 2025 spanning from May to September, so just all around Japan. We'll see how that pans out, but he is definitely releasing the singles album. I guess there's going to be three versions too, plus a DVD including footage from his 2024 tour as well. The best to him. He's obviously working back and forth between the, the other group and doing his own thing, so okay, more power to him.
Speaker 2Yep, best of luck to him.
K-Pop News: G-Dragon's Successful Comeback
Speaker 1Please take care of yourself, don't burn out yeah, exactly because that's uh ingredients for a burnout yeah, as far as the touring part goes. Yeah, like he's not stressing himself with the music because it's already the established music he has. So at least that part will be okay. What else have we got?
Speaker 2Of course, Mr GD making himself number one.
Speaker 1Woohoo, I know right.
Speaker 2So I'm going now to Soompi. Soompi, yeah, where they have said G-Dragon smashed the first week sales record in just one day. That tops iTunes charts with Ubermensch, ubermensch.
Speaker 1Ubermensch. Correct, I can speak some German, but I don't think the album's in German, so it won't help us. No, I like the picture they have. Yes, the ever-changing G-Dragon.
Speaker 2Yeah, he never like keeps a look. Never keeps a look. He's always changing. He's always like morphing into something. So, according to Soompi, big Bang's, gd's long-awaited comeback is off to an exciting start and, of course, because everybody has been waiting for this to drop, so on february 25th, uh g-dragon made his highly anticipated return with his third studio album, ubermensch right, mm-hmm All right. Immediately upon its release, both the album and its song shot to the top of music charts both within Korea and abroad.
Speaker 1Of course. Yeah.
Speaker 2Everybody's been waiting for this. You know, vips were like, yay, we couldn't wait. I mean, they couldn't wait for him to come out of the military, they couldn't wait for him to, like, do something, and things were happening and then, yeah, and then he was having some difficulties.
Speaker 1So you know, once that was over, and drop that album.
Speaker 2Drop, actually, the single, the power one, and this. It was, of course, everybody streaming it like crazy. And then now this, of course, everybody supporting him. Yeah, definitely, yay, yay, yay. I forgot to check if some of the big retail stores were selling his album, because I heard Target's been selling.
Speaker 1K-pop yeah, they have. They've been getting like even all the BTS solo albums. They've been getting all those, and they've had Baby Monster and Twice G-Idol. So yeah, they're definitely.
Speaker 2I know our local one, newberry Comics comics.
Speaker 1They do so k-pop, but which is awesome they have for a long time too, though, yeah, they have, but not, not, not j-pop not not so much, no.
J-Pop Updates and Industry Evolution
Speaker 2so congratulations to um kwan ji young. Yeah, kwon Ji Young, yeah, that's awesome. So congratulations to Judy. Definitely Anything else going on in the Korean world? Yes, go ahead.
Speaker 1Oh, I was going to say J-Hope just started kicked off his Hope on Stage tour that's going to be coming to North America as well. So he kicked off in Seoul Two days so far. I don't well. So he kicked off in Seoul two days so far. I don't know how many he was doing in Seoul, but plus, he's got new music coming out, a new album apparently coming out in March.
Speaker 1And we wish him luck because I saw some clips from the shows the last couple of days and it looks. I'm so bummed out that we don't have tickets because it looks like it's amazing. Of course you know August D was amazing right.
Speaker 1Suga's August D tour was amazing, but this, wow, j-hope's all about the dance and the move in. He can sing too, don't get me wrong, but it is some powerhouse stuff going on. So he teased his new song, sweet dreams, so lucky people got to hear that. I'm still bummed that we didn't get tickets.
Speaker 2Uh, maybe we'll have to do a live stream right sometime at towards the end they do a, you know, hopefully a live stream.
Speaker 1I'm saying they'll probably also do um, like they did with rm and with sugar and jk.
Speaker 2They'll probably do a movie okay, we'll be able to go see it in theaters.
