Why are there so many Unhappy People in Tokyo?

As many of you may know I was not raised in a city. In fact, I have spent the majority of my life living in mountains. Furthermore, my cultural background is rooted in the American south. These simple, yet very important facts, may be a huge factor in my lack of understanding as to why there appears to be so many unhappy people living in Tokyo.

I have had my experiences with city life in America. I lived in Norfolk,VA for a summer and spent some decent amount of time in St. Louis, Mo. I even made a trip to NYC and Vegas as well. For several years I was making regular trips to Tokyo to spend time with the love of my life M.K. Although, now a days living in Tokyo is my first experience with daily life in a city. I have been living within the walls of Tokyo for almost a full ten months. I have only left Tokyo once in these past ten months and that was only to go to M.K.`s home city for golden week. Anyway, for ten months I have been learning about city life in Japan of all places. I assume that all cities have similar up and downs. There are days when the heart of a city is bright and full of hope and other days when a city can be a open gate to hell. What really gets me is that I see and come in contact with so many unhappy people in Tokyo.

Sometimes these unhappy people tell me why they are so unhappy with life in Tokyo. Other times they do not say a word to me. I can see their unhappiness in their eyes. The kind of unhappiness I see and hear is not the normal kind of things that most people in Tokyo do not like. These people have a deep unhappiness which cannot be fixed with a few kind words or a long soft hug. The mass unhappiness I see in Tokyo has a much more deeper reason. I am coming to the conclusion that it is a cultural problem which is causing many people to feel so damn unhappy.

From what I have gathered though talking to many Japanese people is that Tokyo is ripe for a major cultural shift in thinking. A lot of Japanese I have talked seem to be in favor of a more libertarian kind of cultural progress. They seem to be fed up with all the tight cultural rules and lack of free will within their society. The common complaint I hear is, `I do not feel that I can fully express myself.` Maybe this feeling of not being able to fully express ones self is the root of the mass unhappiness in Tokyo among Japanese people.

While I am not Japanese and was not raised in their culture I can see and understand the complaint of not being able to fully express ones self. Of course, a person can buy just about anything and anyone for the right price in Tokyo but can a person also buy happiness. It appears that some people in Tokyo believe that they can in fact buy happiness. Maybe they feel that if they buy enough expensive items they can attain some kind of happiness. Also, it appears that there is a focus on power as having the ability to give happiness. There is also the factor of working yourself to the bone which must cause many to feel unhappy.

The cultural values which were ingrained into my head are in direct conflict with such values as greed, power, and not expressing ones self openly and freely. With all the short comings my parents possessed they at least understood that money and power will not give a person happiness. So, as many in Tokyo case the all mighty quest for wealth they also live very empty lives devoid of true happiness.

　What can be done to address this often not talked about social ill in Tokyo? I honestly feel that a little love can go a long way. I love Tokyo and all the off beat things it offers. It may take the gaijin living in Tokyo to help many, but not all, Japanese living in the city to relax and understand what is really important in life. We are all human after all. A start for a cure to the unhappiness that many residents in Tokyo experience could be some random love. How about buying a beer at a bar for someone who do not know. Maybe smiling at a person on the train with a grim　expression in their face. At least it would a start.

I hold no faith that random acts of kindness will be the cure all for the unhappiness felt by many people, gaijin and Japanese alike, living in Tokyo but it would be a state. Think about it for a minute. I am a greaser from West Virginia and I am willing to give it a go. Hell, it might be fun in the end. At the very least it would put a smile on your face. I enjoy feeling good and smiling and I am sure that most people would also agree. In short if people in Tokyo would spread a little love to each other there might be a few less unhappy people walking around.

Get the Gun Boy! It is Thanksgiving Time.

