All I can do is wait and try to keep myself warm.

Spring will be here soon!

The three days we played shows with Motion City were so much fun! On the last day at Osaka, I was on the side of the stage, heart pounding, before SE's 'Little Bitch' began.
Thanks so much everyone!

The after-party lasted until the morning.

People who work in music really do love music. Everyone danced until dawn, as if they could just forget about today.

I just took my first bath at home in a long time, doing the sudoku book I got in the US, and before I realized it, I got all faint. Apparently I was in the bath for an hour.

It made me think that it may be time I had a talk with my other self.
I bet you all should too.

Yes!

Saki, Leader and I went to Harajuku. Not really to shop, more just to wander around.

Clothing stores, drug stores, book stores, they're all treasure troves of ideas. I don't mean specifically how ideas form, but I think that they help activate the areas of the brain for imagining things.

You can lose an entire day just walking around and looking at stuff. How wonderful!

Tomorrow we've got another show with Motion City Soundtrack! And it's time to say good bye to the Leo Palace apartment we've been in for about a month. I just finished cleaning it all.

It was so much fun!

Tomorrow we've got another show with Motion City Soundtrack!
The after-party the other night was crazy!

NAGOYA PEOPLE! And Osaka People too! Wait for us, okay?

Hello!
We're traveled around and now we're back in Tokyo.

We're almost at the last part.

This tour was so important to Oreska now.

Because we got to go to places we'd never been before, or places we hadn't been to in 3 years, and promise to go to those places more often.

The tour happened later than we'd expected, and none of us, members or staff, was happy about that, but I guess that's life. Things happen.

So I'm feeling so refreshed right now! Meeting all those people has erased all the unnecessary things from me.

I'm changing. I'm giving it my all.
And the other girls, and all of you, you can change too.

I want you all to listen to 'Jitensha'! Except it's not out yet!

Tomorrow is our last day in Kyushu, so we're in Fukuoka now.

I always room with Saki at hotels, but for some reason we've all got our own room in Fukuoka, and it would be boring in this room even if the toilet overflowed into the bathroom. It's just kind of sad.

That's what the Kyushu shows make me think about.

We sang 'Almond' for the first time in forever, and this part really resonated:

'Pressing my hand to my eyes
I first realized how often we blink
I laughed until my cheeks hurt'

I wrote that 6 years ago, when I was 15.
I wrote the lyrics because Ikasu was in love with rock clubs at the time, and said she wanted to do a slow rock song where she could scream 'Yay!'
I don't remember much else about it though.

But it's still so important!

Kumamoto, Oita, Nagasaki, thank you all so much!

I can't wait for out show in Fukuoka tomorrow!

I was in the hotel room all day today, so tomorrow I'm definitely eating Mentaiko!

No matter what!

Yesterday I wrote a post before bed time, and I was so tired that I accidentally erased it. Oops.

My post was about the New York Burger. I think the title was 'I love Mc Donalds!' . And I think I wrote a passionate discourse on the teriyama fried egg burger. I think I was half dreaming when I wrote it.

Oh yeah, our tour info is up! Where we'll be going with who, etc. I know you're all probably sick of us writing about it, but I can't wait for it.

I mean, this is our first big Japanese tour since our WAO!! tour. We were 18 then.

And now...after Ikasu has her birthday the week after next, we'll all be 21. Oreska is really grown up! Hee hee

I'm going to start looking for places I want to go in each town.

And now, I'm off to Tokyo.

I suddenly remembered I had to organize my receipts, so I'm doing that, while listening to The Monkees.

I'm sleepy, but it needs to get done!

I'm going to Tokyo the day after tomorrow, and I don't know when we'll be back, so I have to do it.

I makes me remember when I was in school, I never didn't my homework.

I always put things off and procrastinate, so now I've got a lot I need to get done.

I'll just start at the beginning and get it all done!

And a song called '(I'm not your）Steppin' Stone' just came on.

Shower of Power!
That's what I feel like now.

Our show is getting closer, and I'm so excited. I have so many ideas!

I want to hear everyone's voices. I haven't talked about music with the other girls, or our production team or managers in so long!

So I want to play a show and hear the voices of everyone there!

That's all right now, I think. Whatever comes after, we can think about then.

I'm lonely!

How are you all doing!?

The politicians seems so busy with their own thing. Maybe I just feel that way because of the news.

But I feel like the earthquake in Haiti is treated like an afterthought, and I really don't like that,

It's been 15 years since the Kobe earthquake.
I was only 6 year old, and I was here in Osaka, and I that night I was sleeping soundly so I don't remember much.

But I feel like the older I get, the more real the earthquake feels to me. I think it's partially because I've got people telling me about it, whether on TV or through talking to people from Kobe, or playing a show last year at Meriken Park.

There is so much we need to know more about. So much we need to know the truth about.

Lately I've been working on things until morning. A day isn't long enough.

Good Morning!

Sorry for the continued posts.

In the New Year I was a guest on Mari Yamazoe's radio show, and now FM802 plays the song 'Dance NUmber 802' every single day!!

When I wrote the song, I didn't set out to write a song for 802.

Ikasu brought me a melody she wrote after being inspired by the movie 'HAIRSPRAY', and I wanted to write lyrics about a girl going to a club or a show or something, and just how excited she was.

I started thinking about the image I have of that time period in my head, and about the way things are now, and I felt like people's feelings towards different things are getting more superficial.

Even when it comes to music.

Without getting into anything too complicated, let's just say that I don't want that! This is the time we're living in! So I want our hearts to dance!

That's what I was feeling when I wrote the song.

that's why it's a dance number.

The girl in the song gets in her car to go out, and the song plays from 802 FM.

That's why it's 'Dance Number 802'.

I hope that explains it...

So many things are connected to this song in my head and when i try to explain it all, it just gets more confusing.

But I did a lot of thinking about this song during the New Year, and I realized how naturally 802FM is a part of our lives!

I mean, I've been listening to it every since I was little!

So it was just so cool for me that this song is actually getting played on 802 FM!

Somehow this entry got really long, but that's all I wanted to say!

Eek!

Good night!

Our funky monster baby-chan is 21!
Congratulations, and Hello!

I always feel like there are flowers blooming ta Saki's feet.

So I hope she moves all over while she's 21! The more Saki walks, the more flowers will bloom, and it will all be like a field of flowers!

I hope that this year we're surrounded by the colorful flowers Saki makes bloom.

FLiP has come to Osaka from Okinawa to do a show tomorrow, so we went out drinking. I learned that FLiP are really carnivorous girls!

They'll be making their major label debut with a mini ALBUM release on 2/3!
I already heard the music and it's so cool!

I love Yuumi's drumming because it's really unique and has this really cool strength to it. Just like Yuumi herself.

I hope I'll be able to drum like that that someday!

The band met at our old Denny's for the first time in a while.

We talked about our dreams for this year, and the dreams we had yesterday, and we were in the restaurant for 7 and a half hours! We've spent most of the year together every single day for several years now, so that's what happens when we don't see each other for about 10 days.

Ikasu seems to have totally beaten the virus and we're finally going back to the way things usually are.

The teens. A century ago, there was a huge war.

Happy New Year!

I want to make each day count. I won't be 21 forever. These days won't last forever.

Today is my life.
Today is your life.

If it's a happy day your life is happy, if it's a sad day your life is sad.
It's every changing like the weather.
But it's not the weather that makes the day.
If it goes well or doesn't go well, it's not the weather's fault.

To tell you the truth, 2009 isn't over in my head!

I feel like I was always watching in 2009. Always watching and not being able to do anything - I think that's the most humiliating thing of all.

So 2010 is the second half of the battle for me.

I'd fed up with just being a spectator!

Have a good day!

The pond slider turtle my little brother won at a summer festival has been really lonely, so I bought another to keep him company.

My brother just got his driver's license, so he'd been driving around in my green car, which means I've been riding around Sakai on my green bicycle.

He's been all into driving, so I wasn't sure if he'd want a turtle from his big sister, but when he got home, he was really happy.

No matter how old he gets, he'll always be my little brother.

But the sight of the two turtles drying on the land in the aquarium is two times is two times as depressing!
Good night!

Who knew I loved doing shows so much!
What's this feeling!?

I was remembering how happy I got as an elementary school student when the flu was going around.

Now I'm feeling the complete opposite!

I feel like there are lot of things I would have gone my whole life without understanding, if Ikasu hadn't come down with the H1N1 flu.

So many people were affected by it, but that's why I realized so much.

On Christmas Even, the virus everyone's talking about moved my heart.

Going back and forth.

And we had to put off the red and green music, but I want to use these feelings when it comes time to do next year's shows.
I'll be waiting with bells on!

Oreska Band will do it!

It's the end of the year!

There's so much I don't want to forget about this year. Let's all take care of ourselves so we don't get sick. That's so important.

We've only got a few more shows this year!
We're going until the bitter end!

We've got that day sandwiched between shows (Shinsaibashi is the 24th and
Kichijoji is the 26th) so we'll bring you some red and green music.

Here we go!

Tomorrow we've got a show. We can finally see you guys!!

Today we went out to eat and then out drinking, with our engineer Kanou-san. He told me all kinds of things that really made me think.

