"Bicycles make the world a more fun place to live.
This is a web media that disseminates global riding life.
JP|EN
"Bicycles make the world a more fun place to live.
This is a web media that disseminates global riding life.
During my youth, I was captivated by a music style known as Neo-Acoustic, which emerged in the 1980s in Britain as a fruit of post-punk to new wave, influenced by jazz, soul, bossa nova, and Latin, characterized by delicate acoustic pop. It’s been my impression that many record jackets in this style feature motifs of bicycles. Surprisingly, Brazilian music seems to have numerous tracks revolving around bicycles. This month, among them, I’d like to introduce Alulu Paranhos’ ‘Bicicletinha,’ a tune that might appeal to Neo-Acoustic enthusiasts. This year’s 23-year-old Alulu Paranhos has become a prominent figure in the ‘Rio New Generation,’ gainin […]
When I was traveling through Hokkaido by train, there was a peculiar announcement. It warned us to be careful because the name of the next station had changed for a drama shoot. The atmosphere in the train buzzed with excitement. It was a popular drama set in Furano, Hokkaido. The train arrived at the station, but we passed what seemed to be the film crew. Then, in the corner of the platform, I saw a tall man. Even though he had a hat pulled down low, I immediately recognized him as Ken Takakura. Perhaps he had come to visit the filming location of an old friend (Kunie Tanaka). Acknowledging our gaze, Ken-san shyly raised his hand in greeting. It was an overwhelming coolness. Since then, alt […]
Ever since this column started, when I listen to music, I somehow become conscious of cycling jackets, music videos related to bicycles, titles, and lyrics related to cycling. But when I thought of this song, I was delighted. It’s Georgie Fame’s beloved groovy tune “Happiness.” This song is from the 1971 masterpiece album “Going Home” is known to those in the know, and on the back cover, you can see Georgie Fame wrapped in a boa leather blouson, riding a bicycle. However, how can I put into words the greatness of this song? When you listen to it, your heart becomes cheerful, and it’s an incredibly uplifting tune that puts you in a youthful and bright […]
Alongside “My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council, which I introduced in the first installment of this column two months ago, one of the most memorable music videos featuring cycling that comes to mind is “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae, the singer-songwriter born in Leeds, UK, in 1979. I can’t forget the fresh excitement I felt the first time I watched this music video. It was reminiscent of the bittersweet feeling I experienced when I watched early short films by François Truffaut (his films often feature memorable bicycle scenes) during my younger days. The beauty of the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees and the radiant glow of th […]
“The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)” (2012, directed by the Dardenne brothers) is, as the title suggests, a story centered around a boy and his bicycle. The protagonist is Cyril, a boy living in a Belgian foster care facility. One day, his cell phone with his father suddenly goes offline. When he contacts the apartment manager, they claim that his father has moved away. He can’t believe it. His father wouldn’t just move without telling him. Moreover, his precious means of transportation, his bicycle, is still in his father’s apartment. Cyril runs away from the facility and visits the apartment, but as the manager said, his father has already moved, and there […]
This serial column, which began last month, started with an introduction. In the first installment, I wrote about “My Ever Changing Moods” by The Style Council, a song that accompanied my youth and how cycling made the world more enjoyable. In this second installment, let’s introduce Cordelia, a talented young British female singer-songwriter with a hauntingly beautiful voice, whose debut song was released just this summer. The song “Play Pretend” is a delightful groovy tune with a hint of introspective mellowness, set to the cool, bossa nova-flavored strumming of the guitar that’s hard not to appreciate. I immediately liked it upon listening. However, whe […]
Occasionally, we come across wonderful Japanese titles for great movies. For example, “An Officer and A Gentleman” becomes ” A Journey of Love and Youth ” in Japan. It’s filled with youth and love. Don’t you want to watch it? The Japanese title for “THE BODY” is ” Stand by Me “. I’m glad I don’t have to say, “You know, River Phoenix had the potential to become a big star even in the time of ‘THE BODY’.” It’s a great title taken from the iconic song by Ben E. King that’s used in the film. I really think that the Japanese title ” Shoot for Tomorrow!” for the movie “Butc […]
I will be starting a serialized column from this month. Thank you in advance for your support. I hope to deliver essays that make music even more enjoyable with bicycles every month, but for the first installment, let’s start with a self-introduction as well. It was a day in February 1984, as I was about to finish my second year of high school in Japan. I happened to be casually watching MTV, which was at its peak back then, and listening without much thought. However, my ears were instantly drawn to a very catchy, light and groovy acoustic number with an intro guitar riff. In the music video, set amidst a typical British countryside, a road racer was seen cycling with slightly comical […]
In the early 1990s, China had a completely different landscape compared to today. During the morning and evening rush hours, one could witness the famous “bicycle rush hour” that was synonymous with China at the time. Many people used bicycles for commuting, creating a breathtaking sight of thousands of people riding the same roads. Moreover, since most bicycles were of the same model and color, there was a sense of harmony. Brands like “Fenghuang” and “Yongjiu” from Shanghai were quite popular. These bicycles were tough and sturdy, serving as the essential means of transportation to support people’s daily lives. Indeed, bicycles played a significant […]
Bicycle theft. Everyone would want to avoid this worst-case scenario. We carefully select parts and body materials, striving to reduce weight to the gram, yet chain locks for theft prevention weigh 500 grams, which seems counterproductive. Bicycle thieves are unforgivable. They should disappear from this world. There is an old film called “Bicycle Thief” (1948). It was directed by Vittorio De Sica (known for ” Sunflower” filmed in the sunflower fields of Ukraine). This film depicts the poignant lives of Italian laborers after the war. The stage is post-World War II Rome. The aftermath of the war has brought a severe economic downturn, and our protagonist, Antonio, has […]