Speaker 1Yes, yes, yes, please, because you know I mean, if nothing else, we do always enjoy those, it you at least get a a taste of what, what happened and how it all went down exactly, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2Somebody was talking about the hypes. Uh, because of bts, not that Hybes stock is tanking.
Speaker 1Oh, really, yeah, I'm trying to look.
Speaker 2I thought Soompi had an article on it. I guess it wasn't Soompi, it was somebody else. No, I can't find it. Was it Koreaboo? No, it's not.
Speaker 1Koreaboo Okay.
Speaker 2It wasn't Koreaboo. I thought it was Soompi. I can't find it. Oh, well, I should like grab the link so we can talk about it, and I just didn't do that For the J-Pump. I don't have much, I think, for like, there's some combats that are coming out. Fantasy Boys are announcing a comeback. I want to check that out. Let's see ONF take a second win for the strategy of Music Bank. So oh, okay, it was Music Bank, I forgot which one.
Speaker 1So Family, one of the music shows.
Speaker 2Family was watching, yeah, one of the family shows. Family was watching, yeah, one of the music shows. I think it was music band. It was one of the music shows. You know they bring the fans in there so they can be part of the, you know, of the experience. But OK, so this was twice. Twice was on stage, they were doing the thing and the chanting the majority was male. I was like not surprised, sounds like a lot of males. And then family they says like yeah, twice is very popular with guys. Like very popular with guys because most of the times shows all I hear are females. You know voices, you know right not the male.
Discussing Fan Questions from Kyoto
Speaker 2This was like males and I was like, whoa, the power of the fanboy. I was like it's so different to hear a male chance versus a female chance. When it comes to male chance, it's like a roaring right. I was like wow, if I was them on stage I would be grabbing goosebumps because it was like wow, it was powerful. I was like, yay, girls, look at all the fanboys as per. Like the female chances, more like yeah, like uh ear piercing.
Speaker 2The guys are just like oh so I kind of enjoy that. I was like, oh, this is like different, oh, I like this. But there has been other girl groups that is being also more female fan base. This is just male fan base. That out, it blew me away. I know there has been others, but this is like my first time hearing male voices in that you know TV whatever chanting for their favorite girl group.
Speaker 1I know yeah.
Speaker 2So I'm happy for Twice Yay Twice, which I believe they're gearing for a new album, like it's been a while since they dropped something new, so can't wait for that. So that's it for the j-pop. I mean not j-pop, k-pop, j-pop. Yeah, I'm kidding everybody, I'm confused. But um, stones drop a new song called uhrier. It came out last week. Also, you know who is now on streaming services. So, as of the 28th, timeless is now on all streaming services. Okay, they actually kicked it off with their song Rock. This Party All right.
Speaker 2And then also dropped an album as well. Cool, so yay, timeless Congratulations.
Speaker 1Didn't we talk about that? Because we knew it was going to. It's done. Okay, we knew it was coming.
Speaker 2They made an announcement on the fan club that they were going to go and drop their album on all streaming services, which is amazing. It is with the new. You know we have talked about the new members as well. That's awesome. Yeah, it's a new sound. It's just a new sound, well, it would have to be.
Speaker 1Yeah, you know you can't stay with the old formula with the.
Speaker 2You know what I mean there's half the groups already.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's a new group. Yeah, they're evolving. We have talked about that yeah, you have to move with the times in order to remain timeless rock this party with.
Speaker 2We are timeless. I'm like, yes, you're timeless, so I'm happy for them. Have you checked the album? It's a stream. Oh, let me see how it's streaming how is it streaming?
Speaker 1What day did it actually? Yesterday, oh, just yesterday. Okay, why are you doing this? Well, rock, this Party has 439,396.
Speaker 2Okay, at this time thousand three hundred ninety six. Okay, at this time, so far with the album, there's a lot of them that already have been streaming a lot right next to you. Oh, my god, I love that song. Run is a very popular one, who now has over 200 000 anthem, of course, and we got purple rain. Oh, I love purple rain. There's some here, uh, that I don't know. Oh, make me bright. Yes, I like that one. Yeah, I love this group. It's just like there's some songs in here that just get it, just gets. They get me, they get me, even though they're all new. No, some of these are not new.
