The Even Greater Tokyo Region

In September, I wrote about going to some crazy party up in the mountains at Kawasaki's house. We went back again, and this time it was even crazier.

Tim, Ivy, Hanako, Kawasaki-san, Diana and Hugh on the morning after.

Outside, it was a full snowstorm. It was so heavy that three other friends drove up an hour after we did, and they wussed out after 10 minutes. The snow was falling like a curtain... which happens to be falling, for some reason. maybe someone dropped it...
Anyway, the snow: It was soft fresh snow, the first of the season. Driving up was as beautiful as it was dangerous, as it was worth it. It was a real shame that the other three couldn't make it. Kawasaki-san really knows how to throw a party. He should, as he has about 15 every month.

This was an end of year party for some ALTs, and Kawasaki's own band. Yes, in the small mountain village of Toga, he assembled a complete band. We arrived early, and helped him move 2 large amplifiers into his 150 year old house. But first we ate. It wasn't a meal so much as a feast. And alcohol was flowing. After dinner the band got up to play, using up almost half the people there. It was an intimate audience, but these guys could seriously be playing for much larger audiences. Sure, they live in the mountains, but damn they could play. It was a drummer (on a drum that looks like a speaker), a bass player, rhythm guitar, solo guitar, a percussionist (who was awesome), and Kawasaki-san jumped in on the saxaphone. It was classic old-time rock n roll. Really good fun music played by very skilled musicians, with lots of solo's thrown in. They played for a good hour, and took a break. Some of them sat down on the couches and called me over.

"Ruben", they said, "come play a song for us". I don't know how they got the crazy idea that I played the guitar. Maybe it was one of my friends who spilt the beans. Maybe it was the fact that I brought my own guitar to the party. But after watching these old guys completely dominate their instruments, I was not keen on playing for them. The truth is, I have casually played for about 3 years now. However, I am merely a campfire player. I can mash out a few chords and sing some songs. I absolutely love it. There is nothing like playing and singing a good song in its entirety. I've even played for some larger audiences, which was pretty amazing. For those who aren't lucky enough to play an instrument, imagine listening to your favourite song on huge headphones, with your eyes closed. This feeling doesn't even come close to playing it yourself. I used to listen to this radio show every week called the "Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour". Yeah, it tended to be a little bit white-trash sometimes, but they had great guests who were always incredible musicians. At the end, the host would always end the show by saying something like this:

"Music has been part of human culture and life for thousands of years. It has only been a profession for a tiny fraction of that. We can't all be professional musicians, and that's okay. As long as you can play your 3 chords and love doing it, that's all that matters. Play for your friends. Play for your family and your children. Pick up your guitar or other instrument and just play."

It is so beautifully put, but it is so difficult in practice. Here I was, sitting on the couch, holding a guitar while a roomful of people, most of whom were very skilled musicians, were watching me. I was put on the spot. My mind was blank. What could I possibly play that sounds good, after what we had just heard. Then suddenly, a vision appeared to me. It was Bob Marley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4dvJArFwDo&feature=related

I first listened to Stir it Up when I was very little. One of my brother's first CDs was an early Bob Marley CD, One Love. This was before the days of highly retouched, flawless CDs. I really loved this album, and this one song stopped me every time. It was so perfect, so beautiful. I didn't even know exactly what he was saying. I used to have a cassette tape, on which I put about 6 songs that I could listen to over and over again and never tire of. Stir it Up was the very first track. I remember often biking to my friends house while listening to Stir it Up, knowing full well that this was extremely unsafe, and thinking that it wouldn't be such a bad way to go. Over the years I have loved so many other songs, but every time I hear Stir it Up again, everything in this world seems right again. When the retouched Bob Marley album came out, this song was exactly the same.

When I was still learning to play guitar, I came across the chords for it. I couldn't believe how A D Easy it was. 3 chords. And it sounded so good. It is so simple, but I made it sound really good. Now I know that it was the song that made me sound good. It is such a good song that it can withstand being played poorly.

So, I looked over to the bass player sitting next to me, and the electric guitar solo guy next to him. They were watching me intently so they could join in. And I started playing. The bass kicked in, the drummer started up and a lot of others grabbed some bongos that were lying around. The solo guitarist began filling in the gaps. I kept playing A D E. Someone noticed I was playing without a pick, and gave me one. I would have played until I had a bloody stump. We kept playing the song for 10 minutes, 15 minutes, maybe more. It was absolutely epic. I sang some verses, and other people sang them again. At one stage, the percussionist guy freestyled a verse, using only the word "snow". I have never played music with other people before, and here I was playing my absolute favourite song in the world with a bunch of very good musicians, and some of my best friends. Sure, I have sometimes played songs for other people, but nothing even close to this. It was incredible. From now on I really want to learn to play more than my three chords, but in the meantime I will play those three chords any opportunity I get, and love every moment of it.

Merry Chirstmas everyone!