Seek & you shall find The Appartement.. you’re invited if you can find it. Anna & Toma talk about the ideas behind their new secret space in Tokyo..

Anna & Toma inside their Appartement.
Click here & evesdrop on a secret conversation..
appartement

It’s time for one of my favourite weekends in Japan - Fuji Rock Festival & too much booze, too much work, too much fun..
I’ve gone to 12 of the past 13 Fuji Rock Festivals & witnessed how the music festival culture has changed summer time, music & youth culture in Japan. It was great to recently sit down & have a quiet chat with the man who started it all - Masa Hidaka of Smash. Click on the play button below to listen..
Keep checking here over the next week for interviews & reports & listen to my live broadcasts from the festival on 76.1 Inter FM in Tokyo or online www.interfm.co.jp

With Masa Hidaka.
Fuji Rock Festival website www.fujirockfestival.com

Click here for a conversation with Masa Hidaka..
masa-hidaka

I discovered Noh performance group Kami Asobi at the Whiky Live 2009 event in Tokyo where they performed a spectacular piece inspired by a whisky god!! They’ve also performed across Europe in the past year & are performing a new piece on Friday 2010.7.23 at the National Noh Theatre in Sendagaya, Tokyo. For more info check their website www.kamiasobi.com
I met up with Kami Asibi founder Yoshimasa Kanze who comes from generations of Noh performers.
Click on the play button below for the interview..

With Yoshimasa Kanze.

Click here for a chat with Kami Asobi..
kami-asobi-2

Legendary Tokyo techno DJ Ken Ishii talks about what’s inspired him over the years as DJ & producer. The back track in this interview is Ken Ishii’s new release “Right Hook”. Click on the play button below to listen..
More info about Ken Ishii at www.kenishii.com
Ken will be DJ’ing at the Audio Tokyo Electronic Music Festival Saturday 2010.7.17 at Harumi Sea Terminal.
*** Free tickets for some lucky Guy Perryman Black Card Members - you will receive email soon about how to win!!***
More info about Audio Tokyo Festival at www.audiotokyo.jp

With Ken Ishii.
Click here for the interview..
ken-ishii

Tokyo DJ & club music production unit Dex Pistols are having a super summer 2010 in Japan at club events & festivals & have been spinning around Asia in Hong Kong, Seoul & Taipei. I met up with Dex Pistol DJ Maar at a favourite cafe on Omotesando for a quick chat.
The back tracks on this interview are Dex Pistols new single Fire & B side Bamn both featuring Zeebra. For more check Dex Pistols MySpace
Click on the play button below for iki & wabi sabi..

With Dex Pistols DJ Maar.
Click here to listen..
dex-pistols

It was a busy Tokyo Thursday night 2010.6.17 as I also visited one of my favourite spots in Jingumae - the Paul Smith Space for the gallery floor launch of The Royal Ballet Portraits exhibition. Spectacular photographs taken by Sir Paul Smith (what can’t he do??) of members of the British Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, London are now on display.
I’ll be interviewing some of the 100 (!!) dancers who are currently in Japan for performances - more on my website in the next few days.
In the meantime see the exhibition at the Paul Smith Space until Tuesday 2010.7.6
More info at www.paulsmith.co.jp

Paul Smith Space gallery & Royal Ballet Portraits exhibition.

One of the Royal Ballet portraits by Paul Smith.

If only I’d kept up my ballet classes when I was a kid..

Even the catering waiter’s trays were wearing tutu’s!!

Oh it’s those gorgeous gals about town again - Nora, Liane, Yumi & Elizabeth.

Elizabeth & Mairi.

Wonky heads after champagne - Guy with Royal Ballet dancer Edward Watson.

A couple of weeks ago I had such a great day out at Tokyo Race Course enjoying some spectacular horse racing that I decided to go back for more on Sunday 2010.5.23 for the Japanese Oaks, one of Japan’s most prestigious horse races. The weather was wet but I discovered rain doesn’t matter at this amazing course & stadium. It’s a quick (20 minute) express train ride to Fuchu Keiba Seimon Mae from Shinjuku Station on the Keio Line & a 1 minute undercover walk into the stadium.
If you’d like to experience the races too get more information at the Japan Racing Association website www.japanracing.jp

At the Tokyo Race Course entrance with the gold horse statue.

Tokyo Race Course entrance & todays race is The Oaks.

