Live and Let Die

Is it an 'in' thing now for old, gone away bands to make a comeback?

Guns N’ Roses have just released their first album in 15 years titled “Chinese Democracy” which incidentally, is banned in China (with an album title like that? Go figure) Apparently, Axl Rose is the only remaining member from the original line-up. Hmm..so if it’s just him from the original line-up with a couple of new guys, that technically does not count as a revival of the band does it?

I’ve never been a fan but I do remember Slash, that guitarist with the big hair (it’s funny looking back now but in the 80s and through the early 90s, it was a fashion trend in rock bands to have big hair. Remember Skidrow, Bad English, Bon Jovi?) who always seem to have his pet python snake around during photo shoots.

And no, this album won't be on my Christmas wantlist :P

Manics in the Lion City

The Manics played their maiden concert in Singapore last night (it’s about time considering that they have been around for so long!)

From what little information I could gather online, the concert was rather short and there was no encore *gasp* They played La Tristesse Durera!!!! Sadly, Nicky didn't wear mini skirt :P

There is a special Send Away The Tigers Asian tour tee with dates for the Singapore, HK and Bangkok gigs printed on the back. Can’t say I’m too crazy about the tiger motifs printed on the tee (though it does add an Asian flavour to the tee..hehe) It looks too much like a Yakuza tattoo design LOL.

Out of space

Today is the start of the last week of work before my upcoming Bangkok and Singapore trip. (I hope it goes by quickly :])

I started packing over the weekend - only cos I need to gauge if I have enough space in my luggage for the load of stuffs I've bought for my Thai friends and my aunt in Singapore. I'm tired of packing and unpacking to try to squeeze everything in. Dang.. it doesn't look like I have enough room in my luggage!

I think have enough foodstuff to feed the thousands of anti-government protestors in Bangkok. Oh, I didn't forget to pack my Ash and Manics CDs (not ruling out the possibility of bumping into them at the hotel XDD)

Gashing up for Bangkok Rock Fest

the original punk boy

Bangkok 100 Rock Festival is exactly a week away!

I’m rather excited. It’s my first ever trip to the City of Angels (it’s embarrassing to admit that I’ve never been there). Though Ash and the Manics won't appear onstage till way past sundown, we plan to get to festival ground in the afternoon so I hope weather won't be too hot there. At the last Ash concert in SG, Liz and I got baked in the sun! This time I'll remember to pack sunblock lotion.

Liza is getting our custom Ash tees printed LOL I can't wait to see them. I gave her the design I made with the Ash font from Twilight of the Innocents and Tim's Meltdown phoenix tattoo design on the back.

And I’ve got a new Ash banner. It’s awesome, it’s 5 feet long and it looks smashing! And it took me an entire day to make it from scratch!

A week to Lee Guitars All-Star

Exactly a week to the Lee Guitars All Star gig in Singapore!

Jen sent me a message today saying she just collected our gig tickets and we're seated in PA-1 section at Row 9. Once again, I'll be seated in the Monster + Masa section of the stage (not that I'm complaining) Seeing that the Lee Guitar All-Stars concert will be held a day after Monster's birthday and I'll be seated in the section in front of Monster, maybe I should make a HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONSTER banner :o)

I'm really looking forward to the Cheer Chen and Ashin "Elope To The Moon" duet and I hope they play some new songs from the "Poetry Of The Day After" album!

It's gonna be one crazy weekend. Right after the Lee Guitar All-Stars, Tsu Ning and I will catch the morning flight to Bangkok on Sunday, arriving in time for lunch with Jib, Art and Tangmo before catching Ash and Manics headlining the Bangkok 100 Rock festival.

That's watching 3 bands, 2 gigs in 2 separate countries in ONE weekend LOL

Ashin working on a Mayday signature model Lee Guitar

Rock on, Apollo!

