Life after Tommy

The big ocean day event, as hoped, kicked off the beach season, and in the four weeks since, rock4four parties have been rammed, and full on. Some nights have seen more than one event, for example with Miki and The Temple Cat at the Rock Bar, at Yuigahama beach. Meanwhile, down towards Enoshima, Fox White has played, with guest DJs from Japan and overseas.

'In terms of attendances, and progression, things have exceeded even my expectations' chirps Yuji Fuji, as I interview him, during a chilled-out DJ session, on a sweltering Saturday afternoon, on the terrace of the the Brighton rock bar, at Yuigahama. 'Both the kamakura beach scene, and the Yokohama club scene are getting lots of coverage. It's getting to the point where it's not really underground anymore.'

http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/800/music_beat.asp

'Do you think it'll continue, with the same vibe'

'Yeah, I'm fairly confident. that's not my biggest concern right now. I'm more bothered about Terry Tokugawa. I thought he'd stop getting on my case, especially as he's had to deal with his brother's funeral. But he's bugging me non stop, to give him the license to play whatever he likes, and give him greater involvement in Rock4four. None of those things is gonna happen, as long as I've got a breath left in my body.'

The turn out, for this chilled, slightly down tempo version of Rock4four foregoes the 'dancey' for the ethereal, and the laid back. The number of attendees is impressive, too. People down for the day, surfers, who're on a break, from the breaks, and people who'll stay on, for the dance event, later in the evening. The main point though, that this is GREAT Rock music, to drink cocktails, and look at the Pacific ocean to.

The name of this downtempo daytime event, 'Cocktail on the Rocks' was thought up by Miki, who's behind the decks today. Future DJs are said to include Peter from Sirocco, DJ Jiro and Manami Ohara, Miki's sister, and band mate. So a live aspect is in the pipeline too.

====================================

As I think I'm on good terms with Terry, I visit him, at his import/export company, 'TokuNaga' near Yokohama port, which he runs, with fellow 'businessman', Masa Yoshinaga.

'So, what do Tokugawa and Yoshinaga import and export?', I ask Terry.

'The TokuNaga company deals in all kinds of stuff, from food, to musical instruments. It was my idea, to move into music. some people think it was tommy, but it was me. The dance music revolution, in the West, during the 80's and 90's, based on Roland TR808s and TB303s - I've been shipping them out of Yokohama, for over twenty years. I was fifteen, when I came up with that idea. But my late father wasn't convinced, and neither was Tommy. So I had to secure the capital elsewhere, so I joined up with Masa. But as soon as my Father and Tommy saw how much money I was making, they muscled in, and took over. Tommy also decided he wanted to be 'MR SUPERSTAR DJ' too...... of course, I miss him, don't get me wrong.

I ask Terry why he has fallen out with Yuji.

'Why? There was almost a gang war, between the Tokugawa Kai, and the Little England community. It was only because me, and Peter from Sirocco managed to calm everybody down, and talk some sense, that there wasn't some major violence. Tommy's boys, and Yuji's foreign friends were just aching for aggro. It'd have been carnage. But I got no thanks for that - Tommy always took me for granted. Sadly, he's passed away now.... If I'm as useless though, as him and my Dad always thought, this organisation will crash and burn, won't it? But if it doesn't, I'll have had my rev... I'll have proved them wrong.'

Selected tracks, from the Saturday afternoon DJ session, at the Brighton Rock Bar:

Homer Simpson - Beer Song (When I was 17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RiVLfFIgLo&feature=related

Oasis - Live Forever (Groucho Marx Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPCUv812-jc

Talk Talk - Life's What You Make it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXsmyLtpxlA

Primal Scream - Loaded:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O9sLkn3nz0

Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfZ_DATybgM

One Dove - Breakdown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxtydeeTYo

Blondie - Fade Away and Radiate (Remix):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVSHj0Av-S4

U2 - With Or Without You (DJ Jiro Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSaEGEODh9Q

Radiohead - Creep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxpblnsJEWM&feature=related

Blink 182 - I Miss You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYEM68HIm0Y

Elvis Presley - Let Yourself Go (Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN470-Yr0_A

Concrete Blonde - Joey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIIlUHBNkEc

Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqrMd5y7QXQ

The KLF - Elvis on the radio, steel guitar in my soul
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndB0poUC6xs

U2 - Numb (New Mix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGKtSuKTO9g

Happy Mondays - W.F.L . (Think About the Future Mix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fWYtIdJD7M

Small Faces - All Or Nothing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QcYL5lI9yw

INXS - Not Enough Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk1aX6hvRe8

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (Aeroplane Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx-3UMJ32EM

Spiller - Cry Baby (Röyksopp Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKGuOpYQEBc&feature=related

Travis - Sing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1f2M5G9KG8