In the haze of holiday shopping and retail insanity American`s little November tradition is nothing more than a blip on the radar in Tokyo. Thanksgiving used to mean something a long time ago. People used to sit around the family dinner table, eat turkey, and talk about what they are thankful for. My family tried this when I was a lot younger but it always ended up in dad throwing a beer bottle at me, my mother throwing her plate at my dad, and my sister laughing her ass off while calling us all stupid. Those were the good old days indeed. Now, I am a full fledged adult living out my life in Tokyo. While no one will have a beer bottle thrown at them this year, I hope, I have been reflecting on past Thanksgivings and looking to the near future as to how I am going to celebrate this time honored tradition in Tokyo.

I have experienced some odd Thanksgivings in the past. For some reason Thanksgiving leads me down a road of ruin almost every year. A few of those past odd Thanksgivings will always stick out in my mind.

The most fun Thanksgiving I have had so far was the first one after my parents split. It was just dad and I trying to figure out what to do on a cold West Virginia day. We did manage to cook a turkey. Although, we cooked it a little too long and it was a little dry. We had a lot of good laughs talking about what we were not thankful for while eating the bird. After stuffing out faces we drank a few shots of Jack and walked into town. We ended up at some bar gambling on a few football games and getting drunk.

The other Thanksgiving that really sticks out on my mind was the year I found myself in a small apartment in St. Louis with two gals from India. They had no idea how to cook a turkey. The older one of the pair was hell bent on having a turkey for Thanksgiving. They look to me as if I was the expert. These two gals both had the ability to breath fire at a moments notice. I did not want to get burned from giving wrong directions as to how to cook a turkey. I called my grandmother and she walked them though the entire process. What was interesting about eating a turkey with these two gals was that they insisted on having curry soup and way too much wine along with the bird. It was a weird night if Hindu music, nakedness, wine drinking, and fuzzy memories.


So, this year I will have Thanksgiving in Tokyo for the first time. What the hell I am supposed to do? The Japanese have no tradition, as far as I am aware, of Thanksgiving. It seems that the holiday itself is only mentioned in English mags and news letters. After reading the Metropolis I have found that there are several places offering a Thanksgiving meal to us gaijin who desire some turkey with all the trimmings. After getting the thumbs up from the gal I have decided on a place called Beacon in the Omotesando area of Shibuya-ku. The gal will reserve us a spot tomorrow I assume. I hope we get a spot because for 8,500 yen I can enjoy a damn good Thanksgiving dinner in a nice restaurant.


This year`s Thanksgiving is looking to be 100% clear of any trouble or oddness. I say this now but I am sure that the god of chaos is watching me and plotting a proper punishment. I have faith that Thanksgiving is going to be fun and relaxing. I end with a question for everyone living in Japan. What are you planning to do for Thanksgiving?

I Hope it Makes You Feel Better

I really should not even be writing this right now. I should just forget about it but something inside of me just will not let it slide. Someone has actually taken the time to go though my little blog and talk as much shit as they could muster.

I don`t understand why they took the time to do this but they seemed to have really enjoyed themselves. Maybe they had a bad day at work or something. It could be that some gal broke up with them. Hell, I don`t know what drives people to rip on someone but this person tore into me. I have met some major assholes in my day. I have met people who their own mother could not stand to be in the same room with them. I have never been able to understand these people very well. What I do understand is that I really do not like these type of people. I am sure that there is a special place in hell for these types because the devil cannot even stand them.

It appears that this person is upset over my spelling. Ok. I know that I really should put more effort into copy editing my blog. I guess it is laziness on my part. I take an easy going stance to this blog in the first place. I got more important things to focus on than this blog. Sometimes when I leave a comment on other blogs I may not check to make sure I did not make a spelling error by accident. No big deal in my mind but I guess one person, or maybe several people, have taken offense.

Hell, I don`t know what to say to this person(or persons). I will not say sorry that is for sure. They have decided to be an ass and that is their business. I kind of knew that someone would talk some major shit eventually. The internet is full of people who really enjoy tearing others down. I wonder if they are like this in real life. They must be hard to deal with that is for sure. I have no desire to know this person or people like he or she. They just bum me out and make me feel bad.

