Going south

Kalau kau anggota band... dan pergi bali stesen radio ko penah promo dulu... dan nampak benda camni... sakit tak? Heh!

I found it rather funny. Painful as it may sound - seriously knowing when to not overdo is something to always remember.

Oh... and that was the locker of a DJ for Ria FM in Singapore.

Was down five or six days in Johor and Singapore for some stops for Amir there.

The best part of the trip - DRIVING!

Tak tau lah kenapa....for some reason I love driving. Sometimes for no reason but just to njoy the solitude in the car, doing what I like. It's like I have a bubble around me physically... that defines its my 'moving' space.

Driving in someone else's country? Even better... !!!

Since didn't bother wasting money to stay in Singapore which is still as costly as fuck (most expensive city in the world!) was driving back and forth and around Singapore.

At least I got my new wheels into Singapore already. So Singapore : check! Still wishing I got to drive in Japan.

Thanks everyone we met there the organisers of the event... hope to make a return there very soon. Thank you Ria FM for that 'Amir hour' to share his songs from Penghibur Jalanan and Berita Harian Singapore for taking time to have a session with us and Johor's Best 104 FM for inviting Amir to perform and also be on air.

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O.M.G.

O.M.G. is coming back!

Siapa yang layan drama Ohsem Music Group atau O.M.G. kat TV3 last year... siap!!!!

Musim kedua confirm dengan shooting sepanjang bulan Mac.

Main cast sama : Black, Amir, Anas Ridzuan dan One Sofazr. Siang tadi dah meeting di TV3. Yang kembali juga - Akim Ahmad, Amyza Aznan dan Arash Mohamad. Ada pendatang baru kali ni iaitu Sathiya dan Aisyah Aliff dari Akademi Fantasia 2013.

That means whole of March shooting - siap jadi makanan nyamuk dalam hutan lagi. Heh!

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Aku Juga Manusia

Yeay! Amir's fourth single dah keluar.

It's been great so far - dengan airplay for Tanpamu, Penghibur Jalanan dan Gelisah, dan sekarang dah giliran lagu keempat Aku Juga Manusia.

If you guys haven't heard it, go to Amir's Reverbnation page by CLICKING HERE.

And yes, Amir menjadi tamu Muzik Muzik, dan selang beberapa minggu tu, Aku Juga Manusia akan dicalonkan. Dah rakam.... tunggu giliran tayang saja.

If you guys like this song, please help request or vote for it through your favourite radio stations!

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Snap!

Just a short entry with a berangan pic lawa tapi sebenarnya biasa je kan shot...

Ni dari show siang tadi bersama Atilia dan Dafi. These people are funny together. Semua ada kepelikan sendiri. 

But glad to say they're all professionals in the way they handle themselves, and that's what counts.

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Yeay Faizul

Congratulations to all the contestants of Akademi Fantasia 2013. Especially Faizul who won last night.

I am especially proud because Faizul was on of those that I spotted as being a potential winner by the fourth week of competition - and I'm glad he proved me right.

Plus, being a former band boy, I'm glad to see him break the stereotype of a non-musician champion.

Have to admit though was disappointed Aisyah was at sixth because I thought she deserved a higher placing that that.

Still... congratulations to all the finalists. You guys worked hard. Just remember what I told you during my class. This is only the beginning of many trials to come. It won't be easy - and a lot of of you are going to disappear... except for those who persevere.

Make it!

Thanks Faizul for delivering Sepasang Sayap well enough. You are a credit to the composer who wrote the song for you - in Amir.

For you guys who are curious - the song is Amir's wedding gift to his wife. Baca lirik bebetul... mesti dapat faham...

One more song that caught my attention was Mimpi as sung by Aisyah. Yang tulis kawan-kawan gak... nice one Faizal Tahir!

Now... let's see what the kids have to offer in the music industry....

So another feather in Amir's cap. He is the first former reality show contestant to have written for the immediate next season. Starting the year with Anugerah Juara Lagu, looks like it's going to be a good closing of the year.

We're not going to Anugerah Juara Lagu in January next year. Unfortunately Penghibur Jalanan didn't make the cut - which I wasn't disappointed at since I knew it was a competition song. However, a little sad Gelisah didn't get to make it to the semifinal stage to compete because I know the jury would have found it interesting.