Speaker 1No, I mean the group. Oh yeah, they still get you, even the new members.
Speaker 2Because I hear Fuma and I hear Shorty, okay, and then I hear so there's another person that will be like oh, I kind of like you, you know it's yeah, it's a new sound, I'm going to get to it, but I like the philosophy behind this group. And then they call each other family, which is amazing, something that you don't hear much within the groups.
Speaker 1Right, they're friends and they're, you know, buddies, teammates, but to say family, yeah, this is family.
Speaker 2They call each other family. That's awesome. So, oh yeah, do discuss already about x, y to release new double single actually did we talk about that?
Speaker 1we were talking about uh yuya doing the solo, and now I can't remember if we did actually mention that we were not really that prepared.
Speaker 2We didn't put that, yeah, we just sat down here and started talking.
Speaker 1Yeah, we were, we were chatting beforehand and I think that's when I said because I'm like I don't think we actually said it here as you all know, we are your, your music besties.
Speaker 2We talk about. You know this. This happens because also work. This happens too like we're talking about a lunchtime and I'm like, oh, let me go back to that after and this is what we do.
Speaker 2This is just how our conversations go, yeah you know, we're like oh, hey, wait we are just your run-of-the-mill fangirl, fangirl comedians, you know? Uh, we yeah definitely like, if we're like reading the paper, quote unquote and be like oh my god, look at this article, have you read this? It's insane. So that's what we're doing. That's what we do with the ransom rambling we go with the flow we do. We have been doing this for so long like that. We try to organize ourselves, but it just doesn't happen. And I think it's best for us because it keeps me upbeat.
Speaker 1Well, it's just, you know we're like how they used to have. You do know, free flow. Poetry or or creative writing, you know just whatever comes into your mind, put it down. You can elaborate on it if you want to, and so that's sort of how we are. We're just, it's free flow, free thinking, whatever pops in.
Speaker 2Yeah, so yeah, so xy so you were talking about you, yeah, going doing his solo, you know his solo thing. But then now they're going to be uh xy to release a new double single called facts and talk on march 5. Yep, so xy, the boy band produced by yoshiki, has announced the simultaneous digital release of two new tracks. So the tracks written by the band members? Oh, that's awesome. The song facts, written by the band members as a rock track that reflects sharp truth and unyielding spirit, the powerful sound of vocals intertwined to deliver a raw and impactful message. Well, we'll find out because, um, yeah, somebody at tokyo have had, you know, were able to listen to it.
Speaker 1We'll get our opinion when that drops, yeah, I was gonna say, or is this just the statement that was created by yoshike and the, the organization to talk about?
Speaker 2you know, yeah, talk about, to talk about it so apparently the uh, the the song talk was written by the dance and the vocal members. Uh combines fast paced house beats. Oh, I might like this one, uh. According to the uh, their description.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Uh, with provocative lyrics, provocative lyrics.
Speaker 1Interesting Uh uh, uh.
Speaker 2It conveys a confident message and determines attitude to keep moving forward. Live performance videos for each songs are already available on youtube. Okay, we can listen to it through youtube. You bbq yeah that's how they did it yeah, I like the.
Speaker 1I don't know if this is actually the cover art for the singles coming out, but do you see? The, the circle, you know everybody leaning in around the camera in a circle.
Speaker 2So yeah, that's part.
Speaker 1That's a promo picture they're cool, though they look good. Quite a varied group of people yeah very eclectic. Yeah, we'll definitely check out the music. I think I'm the talk sounds sounds like our kind of song, our jam right yeah, by the description, but of course this is somebody else's.
Speaker 2This is their description. This is tokyo hive. We can probably, you know, listen to it and find out more about it. You know, see if it's the same thing and sarah's phone is going off yeah, I don't think they can hear that.
