Making his 5th or maybe 6th appearance on Tokyo Record Style is my dear pal Michael Warren who recently moved from the far east Side of Tokyo to the far west side of Tokyo, nearer to where I live …and do most of my record shopping and TRS scouting. Michael has so many claims to fame, too many for me to rattle off here, and so many that, despite knowing him quite well, I doubt I know the half of them, but here are a few:
He grew up with a jukebox, a pool table, and a house and family full of music.
He has an encyclopedic knowledge of music, broader than just about anybody I know.
He’s been playing in bands most of his life, one of my favorites being Honest People, whose most excellent record is in my heavy rotation (Also check out: Advantage Lusy, Hatsukoi Four, Quarrymen, among his other bands, past and present).
He’s a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, recording artist, and producer.
He’s a scholar of sorts, I’m not exactly sure, but something to do with Mesna, The Long Now Foundation, and the Stoics, Epictetus, in particular.
He not only speaks fluent Japanese, but he’s well versed in the almost incomprehensible Tsugaru dialect of Aomori, Japan …“Konnizuwa, Michael!
He’s a co-founder of the Gonohe Music Festival.
Along with our mutual pal Tat Fukutomi AKA besmha, he’s also a co-founding member of “Top 5 Records”, our shared DJ Event / Talkshow / Live Podcast
He was the FIRST person, besides myself, that I ever featured on Tokyo Record Style.
He’s a bit of a playlist/mix tape guru (who I’m scheming with to compile and curate downloadable playlists made FROM the records featured ON Tokyo Record Style …for the not-so-distant-future)
He swears by a book called Childhood’s End that he alleges ties EVERYTHING together.
He’s half of the Dog Log and my brother in Phish.
He can grow an absolutely beast of a beard.
And finally, he knows how to score excellent obscure records that I’ve never heard including these two he picked up at Garageville a few weeks back.
Hopefully, Michael’s move to the west side of Tokyo will mean I get to run into him a bit more and he will make many more appearances on Tokyo Record Style. See ya around, Bud. Party on…
More TRS on the way.
Steve Cropper – With A Little Help From My Friends
Label: Volt – VOS-6006, Volt – VOS 6006
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Terre Haute Press
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues, Soul
https://www.discogs.com/release/863014-Steve-Cropper-With-A-Little-Help-From-My-Friends
こまどり姉妹 – 浅草姉妹
Label: Columbia – AL-223
Format: Vinyl, LP, 10″
Country: Japan
Released: Aug 1960
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
https://www.discogs.com/release/11283478-%E3%81%93%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A9%E3%82%8A%E5%A7%89%E5%A6%B9-%E6%B5%85%E8%8D%89%E5%A7%89%E5%A6%B9
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