Car recall isn’t an issue in Japan

In America and China many 「トヨタ」 (Toyota) cars are being recalled because there’s a possibility that an ill-fitting floor mat can cause the accelerator pedal to stick which could cause an accident.
And now 「ホンダ」 (Honda) cars overseas are being recalled too.

I heard that Toyota and Honda dealers in those countries are losing a lot of potential business because the public has become hesitant to trust the safety of those cars now.

「トヨタ」 (Toyota)

「ホンダ」 (Honda)

This issue isn’t an issue at all in Japan.

Most Japanese feel that the cars being recalled overseas are different because they were made in America or China.
Japanese cars in Japan are made here…and anything “Made in Japan” is seen as superior in quality and safety.
So, Toyota and Honda dealers here in Japan aren’t feeling the affects of the recall overseas at all.

In fact, Toyota is the best-selling car in Japan…and has been for many years.

Has your image of Japanese cars changed because of this recall?

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On a totally unrelated subject…
I found out that Gene Simmons (of the rock band KISS) did a TV commercial in America for the Dr. Pepper soft drink.
His son is also in the commercial.

As I don’t live in America, I don’t normally watch America TV…but thanks to the internet in general, and YouTube specifically, I was able to see it.

It’s here:

Do you live in America? Have you seen this commercial on TV before?

In Japan, KISS has done a few TV commercials too.
I wrote a post about them last year. Click here to see that post.

Victor Stabin interview

Have you read the interviews I did with a number of interesting people?
They’re on the “Interviews” page of my main website (Click here to visit it).

Well, I just added an interview that I did with Victor Stabin to that page.

Do you know who Victor Stabin is?

He’s the artist who designed the album cover for KISS‘s 1980 release titled “Unmasked“.

His artwork is very fascinating.

I have not listened to KISS “Unmasked” since Jesus was in diapers.

Victor Stabin

Victor Stabin’s interview with me is very interesting…Check it out.

My “Interviews” page: Click here
My interview with Victor Stabin: Click here.

KISS are icons

The new KISS album “Sonic Boom” is excellent!

If you haven’t bought it yet…I highly recommend getting it.

This album is currently at #16 in Billboard magazine‘s “Rock Album” ranking…and #8 in their “Hard Rock Album” ranking.

And it peaked at #1 in both of those categories!

Number one selling album!! I don’t think KISS has ranked that high since the late ’70s!

Also, KISS has been eligible to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 1999*.

(* to be eligible, a band’s first album must be at least twenty-five years old. KISS debuted in 1974).

But they’ve always been passed over every year since they became eligible…that is, until now.

KISS have been nominated to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year (in 2010).

In March 2010, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will vote to see which of the twelve nominees will be inducted.

The nominees for 2010 are:

• KISS
• ABBA
• The Chantels
• Jimmy Cliff
• Genesis
• The Hollies
• LL Cool J
• Darlene Love
• Laura Nyro
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Stooges
• Donna Summer

Who do you think should be chosen?

In my opinion, besides KISS only two other acts might be worthy!

You Wanted The Best…

KISS was on the American TV show “Late Show With David Letterman” to promote their new album (Click here to read my post about their album).

I haven’t seen the David Letterman show (or any other American TV show) in many years…but thanks to YouTube, I was able to find out about this and watch it!

Here it is:

I got Sonic Boom

As I mentioned in an earlier post (click here to read it), the band KISS has recorded a new album titled “Sonic Boom“.

"Sonic Boom", 2009

It’s due to be released on 2009 October 6.

Well, thanks to my friend Masa, I was able to get the CD early.
I got it today and listened to it already.

It’s very good!
It’s not their best work…but it’s still a great KISS album.

Gene Simmons, bass player of KISS, said that their new “Sonic Boom” album is similar to classic ’70s albums…in particular, their 1976 album “Rock And Roll Over“…

"Rock And Roll Over", 1976

…and their 1977 album “Love Gun“.

"Love Gun", 1977

Personally, I don’t think it’s like either of those or any of their other albums from the 1970s.
I think it sounds more similar to their under-rated 1989 album “Hot In The Shade“…

"Hot In The Shade", 1989

I think “Hot In The Shade” is a very good album, and “Sonic Boom” reminds me a bit of it.

Those two albums have another similarity…”Hot In The Shade” is the only album to feature former drummer, the late Eric Carr, singing a new song (he sang vocals on the song “Beth” on the Smashes, Thrashes & Hits album…a song which the original KISS drummer, Peter Criss wrote and sang on).

On “Hot In The Shade“, Eric Carr sang lead vocals for the song “Little Caesar“.

And “Sonic Boom” is the first KISS album to feature current drummer Eric Singer and current lead guitarist Tommy Thayer each singing lead vocals on a new KISS song.
Eric Singer sings on “All For The Glory” and Tommy Thayer sings on the song “When Lightning Strikes“.

The track listing for “Sonic Boom“:

1. Modern Day Delilah
2. Russian Roulette
3. Never Enough
4. Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect)
5. Stand
6. Hot & Cold
7. All For The Glory
8. Danger Us
9. I’m An Animal
10. When Lightning Strikes
11. Say Yeah

I’d say “Modern Day Delilah” and “All For The Glory” are the best songs on the album. But the whole album’s good!

