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At the end of March, icon girl pistols celebrated our 5 year anniversary, which is longer than your average Hollywood marriage. And Ken and I are both 27 now, which means as musicians the grim reaper is out for us this year. Although I think you need to be famous first for that to happen so we might be OK. Not sure whether to be pleased about that or not.

Anyway, in a moment of not-so-rare nostalgia, I’m gonna look back at the last five years and try and remember all the shit we did. Please excuse my egocentricity and here we go with my best/worst list:

Best gig: Gamuso, Asagaya in January 2011 (Takashi’s birthday and his final gig with the band) or Underworld, Taipei in December 2011 (mostly because we love the venue, but I remember this being one of the best gigs we have done as a three-piece)

Worst gig: An out-of-the-way venue in Shinjuku (genuinely can’t remember the name) in 2010 where the sound was awful and we got shafted by the organiser.

Best band played with: Many honourable mentions, but it has to be 1976.

Best stage moment: Shinnosuke playing a solo rendition of Dylan’s “Silver Dagger” at Shibuya NOB October 2011 just a couple of days after telling him how much I fucking love that song.

Most embarrassing stage moment: Falling over the speakers at The Wall, Kaosiung September 2010 during “Ammonia” and playing the rest of the song on my back.

Favourite igp song of the last 5 years: “Death of a Papier Mache Policeman” (at the moment anyway)

And here is a couple of stats about the band over the past five years (for anyone who cares enough to have read this far!)(and yes I am a geek and keep track of this kinda thing)

Gigs played: 105

Songs released: 40

Songs played live (originals): 60

Songs played live (covers): 25

Top 10 most played songs live: 

“車輪の下敷き　Crushed Beneath the Wheels” (61), 

“革命の仕組み　Structure of a Revolution” (60), 

“グッバイドーナツ自由の女神　Goodbye Donuts (Hey Statue of Liberty)” (52), 

“ママ、僕の服はもう買わないで　Mama, Don’t Buy My Clothes Anymore” (52), 

“アメリカ　America” (47), 

“象の尻尾　Elephant’s Tail” (45), 

“首輪　Collar” (45), 

“DIY精神　DIY Mentality” (44), 

“脱NYC　Escaping NYC” (41), 

“路上　On The Road” (37)

Anyway, enough of the past, and here's to the next 5 years! Starting with 2 gigs coming up in April:

4/19 @ Shinjuku JAM at the latest installment of "Alternative Current" with an awesome line-up of bands:

http://www.facebook.com/events/550013281685490/?ref=2

4/20 @ Asagaya GAMUSO we are back once more at Gamuso Live:

http://www.facebook.com/events/266648746804161/?ref=2


[christopher]