Well, they must of had a good time attacking me. I hope it made them feel better. I will just keep on living my life. I got a beautiful wife and a half way decent job. I live in a nice apartment and enjoy my life to the fullest. These things may be too simple for some people but it is enough for me. As for the spelling errors on my blog I will have to make it a point of going back and correcting those errors I have made sometime in the near future. It will give me something to do in my down time. For those of you who enjoy giving me hate I wish you nothing but happiness in your life. If you hate this blog so much just stop reading it. Just remember that no one is forcing you.

The World Best and Most Depressing Train System

Tokyo has one of the most detailed and efficient train systems in the world. A person would be hard pressed to find a place in Tokyo which cannot be easily reached by train. The trains are very clean, well kept, and most importantly on time. Sadly, a ride on a train in Tokyo is also one of the most depressing experiences in the city.

When I was just making trips to Tokyo I did not notice the ice cold vibe of the train system. Now that I live in Tokyo the daily cold shoulder the trains offer is like a brick to the face. Too often when ever I step foot on a train in Tokyo I feel like I am either attending a funeral or being rushed off to a hot war zone. Most people maintain such a grim expression on their face that if the train made a stop at hell station the devil would opt to wait for the next one.

My daily commute to and from work is never made any more pleasant by the atmosphere on the train. In the morning the trains are filled with men dressed in the most bland colors one could choose for a suit. They all look like they are off to serve a wicked corporate master who long ago claimed their soul. There is not one inch of happiness in these people. I cannot tell which they hate most; themselves or the job they are about to slave away at for countless hours. They have the ability to even lower the lighting on the train. The trains in Tokyo have very bright lights but if I stand up and look at all the people somehow the lights seem to dim. Everything inside the train seems to take on a blue&gray tint. It is like I have walked into a David Lynch movie. Any second I expect one of the salary men to look me right in the eyes and say, `I am the devil. I have come for your soul.`

The evening commute gets a little better but only on the Yamanote line. The Yamanote line does come alive with colors and sound in the evening hours. Still, there is this strange feeling that I just cannot shake. Some people talk but for the most part a silence as if the Emperor just died over powers the senses. On trains in Tokyo it can get so silent in fact that you can hear the light snoring sounds of people sleeping. It is a common sight to get on the train and see nothing but people dead silent with their heads down trying to avoid having any contact with other humans. While sometimes a gang of loud school girls or a small group of happy drunks break the silence, usually a sad bunch of people ride inside of a speeding hunk of metal without saving a word to each other.

In Tokyo people work their ass off from sun up to sun down so I expect there are a lot of tired people riding the train just trying to reach the comfort of their homes. Although, I refuse to accept this as an excuse to get on the train and behave as if the world and everything in it is dark and ugly. The vibe on trains in Tokyo must to be a factor to the high suicide rate. It is bad enough that many people are over worked and underpaid. After a long work day they have to get on a train that sends a message to them saying, `Your right. The world sucks, people are mean and cold, and your life sucks as well. Why don`t you just get off the train and toss yourself into the next one that comes by.`

Maybe it would be good for Tokyo if people lightened up a little on the train. Smile at each other once and a while. Say hello or ask how the person besides you is feeling today. Give your set to the old lady struggling to stand up. Do something other than have a grim look on your face and a fuck you attitude whenever anyone looks at you. Please! This dark train attitude is only making people more depressed than they already feel each and everyday. Maybe the free hugs people should get on the train and start hugging people. Just start hugging people while saying a I love you to everyone. Hell, it might actually work.

Anyway, train behavior in Tokyo can be pretty depressing sometimes. This still does not stop me from loving living in Tokyo. I would just like to see the train experience be a bit more of a happy one.