Speaker 1But there we go.
Speaker 2It's off now I thought it was off.
Speaker 1I think it's just betsy johnson. Betsy johnson, okay, actually did you see? From the world of to be? Imp's new song, cheek to Cheek, is going to be the theme for TBS drama Sanon Fufu. Starring member Taiga Suzuki is part of the drama's cast. This is also on Tokyo Hive. It's their second drama theme song. It's going to be released April 7th digitally and it's a stylish yet upbeat dance beat. The song's lyrics revolve around the phrase cheek to cheek, symbolizing closeness and support in everyday life. Cool, and they say. The track serves as an uplifting anthem about believing in one another and facing life's challenges together. So we've checked out their music. We like it, so this will be cool.
Speaker 2Yeah, they're due for something new.
Speaker 1It's been a while since they dropped something.
Speaker 2They're very due. It's been months.
Speaker 1I was going to say, yeah, how long has it been? It's been a while. Yeah, I was trying to remember. When did we talk about that?
Speaker 2see this is what happens when some music industries have been changing the way they have been dropping things. That is like it's been two months. How come you haven't dropped anything new, which is bad in a way, I guess because this I don't know. To me I don't know. I guess because this I don't know. To me I don't know it's because, yeah, so I'm gonna um, so bad bunny, it's been maybe a year or so since he dropped and the album, so I think him waiting for a year instead of doing some collaborations here and there just to keep the fans anticipating.
Speaker 2But I mean these are collaborations with other people. There is not really his song. I'm hoping that some of the Asian industry do the same, but I think the Philippines is doing that with SB19. Because it's been years I'm saying years. I don't know that they have dropped an album, because I know a lot of the members have doing like solos here and there and that's great because you know, as a group sometimes you get antsy and you want to do things on your own, and I'm glad that the sp19 has been doing that right but they just drop a new single called damn and it's as a whole.
Speaker 2I'm like whoa, I was like, yes, that was so good, but uh, throwing it out there in the universe. I'm hoping they'll do the same thing with some of these, um, asian artists, because lately okay, this is my opinion lately, when they be dropping like singles, I'm like, yeah, like I'm not, I don't feel the fire. I don't, I don't, I don't feel fire, I don't feel like oh, yeah, it's gonna be a bop, but not like oh, my god like, oh my, I really love this album or I really love this song.
Speaker 2So then now sb19 did that and I'm like, oh my god, this is amazing. Well, they might be dropping a whole album you know, what I'm suggesting is that please don't drop anything. Keep fans anticipating for something and then have the the well they take your time creating something instead of just dropping something to drop right.
Speaker 2But of course, this is all about money and the company needs money. And then you know you're going to make money and da, da, da, da da, because it's always about money, because if they don't make money, nothing's going to happen, anyways, but if you have a really good artist and you wait, you're just going to, please just tear it up.
Speaker 1No, it's funny that you said that, because I heard damn and I was thinking about that. I'm like gosh, we haven't talked about sb19 in a while. I started reminiscing about when, um, what the hell was that the kevin kenney was doing the oh yeah, was it mtv thing? And yes, the most requested live, right, yeah, and it was the rsc, sb19, like wars, but but then they did a bunch of um like collaborative fan based things where they were like listening party and they had it every other song. This is pandemic time.
Speaker 2This is because everybody was like we need to do stuff to keep ourselves sane, because we got to stay inside, we can't go out, we get antsy and people were going through major depressions, oh yeah no. Definitely there was no shows. We were like no shows, girl, there's no shows, I know everything.
Speaker 1Like no shows girl, there's no shows. I know everything.
Speaker 2Canceled, canceled oh my god, you know how much we were hurting. We were hurting. Our souls were being ripped apart because it's like their concert, you know, canceled. Here's your money and I'm like but, but I want my money, but but can you just keep my money so, hoping that there's a concert? I know, oh my God, just make them reschedule, right? We're like can we hold on to our tickets? Just reschedule. Yeah, we were feeling it, we were so feeling it, and then we're like our concert t-shirt collection is going down.
