Every 14 days...(2)

Graffiti Japan (Remo Camerota)

Being that I love hip hop and I’m a pretentious twat that loves all things Japanese, two words that I clearly love being placed together to form a book title are ‘Graffiti’ and ‘Japan’. When last up in Newcastle and at the Baltic, I started flicking through various graffiti and ‘street art’ books while waiting for others to purchase their Christmas presents. Not buying it then, I decided to purchase while bored one day in January from the Tate Modern – I am a twat, as I previously stated.

A lot like many of Stewart Lee’s favourite books, this does not contain too many words, but a number of pictures of men in some hats. So, this isn’t exactly a difficult read, but was something that I picked up and flicked through now and again while continuing to read books that have printed words in them. In many ways, it’s a great toilet book.

Confused, and I’m sure we all are, as to why nobody had yet put together a book on Nihon no graffiti, Australian resident and graffiti man Remo started contacting Japanese writers with the look to finally producing a book on said topic. Starting off with Hiroshima-based SUIKO, Remo tours Japan, showcasing the works of the writers and taggers that he meets along the way.

While containing some very good works from, I’m sure, some of Japan’s biggest names, I felt that the book is not worthy of its title ‘Graffiti Japan’. Speaking to many artists that work together, it feels that the opinions and works of only a select group are being shown, and the locations are only those of the Tokyo/Yokohama region, Osaka and Hiroshima. Hiroshima seems to get a greater focus, being that it is the residence of SUIKO, the first writer to respond to Remo’s e-mails.

The nature of the exploration is not exactly in depth, with questions quite generic, with little probing around reasons for writers doing what they do and the thought processes behind their work. The text to accompany the photos, therefore, feels like some unnecessary add-on to try and give the book some credibility; when this could have been attained by a deeper exploration into the cultural context of graffiti in Japan, or simply no text at all.

But this is not hugely important. What is important is seeing some of the graffiti hot spots in Japan and knowing where to go to look for some good old fashioned spray can fun. ‘Graffiti Japan’ delivers on this front, if failing to scratch beneath the surface.

Days to read: 13

Days per book: 12.75

Sanshiro (Natsume Soseki)

Bought for me as a Christmas present, I have to admit that I was unfamiliar with the works of Natsume Soseki. From this edition, introduced by both Murakami Haruki and Jay Rubin, it’s clear that Natsume is an important name in 20^th Japanese literature. Painting a portrait of a troubled writer, the introductions put Sanshiro into context, showing how elements reflect Natsume’s own life.

Focusing in on Sanshiro, a 23 year-old travelling from a quiet, rural town to the big city as he enters University in Tokyo, the novel represents a coming of age story, as he deals with fast-paced life, confusing city folk and the dangerous world of city women. Naive to the ways of the city, Sanshiro often ends up in situations that could have been easily avoided, often to the amusement of those around him.

And this is indeed Sanshiro’s charm. Reflecting that Natsume was a writer he only began enjoying once entering adulthood, Murakami sees many parallels in his and Sanshiro’s life, experiencing similar thoughts and feelings on entering University. This is a book best read once graduation has passed and the real world entered, looking back at all the stupid things your younger self once did. One can but smile...

Days to read: 15

Days per book: 11.8

The Thorn in the Heart

Switching, as he does, between music videos, documentaries and Hollywood pictures, Michel Gondry chose to focus on the life of his aunt Suzette for his latest documentary. Using his cousin’s old Super 8 film footage, interviews, animation and the odd outtake that should have remained on the editor’s floor, the story of Suzette’s life as a teacher, moving from school to school across the 60s, 70s and 80s is told.

Now, this is all very good, but why would anyone outside of the Gondry wider family have an interest in this story? This is where the faults creep in. The people involved in many of the stories are rarely introduced, leading the viewer to try and guess as to what relation each has to Gondry’s aunt. This leads for quite a fractured and non-linear story, where the timeline has to be pieced together.

But while the logistics are a little challenging, the more emotional side of the film’s main focus, his cousin’s relationship with his mother, Suzette, provide a more rewarding challenge. Probing into sensitive issues around the relationship of the pair, Gondry gives an insight unconventional family life and the issues that often remained untouched. It is perhaps Gondry’s close relationship that allows him to delve into areas that an outside director would be unable to, though this closeness can also serve to alienate the viewer from those involved as the film becomes more and more personal.