Confession of a Southerner in Tokyo

I never thought in a million years that I would be living in Tokyo. The likely hood of a guy like myself living in the far east is the same as the Chicago Cubs winning the world series. In some twist of fate here I am living in Tokyo, Japan. I used to think that am not suppose to end up living on the other side of the planet. After careful thought I have realized that my life has always been leaning in the direction of Asia in some shape or form. When I look back on my life I can see how Asia has always been apart of my life. All the way back to the early days. Nick Ramsay from thelongcountdown.com recently tagged me in a post requesting to know more about me. I have had it on my mind to write a little tell-all about how I ended up living in Tokyo. Nick has finally inspired me to write this post. Well, here is my confession.


Born to Lose

I was born in West Virginia, USA. It is the poorest state in the union. I had the luck to be raised in McDowell County which is the poorest county in the poorest state in the union. Yes, I was born with two strikes against me. My father was a coal miner in a long line of coal mining, hard working, hard drinking men. My mother was the gentle native American type. My mother`s mother was full blood native American. This odd couple gave birth to me on January 5th 1980 deep in the mountains of West Virginia in a town called Welch. My parents loved Rock n` Roll which only fueled my rebellious nature from a very young age. My mother had Asian blood as my grandmother often said. My grandmother never really liked my mother and blamed my her for what she said was, `a very odd boy who spends too much time thinking and not enough time doing.`

Divorce Greasers and a Girl from Korea

As time went on tensions between the family factions lead to a lot of stress on my parents. This was made even worse when my dad had to stop working due to having an extra nerve on his heart. After going under the knife to `fix` his heart dad was never the same. This drinking and lack of a decent job lead to constant violence in the home. My mother finally had enough and packed her bags and left; taking my sister with her. So, dad and I were left on our own. Soon after my father and I started to refer to each other my our first names. We were no longer father and son. We were drinking buddies!

Due to the shock of dealing with divorce I became a misfit of sorts. I fell into a crowd of other teenage misfits and greaser types. I took an interest in playing football and building muscle cars. This is how I met a girl named Soon-Ei. She was from Korea and a greaser like myself. Her father`s company bought a controlling interest in a chemical factory in up-state West Virginia. Apparently, he hated his daughter and sent her to live with a redneck family in McDowell County while he attended to business in Charleston,WV. I first met her in shop class and we soon became hot and heavy for each other. This did not set well with most of the other kids in high school. I got labeled as the `weird kid who is sleeping with the yellow girl.` I did not care so much about what the others said because she was nice to me and a lot of fun to hang out with. Although, my relationship with her did get me into a lot of fights. A lot of guys in school liked to sexually harass her because she was very beautiful and not white. She took shop class with me and we build several kick-ass muscle cars together. We were even able to help show several rednecks in shop class the value of accepting people who look different. We got voted sexist couple at vocational school our senior year.

Sadly, after high school her father got transferred back to Korea so we parted ways. I lost contact with her. My relationship with her was my first taste of Asia(no pun intended). Little did I know it would not be my last.

College: Radio, Acid, and Japanese college girls

So off to college I went in the summer of 1999. My uncle bubba decided that the best thing for me was to go to college. Despite his name bubba is actually a real smart guy. He has a masters in Education and Engineering. He was always understanding of me and at times took me under his wing. He was the only person in my family who kind of let me be myself. He never gave me shit for anything. Well, he helped me though the process of getting accepted to Concord University. CU is a small university located in the mountain town of Athens, WV. My entire family was very proud of the fact I was actually going to college. I remember my grandmother saying, `Wow! The damn boy is actually doing something. Well, at least he is not in prison.`

When I first stepped foot on the grounds of CU I knew that I could never again live in McDowell County. College was my only way out of that redneck hell hole. They cursed me with a thick southern draw but they were not going to drag me under. I decided to major in journalism and minor in human personality. Seem like a perfect choice to me.