Speaker 1We need more tea we know fresh, no fresh stuff coming, oh my god, my wardrobe that's what we said yeah, really wore out all the old ones because we had nothing new to wear.
Speaker 2Oh, my god right, oh my god, it hurt we were hurt, but yeah, so I was.
Speaker 1It brought to mind the whole you know, every week they were like who is it gonna be rsg or sb19? Oh my god, yes. And then, like I said, there were some fun things that the fan groups got together, yeah, and organized. You know we're gonna play videos. You know, someone put together a series of videos for youtube to watch and it was just awesome. So it was like it started out as rivals and then became this let's just celebrate our groups together so that was really cool it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 2I know the um um 18 were like mixing with auditions and and they were having these parties.
Speaker 1Yeah, they're like, oh people were making like tickets, yeah, you know little virtual tickets that you could print out to attend. It was cute, it was, it was awesome, it was cute so you know that was awesome. Thank you to those fans for coming up with these you know ideas and these, taking the time to make these little posters and promo things and just making it fun for everybody.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1It was awesome.
Speaker 2That was some creativity there. It was, it's yeah, so thank you for keeping people sane in a way, or entertain you know, yeah, exactly. We were entertaining each other with different ways, you know, through social media. That's when social media was fun. Yeah, exactly you know that was cool, so that yeah. So SB19, you know it's been a long time yeah.
Speaker 1We've been doing other projects. Damn it, but that song it's a a long time.
Speaker 2We've been doing our projects. Damn, it's a good song. Did we congratulate Super 8's Tadayoshi Okura for his announcement. No, we did not. Oh, so yes. So Tadayoshi Okura just announced well, just, not just, it's been over a week he announced his marriage. So he is now married to a regular person, a non-celebrity right, that's what they say over here, right?
Speaker 1yeah, yeah, they used non-celebrity instead of a general woman for once.
Speaker 2Oh no, oh no, listen. He also reported that his spouse is a woman from outside the entertainment industry. I guess somebody's been listening to the podcast and been like general woman, what do you mean? A general woman? Somebody's listening, I'm telling you Somebody's listening. Somebody see, I'm telling you somebody's listening. It was like, hey, there's some some two chickies out there in the us complaining and bickering about general woman. So that's awesome that he is now married. Senpai is now married and they're respecting.
Speaker 1I saw that too, that's awesome, mm-hmm I think it's been mainly with the, the older set of start to everybody starting to get married, having families yeah, openly.
Speaker 2All right.
Speaker 1Well, congrats to them. I know, all right, anything else we're going to Anything else.
Speaker 2We're going to. So, like I was mentioning before, we put out the forum and there were some people, some listeners, actually send out some questions for us and there's some comments, so I would like to talk about that now. Okay, all right, I'm not saying the names because, like I said, like we have said before, when it to this, we want to keep it, keep it anonymous, for, for those who have said, put out there where they listening from, I'll say this the state or the country, the, uh, okay, the comment or question. So, all right, they're, they're in Kyoto, japan.
Speaker 1All right.
Speaker 2And the comment is fans were very shocked when they heard that Mandy was leaving the group Generations. Remember that time? That was a while ago. Yeah, that was that was a while ago. Yeah, that was that was a while ago. So the question from this listener is how do you feel about Generations now having six members? Would, you like to go first?
Speaker 1Or do you want me Hang on? All right. So how do we feel about them being a six-member group now? Well, we've sort of talked about similar scenarios before. You sort of have to view it as people change, groups evolve sometimes, you know, members leave for whatever reasons to pursue solo or to start a different chapter in their life, doing either something else in the music industry or just that they're burnt out and need time off. So I think, from that perspective, I think that it's okay.