I’m greeted by happy gals at the ticket gate!!

The parade ring surrounded by massive lush trees - feels like a day in the countryside!!

The parade ring is also viewable from the stadium, undercover from the rain.

Getting up close with the horses & jockeys before the race & todays form on the big screen at the parade ring.

The stables are also viewable from inside the stadium.

Time for lunch in one of the many restaurants inside the stadium.

Coffee & cakes also on the menu.

The massive, overwhelming Tokyo Race Course stadium - I almost expected a Star Wars space ship to fly in & dock on one of the platforms!!

And now I decide to go underground, through the tunnel, under the turf & inside the race track..

On the other side, inside the race track - gardens behind the big screen & the view across the track to the stadium.

The rose arch in the gardens.

The kids playground.

The big screen for the big kids.

The stadium from across the tracks.

And here come the horses for the race.

Reporting live on Inter FM.

The winner(s!!) on the big screen - #17 Apapane & #18 Saint Emilion. It was literally a neck & neck race, a photo finish & a 10 minute wait as the officials made their decision - a tie, the first time in Japan Racing Association Grade One race history!!

And a little piece of my history - me learning to ride in Singapore 1968, with a Singapore Polo Club horse handler & my Dad.

It’s in the blood. I’m a disc jockey but my grandfather Richard Perryman was a real jockey!! You can see more about him at the England National Horseracing Museum website www.horseracinghistory.co.uk
Click here to listen to the 2 reports I did live from Tokyo Race Course on Inter FM..
jra-report-2

Dan Grunebaum the music editor of Tokyo’s Metropolis Magazine is bringing us the latest edition of his regular live events - Saiko Vol. 6 Rock Chic Returns on Sunday 2010.5.16 at Club Marz, Shinjuku. The line up features some cool, cutting edge artists from Tokyo including Tim And Puma Mimi & Lazygunsbrisky who have a quick chat with Dan & I - click on the play button below for the Saiko kids..
Event info at www.metropolis.co.jp/saiko

Lazygunsbrisky, Dan & Tim And Puma Mimi.
Click here for the Saiko kids..
saiko

My grandfather Dick Perryman was a jockey & I sort of followed in his footsteps by becoming a (disc) jockey.. & on Sunday 2010.5.9 I combined the two with a live radio report from Tokyo Race Course broadcast on 76.1 Inter FM weekly program JRA Sound of Thoroughbred with DJ K.C. It was a great fun day out - good food at one of the the racecourse’s many restaurants, a couple of cold beers, perfect sunshine, spectacular racing & of course these fine animals.
For more info about horse racing in Japan in English click here on the Japan Racing Association website www.japanracing.jp
Click on the play button below for the tip live from the race course..

Arriving at Tokyo Race Course, Fuchu. A 20 minute express train ride on the Keio line from Shinjuku.

Tokyo Race Course entrance with the parade ring.

Overlooking the parade ring.

Getting up close with horses & jockeys at the parade ring. This is where the horses are literally paraded about 30 minutes before the race & where you get to see the jockeys mount just before they head to the race track starting gate. It’s a great moment to really sense the incredible devotion to the horses & the tension before the race.

Should I bet on horse number 4 or 5? My grandmother always went for the grey.. should I?

OK I’ve decided on number 5 - Sound Barrier - being a Supersonic DJ I had to go with this name!!

Bets are on!!

The winning ticket?

The spectacular Tokyo Race Course stadium. Not bad for just ¥200 entry fee. The top tiers have executive style reserved seating from ¥3,000 for the day & the Okura Hotel restaurant with champagne service.

Live radio report.

C’mon Sound Barrier!!

The winner. Horse number 13 - Danon Chantilly ridden by veteran jockey Katsumi Ando takes the NHK Mile Cup 2010.

And my jockey grandfather Dick Perryman c. 1929 Newmarket, England. See more about him at the National Horseracing Museum website www.nhrm.co.uk

Click here for the live report from Tokyo Race Course..
jra-report

Tokyo based actor & comedian Jonathan Sherr landed the starring role in the new Japanese film My Darling Is A Foreigner based on the hit manga. The film opened in Tokyo 2010.4.10 & I had a chat with a darling gaijin - click on the play button below to listen..

With Jonathan Sherr.
My Darling Is A Foreigner website

My Darling Is A Foreigner film flyer.

Darling flyer featuring the original manga.
jonathan-sherr