Moving to Tokyo from his native Aichi Prefecture, Asai would eventually become one of Japan's best-known rock 'n' roll bad-boys. He founded influential garage rock unit Blankey Jet City in 1990, and after an eight-year run, left to form first the Sherbets, then all-star band Ajico (with brooding soul singer UA), and now Jude (pronounced "yuh-dah"). After the larger ensembles of the Sherbets and Ajico, Jude marks a return to the barebones rock trio format of Blankey Jet City.
While Asai is already onto his third band since Blankey Jet City broke up at the end of the '90s, his distinctive imprint is stamped on all three projects. A listen to Jude -formed only this March with bassist Keiichi Watanabe and drummer Junji Ikehata -reveals much of the same reverb-drenched guitar work and reedy, quavering vocals that informed his work with the Sherbets and Ajico.
In only six months of Jude's existence, Asai's prolific songwriting produced a body of new material large enough to support two albums. So Asai's independent record label Sexy Stones did exactly that, simultaneously releasing Dirty Animal and Charming Bloody Tuesday this October.
The albums show an Asai in a number of his favorite guises, variously appearing as greasy biker and sinewy lover-boy. It's the latter incarnation that he adopts for the oddly likeable song "Silvet," the video for which is currently on rotation on MTV. But it's only one of the many poses the inexhaustible Asai strikes. His bag of tricks also includes a repertoire that runs from country and western to psychobilly to Jon Spencer-style skronk-rock.
Like Bob Dylan's voice, Asai's thin vibrato is undoubtedly an acquired taste, but if you stick around in Japan long enough, as with Dylan, you may find this peculiar figure beginning to grow on you."
taken from Metropolis Japan Today
Romero
Kenichi Asai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
古びた 乾いた
キャメルのショットバー
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
オスカー ワイルド
ベビーフェイス ファニービー
レザーコートは かなり長すぎる
いつでも そいつを引きずって歩く
裸足のまま スローに
夕暮れ時はすごくいいんだ
涼し気な風があたりを ただよう
コヨーテが街を さまよい始めた
わずかな電力があればそれでいい
何でもかんでもギンギンに 冷やす
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
汗をふきだした 労働者達もいやす
カウンターに座る美しい女性
壁にかけられた派手な帽子
ひび割れの中に潜んでいる クモ
ロメロ 話してよ 燃える愛の話
何千億もの星の光たち
荒野をさまよう現代の魂
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
宇宙という名の冷蔵庫がある
The lyrics of Kenichi Asai's song "ROMERO" paint a vivid picture of a small town in the Mexican desert, where an old, parched Camel shot bar stands with a precious refrigerator inside. The character of Oscar Wild, described as having a baby face and a funny demeanor, wears a leather coat that is noticeably too long, dragging it along as he walks. The mention of Romero, inviting someone to dance slowly barefoot at dusk, sets a nostalgic and serene atmosphere filled with a cool breeze and the presence of wandering coyotes in the town.
The lyrics further delve into the significance of the refrigerator in this desolate setting, highlighting its value in a place where minimal electricity is cherished for cooling everything that needs refrigeration. Workers who have sweated through their labor find solace in the coolness provided by the refrigerator, while a beautiful woman sits at the counter adorned with a flashy hat. The imagery of a hidden spider in a crack on the wall adds an element of mystery and unease to the scene, contrasting with the otherwise tranquil setting of the bar.
The song continues to explore the theme of love and human connection, with Romero encouraged to share stories of burning love amidst the backdrop of billions of starlights and the wandering souls of the modern-day wilderness. The repetition of the line "there was a precious refrigerator" emphasizes the importance of this seemingly mundane object in a place where even the smallest sources of comfort are held in high regard. The reference to a refrigerator named "space" symbolizes the vastness and mystery of the universe, paralleling it to the simple yet essential presence of the refrigerator in the bar.
In essence, "ROMERO" by Kenichi Asai combines gritty imagery of a desert town with themes of nostalgia, longing, and the significance of small comforts in a harsh environment. The juxtaposition of mundane elements like a refrigerator with deeper reflections on love and the cosmos creates a nuanced and evocative narrative that invites listeners to ponder on the connections between human experiences and the vast universe surrounding us.
Line by Line Meaning
メキシコ砂漠の ちっちゃな街に
In a small town amidst the vast Mexican desert,
古びた 乾いた
there lies an old and arid place,
キャメルのショットバー
a bar called Camel, worn by time,
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
where a precious refrigerator stood,
オスカー ワイルド
echoing the wit of Oscar Wilde,
ベビーフェイス ファニービー
with a charming yet playful presence,
レザーコートは かなり長すぎる
a leather coat draping far too long,
いつでも そいつを引きずって歩く
always dragging it along wherever he goes.
ロメロ 踊ろうよ
Let's dance, Romero,
裸足のまま スローに
barefoot and slow-paced in our movements,
夕暮れ時はすごくいいんだ
the twilight time shines with enchantment,
涼し気な風があたりを ただよう
as a refreshing breeze wafts through the atmosphere.
コヨーテが街を さまよい始めた
Coyotes begin to wander the streets,
わずかな電力があればそれでいい
as long as there's a flicker of electricity,
何でもかんでもギンギンに 冷やす
anything and everything remains chilled to perfection,
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
the precious refrigerator stands firm once more,
汗をふきだした 労働者達もいやす
offering respite to the sweat-drenched workers,
カウンターに座る美しい女性
where a beautiful woman sits at the counter,
壁にかけられた派手な帽子
and vibrant hats dangle from the walls,
ひび割れの中に潜んでいる クモ
a spider lurking among the cracks.
ロメロ 話してよ 燃える愛の話
Tell me, Romero, of tales of burning love,
何千億もの星の光たち
with the light of countless billions of stars,
荒野をさまよう現代の魂
wandering modern souls across the wilderness,
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
upon this backdrop, the valuable refrigerator remains,
そこには貴重な 冷蔵庫があった
once again emphasizing its significance,
宇宙という名の冷蔵庫がある
for it embodies a refrigerator named universe.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 健一 浅井
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kim Sangalang
on Little Linda
youtube remove the First song which is the 'Little Linda'