What have I gotten myself into?

Ever since I visited Japan a few years ago, I wanted to learn the language. On Tuesday I had my first Japanese course. The classes are in Japanese only, no English, German, whatsoever. I should have learned all the hiragana symbols before class but found that too boring. I thought: They will not use all the symbols in the first lesson, lets focus on the first 25. Bad idea!

After 30 min. we started to use ra and ro symbols which of yourse I didn’t know. Let alone how to write them. I was lost but cheated my way through the rest of the lesson.

The next class is tomorrow and to be prepared I’m hammering the hiragana symbols into my head. For them to stay forever. Period.

For your enjoyment: below are the numbers from 1 to 10 in romanji (spelling in brackets if different) and in hiragana. I’m not sure why 4, 7 and 9 need two different Japanese types. I know nothing. Now, please écoutez et répétez.

1 - iti (ichi) - いち
2 - ni - に
3 - san - さん
4 - si / yon - し / よん
5 - go - ご
6 - roku - ろく
7 - siti (sichi) / nana - しち / なな
8 - hati (hachi) - はち
9 - ku / kyuu - く / きゅう
10 - zyuu - じゅう

“I [saw] Michael Jackson sitting by the pool sippin’ lemonade”
DJ Whoo Kid

Michael Alig, Leigh Bowery and Amanda Lepore at the Joan Rivers Show in 1990.

(via papermag blogs, who are totally addicted to youtube, but I guess the first posting was over at wowreport, with an intro by James St. James, who’s on the show too)

The young Amanda says: “I don’t have any time to work, cause I’m to busy getting ready all the time or going out.”

More Leigh Bowery movies at showstudio.com. The voice overs are a bit spooky but I love the outfits in #2 and #4. (Thanks Brad).

Miami Ink is my new favourite TV show. It’s about this tattoo salon in Miami beach. The show is really fantastic. The customers tell a story why the want to get tattooed: For their album release they get the cover art, to remind them of friends and relatives, people choose family pictures, cartoon characters, flowers and a former drag queen gets her drag persona on his manly leg. I feel for the people. It’s deep.
One more good thing: Most of the girls coming to the salon fall in love with her tattooer. I’m totally feeling it.

I need some tats! NOW. Not sure who should do it, ’cause I definitely want to fall in love and check out the back of the salon. Darren Brass seems to be the best choice. “His teddy-bear looks have eased many a first-time client.”
Yes, he could ease my pain away. Yes.

So I have been thinking alot about my tattoo lately. What to get? What to get? Suddenly the music video, that changed my life, came to mind. Dreamlover by Mariah. It made me a fan. Ever since I saw the clip I wanted to live this dream. My friends, my pony, my dog, a hot-air balloon, nature, water, green grass, dancing. This is so me.
And to give the tattoo more of an edge, some images from the Butterfly video can only help. For sure.

Putting this all together the best ink would be a pony tail tattooed on my back. I will bring the little sketches I’ve drawn to the beauty salon. And maybe in the background of the tail a mural with images inspired by the videos. I would ask Kat von D to do a sketch and then decide on the spot. She is the coolest of the guys. I love her.
Now, head over to the Miami Ink shop and get me a koi t-shirt. You know how I love koi. Ink my ass!

Try the inky video links: one | two | three

I’ve been a fan of his creations for such a long time, I don’t know when it started. But I really got hooked when my dear friend Steffi showed me more of his stuff, especially the cloven-toe boots, which make me feel like a pony everytime I wear them.
Such a treasure.

Anyhoo, the man is very mysterious about himself. Hasn’t done an interview in 20 years. No photos. Finally, he has been stalked.

My favourtite fashion blog, paperblog, has a picture of Martin Margiela as he enters Maison Margiela in Paris.

Sozialkontakte ruinieren mein Leben.

Curated by John Waters. The list of movies is availabe at Here TV (text link), where the flicks will be shown with an introduction by John:
“Have faith in your own bad taste and see a fucked up movie.”

Be sure to watch the trailer for the series and tell me how many Comme des Garçons outfits John is wearing.