My friends in college were a few hippies, some metal heads, a crazy Russian and a gang of Japanese college girls. An odd bunch to run with but I have been odd my entire life. I had a few duties in college above and beyond attending class. I did the Friday night shift for the college radio station. I also earned a spot on the college news paper staff and later served as the A&E editor. These extra duties earned me a little attention on campus. It was weird but after a while I got used to people coming up to me and saying, `Are you the guy who does the radio on Friday night?`

Anyway, the hippies kept me pretty high in my free time. Hell, most of the time. It was hard to keep up with them. There was this one hippie guy named George Jones(just like the country singer). He had a thing for Asian religion and smoking lots of pot. I spent a lot of time with him in college and learned a lot from him.

It was also in college that I met the love of my life. Makiko Kono has been apart of my life since I was 19 years old. I met her while playing basketball during my first summer semester in college. Our story is way too long to tell here but lets just say that we have been connected at the hip from the time me met. The only reason I met her was because of this crazy as hell Harajuku gal attending Concord. She was the first person I met in college. I ended up usually having a gang of Japanese gals hanging around me way too often. I guess they took a liking to me because I was nice to them and helped them out whenever I could. You can image the oddness of being Japanese and attending college in West Virginia. My first apartment was with MK and a friend of hers. They really got me interested in Japanese culture. I think that was the jumping point which has led me to living in Tokyo today.

It is also worth noting that during my college years I experimented with LSD. I learned a lot form Acid. It really opened up my mind to new ways of thinking. I have my tales about tripping on LSD but I will not share them here. If you want to hear a few good Acid stories from me you are just going to have to meet me in person.

OK Things have Gotten Out of Control; Bye Bye America Hello Japan

For a few years after college I really did not know what to do with myself. I spent about a third of my time traveling to Japan to see MK. During these years I watched American turn into a real shit place to live. Don`t get me wrong I love my country but the damn government is acting like a pack of boot licking Nazi`s. With the Empire going insane and people behaving really weird I was finally fed up. On a winter trip to see MK we finally decided to get married. This was not an easy choice for me. I left everything and everyone I knew behind forever to come and live with MK in Tokyo.

So, here I am in Tokyo Japan. My southern ass is living in a place with has been calling my name long before I could hear its screams. I guess it will be many years before I return to America. I like it here overall. It is always interesting.

Ok Nick, and rest of the world, now you know a little bit more about me and how I ended up living in Japan. Maybe a few more people will understand me a little better. Although there will be those who will use this post as fuel for attacking me. I will just have to laugh at the assholes and thank those who find my willingness to share my little story interesting.

Eating Burgers and Hanging with Tommy the Painter

I don`t always write about my adventures with Tommy. I have written about hanging with Tommy a few times in the past but most of my adventures with him I usually keep to myself. I decided that maybe I should write about running around with Tommy more often. He is after all the first friend I made in Tokyo. Actually, he was one of the first people to even talk to me. In Tokyo I have found that it is rare for people to talk to someone they do not know. Tommy is different. He is friendly and always enjoys meeting new people. Although, this Thursday I had a dual motivation for heading into central Tokyo.

So, this Thursday I venture out into central Tokyo looking to get into something. I decided to try out this new shop in Omotesando which only sells the McDonald`s Quarter Pounder with cheese. I found out about it from Neil at neilduckett.com. I must give him credit and a big thanks for both finding and sharing this place with the rest of the world. It was a real trip for sure. It is set up to look more like a night club than a fast food place. Painted in all black the place is not as welcoming as a regular McDonald`s. The menu is very simple and straight forward. You get too options to choose from; Double Quarter Pounder with cheese set for 600 yen or Quarter Pounder with cheese set for 500 yen. Well, I just went with the Quarter Pounder with cheese set because McDonald`s really is bad to be eating in the first place. I have to say it was damn good! I have not had a Quarter Pounder since I left the states almost eight months ago. It was as good as I remember. So, if you want to try an odd place for lunch give this one a try for sure.