Speaker 1I'm not part of the group so I don't know how everybody else feels, but if someone has a reason for leaving and moving on, probably it's good for the whole group In the long run. If someone's not happy or not fitting in anymore or just thinking in a different direction, then everybody else, they'll work through it and they'll come out on the other side doing what they're passionate about and what they want to continue doing. And the person who left, you know, is no longer feeling conflicted or whatever they may have been feeling as far as being in the group. You know what I'm saying. I'm still going to listen to the whatever new music they put out. I'm still gonna enjoy the group as they are now. I think they'll. They'll come out the other side still strong and doing what they're passionate about and what they want to keep doing.
Speaker 2You get what I'm saying well, because you get what you're the sounding board I have.
Speaker 1I'm not there with whoever asked the question in kyoto, our listener in kyoto.
Speaker 2Thank you very much. Yes, how do so? That's sarah's point of view p of a. How do I feel of now, the group being my six member group? My fave from there was mandy. You know it did hurt a little bit for me that he was like I'm done with generations, I want to move on and whatnot. You know, it happens.
Speaker 2It's part of being a fan of a group, especially when it comes to groups, like you know, from the, from the xl tribe and then from, from also any other company too, because also within the k-pop industry we know some groups that also have lost members, but they have continue on. The sound is still there. You know you follow a group because you like the way they perform, you like the way they sound, you like the way they sound. It could be either with the whole, the complete lineup from the beginning, or from not having that many in there, the sound for Generations, even without Mandy, it's good, it's good. So how do I feel about being a six member? Good of group, they still have the sound, they still sound good. Yes, my bias is gone, but that's okay. It happens. But within a group the sound is there, is good, I'm, I'm fine with it, you know it's. It's not like generations completely gone and we're like, oh my god, no more music from the boys.
Speaker 1Right, exactly.
Speaker 2I think it's a bigger devastation yeah.
Speaker 2You know, than just one member leave. But yeah, I prefer for the member to be happy. If they're not happy anymore within the group or they're like dude you know I want to do different music or they're like dude, you know I want to do different music I want to do. That's why you'd be seeing a lot of groups that they have, like example again, sb19, bts. It's like we're going to have some solo songs because you know we got to. I don't know, I'm antsy and I want to do something else, like I am bored.
Speaker 1Yeah, Well, this is no longer my creative journey. I need to do something different, and that's so. I think we sort of have the same opinion. It's always hard when your favorite leaves. Yeah for sure. You're like, oh my god, but you know, was it about your favorite or was it about the group? So we still listen to artists, even though the dynamic of the group has changed, because it's about the music and where they keep going.
Speaker 2I know some fans do like just the whole group. I understand that. But the sound is still there. It's still good.
Speaker 1Right, exactly.
Speaker 2So how do I feel about Generations now being a six-, a six member group? I like it.
Speaker 1It's still good as long as they're still happy and creating music, I want to hear yeah, I'm fine with it as long as they keep bringing those bumps, um, I'll be sad.
Speaker 2We'll miss mandy, for sure, yeah. But yeah, mandy will do something else. You know and I think I heard I blur somewhere, so I'll blur somewhere that he's now into sports oh, he's doing things for sports and I'm like, hey, that's okay, that's what he wanted to do yeah, well, that's what I mean.
Speaker 1if he, if he was unhappy, yeah, he was bored that would, yeah, that would affect the, the group dynamic, exactly.
Speaker 2So it's yeah If the rest of the group are still, you know, gelling with each other, doing positive vibes and like just doing good, yeah, and the sound is good, right, hey, no, I'm happy.
Speaker 1All right, so hopefully that answers the question for Kyoto. Yes, thank you for listening to the podcast.
Speaker 2We appreciate you, so hopefully that answers the question for Kyoto. Yes, Thank you for listening to the podcast. We appreciate you. So the next question is again with Japan. This one just said Japan, what?