Speaking of which, Kanou-san re-started his blog! Bookmark it!

http://blog.m.livedoor.jp/ggkr1994/

There's a ton of photos of Oreska there!

Heh heh

Tomorrow! We'll be there!

The night before last, Tomi and I went on a drive at night and listened to the songs for the album which will be done soon. To the songs we've been working on all year. They're overflowing with so many thoughts.

And I've been in live mode since yesterday.
Yeah. Even though it's kind of late.

But!

It's good!

Like Ikasu said in her blog, it's pretty good!
It's all right!

Tomorrow, after we're done in the studio, I'm going to see Itou Fumio play live. I can't wait!

And I'll get to see Tatsu-san, because apparently he's playing bass!

I'm hungry so I'm going to go sleep now.

Good night!

Vroom Vroom!

Today we had the best vocal recording since Oreska began!

I love you, Ikasu!

There's a plane flying around my heart right now, and it's never going to fall.

My plane got off the ground a little late, but it can't fall now.

I had that epiphany last night.

Where is it headed to?

We started recording again! yesterday we did the rhythm section, today we're taking a break and tomorrow we're recording the horns and the vocals.

The recording went well. Tomi really understand me and believes in me, and lifts me up.

I can't wait to see how things will turn out tomorrow! Where this love will take us!

My tech Tohru-san (I can't play my drums without him!) went through all this trouble to bring cymbals, and they're glittering so brightly they filled the studio with love!

I'm going to glitter too!

We've been in the studio every day so I haven't really found much to write about.

Isn't Moriko's photo blog great? And so is everything her photos show.

I was trying to figure out why, and I feel like the answer is going to be huge.

The night was so exciting.

I always get the urge to have udon noodles at night. Especially if they get a little soggy! I'm working on a bunch of stuff now.

Today has been a pretty good day.

Lately I've been really into traditional Japanese music. I went on the internet and made a few impulse purchases of some used records, and I got them today!

But I didn't have time to listen to them, so I went to the studio still excited about them. The song is coming along really well (It really is!) and then I hurried home and put the records on, and my mom danced next to me.

The one I was looking to most was the live recording of 'Lily', and it was great! And I also found a lot of records we had at home too!

Music really is what makes me feel happy.

How is everyone!?
I'm doing well! So well I can't sleep!
Hurrah for Insomnia!
When I sleep I can't wake up!

Lately I'm either in the studio, in the house or in a family restaurant. I'm a total resident of Sakai: I never go more than 10 minutes from my house.

Oh, but I did go tangerine picking the other day.
I'd never gone before and I'd always wanted to.
I got so into it I ended up having a ton of tangerines to bring home.
That's practically all I've been eating at home.

Tomorrow work finally takes me over the Yamato River. I'm excited!

We've been in the studio making songs.

Lately we've been writing songs differently. We've been writing the lyrics first.

It's amazing to watch those words gradually become songs.

It makes me so happy to see them grow stronger through everyone's emotions. We can shine more!

Oh! Also! I think we'll announce our December show soon!
It's a little late, but let's have fun!

Lately there's been so much sad news.

I rememeber when I was little, I always asked my mom, "How come they show the News on TV so many times every single day?" How would she know, right?

We got back home to Osaka, and today we all went into the studio together for the first time in a while. It was my first time playing drums in a while.

When I check the balance of the sound to begin with, I usually play 'Chameleon' for some reason, and that kind of got me pumped.

Before I went into the studio I went to see John B Chopper and Mikio Ito at BIG CAT. They were so cool!

I checked to see if they have a show soon but it doesn't look like there's anything planned. Let's look into that.

Ikasu and I have been in Tokyo since the 4th. We're writing music. We've borrowed the help of that shining person, and we're excited over all the different viewpoints.

Today we're working on our own. I wanted to write some new lyrics, but I played around with the song we're making now and got stuck.

I want to do this not right, but in a way that I enjoy.

What's right changes all the time.
Things change now.
So I want to trust what I like and what I enjoy.

We're staying in Shibuya, and the hotel has a great view. Around 3 the sun was right by the side of the building and it was so pretty!

I wish I could have shown it to you guys.

Today our month of shows are over. I got a lot from it, both joy and regrets. I wonder when you'll be listening to it all.

Our last show was at Visual Arts, and it was built by many students. I was so happy they let us play for them!

I went back home, when to the Quattro, and went to Minami Wheel. I saw Black Cat Chelsea, and OKAMOTO'S. They were both really cool.

The Visual Arts students and those two bands are all younger than I am. I know that, but I can't really believe it.

I learned a lot today.

The show today was so much fun!

It was our second time playing the hatch. I could see the hall really well from where I was standing.

We went home to Sakai leaving the rest to see off the last trains. Tomorrow we have to wake up early to play at at school festival for Visual Arts.

Ooh, I really wanted to hang out until morning too!

Recently, every time I play a show, I think 'Today's was our best yet!' So I can't wait for tomorrow's show! And it's Halloween!

キャンディーよりも嬉しい音とは何やろうね！？

On my walk to the station we where supposed to meet up at today, I saw the biggest black cat I've ever seen. I actually found myself freezing, thinking it was a baby panther!

That's the kind of fun I've been having lately.

I've been talking with the other members about what makes us sad, and why we enjoy the things we do, and I feel like it's all come clear now, and everything seems so new and fresh!

That's why I can play the shows I do, and lately we've been trying out all kinds of things at shows, and it really just gives me a thrill!

That's the thrill I got at Nagoya today!

There must be I reason for everything.
The important thing is to really face that reason head on.
Facing something means not running from it.
Not pretending you don't notice it.

I love the afternoon TV because there's so many suspenseful shows.

The show in Kobe was really inspiring. I could you all found something too. You can see places in the roads around Meriken Park where that were damaged by the earthquake, and seeing them taught me a lot.

Thanks so much!

Tomorrow we play with the 50RPMS. Finally! I'm so happy!

And Kano-san might come to Sakai tonight!?

I cleaned my room! I just thought it was time.

Then I turned the lights off and had some of the Macallan whiskey my manager gave me for my birthday.

And then I remembered about the tears I saw recently.

They really were the most beautiful thing in the world, because there was no lies in them.

So I want to bring you tears. Along with what comes after. The truth is always in the music!

Today we have a show in Kobe. I can't understand Kobe's tears no mater how hard I think about them, but I do know it means
NO MUSIC,NO KOBE

Today we met to discuss plans for next year, at our old Denny's.

I got the feel there will be big changes. When I say big, I mean like yesterday's typhoon.

A little bit of wind blows everyday, but I want to set the gales blowing!

No matter what my hopes are, the results are right before us.

I wonder how far we'll be able to send our Tropical Cyclone

It might blow you away!

All of us a always a little blue.

I don't think now that anyone could be smiling 24 hours a day. And that's why we search for happiness, like Saki said.

But sometimes we can't get it, and sometimes searching for it just makes us sadder. Since I learned that, I've been confused.

But I decided not to lie about that. Because it's not a mistake to want happiness.

That's why I put all that into a melody, and jet wave it out during a show.

That's all I can do now! That's what I thought during this 3 days of shows.

Thanks so much!

The show was so much fun! Tomi's bass was speaking to me and it made me happy. I'm so glad we got to see Scott again.

I was hanging near the merch area and people came to talk to me, and I was able to talk to all of them a little bit. Thanks so much!

Today is the SHAKA LABBITS event. Tomi and Saki and I really looked up to them even before we started Oreska Band, so it's a big thing. What will happen today??

Thanks for all your birthday wishes! I'm so happy!
I went to Tokyo for Friday and Saturday. I went to see the BAWDIES, saw some friends, went to an Ebisu Rock event, went to the sister store of Red Shoes since it was the owner Mon-chan's birthday, slept in a Manga Cafe, woke up and went to the Kanou-san's studio to take peek in WEDNESDAY's recording session, and got back to Osaka at 4 am. Moriko and Ikasu and some friends from middle school were waiting for me and we all ate cake.

I went to so much that wish I cold write about everything, but it would be too much! So many people wished me happy birthday, and some funny things happened and it was just a really wonderful and inspiring weekend!

For some reason lately I have all these dreams where I'm angry. I just start yelling at people and the other day I had a dream where I punched someone!
I felt like I was seeing a side of myself I'd never seen, and it was kind of scary.

I wonder if that's a good start to my 21st year?

The show was so much fun!

Lately I've come to realize that the reason we can do music now is because of all the people who have done it before us.

So I wanted to communicate my thanks and respect to all those people during this show.

And this week I've been awake for 38 hours and asleep for 10. I know it's not good for my body, but I can't stop!

So tonight I'm going to sleep for sure!

The sky is blue! I've been looking forward to this day!

Since our show last month in Shibuya, between the days when my heart felt dead, and the days that shone so brightly. I was waiting!

I can't wait to see everyone!!

Good night!

I got inspired by Saki's blog, so I'm painting my nails, while listening to Akimi Inoue. I'm paining them navy blue. I've always loved that color, and it's so beautiful that our soon to be birthday girl Moriko has the same color. Paint a coat, let it dry, paint another coat,and gradually the color gets darker. I love that. The blueish image of 'Tsumasaki' was inspired by this nail polish, I think!

The season's changing, so be careful not to catch a cold! I'm going to stay healthy for our concert!

