It's the first day of the tour, and I wonder if I will live through it. I don’t think a 69-year-old man is supposed to be on tour at that age. There is the 80-year-old Mick Jagger, but science is on his payroll; I only have my wit. I have a significant role in the current tour. This is the first Les Sewing Sisters tour in Japan, and of course, they are only playing in people’s homes. They play in the closet area of the homeowner’s house or apartment. Lun*na and Saori did 21 shows in Los Angeles in people’s closets, but now we’re doing the Japanese version. It’s interesting because the Japanese home differs from the Los Angeles-style residence. We have to deal with various tatami mat rooms on this tour.
We’re also shooting a movie on the tour, and I have a significant role in the film. I’m doing all the introductions in Japanese (ha!) and seeing it through my eyes. Which is fine and dandy, but as you readers know, I have slowly been losing my mind. I had a severe panic attack a week ago in Tokyo, and it took me two days to recover. And there has been another medical issue I don’t want to go into right now. But you know, I’ll live. I still have work to do, such as this tour.
We did a show at Saori’s parent’s house and her home in Japan tonight. They live in Atusgi, only 40 minutes away by train from Shinjuku, Tokyo. But culturally, they are a thousand miles apart. Their home is in the countryside, and like Lun*na’s hometown of Moji-Ku, life is very different in the small town. For instance, neighbors came to tonight’s show but didn’t knock; they just went inside the house. Saori’s father was born in the area and has lived in Atsugi his whole life. Not only that, but their neighbors have been there forever, and he has known everyone in his neighborhood since childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Mitome are a lovely couple. I interviewed them for the film and could have talked to them throughout the night. Mrs. Mitome has a fascination with cats and has a series of small statues of cats around the entrance of her house. She also makes stained-glass artworks and has a piece focusing on Egypt and Cleopatra. This is interesting because ancient Egypt has a thing for cats as well. When I walked outside their yard, there were two wild cats with no tails.
The Japanese home is flexible when it comes to changing the shape of a room, either by design or by using a Shoji Screen. So, in that sense, any room in a traditionally designed Japanese house can be removed or changed to serve a mood or an extra guest.
As for me and Lun*na, we are staying in a business person’s hotel directly across from the train station. From our window, we can see the train’s platform, and there is something very Jacques Tati in its landscape as we look down upon them.
I feel that Les Sewing Sisters are the most important band in the world because they use sewing noise as music. Playing in people’s closets is revolutionary and beyond punk rock, especially in Japanese people's and their families' homes.
We saw a sign for Les Sewing Sisters’ performance when driving up to the family's driveway. It is both an invitation for the band and the citizens of this neighborhood. Technically, we sold out the performance. With all this in mind, I find touring very difficult. And this is only the first town we visited on this tour. It has nothing to do with the band or the town/city but more of my mental state. I wouldn’t say I like touring or the road life. I’m a travel writer who wants to stay in one place for a long time. And the adventure will continue.
You need to take some travel tips from Raymond Roussel!
Well, at least you're not playing stadiums, with hotel room parties, and groupies lurking in the hallways.