Concert Recaps and Future Shows
Speaker 1do you think of the Japanese music industry? Well, we've talked about this before. We love a lot of music and artists out of Japan. It's just that it's not as we talked about actually earlier in the episode. A lot of stores here in the US don't carry Japanese artists, be it rock, pop, whatever. I mean. I don't know the industry working so I can't comment on that. But the music itself that's coming out of Japan we really enjoy. There's a lot of artists that we listen to. If you listen to Panic's radio show OK Asia, you hear a lot of it. Yeah, I think, just keep pumping it out and hopefully somewhere here in the US people will start picking up on it and making it easier for us to access that's right.
Speaker 1That's right.
Speaker 2So what do I think of Japanese music industry? The Japanese music industry have, I want to say, been evolving in the past few years. I have to say that after or during pandemic they might have saw so much of a drop when it comes to their own um. So branching out with more artists, um, I see that some um entertainment companies or labels are actually venturing outside of japan, correct? So they can, you know, bring more to the world. We have enjoyed music from japan whenever we can get our hands on, and I'm happy that a lot of bands, groups that are on smaller labels are really daring and putting themselves on streaming service, because they know very well that bringing out their CDs or whatever their physical music is hard to deliver. You know, outside the, you know Japan.
Speaker 2Yeah, and like you like you like we said, if we go to either niche places in Boston we'll get you know the music or New York City, yeah. You know that would be places that we know that sell, that you know Japanese music, We'll go get it. But they're slowly changing to a better industry, correct?
Speaker 1to a more not better but open industry inclusive exactly inclusive.
Speaker 2So it's getting there, because there also has been reports you know, billboard japan has been talking about it of having more out for the international fans, for overseas. So I think that, um, good things are happening slowly, but things are happening and um, I think that it will strive, it will. Like has now kpop become mainstream in the us, so it will happen for japanese artists as well, hopefully hopefully a lot of them, a lot of them have been gearing more towards that.
Speaker 1There's definitely more involvement on the global level. Artists are are traveling outside of Japan to festivals, to just various promotional kind of you know I can't even think of the word.
Speaker 2Cons. You got anime cons. There's a lot of those. You know that they have come to like oh one day, like Miyabi has done, that, he's doing an anime in. Boston. Like miyavi has done that, he's been in anime boston. We had also oblivion dust, who have gone to anime. Next, uh, travis, japan also have been into. Like anime I forgot which ones, of course, is down in california yeah, just so they're.
Speaker 1They're participating in more varied venues and yeah, so it's evolving.
Speaker 2There's it's evolving. That's how also started with k-pop. They have been in like little festivals here and there, um, some industries that within the us have actually helped them come over to the us and help promote and, of course, the fans. The fans are always number one, always the promoters. So, yeah, what do I think about the Japanese industry? We love it and I hope for it to come be out. Believe in the process everybody.
Speaker 1Please Won't happen overnight.
Speaker 2Believe in the process and it will happen. You need to be patient, and it's like you know eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize. So we'll be doing good.
Speaker 1Now we have a comment from los angeles, california I know we always complain that you get everything, but we love you.
Speaker 2Yeah, I'm jelly, we jelly about la. They get everything. I have a co-worker who lived in la and she's like I want to go back to la and I'm like, shut up, I've never been to la, okay so, and with nobody she's cool. So this person in la hey, thank you for listening. So this is a comment or feedback. Actually, you guys have been around for years and seem very knowledgeable of j-pop groups. I love your intros to groups like travis, japan ballistic boys and psychic fever, and I became a fan of all three from your recommendation that's what we love that's what we do the music episodes right, so you can go listen to the song give the you know.
Speaker 2give the artist a chance. Give the you know. Give the talent. Give Awesome. Oh, I'm so happy about this, so he ends it up. I also love your concert recap too. Yay, so they're asking would love more episodes introducing groups and artists, which we haven't. We actually those were from fans, Remember when we did the introductions.
Speaker 2Those were fans who actually asked if we could, if we could talk about the group, and, of course, uh. But we also had fan involvement where we ask, hey, what is your favorite song? And then we'll talk about it, right?
Speaker 1well, I was gonna say too um, did they listen to the Travis Japan concert one, probably, you know, or did they say just any of the concert ones?