After getting myself all bloated off of a big nasty burger I needed to walk around a little. It is so easy to go on a little walkabout in Tokyo. There seems to be an endless amount of sides streets and back alleys to explore. I headed into the back section of Harajuku. I do not often go that deep into Harajuku but from time to time I like to see what is going on around there. It is usually not all that crowed in the back section of Harajuku. Most people stick to Takashita street, the bridge at Yoyogi park, or the main side streets across from Takashita. The far end of Harajuku offers some really nice coffee shops along with some mid-scale fashion shops to explore.

The only thing out of the way I saw on my little walkabout was this odd little man pacing up and down the street with a compass and a writing pad. He kept walking and staring at his compass. Ever so often he would stop to write something on his writing pad. I have no idea what the hell he was doing but he seemed to be enjoying himself. He was going at it hardcore. I was wondering when a sparse car would come by and crash right into him? I also wondered if he even cared if a car hit him? Maybe he was trying to map out something. In my twisted thought process I stood around watching him making up little explanations for his strange actions. The craziest one I came up with was that he was trying to decode a special message giving to him by aliens so he could join them in space. After about 10 minutes or so the entertainment factor of watching the compass guy wore off and I made my way to the bridge at Yoyogi to see if Tommy was hanging around.

Sure enough as soon as I stepped foot on the bridge there was Tommy with a smile and a big hug. Now Tommy is a keen type of guy so he started talking at the speed of light about what has been going on since the last time me met. He usually does this until I start talking at the speed of light eventually leading to both running out of things to report on. He always has some interesting news to report about Yoyogi and Harajuku. The weekend festivals and the cops are two of his favorite topics. He is the expert when it comes to knowing the movements and behavior of the fuzz in Yoyogi park and Harajuku. I enjoy listening to him talk about what the cops have been up to as of late.

After helping him store this paintings in a locker in the subway we walked over to Shibuya for a little while. Tommy was hungry so we stopped at one of the many great curry shops he knows about. I think he might know about every good curry shop in Tokyo. Every place he has taken me to or suggested offered damn good curry at a great price. If you want to eat good curry in Tokyo just ask Tommy. Anyway, we went into this place and he ordered a chicken soup curry. I did not order anything but he was nice enough to order an extra side of rice and share some of his curry with me. It was really tasty curry!

After eating he wanted to show me a `better place` to buy that odd little, and 100% legal, herb we enjoy called spice. The usual head shop to buy the stuff is really expensive so Tommy found another head shop with much lower prices. He got a big packet of the stuff for only 3,000 yen; the other place charges over 7,000 yen for the same amount. After buying it we went back to Yoyogi park to hang out. Along the way he bought some beers. There is nothing like hanging out in Yoyogi park after dark drinking.

We went to an area in Yoyogi park over looking the pond. It was a nice view even though it was pitch dark. So, we sat there drinking some beer, smoking spice, and listening to some music from Vietnam provided by a little tape player. We talked a lot about life in Tokyo. We are both in agreement that a person cannot be normal and live in Tokyo. People who try to live normal in Tokyo end up going half crazy. I think this is very true in many ways. I believe that most people in Tokyo do stuff that they do not tell most people about. Just go to Shinjuku for proof.

It was a good evening but I could not hang out with Tommy all night. I had to go home and attend to my gal. She has been feeling a little under the weather as of late and needs me to make her feel better. Good thing I actually enjoy being at home attending to her or it would drive me nuts!

As always I look forward to hanging out with Tommy again soon. I never know exactly what we are gonna get into.

Balzac Brings `The Terror` to the Earthdom

This past Monday I want to see one of my favorite Japanese punk bands; Balzac! In the world of Japanese punk Balzac are legends in their own right. The band takes a heavy influence from the American band The Misfits. Balzac has taken what The Misfits started with the idea of `Horror Punk` and taken it to a much more dark and twisted place. Often, when people ask me who is Balzac I say they are the Japanese Misfits. Although, Balzac is much more than just a Japanese take on the classic sound and image of an American punk icon.