Oh gambar bawah throwback malam sebelum we performed at second semifinals of Muzik Muzik. Takpe... tak kayak we had fun. Besides... there's always next year.

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Wedding time

Semalam ada last supper gitu. My kid, Amir's last day as a single young man. Thanks so much Aizat for coming down with Amar. You guys are the best down.

Tiga hari di Kucing, bantu sikit-sikit persiapan... and kira holiday for me lah. 

Selamat juga Amir dinikahkan siang tadi.

All the best kid. Another step, another new route in your life.

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Showtime

Woke up really tired. I have to say I don't know how the Japanese live in such cramped places. Their hotels are not cheap and yet space is so limited. I didn't even take pictures of the room in the hotel we were staying in because I couldn't even get a good angle. Seriously!

Even First World Hotel has more more floor space in its rooms. And being claustrophobic... I didn't sleep well. Well... ok... I'm lying. I slept like a baby. Just got woken up by the sound of the others waking up. Yes, I could easily hear whatever activities in four to five rooms next to us.

Early morning today as it's Amir's turn to perform. His venue for the Kansai Music Conference was at the Osaka Museum of History, next to NHK Japan. Gorgeous building as the lobby is encased in this giant disco ball glass dome sandwiched like a structure out of a Harry Potter movie between both buildings.

I'm so happy Amir impressed with his performance. So much so, the organisers  came up and spoke to me - impressed by his performance...

After we were done - it was back to the hotel just a few hundred meters away... freshened up and grabbed a train to head downtown for some food.

And thus the real Osaka adventure begins. With all the shows done - semarang masa jalan-jalan betul. I suggested Den Den Town (I Google every location I go to for places of my interest).

Den Den Town is otaku heaven. Next to Tokyo's Akihabara of course. But since I haven't been to Tokyo and I'm in Osaka, Den Den Town here we come.

Now, Den Den Town js known for a HUGE area filled with shops offering mostly things related to manga, anime, tech toys and porn. And a lot more stuff in between. This store became a landmark for us in days to come... nama yang sesuai if you ask me. SLUM.

But it wasn't all about adult themed entertainment. I had my eyes on some tech stuff - like this awesome 3D printer. Babiks... nak sangat!!!! Tapi sebab kawal diri jangan boros, maka ku gigih than nafsu dari beli.

Don't let me get started on the toys... I think I'm in heaven!

And music stores...

Since we got to Den Den Town quite late in the evening... sebab sesat, plus we had some distance to travel to dinner (cabs cost a fucking bomb - but sometimes a necessity from the long train rides).

What I'm amazed with - is again, how the Japanese discipline themselves. This is a common sight.

Tengok tu. Dahlah beratur. Semua ke tepi kanan jadi orang yang nak cepat leh je lalu. Takde duk sebelah menyebelah borak pasal Tupperware ke MLM bagai ok....

I'm impressed. Balik nanti nak ubah diri aku. I feel like a savage in situations like this - and the Japanese are a good model of how disciplined they are... definitely.

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Hello Kyoto! My first two days in Japan!

I've been intrigued by Japan. Not obsessed... no. I'm not one of those sorts to do Daiso, and sushi outlets because I'm hooked to all things Japan... just that the land of the rising sun holds this strange fascination for me...

I mean... the culture, customs, history - and more importantly the manga, anime, music, fashion, technology... porn...you get it...

The currency is a little bit of a bitch though. Japan is expensive and there's no two ways about that. 

So - changed a bit of dough, cleared my credit card so I could charge it there... and off we go. First destination : Kyoto!!! We were actually heading to Osaka for the Kansai Music Conference - but we have two days to chill in Kyoto.

First impression of Japan : damn it's systematic. Everything's so... organised. From the people to the infrastructure... down to very single minute detail. Gila pun ada tengok meka hidup camni... teratur, bersih... yes... what can I say, I appreciate a little chaos in my life...

My favourite part though are the toilets. Now... masalah aku ke banyak negara when there's no bidet... pail air. Nak cebok la... aku orang kampung wei. Nenek aku ajar dari kecik!

But in Japan, I love these tech toilets. This one is a pretty common model around the Osaka and Kyoto areas...  you can control the temperature, volume and intervals of the spray of water... AND it comes with a butt dryer. I kid you not!

No more wet bums after washing. Some mysterious air source turns on the minute the auto flush kicks in and dries your bottom in seconds.