Finally, after almost 2 weeks of very intense gaming I finally closed the chapter on Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. I just broke my own record for completing an Ace Attorney game in the fastest time! Ardent Ace Attorney fans will know that all the game in the series are really time consuming. I played for hours on end each night before I finally reached the conclusion. Talk about hardcore gaming :P

I was skeptical initially before I played the game, knowing that Phoenix Wright, the original Ace Attorney was no longer the protagonist and in his place was a rookie defense lawyer. But Capcom had to bring Phoenix back in the Apollo Justice game (how else will they please the masses of Phoenix fans?) and to make things interesting, Apollo Justice takes place seven years after Phoenix had lost his attorney's badge. The entire Apollo Justice game revolves around series of events that lead to Phoenix losing his license to practise. Which all makes sense in the end, it was like a really long legal drama. I'm still baffled as to why Maya and Pearls were noticeably absent from that 7 year old case.. hmm

Prosecutor Klavier Gavin, mr Guitar Hero is probably the coolest prosecutor in the Ace Attorney series! He's such an airhead LOL who has ever heard of a prosecutor who does air guitar and fronts a popular rock band while holding a daytime job in the prosecutor's office?

OK Godot comes close to #2 but Miles "Edgey" Edgeworth is still my favourite prosecutor =) Do keep an eye out for the upcoming Ace Attorney spin-off series "Perfect Prosecutor: Miles Edgeworth" that should be out by next year. I'll be waiting in anticipation for that!

Here's a taste of the seven sins

I was up last night watching “Envy” on telly out of curiosity cos 1. I’ve never heard of that film and 2. Ben Stiller and Jack Black are in it (it reminded me of their recent Tropic Thunder collaboration)

The movie was BAD. It fared so badly at the US box office that it went straight to DVD release outside the US. The plot is ridiculous but it was hilarious, like all classic Stiller comedies. Disappointingly, "Envy" is marred by bad script and plot.

Coincidentally, the movie shares the same title as an Ash song (great Ash song but can’t say the same about the movie) Which brings me to the next point - why do movies that share the same titles as Ash songs always turn out to be disaster movies? “A Life Less Ordinary” was so bad that I think nobody remembers it now LOL

Nothing Burns Like Bridges

I still haven’t had much luck looking up Penny Century online. All I found on YouTube was just a single video of a song titled “Nothing Burns Like Bridges”, that I listened to a couple of times yesterday and it was stuck in my head till this morning! I like the song - it has a really infectious melody.

They are no rock band for sure but they do sound distinctly Europop and a little folk-ish. That guitarist who sang a couple of lines look a wee bit like Kelly of Stereophonics. Hmm... I wonder what's his name? Just in case I bump into him at the hotel since we may be staying in the same hotel :) Does anyone know any simple Swedish pick-up lines? LOL!

Gifts from Tokyo and Boston

Rayne went to Tokyo recently and she bought me a bunch of soft toys and assorted goodies (really cute chocolates and candies). I'm fascinated by the stuffed Hello Kitty ice-cream toy. If I take it with me to bed, will I dream of ice-cream every night? LOL

Elly also brought me some teddy bears when we met up in Singapore earlier this month.

Teddy, mini me and mini mini me LOL

plushs have invaded my bed!

You Love Us

In an interview featured in today';s Star with the Manics' frontman, James Dean Bradfield, he revealed that the band will be playing mostly their old songs at the upcoming Singapore and HK shows. Reason being it's their first time playing there.. so it's gonna be a sort of greatest hits set. I hope they play the same set in Bangkok! =] I wonder if there's any chance of them playing "Yes" live?

Hmm.. I wonder if Ash'll also play a greatest hits set at the Bangkok Rock festival?

It was also interesting to note James' view on playing first time shows in Singapore and HK:

“I got to tell you, our apprehension is doubled when it comes
to playing shows in places like Singapore and Hong Kong not just because we
haven’t played there before but also because there is an ... otherness about
playing a gig in places such as these where the culture gap is wider than
perhaps doing a gig in Europe. So the apprehension is doubled because you just
don’t know what to expect. But it’s a motivating fear because it keeps us on our
toes"

The band are concerned about culture gap? We're okay with Nicky wearing his mini skirt.. really!

When the Manics get to Singapore, they'll see that there is a fairly sizeable Britpop fanbase there.. so nothing to worry about guys. I'm sure it'll be a fullhouse show.