My venture into the dark heart of Balzac started with a bee line from work. I did not have time to change out of my suit and tie. I knew that I was going to stand out like a sore thumb walking into an underground punk bar but I did not care. The chance to see Balzac cannot be passed up no matter how I am dressed. I was mindful enough to wear a black suit and tie so I would not look too out of place. The train ride to Shin-Okobo was, to my surprise, very short. It only took me seven minutes to get to Shin-Okobo once I got to Ikebukuro. This gave me time to relax a little bit and get my wits about me before entering the Earthdom.

There were plenty of punks hanging around on the streets. This is usual for an evening when a good punk band is playing at the Earthdom. They like to hang out in the many sides streets drinking and picking up gals. Balzac brings out the more twisted punks from the underground punk scene in Tokyo. I do not see the more dark side of Tokyo punks so often. In fact, I had not seen any live shows in months! My working schedule has kept me from having the chance to get out to a show. Being off on Thursdays and Friday is not good for someone who likes going to punks shows in Tokyo. A lot of the best shows go down on the weekends, but Balzac played a very rare Monday show on a national holiday.

I entered the Earthdom about an half an hour before the the show started. The crowd was still lean as few people had an interest in seeing the opening act. I must admit that only reason I was there was to see Balzac and not some other band. Although, there must always be an opening act to get the crowd all warmed up for the main event. The first band was not too bad actually. They rocked as hard as they could. I think that front man was a little drunk. He fell over twice and slurred this words just a little too much.

About half way though the opening act`s set I kind of lost interest and headed into the bar area to chill for a while. I have always really liked the bar area at the Earthdom. Its got this relaxed vibe that is unlike any other rock bar I have been to in Tokyo. Even the bar area of the Shinjuku Loft does not have the same kind of relaxed vibe that the Earthdom bar offers. People lounge around on couches which should have been thrown away a long time ago. Casual conversation can easily be had and most people just do their own thing.

While I was having a good time hanging at the bar it soon came time for the mighty Balzac to take the stage. I had not seen Balzac play in several years so I was really excited to see them play again. The last time I saw them play live was at a music fest at Tokyo speed way a few years back. Kiss was the headliner and Balzac was playing on a second stage. It was a damn fine experience but I had never seen Balzac play a small underground place before. I found myself a semi-safe spot to the side of `the pit` and soon enough Balzac took the stage.

The kids went crazy as soon as Balzac played the first note. Fans of the band are known to be hardcore loyal. In their eyes there is no band other than Balzac. Many fans dressed up in classic Balzac Skull&Bones jump suits. The gals at the show love the guys who go all out for the kings of Japanese Horror punk. If you want to make a Horror punk gal wet in Tokyo just wear a Balzac jump suit and she is all yours.

The front man started things out with the classic Balzac megaphone bit. He sang into a megaphone which was blood stained and had Balzac plastered on the side. It provides for an interesting sound live. The small venue also made the sound of the band much more intense(I still am having trouble hearing very well). They really go crazy live as compared to just listening to a CD. In the studio Balzac likes to experiment with tech-o beats and samples which makes their albums a musical adventure. Balzac live is a horse of a different color. They go balls out wild with a sound so intense it defies all similarities to punk rock. One might mistake them as hardcore rather than Horror punk. Their loyal fans seem to love every minute.

The one song I was really happy they played was `The Day the Earth Caught Fire.` This song was covered by none other than The Misfits as part of a split album with Balzac a few years back. It is a great Horror punk song! The fans at the Earthdom went crazy for the song and for good reason.

It was a great performance by Balzac and one I will not soon forget. They pulled out all the stops and gave everyone a great show. They even did too encores just because the fans demanded it! Most bands will not even do one encore much less too! Balzac will be playing around the Tokyo area for a while so if you can go to a show I really suggest checking them out. If you like intense Horror punk you will love Balzac live.

I must say sorry for not getting any photos. The crowd was just too wild for me to get any decent pics to share. You will just have to go too this band for yourself.