I`m standing there, watching this guy cue up the next record. Looking at his amazing tattoos. A skull covers the whole of his left hand. I`m thinking that would be an excellent shot. His left hand back-cueing. Maybe I could use it for a flyer. Obviously I don`t get it.
Japan is a place full of contrasts, but the one you immediately notice is how the old and the new co-exist. You get a street of huge westernized hotels (anything westernized is always huge – from the fifty-third floor to the totally unnecessary four-wheel drives that are too wide for the Tokyo streets) and somewhere in the middle is a run down wooden shack – that`s just about survived countless earthquakes – selling home-made tofu and nato. You`ve got the salaryman cliché – never sees his family – but everyone takes the time to visit a shrine or temple (jinja). Takes time out for tradition.
The guy cueing the record is Zecky, from the Discossession crew. A group of extremely skilled DJs and complete music obsessives (that`s one thing I like about Japan – here I`m normal – well, at least in terms of record buying), initially brought together by a love of Italo disco. The group also includes Chee Shimizu and Dr. Nishimura, and I`ve heard stories of amazing record collections – hundreds of original pressings tracked down, acquired, assimilated and then purged as they move on. They`ve done Italo and thoroughly mined Baldelli`s Cosmic tapes. The next step is original production work forthcoming on the Crue-L label. We were very lucky to be invited to a Discosession party (we were the only gaijin there). Very small. Very underground. Thank you Jonny. And the thing that intrigued me about Zecky was the contrasts. The guy has played guitar in various hardcore punk bands for over ten years, yet when he comes to DJ he drops the sweetest mid-tempo, jazz-inflected Italo/Euro disco imaginable. Jonny calls it “Zecky working his sleazy magicâ€. I guess in some ways it is classic “morning†music. Mike Francis, William Pitt, Tony Esposito. I said “You`re not cosmic mate. You`re Balearic.â€
I couldn’t equate the two. How could he be into Minor Threat and Mike Francis? To be honest it was quite a relief when he mixed seamlessly into The Jesus & Mary Chain`s “Sidewalkingâ€. So much so that I was tempted to make it the tune here. Zecky told me that he got hooked on Italo as a thirteen year old. Watching the video for “I Love Chopin†by Gazebo on MTV. He also lays a lot of blame the way of Answering Service`s “Call Me Mr. Telephone†and Raf`s “Self Controlâ€. He said that for him it`s all about emotion. That emotion could be anger but it could just as easily be sorrow. Regret. And a lot of what Zecky plays as a DJ is shot straight through with that classic Balearic pop thing – an unrequited/lost love theme driven by a wistful minor chord melody. Hitting you with conflicting emotions, out on the dancefloor. As you play the tragic lead in some film running in your head. Tears streaming down your face. Arms aloft. Towards the heavens.
Zecky`s arms are both tattooed. From knuckle to shoulder. In every guide book you will read about Japan you will be told that tattoos are a “no-noâ€. Very taboo. Commonly associated with gangsters – Yakuza. Not to be displayed in public. Modern culture may have globally popularized body art, but here it`s far from common place. Back in Croydon every woman in the supermarket would bend over the freezer cabinet to show me her arse and some kind of “celtic handlebar†tattoo. Not in Tokyo mate.
It could have been my imagination, but I`m sure Zecky was getting some funny looks from the Japanese clientele when he played with us at Bar Jam in Ebisu. I asked him if the Yakuza association was still valid. He smiled and said “not so muchâ€. The Yakuza-style of tattoo originated in Japan`s Edo period, initially worn by Kabuki actors. These actors were considerable “high rollers†and fashionable or “iki†mo-fos – sporting extravagant kimonos (equivalent to jazz musician zoot suits), and habouring enough mistresses to set up a new Tokyo district, Kagurazaka, to house them. As a consequence the Yazukas began to emulate the actors, tattoos and all, to indicate their own ability to “rollâ€. It was, also, a continuation of tradition and a display of their own national pride. Often the tattoos Yakuza wear will depict benevolent and protecting gods and animals, in an attempt to ensure good fortune. Escape that bullet. Dodge that blade. The higher the quality of the art, the greater your chances, and so tattoo masters are highly venerated . Guarded. The visible evidence of being able to withstand pain doesn`t do any harm either. Please remember that this is traditionally done by hand with sharp sticks and hammer, and not an automated needle gun. Zecky`s right arm is hand done. Quality colouring.
Zecky`s tattoo master explained to him that in order to create you must first understand and then destroy. I think the key to Japanese art is that despite the “destructionâ€, tradition is still observed. What is created it still very obviously Japanese. I guess they`re a proud people.
The night moves on. John Ozila`s warped disco chants ride into Wolfmother`s “Lovetrainâ€. Old meets new. Cosmic sound gets updated. But respected. Tradition preserved.
A big thank you to Jonny Nash for making things possible. Zecky`s mixes from that night can be heard as podcats at www.jellycast.com in the “Live at Bar Jam, Ebisu†series.