Using standard Gondry techniques, employing toy trains, animation and an unnecessary attempt at a music video, the documentary is put together with a light-hearted approach to some sensitive subjects. And indeed, The Thorn in the Heart is a nice, little piece into the director’s family life. How important a documentary such as this is for a cinematic release is entirely up to you.

Good Hair

Often, I will ridicule girls I know about their natural hair showing at the roots of their long, peroxide locks. But, as Chris Rock explores in ‘Good Hair’, it seems the mocking of a white woman’s vanity in the UK pales in comparison to the hair situation of Afro-American women.

               

‘Good Hair’ has grown to mean straight hair, and so chemical ‘relaxants’ and weaves have grown into a multibillion dollar industry in the US. Women, and some men, seem more than willing to put dangerous chemicals on their person, spending thousands of dollars; all in the name of vanity. And it is this financial aspect that is a large part of the focus for Rock.

Concentrating on how few of the companies supplying black hair products are black-owned, a sense of some modern day exploitation by white and Asian-owned businesses is created.

But sadly, this is not the real tragedy present. While touched upon, ‘Good Hair’ fails to fully explore as to why women go to such lengths to straighten their hair, rather than remain natural. Those spoken to are largely pro ‘good’ hair, and so provide a mainly one-sided argument, avoiding any politics they may arise.

From ‘Good Hair’, you would be forgiven for assuming that all women are driven by vanity, most doing what they do to be ‘normal’ rather than different. This is exemplified by Nia Long, a woman proudly discussing her weave, stating that ‘you have to work with what you’ve got.’ Before Rock interjects ‘or what you can weave in,’ showing the level of contradiction shown by those discussing the topic.

The lack of a counter argument here disappoints, but Rock is a comedian, not a social scientist, and so it is understandable that context and questions of identity are left out in exchange for entertainment the documentarian’s natural wit and charm.

While not answering any of society’s questions, ‘Good Hair’ certainly entertains and raises some interesting discussions, and it doesn’t require any chemical substances or someone else’s extensions to do so.

Politic 11

Trouble in the Water - DJ Honda and De La Soul
Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul) - DJ Shadow
What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 3) - DJ Shadow
Six Days (Remix) - DJ Shadow and Mos Def
Why U Runnin - Edan
Migraine - Edan
Prisoners of War - Organized Konfusion
Know the Ledge (Juice) - Eric B & Rakim
She's Crafty - Beastie Boys
Cosmic Assassins - DJ Q-Bert
Train Buffer - Aesop Rock
Fucked-Up Pendulum (Remix) - DJ Krush
Freestyle 2 - DJ Krush
Kemuri (Untouchable Remix) - DJ Krush
Drum - DJ Krush
Jikan no Hashi 2 - DJ Krush
Mu Getsu - DJ Krush and Toshinoris Kondo
Nike Music Show - Hifana
Dduck Chase Double Up (Remix) - DJ Krush

From a Previous Life...Comic Relief (18/04/07)

Originally written: 18/04/2007

With so many comedians tripping off to Africa, or another part of the world, in an attempt to cure world poverty, it would appear that they've forgotten to take care of their own.

Only last Saturday, I was sat outside the Alwyn near Highbury Corner, when noneotherthan Alan Davis sat at the table beside me. But sadly, it would appear that years of ridicule from Stephen Fry on QI have taken their toll, as a hungry-looking Davis eyed-up my burger, licking his lips in lust. With his now greying, curly locks and look of weariness in his eyes, he looked a shadow of a man we know as Johnathan Creek.

It then occurred to me that only weeks before, I saw an also greying and dishevelled-looking Robin Ince hurrying and rushing up Great Portland Street on his way to one of his gigs. Obviously years as Ricky Gervas' warm-up have left their mark on the stress-filled life of Mr. Ince.

I, therefore, believe that we should take a minute out whenever we see one of our beloved comedians and go to the trouble of buying them a burger to stop this terrible tragedy from becoming more serious. If we don't, what is to happen next? Craig Charles smoking crack in the back of a taxi? Who knows?

I think we all know the world would be a much better place if our comedians are well-fed and have the opportunity to work in a stress-free environment, away from the torment of their comedy seniors...

Kick Wise people...

Every 14 Days...(1)

‘Give a hoot, read a book’ (Krusty the Klown)

For some time now, I’ve been wanting to challenge myself to read more. A far cry from my days in the Robinson Library at Newcastle University – where I could consume an academic text in a day – but of late I have been reading a little more again. Mainly due to various work travels on planes and trains, as well as the pilgrimage up to Villa Park of a weekend and the need for entertainment that doesn’t include the prefix i. There’s nothing quite like rolling up to the Holte End with a copy of the complete novels of Kafka under your arm.