The lovely Prancy Boy invited me to dj with him at

Lot 16
1136 Queen Street W.
(Queen & Beaconsfield)

This Sunday night from 10 to 2.
Join us for the fun and some dancing!

I’ve been to a Hot Chip concert on Wednesday, where I got this totally verkiffte button. It was super. They rocked the house and their live beats are phatt, eh fat. Check them out while they are on tour.
…
Courtney Love heads back into the studio and says: “A lot of times rockers are trying to be cool so much they forget that the fundamental job is to be as vulnerable as possible. Really good comedians are sometimes more rock ‘n’ roll than rock ‘n’ rollers.”
…
What I forgot to tell you about Cuba. I touched a dolphin and it reminded me of washing a very ripe and soft eggplant. The circumstances leading to the touchy touchy are a bit embarrasing, so I can’t reveal them. But it involed me, sitting on a catamaran with an open bar together with lots of people who stayed at a tourist resort hotel thing. The glamour of it all!

Back in Toronto from our little Cuba holiday.

I love the Havana street life. To cool me off from all the hot guys, we drove around with Coco movil. But then, the drivers were hot, too. There was no escape.

First picture taken from the balcony of Casa Aurora (that’s where we stayed in Havana), overlooking Plaza del Cristo and the Capitolo Nacional.
Third picture taken at the Museo de los Orishas. More on Santeria.

I´m writing from Havana, Cuba. I had to take a short break from the Toronto winter. In every aspect it is muy caliente over here.

The only thing I miss are the honeymooners.
¿Como se llama esto en espanol?

Last Friday I djed at Acid Records for the second time.
Zorica organized another wonderful party.
Sharper pics after the jump.

Brenda and I

Read all of "At Acid Records"

1. Kerri Chandler - Halleluhjah (Kaoz Club Mix) - King Street
   Found this mid 90ties classic at a used record store. I was instantly blown away by the beats and lyrics.
2. Jam & Spoon feat. Plavka - Right In The Night (MK Mix) - Epic
   More 90ties stuff. Back then, I collected MK, but wasn’t aware of the Jam & Spoon remix. The song is a guilty pleasure for me, as I was always afraid to admit my love. The remix is classic Marc Kinchen, who is a cutie too. You may know his worldwide hit by the Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (listen at radio.club.blog). Hope he comes back to house music.
3. Hot Chip - Over And Over (Justus Köhncke’s Baking Horse Club Mix) - EMI UK
   Now that the mix has finally been released (with a different name, though) I had to put it on my charts a second time. It is so good. The Hot Chip tour will be hitting Toronto on March 15th.
4. Kerri Chandler - So Let the Wind Come (Remix) - Nitegrooves (no. 246)
   A new Kerri record with a straight beat. Good for learning how to beat mix if you ask me.
5. Fonda Rae - Over Like a Fat Rat - Vanguard Records
   You know I love this one.
6. Flat Pack - Sweet Child Of Mine (Mylo Club Mix) - Breastfed Recordings
   Wonderful electro cover of Guns’n'Roses.
7. Tiga - Good As Gold (Morgan Geist Monophonic Mix) - PIAS
8. Rihanna - S.O.S. (Rescue Me) - DefJam
   Sounds like a mash-up. This is going to be a hit. For sure. Not only because of the Tainted Love sample. Stream available at her website.
9. Felix (Arthur Russell & Nicky Siano) - Tigerstripes - Sleeping Bag Records
10. Prince - Black Sweat - Universal/NPG
11. Romanthony - Falling From Grace (Murk Main Mix) - Azuli
    Even more 90ties. I love Romanthony and the Murk boys. Again, didn’t get the remix back then, here it is available as a mp3 download. The original version is fabulous too. The whole Azuli backcatalog seems to be up for download at juno, btw.

Limited mp3: Jam & Spoon - Right In The Night (MK Mix)
Buy: CA / DE

Right in the night you’ll find
That if you wanna fall in love, you fall in love

Watch Brokeback Mountain re-enacted by Bunnies in 30 seconds.
(Spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen it yet. I heard it starts in Germany next week.)
Thanks again to Magic Mike who hooked me up with the bunnies last year.