I can't dance well all alone!
by Akimi Inoue

I'm writing new songs, as usual.

Surprisingly, Ikasu is awake (the Ikasu in my head sleeps half the day) and we've been exchanging songs and lyrics over the computer.
When you get so involved in something, time passes really quickly, and my body and head are tired.

I want to pound the drums!
I and I want everyone to see!
I wanna play a show!
I can't wait for the 18th!

I think I'll sleep well tonight.

Lately I've been staying in Sakai. I've been in the studio every day. Today after we finished at the studio, I was invited by a band kid the same age as me to go dancing at the hall he was DJing at.

The people around me know about all this great music I don't know about yet. It's really stimulating to find out about it in such a fun way. On the way home from the studio, there's a small bridge nearby Sakai Station that always pass, with a statue of an American (I think) gazing at the sky. Sometimes drunken old men talk to it sadly, or a janitor is polishing it up...It's a real landmark here in Sakai, this Westerner, and sometimes I find myself wanting to go stand next to it and look up at the sky too.

The other say, I was talking with someone about what exactly he's gazing at. I thought he was gazing at his homeland America, but he's faces West, so it's the wrong direction. On the way home today there a full moon shining in the sky, and I finally got it. He's gazing at the moon. I told tae-chan and she says he's watching the rising sun. I think this is the kind of thing that really makes Sakai great.

I was a sponge today. I went to a show and I soaked up music.

First, I went to see a band called freedom, for the first time in about three years. Freedom is the band of an old friend of mine, and no matter what anyone says or how much time has passed, some things are just good. The band that played before them, ecosystem, was one I'd never seen because and they were so exciting. I loved the singer's spiky hair and voice.

After, I peeked in at WEDNESDAY's show, thanks to my connection to Kanou-san. They were like Whoa! I can't explain it very well. They're a really new band for me. I hope we can play with them!

I just want to see all of them! It was so much fun!

On the way home from Sakai Station, I looked at the BBS. Thanks so much for everything! Come see us! We'll come see you! It's so great to have people you want to see. Especially if I'm someone that someone wants to see.

Lately Ikasu and I have been working on some songs. We just want to do what we want to do. It's not so easy!

、
Yeasterday our worldy engineer Kanou-san took me to see ISAMU KATAYAMA's movie, "ARTISANAL LIFE" Both the movie and the music and
ISAMU KATAYAMA were really wonderful! Then I went to the afterparty, where I met a lot new people, saw a lot of acquaintances, and had a lovely night.

Today Leader and I went to RUSH BALL! We went to learn things and ended up dancing a long. We met even more new people here. It was really a wonderful weekend!

I wonder why it's always so hard to explain wonderful things like this? I don't know, but I guess I'll just have to try to convey it through music!

This must be what they mean when they talk about twinkling! The twinkling knows the darkness!

Today we did mixing. So many songs filled with so many emotions from so many people were born today. It's a miracle! I can't express it in words! I can't help but think about you'll all think when you hear them.

Oh, I feel the same way as Ikasu does about night time. I always knew that nighttime was the best time to write lyrics, but recently I figured out why! Because you can see too well during the day!

If you're trying to let your imagination go, it's best when you can't see anything too clearly. Because a lot of the time the things you see get in the way.

Also, it's not good to hear too much. When you can hear the sounds of people going about their daily lives, they can get into your imaginings too.

So that's why, when you need to concentrate and imagine things, it's best to do it on a dark, quiet night.

But maybe it's also because without the darkness, you can't see the twinkling!

Summer Sonic was amazing! Today was a really special day for Oreska Band. We got to play Summer Sonic, and the SPECIALS played it too! MONKEY MAN is made for a day like this!

We got to put on a good show, and so many people came to watch us even though it was our first time playing the festival. And after it was over, I got to talk to Joan Jett and the SPECIALS. サマソニ最高でAnd I got to see a bunch of people I don't get to see that often.

There's no way all of that could be a coincidence! Far more people than I can imagine have come together to bring Oreska to where we are today. Really. Every thing is connected.

The good feeling I had wasn't wrong after all!

Good morning!

I drank to much.

We finished recording yesterday and we all went to this bar called Red Shoes.

I don't know how it happened by at some point Ikasu had a guitar and was singing, and tatsu-san was DJing, and Leader kept going 'Chhk! Chkk!' It was a really crazy situation.

I don't know how long it's been since I laughed so hard! I was so happy.

I want to shine! The neon signs of the night time city are only beautiful with the dark.

I didn't realize until I read Tomi's blog, but it's July 7th, isn't it?

I think that wishes aren't something that come true, I think they're something you make happen.

Are you all wishing for something?
I forgot about it for a long time, and for a while I was really worried about things.

I think the least we can do is look up at the sky once and a while, and make a wish.

Tomorrow we've got a show.

On the news last night I saw something about a telephone pole falling down. Nothing hit it, but the iron telephone pole had rotted and finally fallen down. They said on TV that they thought the cause was dog's marking it. Urine has salt in it so it corrodes iron. They scolded the dog owners a little.

And on the way home from the studio today, I saw a guy park his car, and pee on the side of the road.

If us humans don't watch out, the dogs will get angry at us for being weird..

I want to rock! I want to dance!

That's what's in my head as I write songs. But it's not going very well.

We're all getting so greedy. What I want to get across is so simple, but then I add mixers and simulators and see what's left, and then do it all over again. That's what it's like.

And the music grows warmer. I think it's about to boil. Maybe too much.

But the staff have really good vibes. You can feel vibes even if you're apart.

I hope you guys can al feel these vibes.

Our 2 DAYS show is over.

Thank you so much to Kyoto's SOMETHING RIOT, and congrats on your 4 month long tour!

It reminded me of Warped Tour somehow. I hadn't every forgot about it, but it made me remember it. It keeps on getting bigger even after it's been over for so long.

And Nagoya SAKAE SPRING. The show started with Saki's MC: "There's too much I want to say that I can't put it into words, so we put it into music."
We played our new song 'ORESKA MUSIC' at both shows. The six of us are Oreska Band. I think the meaning of that will just keep on broadening. That's what it made me think.

Lately, I've been thinking about how now that I get grown up acne, it takes longer for the skin to get better. Blah. And I wondered if this is what being an adult means, but somehow, I still found myself using my little brothers Clearasil. This is my very last resistance.

Our solo tour has started. We've done shows in Kobe before, and this was our second show in Kyoto, but it was the first time we had no other bands with us. I got a really good sense of both towns as places, of their distinctive atmospheres, which was really fun! They're in the prefecture just next to ours, so I assumed I knew all about them, which I regret. What a wonderful world! Meeting new people is just a great thing. I love the way Takutaku smells.

Oh, also, sorry to Daniel, who wrote on our message board. The staff told me to be careful how I threw my sticks before the show started. I hope no one was injured.

It's morning now. Time for Moriko to get up. It's time for me to go to sleep.

April 15th. What a wonderful day.

The release day for What a Wonderful World vol.2 is finally here. I've been waiting for it for so long, and then all of a sudden it was like, 'It's tomorrow!' I feel like it's the day before graduation.

We're sticking with the same message from our album last year. 'What a Wonderful World!'

Since we released WAO!!, we've met new people, went to all kinds of places, officially become adults, and that's the answer we've found.

I still don't really know much about the world, or my own world. Everything that's happened in this two years has made me realize that, but it's also taught me what a wonderful thing that is.

I hope that the 12 songs we've written during those two years will resonate with you...

We've been pretty busy lately. How are you all?
Saying good bye and getting things ready and having allergies, and all of that but Oreska had a lot of shows.

The first half of the battle is over, and I'm raring to go for tomorrow.

I'm sure you all know, but there's so much about to begin.

It's your choice to do it or not do it.

We're starting from this tiny tour.

Zoom zoom

It was our first show in the Sakai Community Center since last year. I was so nervous before the show began. And Tomi was next to me talking about her plans for the day after tomorrow. Haha.

I think people who came to the show know, but starting this month, we've put a new song called 'What a Wonderful World' into out set list.

I'd been wanting to make this song since Warped Tour, and when we got back from the tour, we went right into the studio and wrote it. Greg and Brian (he plays Guitar for Save Ferris) gave me ideas for it, and it passed through a lot of other people's hands too, and finally we can play it at shows.

It will be included on vol.2 which comes out April 15th. I don't know if I should really talk about it before it comes out, but I really really wanted to put all those things I was feeling into a song, and I think it came out really well, so I'm really happy with it. I can't wait for the release date. I'm even more impatient than usual!

Also, since last month we've got a new member of our team called Murai-san. Murai-san is the one who DJ'd before the show we did that other day. He looks kind of scary. haha. But I think he's the biggest gentleman at Terry Dollar.

We'll steal amazing music from Murai-san and become even better!

Wow this post got long. Yuck.

After our show we walked back to our hotel, and I realized something. It's really hard to walk on snow!

We slipped and slid all over the place. I'm so amazed that so many people came to see us in that cold weather over that slippery snow!

I was happy we got to play our new song. I felt like a door opened up inside my heart.

I might go to see someone now, and somone might come to hang out. I'm excited.

Anyway, Hokkaido was so beautiful. I hope I can become that beautiful.