               

Around the time of my 27^th birthday, I thought of setting myself the challenge of reading a book every 2 weeks. However, work, beer and endless evenings of masturbation have always seemed to get in the way. But now maybe there should be no more room for excuses. And so the challenge was set.

But a book every 2 weeks is quite the challenge; especially for someone that can work long hours, drink long hours and try to study Japanese, particularly as A Tale of Genji is on my to-do list. At well over 1,000 pages, I’d have to take 2 weeks off work. I’m, therefore, prepared to let some less heavy works into this challenge. Nothing by Dan Brown, but some art, photography, pretentious culture books may slip in; a conclusion that came about after my deliberation as to whether or not to include Graffiti Japan. But as this is a New Year’s resolution that I’d like to keep, mainly as it started in November, I’m going to have to give myself a little leeway here and there.

So, inspired probably by Richard Herring’s blog, Ash Miller’s weekly diatribe and some drunken conversations, I thought I would document how I get on. That way, any failure is made public. So, sit comfortably, crack open a Special Brew and enjoy... starting with Richard Herring’s ‘How Not to Grow Up’...

How Not to Grow Up (Richard Herring)

Being an avid Lee and Herring fan and having recently completed Stewart Lee’s ‘How I Escaped My Certain Fate’, I thought I’d give Richard Herring’s attempt a try. Both looking and sounding like a novelty Christmas book that you buy for someone you dislike enough to put absolutely no effort into thinking about the present you buy for them, I was a little surprised and sceptical about this title. But thankfully a comedy hero didn’t let me down.

Documenting his life in the days leading-up-to and subsequent period since his 40^th birthday, ‘How Not to Grow Up’ is a mini-autobiographical piece about a man struggling to come to terms with whether or not he wants to have kids or still be a kid. A large focus is around his ‘Ménage a Un’ tour, in which he suggests the desire for a threesome to any willing young ladies in the audience. The consequential anecdotes provide a lot of the humour, but also an insight into the life of a travelling stand-up the still knows the meaning of the term ‘tour’.

Maybe a little contrived and arrogant at times, the book is an honest account of Herring’s life during this period and is an entertaining enough read about the life and times of a long-serving stand-up.

Days to read: 20

Sputnik Sweetheart (Murakami Haruki)

Thankfully, my Mum had decided to order the German edition of ‘Sputnik Sweetheart’ from Amazon as a 27^th birthday present. And while this serves as good a reason as any to take up Deutsch, being that I’m trying to stick to a 14-day average and the loss of my B at GCSE German over the years, I thought I’d best buy the English translation instead.

Typical of my favourite novelist, the story focuses around a 20-something male, often a loner, in pursuit of a young lady that will inevitably lead to a myriad of musical descriptions, masturbation sessions and voyages of discovery.

Part set in a holiday destination, ‘Sputnik Sweetheart’ is a holiday read, in that it is relatively short, easy to read and pick-up and won’t require you to think too hard. Hardly as impressive as ‘The Wind-up Bird Chronicles’, nor as inventive as ‘Kafka on the Shore’, this won’t break any ground, but is a nice, quick read to boost your 14-day average.

Days to read: 7

Days per book:  13 (Oh yes, I’m keeping a spreadsheet of this)

Lost Japan (Alex Kerr)

Bought by my friend Caroline for my 27^th birthday, I took a couple of months to get round to picking this one up. A work of non-fiction, ‘Lost Japan’ is a collection of essays published over the years in Japan written by America Alex Kerr. Originally written in Japanese – his adopted country – struggled to translate the work into his mother tongue after it won the Shicho Gakugei in 1994.

Now translated and updated, ‘Lost Japan’ is a document of Kerr’s experiences around more traditional elements of Japanese life and culture that he feels are now quickly becoming lost after waves of foreign influence, concrete and pachinko halls. Ironically, Kerr sees Japan’s inability to fully incorporate and understand modernisation that has led to many of these losses. But this is very much a love-hate relationship, and Kerr still finds beauty and intrigue in the small parts that maintain what was once sacred.

Paradoxically, the culture and arts that have made Japan Japan being lost is very much a Japanese phenomenon; and the Japan of today is as Japanese as it has ever been.

Days to read: 20

Days per book: 15