Now... what makes a really great country (underrated though) are their 7 Elevens. I don't know why... but a 7 Eleven tells me most about a country. What they eat, drink... buy... you know... an instant retail analysis of what to expect. 

And Japan loves its darned green tea. A little too much if you ask me...

Oh... and their beers...soft drinks were sucky as lacking in choice and low in sugar (damn healthy buggers). And everything was coffee and tea...and beer... in about two hundred varieties (I exaggerate, but it feels that way compared to what we have here.

Their instant food however was - freaking awesome. I had dinners and suppers from various convenience stores. I covered all three major chains - 7 Eleven of course, Lawson and FamilyMart - all having something wonderful stacked between their shelves.

But it was not all instant food for me. In fact our first meal was in this quaint little restaurant in Kyoto with a beautiful garden.

My immediate problem with Japanese food? A little tasteless (hey I'm Chinese... we like popping flavours while the Japanese are more subtle) - and the portions are way too small for us.

But it was good anyways. We checked in and spent two days playing tourists.

Check out this mini escalator I found. Hilarious. World's shortest perhaps?

Walking around, I noticed most of what I read was true. For example, the fascination the Japanese have with vending machines. 

They're everywhere!!! In a sleepy more old fashioned city like Kyoto - even the VERY clean backlanes  of houses within the central area have them.

And the variety... crazy. Cigarettes.... hot dishes... drinks.. 

The second day left a bitter taste in my mouth for Japan however. Amir was having a fever and flu as we were leaving KL. And at the end of day one in Kyoto - he had his annual horrible asthma attack.

Now... it usually starts simple enough - then that major annual affair escalates into a life and death situation.

So without a medical card, an emergency trip to the hospital was frustrating (even with a friend translating).

Took five minutes for reception to locate a hospital that would take us, for the particular medical situation. Two minutes for cab to show up. Five minutes to bloody walk in the so-called Emergency area.

Ten minutes to register (no shit... Amir was gasping for air and he has to fill out his particulars to get a medical card). Another excruciating wait of about five minutes for a medical officer to show up...

Ten minutes of useless routine questions - which could't be skipped despite me giving a full run-down (this was when I realised Japanese are programmed... they find it hard to break out of routine or procedure).

After almost losing my temper (panic took over because Amir was turning blue, meanwhile) - finally they administered oxygen to him and things became more relaxed for me.Another ten minutes and the doctor shows up - to waste another five minutes for the medical officer to brief him.

Then my buttons got pushed.

The doctor insisted Amir be kept warded for observation, get an X ray... some jabs and a million other treatments!

Like dude... we've been through this before. We know what to do. I smelled a scam - I mean... it is a private hospital after all. And I half of my cousins are in the medical field so I kind of can smell a money making scheme happening. 

Friend told me to chill... aku cakap dalam bahasa kita... dia ni propah lebih ni. Nak tahan bagai... ubat tanak bagi. Dia cam nak kita bazir duit. Kata tanak!

So ten minutes wasted on this arguing, which ended up with me relieving my stress smiling and telling to the doctor's face "Pukimak ko haram jadah babi ingat aku tatau ko nak perch"... we got our prescription and gi counter.

That 'consultation' - was over RM700!

May pitam rasanya. Dan tak kira ubat ye! Member pulak baru sedar kita nak kena scam. Dia pun naik hantu.

Lepas tu hospital tak ada farmasi. Kena ke pharmacy luar nak beli ubat yang da prescribed! Mahal babiks ubat dia - dekat seribu Ringgit jugak. Rupanya dia nak bagi stok dua minggu. 'Gaduh' cara lembut kali kedua. 

Kita amik medication untuk tiga hari (sebab memang da tau it takes a maximum of that to recover... biasa instant). Kena RM400 lebih la gak... Cibai. 

Rupanya kat Jepun ni... meka tak jual ubat batuk ke Panadol ke pe kat kedai serbaneka ni. Semua perlukan surat doktor. Matilah ko! Syukur gak kat Malaysia setakat batuk ke selsema atau demam sikit masih boleh beli ubat sendiri...

So it was that one nasty episode early in the Japan trip that left me wondering if I was going to like Japan. After two days in Kyoto... one of the most cleanest cities (and safe too), I had mixed emotions. 

Hopefully Osaka would be much better...

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