DREAMS COME TRUE's single 'GOOD BYE MY SCHOOL DAYS' is on sale now!
The b-side is our cover of the song, called 'GOOD BYE MY SCHOOL DAYS~Oreska Style~'。

Before we listened to the original, Nakamura-san came into the studio and talked to us. All about how Miwa Yoshida wrote this song when she graduated from high school, how DTC was formed after that, all kinds of things too numerous to write here. It was really movie.

I decided to think about what he said then, 'We want students to play this song', and not try to think too deeply about the song, and just stay honest with the cover.

It's a very warm song.

I hope you all like it.

Yesterday was the Dainoji Rock Fest, which I'd been looking forward to for so long.

All of the bands we played with were totally cool. I had a really good time during the DJ's set. I can't wait for the Osaka date.

In the first month of the new year, I've been drinking, writing lyrics, sweating it out at the studio, and getting goose bumps watching Obama's inaugural address.

What a Wonderful World vol.2 is going to be a little late. (Sorry!) I think it will be pounding through your speakers this spring.

A lot has happened, but it's all been so magical, and I've been so inspired to turn it all into music.

Change the negative to the positive!

CHANGE！！！

I'm so tired. But I love Oreska Band. We have so much fun.

Our new song is done. Even as I wonder 'How's it gonna come out?' our imaginations soar. Tomorrow, Today and Yesterday, they're all linked.

I've been doing some reading lately. Reading is really important to me.

Oh, Billy Joel is singing on TV. It's a concert. He sounds great. Nice! I'm jealous!

Hello! Things have been kind of crazy lately. It's exciting, but all of us are getting tired. But I think this kind of thing is necessary from time to time. It's a fight with outselves.

Most importantly, 'What a Wonderful World! vol.1' came out!

Everything we've felt in the year and a half since our album WAO!! came out and everything we're feeling about the future is in these songs. I've been waiting for this day for so long that I can barely believe that these songs are blaring out of all of your speakers right now.

We learned a lot through making this album. I don't know how many people bought the record today or tomorrow, but I'm so excited to know what those people are thinking about it. I've never felt like this before.

I wonder if this is what you feel like when you send a love letter? Our love letters only go one way, but I really do want to know. Up 'til now when I wrote songs I would just write any lyrics I thought of and make them into a song. But I think that with this record, for the first time there was someone we wanted to listen to us. Not something like 'I bet someone will listen to this.' but this time we did it by trial and error thinking of how we could make something that would really reach people's hearts. So I really want you guys to listen.

I don't have time to dawdle. The world keeps on spinning.

Today we went home to Osaka and gathered at Gust in our neighborhood late at night. We had a lot we had to decide, so we ended up talking right up until they closed. Gust is cheap and they have a drink bar so we always end up staying a long time.

After we left, we decided that we should go for a drive, since the 6 of us were all together, so we went to the harbor. It wasn't really the ocean, but the stars were so pretty. I love Sakai.

Morning came, and I dropped after Tomi and Ikasu home, a song called 'Promise' by a label mate of ours Michi came on the radio. Michi came to see us play at Count Down Japan last year, but we haven't seen each other since then.
Recently, she mentioned that she lived in England, and is old friends with Beat Union who we became friends with on Warped. It made me feel a lot closer. I'd love to hear her talk more.

Please check her out!

Today we had a photo shoot. We learned all kinds of things. I hope you'll all be able to see that when the magazine comes out.

Soon we're going back to Osaka. I hope my mom is doing well. The natto omelette I ate was really good, maybe I'll try to make that for her.

This was my best birthday ever.

I got presents and birthday wishes from so many people, and now, on my 20th birthday, I can finally say from the bottom of my heart that my mom and dad are amazing.

I think that this day has come because I had such great teen years. I put my first band together when I was 13, and a year and a half after that, we formed Oreska. That's really the only thing I've kept up all this time.

I feel like I'm dreaming or something. I want to say thanks to every one I've met until now.

I want to show all those people I haven't met and all those people I have met, the continuation of this dream.

Reading Saki's post made me think about how much I used to hate reading homework. Every day in the lower grades of elementary school I had to have my mom listen to my reading and sign my reading check sheet. It was such a pain that I used to fake my mom's signature. At the time, I thought I was so clever to trick my teacher, but now I wonder how my teacher felt when she saw it. She must have thought I was one of those people who tried to get out of anything they hated doing. The worst part is I don't think she'd be so wrong. I bet it would be so fun to be a teacher.

We have a show tomorrow.

I haven't written anything in the blog about Warped or Rush Ball. We've had so much going on, and it's been so amazing, but it's all gone too fast to write about.

But I do want to write something, even if I seem to be avoiding it. It's not like my reading homework,I do want to leave a mark of what we've been doing.

I'm walking straight ahead, so please don't stop looking, don't hate me. Come with me.

Long time no see, it's Tae. I can't believe how long it's been since I posted! My mom was all pissed about it. 'I don't know if you're there or not!' Sorry, mom! I've been safe with the members this whole time!
I just couldn't think of anything to write.

We've only got 5 more shows left of Warped tour, and today we have a day off. Once we get back to Japan, we're going to get really busy, I'm sure, and we've got a bunch of shows planned, but I kind of feel like we're trying to keep busy so we won't notice our sad feelings of something ending. It's kind of like right before graduation.

For two whole months we've been playing shows with almost the same members almost every single day. That really becomes a way of life.
And it's really simple, just living to play shows. I really learned a lot about what I love and what I want to do, and grew to hate different things, or care about things I didn't used to care about, and not care about things I used to care about. There's still a lot I don't understand, but I want to really take things in these last 5 days.

Thanks so much to everyone who came to the show. It was wonderful to be able to play a show on 69 day. We're going to grow a lot on this tour, so we're see you when we get back.

Why am I up so late after a show? We came to Tokyo a month ago for recording, and now it's time to go back home to Osaka, so I'm packing right now. It's never ending...

The worst part is sorting all the garbage. We sort it a different way in Osaka. I tend to think 'If you set fire to it, it'll burn, right?' and throw out everything except bottles and cans. So I'm always confused by Tokyo's complicated sorting system, and I always have to ask the staff 'Is this burnable? Not burnable?'

Is an empty shampoo bottle non burnable? It seems like it would burn.
What about the bags from the convenience store? I think they'll burn, but they seem like non burnable. This is the kind of fight I'm having here.

And the biggest issue is candles. Are candle burnable? Not burnable? Which is it? I've been trying to figure it out for about 30 minutes now. Saki's asleep, so I can't ask her opinion. I think I'll light the candles and let them burn as low as I can.

[Note: In Japan, garbage is separated into 'burnable' and 'not burnable'.]

I'm waiting for the bath to fill. I'm going home to my house tomorrow. I hope my mom and brother and dog are doing well. I hope the bands from home are doing well. I want to see everyone before I go the USA. And the day after tomorrow we have a show! I can't wait! Why am I so excited?

I want more time. We've only got one more song to record the rhythm for. This really went by so quicklt. But we've got a lot planned. We'll be going home after the show ont he 9th. I miss my dog. Sasuke!

We're going to be on School of Rock. It's been so long, I'm kind of nervous. Remember to turn your radios to channel 80.0 at 10 on the 27th!

I

Recording is going well. We really don't have much time, so from today we'll be working on two different things in two different studios.

Today we're recording everything but the vocals at studio 1 and at studio 2 we're doing the TD for the songs Greg recorded. Studio 1 finished pretty quickly, so I went to Studio 2 and listened to the songs, and they sound great.

I'm really glad Greg got to see our outdoor show. I really get the feeling he understands just what the band wants to do.

I'm sad that he'll have to go back home to the US tomorrow, but I hope we get to work with him again.

Oh, I can't wait for you to hear the songs!

We just got home, but now we're headed back to Tokyo. I'm getting kind og tired.

At the show yesterday we played 'Almond'. We hadn't played it in about a year! We started playing that song around the time we started high school.

It will always be really special to me.

We're making a good song. Today Saki wrote the horn line in the room. I went into the hall and called a band friend from home. We chatted about recording and our recent shows. We all have different ideas and it's so exciting. A little while ago Leader and Moriko came over and we were all brainstorming ideas together. Lately Ikasu has taken to saying 'Greg's head is like outer space.', but I agree.
But I think that all of the members of Oreska have outer space in their heads. Like, it's so interesting how they each go about making things. Like, we'll go from bouncing on the bed and yelling 'Yay!' to thinking quietly.
It's so comforting to have them all with me!

Today I played a lot of tamborine during recording. If you play the tamborine for too long, it starts to hurt. Who knew? My arm was really sore.

We talked a little bit about the schedule today and I realize there's only a month until Warped! Time really is precious. Lately I've been using the word 'Juicy' a lot. That's how I want this time to be. We're halfway through recording, but I want it to be juicy!

Morning already?

Saki and Moriko told me they don't understand music notation, so I was teaching them about it. Moriko decided she understood and went home, so Saki and I continued our lesson together. At first, Saki couldn't write music, but she got the hand off it slowly, and now she's copied out all our old songs on score paper.

Musical notes are like division and kanji, you can only remember if you keep on doing it. So I think Saki's great for trying to really learn it properly. She's actually pretty diligent!

