I met the artist Shouu Tanaka on the streets of Mitaka yesterday. I spotted her and a friend (who turns out to be the bass player of Fuji Rockers, Neconemuru) shopping at Parada Records. After she purchased this cool-looking CD-LongBox Set of “The Ultimate Sparks Collection” (and after I picked up a Mamas and Papas single), I dashed out of Parade to see if I could catch up with her, and lucky for me, I did.
Shouu san agreed to join this Tokyo Record Style project after I introduced myself. She told me her real name (not mentioned here), and then explained to me that she also has an artist alias and that her medium of expression is “Shodo”, Japanese calligraphy. I told her that we do Shodo at my house every New Year’s time and chatted more about Shodo. She explained some more about her style and I thought she mentioned that she does calligraphy on symbols. “Hmmm… Calligraphy ON symbols… symbols ON symbols, …maybe I understand,” I thought briefly to myself (never being 100% ever in Japan that I fully got the meaning.) It might have been a slightly confused look that “sparked” her (haha) to grab her Instagram feed and pull out some images that, at first, confounded me, “Oh CYMBALS, not SYMBOLS! You do calligraphy on CYMBALS! Whooooaaa, calligraphy on cymbals, that’s deep, and cool, and rock&roll!” I scrolled through a bit more of her feed to see Shouu san has an instantly recognizable creative voice and a very cool one at that. Check it out, and like it did to me, it may leave you speechless. Thank you Shouu san! Good luck with your art, and I hope to meet you and Neco san again!
You never know who you’re going to meet! I’m having SO much fun doing this project! Meeting cool people, discovering new music, learning cool new things! What a gift this has become 🙂
Lastly, speaking of meeting people. Today is the first edition of “Tokyo Record Style Day” where we are going to go record-shop hopping together with our pals, starting this time in Shimokitazawa at Flash Disc Ranch from 2pm, …and add your portrait to this project! Check a few posts back or the event page on Facebook – Hope to see you there!
Sparks – Profile: The Ultimate Sparks Collection
Label: Rhino Records (2) – R2 70731
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop, Experimental, Disco, Art Rock, Glam
https://www.discogs.com/release/22869884-Sparks-Profile-The-Ultimate-Sparks-Collection
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