Another week, another lifetime. And you certainly couldn't beat the weekend we've had! Friday was epic beyond all comparison and was kicked off with a very early morning trip to go fetch a certain Mr. Krafty Kuts from the airport! His 9am arrival was greeted by two very sleepy members of the Tokyo crew, who whisked him off through the rainy Joburg weather to an equally sleepy Melville guest house. Trust Joburg weather to be crap everytime you fetch a first time visitor to South Africa!
After a cup of coffee at the local Mugg 'n Bean we headed off to the Lion Park on the other side of Honeydew. You can't beat taking a tourist to play with lion cubs, and then drive through the lion enclosures in which full grown male lions rub up against your car! Priceless! And a little frightening (even for jaded South Africans!)
And the man himself? He loved every moment of it! And what a guy he is... The man is a legend, an institution, but in the same breath one of the most down-to-earth, humble and all round laid back people you ever wish to meet! He was happy to just sit and chat and share tales of his life. And what a life it sounds like: just last weekend he was playing in Canada and after visiting Bloemfontein, Durban and Cape Town, he's off to play in Miami! We can't wait for his next visit to SA, especially as we definitely feel we've made ourselves a new, awesome friend from Brighton, England!
But the day wasn't over yet, after some evening cat naps we headed off to Carfax to celebrate Tokyo Star's 5th Birthday in style! 
And with Krafty Kuts on the decks you really couldn't ask for more style! Its always so awesome to see the Carfax dancefloor as busy as it was, but it was just as satisfying to hear Krafty say he really enjoyed the vibe and had a really good night, this coming from a man who regularly plays to 10s of thousands of people...
What a killer night, not to be forgotten any time soon. Big ups to Krafty Kuts - good luck for the rest of your time in SA, and come back soon!
A mention of all the other acts which made Friday night so unforgettable must be made before we move on. The main floor was opened by Richard the Third, Push 'n Shove and the Real Estate Agents, while the Tokyo floor kept our regulars dancing with tunes from Tomkat, The Klassikist, Fokolnonsens and a guest appearance from the mercurial ADI Loveland. The courtyard was kept cooking by the Reflex Crew, Blunted Stuntman and Afro Whitie!
Speaking of Richard the Third, he is our official DJ of the week this week! Check out his interview:
And with Krafty Kuts on the decks you really couldn't ask for more style! Its always so awesome to see the Carfax dancefloor as busy as it was, but it was just as satisfying to hear Krafty say he really enjoyed the vibe and had a really good night, this coming from a man who regularly plays to 10s of thousands of people...What a killer night, not to be forgotten any time soon. Big ups to Krafty Kuts - good luck for the rest of your time in SA, and come back soon!
A mention of all the other acts which made Friday night so unforgettable must be made before we move on. The main floor was opened by Richard the Third, Push 'n Shove and the Real Estate Agents, while the Tokyo floor kept our regulars dancing with tunes from Tomkat, The Klassikist, Fokolnonsens and a guest appearance from the mercurial ADI Loveland. The courtyard was kept cooking by the Reflex Crew, Blunted Stuntman and Afro Whitie!
Speaking of Richard the Third, he is our official DJ of the week this week! Check out his interview:
Quickfire Boiling Pot
fave cartoon character:
Homestar Runner.
fave international act:
Of the ones I’ve seen, and want to see again, I would have to say To Rococo Rot.
fave dinosaur:
Diplodocus.
fave local act:
340 mil.
fave boardgame:
Star Wars Monopoly.
fave CD of all time:
Ahh, what a hard one. Umm, I’ll say the Doors, the Doors because it’s the first album I fell in love with and so I’ve loved it the longest.
fave drinking game:
The one where you go; ‘I went to the sexshop and I bought a porno movie’ and then the next person goes; ‘I went to the sexshop and I bought a porno movie and edible underwear’ and so on and eventually you can’t remember all the things and then you have to drink. Hmmm, I wonder if that was actually a drinking game…
Intense Intimidating Questionnaire:
1. when did you first realise you had a DJ living inside you?I think it was when I attended the Red Bull Music Academy in 2004. They made me play music at these styling bars in Rome, despite the fact that I was just a music producer at the time, and it was so much fun that I decided to give it a go.But it could have been when I heard this voice in my head go; ‘I am a DJ living inside of you, if you do not let me take over your very being, I will drive you insane by playing an endless mix of Springbok cover hits’. And so I let it take over.
2. what do you love most about tokyo star?
The fact that if someone comes up to you and goes; ‘Can’t you play some R&B?’, you can say back to them; ‘No, get lost. This is one of the only venues in Joburg that plays alternative party music.’ and then just to scare them off even more, you play something really scary like Crystal Castles. Heh, heh.
3. what's playing in your car?
I’m listening to a pre-mastered copy of my own album that I’ve finished producing called, ‘Third World From the Sun’ cause as DJ Premier said, ‘You have to bump your beats in your ride before you know that they’re ready’, something like that.
4. what do you want to achieve with your music and DJ skills?
I want to make and release music as a music producer guy, but as a DJ I just want to rock the party with rad music that is both accessible but also interesting and fresh and sometimes just plain crazy. I also want to remix every artist that I like.
5. tell us the craziest thing that ever happened with a groupie of yours?
I got so drunk DJing at a Goldfish party one time that once my set was over I didn’t really know what was going on. Someone loved my set and invited me to go and snort cocaine with them (as people do). I stumbled outside to an isolated balcony section of the venue where people did blow regularly. The guy kept his coke in a small tin, and for not apparent reason I threw the tin off the balcony. Luckily he had already taken his drugs out, but needless to say that he wasn’t a Richard the Third fan after that. Oh and to all the kids; don’t do drugs, get high on life, etc.
6. who is Richard the Third?
Richard the Third is ‘a self-confessed musical schizo’ according to Unsound System. I agree.
7. how long have you been coming to tokyo? tell us WHY?!
Since it first opened I think. Because it felt like being in Cape Town but in Joburg. No seriously it was just what Joburg needed at the time. Cutting edge design, rad music, cool people. Essentially what Tokyo Star has always been :)
8. any upcoming events we should know about?
I got holiday gigs coming up, most notably Petting Zoo on the 7th of Dec, where I'm going head to head with Data Takashi, and the Electro vs Rock gig at Carfax on the 8th (I’m rooting for electro). If you down in Cape Town come and listen to me at the momentus Rollercoaster gig with such amazing bands as 340ml, Desmond and the Tutus and the Black Hotels, or at Long Street's hottest club, Fiction on the 22nd of Dec.
9. describe your style....
SL magazine described my style as ‘a gluttonous mix of pop and electronica’ which I think is pretty accurate. At Tokyo Star on a Friday I kick off with Hiptronica (think Sibot and the Real Estate Agents) and then move onto mid-tempo remixes of well know tunes such as my own remix of 340 ml (check out my Myspace profile) to hook people onto the floor and then pick up the energy with electro (think Tokyo Thursday). Later in the night I'm prone to playing old school soul and hip-hop cause thats what the crowd often wants. Wherever I play it’s a variation of this kind of music ;)
To hear Richard the Third’s own music, check out his gig-guide or tease and harass him go to his myspace profile at www.myspace.com/richardthaiiird
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