Lately I've realized just how much Saki sleeps. Saki's my roommate now.
Saki and I end up sharing a room a lot, so we've kind of settled into different roles. I put my clothes in the washing machine before I go to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, they're drive. I was really stuck on my lyrics, so Saki brought her mattress to Moriko and Leader's room and slept there so I could have some time alone. That way I was able to do some writing. Thanks a lot Saki! And also Moriko and Leader,

Yesterday and today we recorded the instruments for two songs. We talked with our producer Mori while we made the songs, so when we put the demo together, I felt really relieved, and a little moved too.

I want to work just as hard on the rest of the songs.

Tomorrow we'll be working with Greg, who's come from the US, so it will be a good day to think about how to make the songs ever better.

I can't wait!

Hee hee

We had three shows in a row. Actually, we did last month too. Whenever we have three shows in a row it makes me think a lot. The shows were great. Thanks so much to everyone who showed up. And thanks to Magurock and Marsas too.

Getting from place to place was hard this time, because I didn't sleep.
We were always getting into the car right after we'd eaten, and it's not good to sleep right after you've eaten, so we all tried to stay up.

Now that the Nagoya show's over we've gone back to Tokyo. But we'll only be here for about a month. It's time for Oreska's recording festival to start.

I can't wait!

I saw the price of gas on a news site on my phone, and I was shocked! Really, the news just pisses me off lately. It seems like politicians can get away with anything now. Even if they missuse tax money or embezzle funds, you can't even find out the name of the persom who did it. Those things are crimes. If they weren't politicians, they've be arrested immediately.

My mom says that it's the people of this country who made things the way they are. That everyone complains, but no one actually does anything, so it's our responsibity too.

If we don't scream out our feelings, say it's wrong, and we won't stand for it, that's the same thing as accepting it.

I'm starving!

Today we did pre-production. After I got home, I slept a little and then at about midnight we had a little meeting to talk about lyrics, and we got to talking and before I knew it, it was morning! I have so much fun writing songs!

I always worry about what to do before we start, but once we get going, I think of all sorts of things I want to say. The exhaustion and the emotional high make a nice contrast. I feel like I lose something every time I write lyrics. And something always comes to fill in that empty space. I guess the bigger the loss, the more I think I have to absorb something new.

April's almost over. That means we've already gotten through a third of the year. It's scary, I like the earth is spinning so much faster these days.

Anyway, have a good day, guys!

Lately, well, for a while now, the staff have been telling us to update the blog as much as we can. Apparently we don't get that many hits. I've never thought of the blog as a chore, and I don't plan to think of it like that, but it does make me kind of unsure. I'm really glad they let us write whenever something strikes us, and I'm glad people read out posts. I like to have the chance to think about things before I go to bed.

We basically finished preproduction today. It was a relief. I'd been really nervous about it. When we play old songs it moves me to look back on the songs that we've written. A lot of them still have a long ways to go, there's a bunch that don't have lyrics yet, and once they do we might rearrange them a little, so the fun is just beginning. But it will be a while until you guys get to hear them.

Are you guys still listening to WAO? I listen to it a lot. We walk with our faces forward, but I think that we can only know where we're going if we know where we came from. And that's behind us.

'If you get lost, go back to your roots.'
Someone said that to me once, and I still think it's a wonderful expression.

You know, lately I can never think of a title for my posts. I feel like I have to think of a name for today, and it makes me feel like I do when I have to think up song titles. I'm sure I get stuck because I try to make sure the title says it all. And of course that's impossible. Like, my name's Taeko, but that name doesn't tell you everything about me.

But anyway, the show was really good. I feel like the thing I was stuck on finally gave. Or disappeared, I guess. The important thing isn't what's ahead of us, but what we've got right now at this very moment. This is kind of a long winded explanation bu I feel like because I can't see what's ten meters ahead of me, I was scared even to take one step forward. So I've made up my mind.

As long as I enjoy today, I don't care tomorrow may bring. I feel like
if I can just enjoy today every day, it'll turn into enjoying every single day I have.

I really feel that way. I wanted to tell everyone that, because it was the show that made me feel like that.

I can't wait for next show. I wish you could all come and see it.

Today I rented 'Flashdance' on DVD. It came out when my mom was young, but it was pretty good! The idea of blaming others because you don't want to admit that you don't have the courage to go after your dreams is something that everyone can understand, I think.

It made me think 'I've got towork hard!'

We may have some big news for you guys soon. I'm dying to tell, but you'll have to wait a little longer!

I feel like I've seen a sign. I can't say too much about it, but lately I've been thinking about how important your environment is. And that you're the only one who can change that environment. We've been on the move so much I feel like I've gotten lose. It's time to tighten things up again.

There's a beauty that doesn't show up in photos.

Happy New Year!

As you may know, the first words of this entry are the opening lyrics to THE BLUE HEARTS' song 'Linda Linda.'

I wonder what kind of beauty doesn't show up in photos? I've never understood that line.

More importantly, today was our first workday of the year. We were in the studio for four hours, playing the songs we've written. I think we played most of them.

Anyway, I'm going to sleep now.

So it's the end of the year and I'm sick.
Everyone but Moriko has been sick lately. Well, we are alive and we do get sick sometimes. Which made me wonder, is there actually 'luck'? I think that you get luck depending on what you did in the past, and you can use it for the future.

I think that, if you were a fish, it's would be up to you to take the bait or deal with being hungry. No matter what the consequences of that choice were.

You should think about it as long as that bait is there. You're the one who has to choose, and it's not the past or the future. Rather than leaving everything to luck, and going with the flow, you can make your own current. You can go right or left, it's all up to you.

I was reading the message board earlier, and someone posted that they want us to come to Okinawa.
We'd love to go! Please invite us! LOL

I'd love to do a show there. I want to one five days a week, although that would be a little tough physically. LOL

I'd love to see you all!

I think I'm a really lucky person. I wonder if I did volunteering or somethign before I was born. Some people might say that I can't know if I'm lucky when I haven't even lived 20 years, and maybe ten years from now I'll think I'm unlucky.
But I can say with confidence that I'm lucky. You're lucky.

It's not that I found a million dollars or something. What I mean is that I am surrounded by love.

I love and am loved by so many different people. There's no trick or struggle in that. I think that's how all people should be.

So I'm happy I can be.

Today we had an okonomiyaki/takoyaki party with the staff and band and all our mothers, and it got me thinking.

I really felt it.

MUST BE LOVE♪

Tomorrow's our last day of filming in Utah. I didn't think it'd be over so quickly. The day after tomorrow we'll be in LA and then we have a week until Japan. I'm really sad to say goodbye to all the staff, but I'm also excited to go home to Japan. I was talking about that with Terry today. It's kind of complicated.

Filming is so much fun!

We've been getting a little sick because of the difference in temperature, but thanks to the staff we're having a blast.

Yesterday we filmed a music scene, and it made me remember just how amazing music is. This is my third time in the US, and whenever I get my instrument and get up on stage, I think 'We really don't need words'. There's no tricks, it's something so much more simple than the adults seems to think. There was an amazing energy.

I hope everyone who worked with us yesterday can see our show for real some day.

We've started filming somewhere in Utah. All of the other actors and staff are really interesting. There's a mix of the soundtrack, and it really is good. It's not like I'm happy every second of every day, but that's what makes it really good.

I wonder how to describe this atmosphere. I'm always imagining the future, whether it's 5 minutes from now, tomorrow, or even a few years from now. Even if I know that for better or worse, it probably won't come out the way I imagine. But I can't help imagining it. I love the past that helps me make those imaginings. With just what I've got here right now, I feel like I could defeat any monster.

Tomorrow we have to meet up at 8:40, so I was tried to write a little now, but I can't put my thoughts together right, so I'll end here.
I hope you get something from this post.

This is such a pain. Really. I have to pack for our trip to Utah. I have so much more stuff than I did when we checked into the hotel in August, so I'm throwing things away and getting things together to send to Japan. I have to do something about it all before tomorrow!!

But the recording is over. We had such a wonderful time, it's the first time I've been so sad to finish. Kaz, and Stacy and Greg and Stan and MuraJun, and Evan and Sam, and Dave, and Jamie...we worked with such amazing people, and it was an honor to make music with them.

They taught me that making music with someone else doesn't mean that our music becomes someone else's, it means that our own world gets bigger. I can say with pride that we made something amazing.

I'm 19 now.
Part of me is worried about getting another year older, and part of me is happy it's my birthday. I don't know if I'm a grown-up or a child. I think I'm still a child.

But anyway! Thanks so much for all the comments and presents! I've nver had so many people celebrate my birthday before. It's awesome!

There was also a present from the English site! There's a message board called the 'Shout Box'. I'm so happy because now everyone who e-mailed us can post comments there!

I wanna hear you SHOUT!

Uh...

Today the six of us had dinner together. It was 100% Japanese food. And we talked about someone that comes up a lot when we talk about music: Kyu Sakamoto, the man who sung 'Sukiyaki'.

His music will never die. Even though he didn't actually write the song or lyrics, he's the one who made it into the amazing song it is. Every remembers it and comes to a point in their lives when it helps them. It might be the best song in Japan. But I'm really glad the song was his. I'm writing this even though I know I can't get it across well. I really respect him. I hope that I'll be able to explain all the things his music has given me through our music. I just wanted to say that.

