Rock4four: Preparing for Summer

3.4 Terrible Tommy Tokugawa







The twenty first century skyline comes into view, as we sail back up towards the Bay Bridge, and Minato Mirai, Yokohama's new high rise development, at the far end of the harbour. I ask Kikuchi san who he thinks might be responsible for smashing up the Kamakura Rock Bar.

"I'm pretty sure I know who's responsible" he says, grimly....."Terrible Tommy Tokugawa"


"Who????" I guffaw. "Sounds like a seventies pro wrestler." Kikuchi san is not amused by my glibness, so I pull myself together, and try to look serious.


"Tommy Tokugawa was one of the DJ's at Rock4four last summer" continues Kikuchi san. A bad, bad boy. Some nasty stuff has been associated with him. He, and his brother, Terry inherited a bar and club empire from their father, who died last year. Tommy has been DJing at clubs in Yokohama since he was about fifteen, because of who his father was. That isn't to say he isn't a good DJ - in fact, he's a FANTASTIC DJ. A real party wizard. He plays boogie tracks mainly, and it works a treat. Girls love him, and guys want to be him. For the closing beach party, at the end of last summer, there must have been two thousand people there. And they were there to see Tommy. Fox White's really good, Miki Chan is a wonderful DJ too, but for stirring up a party, and for sheer popularity, Tommy Togugawa is out of reach."


"So why do you think he smashed the Rock Bar?" I ask. Kikuchi san's theory doesn't seem to make sense to me.


"Tommy thinks he doesn't need Rock4four, any more" says Kikuchi san. "At the end of last summer, he told Yuji that he was taking over. Yuji and the DJ's resisted, so Tommy walked out. It was pretty acrimonious, which is worrying, because people who've crossed The Tokugawa boys before, have literally been shipped out. Tommy and Terry are well in, with the boys who work the docks.




"Yuji rode his luck though, as usual, because he knew that Tommy knows that he and Fox were in with the US military kids, and foreign bar owners, like Neil at the Rock of Gib. Mixing it with unknowns isn't something Tommy is ready to do yet. He might be psychotic, but he's anything but stupid. So... he's biding his time. And with Neil's passing, the power balance shifts, just a little. Tommy knows it's just a case of biding his time. We're patient, in Japan, and the Tokugawas are renowned for playing the waiting game. And in the meantime, he's setting up his own nights on the beach this summer. He'll be running his own show, which is what he wants, but of course, Rock4four is now a rival. Tommy doesn't like rivals."


I wonder if the trip to Kamakura on Monday is still on. So, when we disembark, beneath landmark tower, we head back to the Yokohama Rock Bar, and I ask Yuji directly.


"DAMN right Kamakura is still on" he growls, defiantly. "I'm gonna put on the best parties this country's ever seen, and no stinking crook is gonna stop me. And I want YOU (he points at me) to be there, to tell the world!"


"That's the spirit!" I shout. And I celebrate with a Midori and Soda. GULP!

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FEATURED TRACKS

Aerosmith - Pink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLRLhV9U0kQ&feature=related

Foghat - Slowride
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIjZE4kcg_Q

Ramjam - Black Betty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R044sleOW6I

Heart - Barracuda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4nWy8pmIM4&feature=related

ZZ Top - Legs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9w36uqQFBw&feature=related

The Sweet - Blockbuster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN8SDdgMsuM&feature=PlayList&p=9417B81AF24A6B85&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6

Kings of Leon - Taper Jean Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w38hpcABQWE

T-Rex - Ride A White Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6d4SvvOthA