Also, KISS have new costumes for the Sonic Boom Tour:

KISS 2009

New KISS album

I have been a fan of the band KISS since I was about eight years old in the late 1970s (at the height of KISS‘s popularity in America).

I have a number of KISS-related posts on this site. For example, click here to see one that gets many visitors (I wrote it in 2008 August, and it still gets alot of hits.)

KISS has recently announced that their first studio album since their 1998 “Psycho Circus” album will be released this Autumn (2009).

KISS is getting old. Founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were in their late-forties when they released their last album eleven years ago, already a bit old for a rock ‘n roll band…but now they’re both almost 60!

Although KISS is notorious for over-commercializing their brand by putting the KISS logo on anything and everything (they sell KISS notebooks, KISS golf equipment, KISS dolls, KISS comics, KISS condoms, even a KISS funeral casket and much, much more!), and KISS bassist Gene Simmons is infamous for behaving like a “dirty old man” (when he was young and single, it was acceptable for him to flirt with young women. But now that he’s old and has a family…he just embarrasses himself).

But, regardless, I’m still a KISS fan. And I’ll be buying the new KISS album when it’s released in Japan (there are about 40 albums in the KISS catalog so far, and I have them all (I have some of them on LP record, cassette tape and CD!)).

I will also see them in concert again if they include dates in Japan on the tour to promote this new album.

KISS has also announced the titles of three songs that will be included on their new album (the album has yet to be titled).
The song titles are:
“Russian Roulette“, “Modern Day Delilah“, and “Stand“.

It was also announced by KISS that on the new album, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer will sing lead vocals on a song each.

This is interesting to a KISS fan because the current line-up of KISS is: bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitaris Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer…of which, only Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have ever sung lead vocals.

Current KISS line-up

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are founding KISS members…but the lead guitarist and drummer position in the band has changed members a number of times (there have five different lead guitarists and three different drummers in KISS). All of the original KISS members have sung lead vocals on various songs…but of the replacement members, only Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr have been allowed to sing lead (one song and two, respectively). Vinnie Vincent and Mark St. John never sang on a KISS album.

Anyways, I’m looking forward to hearing the new KISS album (and seeing the artwork)!

Have you ever owned a KISS album? Which one? Have you ever seen one of their amazing concerts? Which tour?
What’s your favorite KISS song?

Michael Doret interview

Michael Doret is the amazing artist who vast work includes the logo for the New York Knicks basketball team.

He also designed one of the most popular album covers for the band KISS…their 1976 “Rock And Roll Over” album.

And he’s even designed a cover for an issue of the Japanese magazine 「アイデア」 (Idea)!

Michael Doret did an interesting interview with me today.
It’s on the Interviews page of my website…Click here to read it.

…any fans out there who want to come by the studio to get their (Rock And Roll Over album) covers signed, they’re more than welcome!

Michael Doret

ニュース

Some items I’ve heard on the news recently:

• A woman in her fifties asked a man in his twenties to stop playing a noisy video game on a crowded commuter train in Saitama, Japan.
  At which, he became irate and insulting…and began to punch her in the face!
  He managed to break the woman’s jaw before other commuters restrained him!

• Another man in his twenties pushed a elderly woman off of a train platform in front of an oncoming train at 東京駅 (Tokyo Station).
  She was hit by the train…but luckily the train was already coming to a stop and her injuries weren’t life threatening! The man, of course, is being charged with attempted murder.

• Beginning April 1, 2009, Japan Railway (JR) train stations in Japan will become completely “smoke free“.
  Currently, every station has designated smoking areas…but starting next Wednesday (April 1), every station will be entirely “no smoking”.

• There is a new disturbing current trend among teenagers in America. It’s called “Sëxting“.
  “Sëxting” is the act of teenagers (usually girls) taking photos of themselves n@ked or semi-n@ked with their cell-phone camera and emailing them to friends.

• Toyota (currently the #1 car maker in the world) may be forced to help bail-out America’s “Big 3” car makers (Ford, GM, and Chrysler).

• The American rock band KISS is planning to release their first studio album of new songs in eleven years in September 2009.

KISSOLOGY in Japan

Gene Simmons is on the cover of this month issue of Burrn! magazine again.

Gene Simmons is the bass player in my favorite rock band, KISS. And Burrn! magazine is Japan’s best hard rock / heavy metal magazine.

The reason Gene Simmons is on the current cover of Burrn! is because KISS‘s comprehensive DVD set called “KISSology” will be released here in Japan this month.

KISSology vol.1

KISSology vol 2

KISSology vol 3

Thanks to my friend Masa for letting me know about this.
(BTW, I first met Masa ten years ago this week! (Masa, let’s go out for a beer soon!)).

Another Interview

I just added another email interview to my website’s “Interviews” page.

This interview is with Bruce Kulick.

Click here to read it.

I really love Japan and Tokyo is very fascinating.

[Bruce Kulick]