Lately it's been cold in the US. Those of you in the US or in Japan, take care!

The band just had a meeting about what we want to do when we get home to Japan. A year ago, we never would have thought about that kind of thing, just hoped someone would figure it out for us.

The plan we decided on at this meeting is full of different things we want to do now, full of our dreams, so of course there's some things we won't be able to do. But we know that we'll be able to do even more than we think too.

Terry went home to Japan, but I can't wait to discuss everything with him!

I'm so sleepy. But it's so much fun to imagine what the future will bring! We really have been having so much fun. I hope you can all enjoy it too.

Let's do something no one's ever thought of!

I just called my mom. She's doing well. Apparently she read the entry about the cockroaches and got worried. But I changed rooms, so I'm fine.

I've been cooking lately. Today I'm making curry. Tomi and I have been eating dinner together, because our rooms are in the same hall. Tomi always says my she like what I cook, which makes me happy. Today Ikasu ate with us. She made juice, which was tasted like what you get at a cafe. It was really good. Food always tastes better with friends.

I've always thought my mother's cooking repertory was kind of small, but everything in it tastes good and is easy to make. Thanks, Mom.

My heart is pounding. Why? Because I just got rid of six cockroaches. We’re in a hotel in Hollywood now, and there are tons of cockroaches in the kitchen. Aside from the six I got rid of, there are others heading towards me. I just shut some up in the drawer. I’m kind of worried, since we’ll be here until November. Tomorrow I want to go buy something to kill them with.
And so our Warped Tour is over. As you know from the other members blogs, there were hards times, but it was a lot of fun.
Every day, after we woke up, and got dressed, we’d go to promote ourselves. I saw people throw away the fliers we’d given them before our very eyes, and returned to the spot we’d put up a poster only to have it covered by another poster. It really pissed me off.
But when our show started there were always tons of people at our stage, and I could smell pot. We’d start to play, and some people would come running over with their friends, a smile on their faces, like ‘Oh! They’re starting!’. But some people drifted off to another stage after our first song. After a while a mosh pit would get started, and people would sway to our music, half gone from the heat. We’d start to enjoy our selves, and laugh and laugh. The tempo would get faster and faster.
And when our show was over, and were on our way to our booth, or back to the bus, people would stop us and say, ‘You guys were great!’ And I heard some people who didn’t know who we were, say to their friends, ‘Those girls were really crazy!’
After the show was over and we’d eaten dinner, we’d go to the showers. Some of the venues only had one shower for women, so we’d use it with the female staff members, or people from other bands. While I was waiting for the shower, I heard some girls complaining about our band, thinking I didn’t understand English.
That’s what most days were like.
What I realized in the end, was that I want to make music for the people in front of me, and the people who aren’t there but are still thinking about us. People may throw our fliers away, or say bad things about us but I don’t want to make music for those people. I don’t want to try to make music to show them up, or to satisfy them. I just want to make music that I think is good music.
I can’t really explain it well.
But I think it’s something everyone can say. Like, you should wear what you like, even if some stranger says your outfit is horrible. It’s the same thing. It’s really simple.

This tour really took away my fear.
Apparently a lot of people in the crew and in other bands came to see our shows, and I ‘m so thankful for that. There were a lot of times I didn’t find out about it until after the fact. I wish we could have gotten to know each other more.

We were only on the tour for seven days. Only seven days, but I’m so glad were able to do it. The members of PHATHOM, one of the bands we became friends with on Warped got ‘Lucky 13’ tattoos. I wish I could get one too.
If we get to go on the tour again I hope we can do the whole tour.
I’m almost done writing this blog, but while I was writing it, I got rid of three cockroaches. That brings the total count to nine, and my heart is still pounding.
I wanna change rooms!

Ikasu and I were outside our bus talking to Umejun, one of our staff members, when the guitarist from New Found Glory came over to talk to us! I only know their name but I was so excited! We talked about Punk Spling! He says he loved Japan. I'm glad.

See? There are so many famous people here.

Our shows have been a lot of and we always have a big crowd. I can't really give a more concrete write up about it, but the reason we can have a show like this every day is because of everyone's support. PHANTHOM, a band who are playing on the same stage as us promoted our show while they were promoting their's. AROARAH, another band playing on our stage, helped us our when we had some bass trouble. Everyone's been so warm. And when audience members pass us they say 'YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!'

Everyone on the bus is like family now. We all get together at night. I really feel like everything's going great. And that's why we really need to give each show everything we've got.

It's not as easy as it looks!

Hi! We arrived safely in the US. We're all doing well. One thing I worried about in coming to the US is how long I'd been able to keep writing in this. I mean, I've never been away from home for longer than two weeks. And we're in the US.

Yesterday and today we bought a lot of necessary things. Because we wanted to buy things they sell here. So when I bought my shampoo I decided to try to buy one like what I use at home. I was thinking of home all because I bought shampoo! That didn't take long.

Oh, yeah, I do understand English more than last time! I guess all my studying paid off! It must be that learning game I played. That's really all I've been doing, after all. But unfortunately I can't speak it yet. I hope I can speak better by the time I go home to Japan.

So it's already (only?) 2 am, so I'm going to go to bed

Long time no see, everyone! I haven't written in the blog in so long!

Today was my one day of summer vacation! Tomorrow we're playing in Rockin' Japan, but we came a day early to hang out! Thanks, Terry!

I think tomorrow will be a very special day. The other members and I talk a lot about how what we want to do right now hasn't ever changed. I mean that in a really good way. So I'm not going to say 'I hope we have a good show tomorrow', because we're going to make it a good show!
So everyone who's coming to Hitachi-naka tomorrow come and see us!

Oh, also, thank you all so much for all those messages congratulating us on the first anniversary of our major debut.
We really are so lucky.
But the whole idea of it being our first year anniversary is weird to us, because we started Oreska in May of 2003. So I'd like to celebrate our first anniversary plus three years. Thank you so much to all the people who congratulated us. We'll keep up the good work!

We're home.
We had such a good time in the US!
I didn't feel pressured or stressed at all. Maybe it was partially because it all felt so new because we don't live there, but I think it was thanks to the staff over there. The same way that the staff have fun when we have fun, we always enjoy it when our staff is smiling.

If I write my impressions of the US, they'll just be exactly what Leader said, which isn't any fun to write or read, so I'm not going to.
I will just say that since there was no stress this time, I was able to concentrate on the photo shoot when we were at a photo studop, the studio in the studio and our show during the show. So I want to say a big thank you to the staff who made an environment where all that was possible. Thank you so much!

I'm so thankful to everyone because I had such a good time during the show. I wish I could have shown everyone who was watching the way all those cell phones looked during 'Almond'. At first there weren't many at all, but when I looked up later on there were so many! I felt like everyone was telling us what they felt at that moment. It was like I was in outer space.

Try to imagine it! The hall is dark, all the dozens of likes shine like stars, and the spotlights on our stage are red like the sun. It makes me want to make those stars shine even more. It was amazing!

We arrived in the US yesterday.

Our hotel room comes with a kitchen, so I went to pick up some ingredients to do some light cooking.
Then we went to see the Police. I fell asleep in the middle, because I was so jet lagged, but the Police were so cool! I don't know exactly how old they are, but I think it's so cool that they're still doing music at their age.

Then today we went to Venice Beach, where I'd been last time. After we walked around and looked at the shops, we went to a party at the house of one of the American staff members. It was so much fun! And the food was so good!
It was fabulous. The staff members kids teased Leader.They were real pranksters.

I can get by speaking only Japanese even in the US, so I think I'll try to speak in English more. But my ears still aren't used to it.

I hope everyone in Japan is doing well.

Good Morning.

I’m mailing from yahoo.

Yeah. As you all know, we’re in our song writing period. Somehow we’ve got concentration like we never had before. And that’s why I haven’t written in the blog. Not because I’m busy, but because of this concentration. So please don’t worry about us, and just look forward to when you’ll get to hear the song.

What I mean by concentration like we’ve never have before is that we wrote two songs in two days. This is pretty amazing for us. We’re really slow at songwriting, so we were kind of worried but writing two songs in as many days gave us confidence. It’s not like the songs suddenly came down to us from god or anything. I don’t believe in that sort of thing anyway.
Because then I feel like, Wait, this isn’t really something I created myself!? We able to make something not because of any great power, but just out of what we have inside. And I think in itself is an amazing thing.

I want to take that level of responsibility for my songs, and I want the other members to do the same.

Expect great things!

I’m at McDonald’s imagining things. What if when you’re inside your mother’s stomach you have a consciousness but the moment you’re born, those memories are all erased? If that’s true, think of how small it makes death seem. Like, it wouldn’t be the end.

I can’t really explain it well, but that’s the kind of thing I’m thinking about right now!

Since the tour ended I’ve been reading. It’s a book called ‘Two tone Story’. Like the title suggests, it’s about two tone. (Note: Two tone is a style of music created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of punk rock, ska and pop music.)
It talks so much about the English government that you sometimes forget it’s a book about music, but I guess they have to write all that in order to really explain two tone. It’s a really amazing book. It made me realize that I really don’t know anything.
Apparently ‘little bitch’, the song we use when we come out on stage at our shows, was written by Jerry Dammers of the Specials when he was 15 years old. It said he wrote about the despair of a loveless teenager. At first I was shocked to hear how young he was, but I guess it makes sense. I mean he was just writing about what was happening around him. It’s not impossible. It’s a very real song.
But really, that song has been around a long time. I hope our music is as long-lived.