Speaker 2They say I also love your concert recap too. So it was a general, okay. So I don't know, maybe so because we did, you know our BTS. Oh yeah, suga, let's see I Am was another concert recap, japan. Yeah, we've done a bunch. Yes, we have.
Speaker 1Yes, because we love talking about when we're at concerts and, yeah, interacting with other fans it's cool but I love that. See, yeah, you were saying we do this because we're trying to introduce music to people and it's awesome that you're giving it a chance.
Speaker 1Yes, that's, and that's how this sort of ties into the the music industry question is, when it's not as accessible as say k-pop, um, or you know, and even some k-pop's not very accessible, oh true yeah, so you know, depending on the, the company and the artists, but this is why we started doing this is we were pretty much the only two people in our particular area where we were working and and where we're living, that were really so interested in all of these Asian artists. So we were like we want people who have an interest, who have a broad spectrum, eclectic music taste, to realize that you don't have to listen to just Western artists with English lyrics, that you can listen to anything and enjoy it and appreciate it. So this is awesome that you found our recommendations good and you found music that spoke to you. That's awesome and that's why we were doing this. Yeah, we couldn't get anybody at work to join us in this.
Speaker 2Oh no no, no. There are our close co-workers. It's just like what are they saying? What is this? What I don't, I don't understand what they're saying. I'm like okay, so, uh, we we're not gelling the same way on this so all right, thank you for listening, and I'm like sarah, sarah, you like this. You're like, yeah, and I'm about this group. Okay, what, what I like this?
Speaker 1so, yeah, you know, eventually there were a couple of other people who picked up some artists, but not like we were used to so thank you for that person, that they like the intro introduction to bands and also the concert recaps. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and we're gonna have more. We're gonna have more concert recaps oh yeah, we're going to some shows very soon I'm gonna see wasa, wasa, yeah, wasa.
Speaker 2We're gonna see wasa. Who else we have lined up one okay, rock yeah I know we have done one. Okay, rock uh concert recap, but each concert is different?
Speaker 1oh yeah, definitely, and it's gonna be new music because it's the new album. New music instead of luxury disease.
Speaker 2We're moving on to detox and then we're gonna um talk about their merch yeah, we always talk about merch we always talk about, like you know, oh my god, this merch and this and that anyways yeah, no, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1I'm looking forward to see what wasa has. So, yes, because we don't have much from female artists. No, so I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2Yes, look out, looking forward to that and looking forward to other concerts coming, if they don't get canceled like hard I know right and we talked about.
Speaker 1That's funny. You said that because we had just been talking about visa issues and how in the past this has been a problem, like when we were at k-con two of the bands couldn't come because of visa issues. Yeah, the we bridge festival had issues with some of the artists and their visas. We were looking forward to card. Yeah, they'd already had to cancel once before doing north america?
Speaker 1they were going to be coming back again. They had it all planned. They're having visa issues. I was like what, yeah, what were the odds? We were just talking about it.
Speaker 2They put out the statement about it. You know, even though, with all the documents and everything ready and on time, they weren't able to obtain visas. Yep, that was. I was like. No, I don't like that. No, exactly.
Speaker 1I hope that this is just happened.
Speaker 2I don't. I hope this was just one incident for for here. I hope this is not going to happen to all asian artists coming I know right, please universe, yeah, no please, I hope this is just.
Speaker 1That was one time incident, because it's just yeah, someone on their team missed a piece of information and yeah, please let it just be something that simple. But anyway, shall we wrap?
Speaker 2it up. Oh yeah, so thank you everybody for listening to this rants and Rambling and also for your feedback. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We appreciate you. Please keep them coming, please rate, review and share, share, share. Could you please be kind and give us five stars, because we love our constellations and if you also would like to be a subscriber.
Speaker 1So we can maintain and archive this episode and previous ones for your continued and listening enjoyment.
Speaker 2Yeah and update some of these uh equipment that we have. Yes, okay, so until next time, bye, bye.