The WAO Tour is over. It really was a great show, I don’t have any regrets.
There were a lot of things this tour that made us realize or reconfirm what’s important for us as a band. I don’t want to forget those things.
So to all the people who had anything to do with this tour, I’d like to say this:
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I was looking at our myspace earlier, and saw that a lot of people from other countries are looking at our homepage. There were some comments I couldn’t understand, but some people wrote in Japanese, or said they had WAO, which made me really happy. The most common comment was people asking us to come play in their town. I’d love to be invited there! We’ll come someday, so please wait for us!

Have you all listened to WAO?
We made the music and it passed to many other people before it came you all of you.
I’m so thankful to all of the people who touched WAO.

I thought a lot about what I should write here about WAO, but I feel like the other members have really said everything I wanted to say, so there’s not much reason for me to write it all again. I really am so thankful.

On ROCKS ON TV today, Hyogo-san said that with Oreska, he doesn’t feel like we do this because we want to. He said we feel like music is all we can do. I’ve never thougbt about that before, but I think it’s true.

At least, music is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. So I didn’t chose music, I think music chose me. I don’t mean that I’m a chosen one or anything, but that I want to believe that it was inevitable that I do music. I’m happy to be able to think that.

I don’t think we’ll do anything special at our show on the 27th or at the show in Nagoya. Because we want you to see what we’ve been doing up ‘till now. So I just want you to have a good time at the two remaining shows. And all of you who can’t make it, please listen to WAO! No matter what we do, we’ll always be Oreska.

See you at a show!

Tsumasaki is out now! There are so many people I need to say thank you to.

In Biology in Middle School, we learned that gold fish change their body temperature to match the water temperature. I remember thinking that people are the same. At the time, I took that in a bad way, but now I don’t think it’s either good or bad. Actually, I think it might be both.
Because the gold fish’s body temperature is affected by the water temperature, but it’s the gold fish that keeps that water clean. They both need each other, so they can communicate about all kinds of things. I think that trust, that connection is amazing.

It’s the relationship between fish and water.

This is our 8th night in Tokyo.
Lately the staff comes into the studio a lot, in consideration for how lacking we members are. And it’s so much fun.

We split into horns and strings and haven’t really finished much in the way of song-writing, and then we practice the song (maybe) and then we record it and listen to it, and re-record. People have ideas about how they want to play different parts, and then we go with those.

All of the members are great. Everyone has so many different ideas, which makes it so much fun.
We had three days of English lessons. Our classes are so much fun. They’re very original. They try to give us lessons suited for Oreska, so we do things like practice being interviewed. I’m sure it’s all simple words, but I’m gradually getting to understand English, which really surprised me, but it made me so happy!
And there’s a lot of things that I realize doing these interviews. Like when Saki answered the question ‘What are the differences between American and Japanese audiences?’ by saying, ‘There are some differences. I think Americans are more direct about how they express themselves. But both love music.” I thought that was so cool.
Because I didn’t think that Saki would ever say something like that. It’s like Leader said, we can’t say anything by simple concepts, but no matter where we are, the things we want to get across end up being really simple things like that.
Good night!

Apparently there were people at the Tokyo show that had a bad experience because of people moshing and crowd-surfing. I think that’s really too bad, for a lot of reasons.

I like people to crowd-surfing and dancing and doing all kinds of things. The same way that there are all kinds of people your school or at your work, there are all kinds of people, doing all kinds of things at shows, and that’s natural.

Apparently in the past it used to be crazier, like with people throwing bottles, but no one wants to get hurt, and there are a lot of people who have never gone to a live house before coming to see Oreska.
So there are going to be people that insist on doing things like that, and people who don’t like that. But rather than ignoring it, I think we don’t need to set rules as long as we all think about each other’s feelings.
I want the people who crowd-surf to know that there are some people who have a bad experience because they crowd-surf, and for those people to know that there are people who want to crowd-surf.
We want to have good, open-minded music as our goal, and better music, so we want people to feel whatever they want whether it’s ‘I want to crowd-surf!’ or ‘I want to hear more!’
But when all is said and done, I’m just glad all our fans are nice! Thank you!
Let’s have a great time!

We’re in Tokyo a lot, so I hadn’t realized, but today was the first show we’ve done in Tokyo for a long time.
At shows, you can meet so many people.
When we make a CD, we think that someone will be there to listen to our music, but while you’re actually making it, there isn’t anyone there.
So shows are the one place that we can play music in front of people.
I’m kind of simplifying it but it’s a really amazing thing.
Whether it’s 1 person or 10,000 people, we’re playing music just for them.
As I’m drumming, I’m hoping it will touch them.
Thank you so much for always giving us a great time!
I’m sure we cause all kinds of inconviences, but shows are more fun than I can say, so I want to turn everything into a positive.
Good night!

I’m really into the actress Yuu Aoi now.
I just watched her movie ‘Hula Girl’.
It was so good!

Moriko likes her too, so we went to TSUTAYA to search the photo book section.
They didn’t have her photo book, but we saw a little bit of the sample book. But then the store closer, so we had to leave.

I really want her photo book!

Thank you all so much for the soundtrack recommendations.
I’ll check them out!

We’re going to be staying in hotels for 11 days.
It’s been like this since last month.
I haven’t been home for so long that I don’t know where I am.
But we don’t have time to get all emotional over that!

Let’s have a blast at the show!!

It’s the best time to harvest vegetables now.
It really makes me give thanks for the bounty of the Earth!
Here’s something I noticed when we went to the US:
I don’t think they care about age over there. Every time we play a show people ask, “How old are you?” But no one asked me that once in the US.
We Japanese judge people by their age. Like, ‘he’s only 10, so of course he wouldn’t know...’ Or ‘She still does that? At 30?’
And I’m no different.
Part of me is really relieved to be able to say, ‘Well I’m 18, so…’
But I think that kind of thinking really shrinks our possibilities.
And that’s not good.
There are so many things I can’t do, even though I know intellectually I should.
But let’s just have a good time!

We didn’t have anything today.
Tonight I rented four movies and one soundtrack.
I rented the soundtrack for ‘The Wow-choten Hotel’.
I rented it once before, but I’d forgotten to put it on my ipod, so I rented it again.
Movie and video game soundtracks are so interesting.
I guess it’s kind of different, but horror movies aren’t scary when you watch them without the sound, you know?
It’s the sound in the background that makes them scary.
Movie and video game soundtracks work the same way, helping to make the emotions of a scene feel more real.
I think that’s so interesting, since I’m in the position of making the music.
Tell me if you have any good soundtracks to recommend!

All of us just hung out in the hotel.
The six of us all have rooms in a row, so we kept the doors open and chatted.
There’s a stairwell in front of my room and there was this super macho looking guy sitting there glaring at us.
The guy came down to our floor we all ran into Ikasu’s room.
 
The show today was so much fun.
It was so much fun, I may have gone a little crazy.
 
I wish things could stay like this forever.
I wish I could just clap my hands and all the anger in the world would go away.
I don’t think that would bring would peace, but I wonder what would happen.
Could I fix it all by correcting all the mistakes anyone’s make up till now?
 
I think it’s impossible to live without making any mistakes. Because mistakes are inevitable, and they happen when we’re trying to do the right thing.
So I guess there’s no need for me clap after all.
Why do I think about this kind of stuff?
 
But the show really was fun.
Thank you so much to everyone who came to see our show!

Today we had an interview.
I feel like the more interviews we give, the more interested the writers are. T
here are even some who read our blog, which is really neat.

The other day we all talked about how we want the people who write the magazines and do the radio shows and make the CDs with us and all the staff at Terry Dollar, and everyone else who works we us, to like our music.
So we want to express ourselves even more than now.
I’m so grateful to all the people who help us to be ORESKABAND.

How is everyone?
Don’t worry, I’m fine!
 
I thought we were on our 7th show, but it turned out there’s only been 6th.
But it doesn’t matter how many shows we have, because we think of each show separately.
It was FM Kouchi Radio’s 15th anniversary, so we they set up a great event: Jin vs. Oreska. I don’t even remember how many shows we’ve played with Jin, but the show and the after-party were so much fun!!
I got to chat with Hiitan-san(Jin's vocalist), but I wanted to talk even more!
 
Afterwards, Saki and I talked for a long time, and now I’m still awake, thinking.
I do a lot of thinking now, because this is the best time our band’s every had.
I want to really widen our horizons.

Lately, people tell me, ‘Oreska feels further away now, and it’s sad.’ But we are not taking our music to any place, we just want to widen our circle.  
So please, don't put our music away from you.
I want all of you to keep the space in your mind where Oreska can stay.

For the first time, I want to have a show in a crazy-big venue. We’ve always tried to do shows in small venues, because we didn’t want to be too far away from the audience, but distance doesn’t matter with music. You can still feel it just as well even if you can’t see it.
I just want to share our music with as many people as once as possible.
That’s the kind of music I want to make.
 
Anyway, that’s my dream. I’m going to go to sleep now.
 
Good night!

Shows are so much fun!!

‘Tsumesaki (20 Nails) ’ will be released in May. (NOTE: This is regarding a Japanese release)
Our "WAO tour" in the US and here in Japan have put the band in a great position.
The six of us have been thinking a lot about what it means to be in ORESKABAND.
It's a little early to talk about ‘Tsumesaki (20 Nails) ’, but I think that people that help you grow are like your fingernails. You're used to them being there, so take them for granted and then they get dirty and grow. You know?
It's amazing that we can release ‘Tsumesaki (20 Nails) ’with such great timing, and I'm really happy about it.

Oh, people have been asking about a fan club, and we've never talked about it, so here I go.
To tell the truth, at this point, we don't plan to make a fan club.
Because we don't want there to be any difference between people who love ORESKA's music.
We want to get out information about ORESKA to as many people as we can, and we want to let them all know in the same way.  
So we'll be happy if you just keep on supporting us in the same way as always!!
 
Look how late it is! I've got to get to bed!!

And the tour continues.
We're living music day and night.
Yesterday we got to have some time to hang out.
Which was great because we didn't have time to just enjoy some free time.
We went did our cherry blossom viewing inside.
We had barbequed beef, just beef and rice.
And we gazed at the cherry blossoms someone had brought from somewhere, and it was so much fun!  
Oh yeah, I need to write a letter!!

The live in LA was so hot!
I was so happy to see so many people that knew us!

And the people in San Francisco were all night enough to laugh at Leader's confusing speeches.
We got such a kick out of that that it made our songs sound even better, I think.
I’m definitely coming again!
I'll be BACK!!

The show in Austin was so much fun!
We had some trouble with equipment, but it just made me enjoy it even more!
And something interesting happened on the plane back to LA. One the way back from the bathroom the stewardess – I mean flight attendant - came up and started talking to me. I couldn’t understand what she was saying, so I had someone translate for me, and it turned out she wanted to borrow an iPod so she could listen to our music!
So we lent her Ikasu’s iPod, and in a few minutes the intro to Pinocchio started playing, even though most people were sleeping. Everyone woke up, trying to figure out what was happening, and two of the flight attendants started cracking up.
It was a strange plane ride. They told us they’d play the song in full at the end, and when we were preparing for landing they came to take pictures, Pinocchio started playing again but the sound was so bad we couldn’t tell what song it was, one of the male flight attendants grabbed the microphone and started singing, instead of saying ‘Thanks for flying with us’, the female flight attendant said, ‘The people on this plane today are wearing some of the coolest clothes I’ve ever seen, so make sure you check them out on the way out.’.
After we got into the airport, we wondered if it had all been a dream.
Then we went to the beach! There were so many skaters and surfers! And there were a lot of people painting pictures too. It was so interesting!

We’re in the USnow, in LA.    But it’s such nice weather! Saki keeps saying she wants to live here. And I agree.
The first thing we did yesterday after we arrived was go shopping.
It was so much fun! But I don’t understand the money, so I’m afraid all get ripped off.
I’ll have to be careful.
Our shows start the day after tomorrow!!
Wait for us American fans!

We’ll be leaving the country soon. We’re going to tomorrow…the day after tomorrow, I think. I’ll take a lot of photos and put them up on the blog, okay?
We’ve been in Tokyo, playing games or going shopping in our free time. Since we’ll be going to the US, I took about four English lessons. It made me realize all kinds of things. Even thought I was learning English, it made me think about Japanese. English is difficult, but I think Japanese is too. Belittling something as you praise it. Smiling while you’re angry. Yeah. We’re like aliens.
It’s interesting, so I can’t say whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I think that you have to have strong faith because it’s so hard to understand people’s true feelings.

‘Wasuremono’ and ‘Chuck’ come out today, so the staff suggested I write in the blog. You finally get to get your hands on both these songs.  I went to Tower Records in Shibuya, and there were only three CDs left, so I was really happy.
‘Wasuremono’ is a song I wrote two years ago, when a lot of the bands that played at the Live House we went to in Sakaiwere breaking up. At the time, I only wanted those people to hear this song, but now my feelings have changed, and I want all of you who’re going through this season [The Japanese school year ends in March] to listen to it!  
Moriko wrote the lyrics to Chuck, and I think the song and the lyrics and the arrangement are all just very honest.
Whenever we do something new, we get all kinds of comments. Good comments, bad comments, they both are there because you have your own image of Oreska. That Oreska might be different than ours, but I want to get as close as I can to the image of Oreska you have. So I hope you keep those comments coming.

～♪～♪
～♪
I'm in TOKYO, listening to this song called "16g of syrup"
Yes! Finally, I've got i-Pod!!
Even though I love music, and I play music, I didn't have any portable music player with me.
I feel like if I've got my music back to my life again.

TV interview that we did today aired live. That was a lot of fun.
Yes, it's true, SAKI hates plum pickles.

I’ve always wondered why February only has 28 days. (Some years it has 29 days, but still) I know a year has to have 365, but why is February so short?
I wonder if the ancient people knew the reason.
It’s almost over, but it’s finally hit me how precious this season is. I want more time, even if it doesn’t go slowly.
Try to think a little bit more about February.

Warm soup boils in about two seconds.
On the other hand, cold soup takes a while to boil, but once you take the time to heat it up slowly, it starts to boil just the same.
 
It's hard to figure out the way soup changes temperature, but I guess it's even harder to turn on the gas and just watch it.
 
That's what I've been thinking about recently.
So I guess I just have to take it as far as I can.
Because I know I’ll stop it before it burns.

Today we had a little show at a middle school.
It was so much fun!
 
It wasn’t like everyone really went crazy or anything, or that we sounded really good or anything. It was just that everyone who watched was so honest. They were just being themselves.
And I thought that this is want I want to do.
The band isn’t the most important thing at a show.
It all starts with all the people who come to the venue.
So I really want both the audience and the band to be true to themselves.
If you aren’t feeling it, you don’t need to dance.
I want you to hear what we can do live, what we can do because we’re right in front of you.
Our way of enjoying music is different, in the same way that our faces and personalities are different.
I don’t want any of you to dance steps that someone else chose.

Yesterday we didn't have anything to do past 3pm, and then when I got back to the hotel I went to sleep, so I ended up waking up at a really odd time.
Lately I've been waking up early.
Even earlier than I have to for school.
And I stay up late, so I haven’t been able to get more than 3 hours sleep, so I feel like I've finally gotten a good night's sleep.
Heh heh.
I think I’ll go get something to eat.

So…we arrived in Shikokutoday – or make that yesterday.
We’re in Matsuyama.
The place we’re staying in has a hot spring, so Saki and I went in earlier because Moriko was asleep.
There was no one else there, like it was our own personal place.
The three of us are in the same room, but we're figured out that there’s no way Saki and I can sleep near each other.

We had a fun night of non-stop laughs.

I went to the hair salon with Saki and Moriko.
 
I hadn't done anything to my hair since July, so I have them fix the cut and color.
I feel great♪
There were three of us so it took a long time. It was so nice of them to do it, even though it was night by the time we were all finished.
 
Tomorrow it’s off to Shikoku☆ 
The hot springs & noodles!
 
The remaining three will go to Chugoku-region.
 
I can’t wait!

Thanks to everyone who came yesterday!
We’re insanely busy today!
Yesterday it was suddenly decided that we’ll be going away for a week.
I hope I can fall asleep again on the Bullet Train.
I’m really not a morning person.

Like Ikasu said all of ORESKA went to the dentist.
I had the worst teeth.
I was totally shocked.
Today is our first show of the year☆
I can’t wait!

Today Ikasu is coming over to work on a song.
I’m so tired.
Recently I’ve stopped looking at the clock. But that doesn’t make time past any faster or slower.
Someone somewhere may be crying, but the newspaper is on your doorstep every morning.
That’s how simple the passage of time is.
Time really does go at it’s own pace. And the whole world has to work around that.
Man, am I tired.
Good night!

Did you see our official English site?
I've tryed to read everything on the page. I've read it. But I'm not sure I understood everything. I will be able to do that in a future.

As I was reading the site, I've felt a lot of love from our staff. I know they gave up lot of things to prepare this English site.
You feel like everything is done automatically these days. But like robots, there's somebody behind it to give orders to by hand.

So, there's some gap in time for English blog to be updated. This is how it works. We write something.⇒our web staff translate it.⇒and put it up on our English blog. But be pacient. We are probably going to be able to write directrly in English soon.

Talking of "automatic" stuff, I've been listening to this Japanese band called "the AUTOMATICS", over and over.
This band ROCKS!
I love them so much that I've gave a copy of their album to IKASU.
Ms. MOMOKO YOSHINO is taking a vocal and playing a guitar. I've heard it somewhere that she've quit the AUTOMATICS, and playing in a different band now. WOO! I have to see her new band!! I wanna see them playing live! If you know anything about her and her band, please let me know! Send me an e-mail! (oreskaband-english@sme.co.jp)

Our official web site was renewed. From today, our web site is comprehensible to people in abroad. Thanks to my staff. Even my blog entry is translated into English. Hello to the people I've never met! KONNICHIWA! I feel kinda strange to talk to you guys. Now I talk to both Japanese and English readers. Write me back please!