Hisashiburi!!

So I know, it's been rather a long time since I've blogged, but in fairness I've been super busy...

I promised to write all about that amazing kaiseki meal I had in Yugawara with the calligrapher, and then I was busy for a lot of May and June with Titus and Valkyries and various other things going on in Tokyo, and then I went to Stratford and Dublin and Greece and Helsinki and should probably have blogged about that.

Then in August I moved back to Tokyo and spent the time I shoulda been blogging moving from the asylum in Soshigaya to a new (wonderful) place in Tama Plaza and joined a gym. So spent even less time at the PC. And then I went to Osaka to see Madonna, then saw her in Tokyo (for which many kudos to the Mexican for finding all the tickets) and then went travelling around Japan with a friend visiting from home.

Then I directed my Beckett performance in association with the Irish Embassy, and also worked on Ninagawa's Orestes and Tango at the End of Winter, and then had the hideous task of moving back to Ireland and starting my new job there.

That was all only three weeks ago, but it feels like far far longer. I have seen a ridiculous number of plays since coming back, including Measure for Measure, Festen, Dream of Autumn, School for Scandal, Hamletmachine, Anna Karenina, and a host of others, and I'm now in Budapest thanks to Rough Magic, learning all about Hungarian theatre.

Shall blog about Budapest later. Just wanted y'all to know that I'm back in action...

Cx

There are no words

Anyone needing inspiration to take exercise or clean up their act, visit hotghettomess.com

Specifically to see THIS PICTURE... (Not for the faint-hearted...)

I may never eat again...

Blog may follow soon.

Multicolored misadventures

So, as you may have seen, I dyed my hair dark red a few weeks ago, and loved the results (which you can see in my profile photo at the top of this page).

Alas the colour was only temporary, but it damaged my hair so as it washed out it looked weak and cheap and, vain fool that I am, I decided to do something else. So on Friday I tried to bleach it blonde and get rid of all the colour, with the thought that if it went wrong I could just get it all chopped off.

Saturday morning, with my newly bleached pink/orange/yellow hair I went to cherry-blossom viewing with some friends in Yoyogi Park. My hair was insanely orange. So, Saturday night, (after a LOVELY day, see next post) I tried to use the tail end of the first red, which I thought would get rid of the orange-ness and perhaps get me back to where I started. Not so much. It went pinkish red.

Argh!

On Sunday I went to Ninagawa rehearsal wearing a hat for the first time in months. We finished early, so in the afternoon I headed to Sengawa to my lovely salon in the hope of getting it all cut off. Alas, my lovely salon was jammed to the lovely rafters, so I would have to wait until Monday morning. Meanwhile the pharmacist beside the lovely salon was having a sale, so I bought some very cheap dark-brown dye to get rid of the ridiculous redness that was exposing me to much comment on various train platforms, and it actually sent my hair back to darkened normality. I thought. Then it dried, yet another electric shade of red. Argh again!

This morning I went to the salon for my lovely appointment with lovely Hiroyuki, who looked terrified when I told him to shave it all off. "Eeeeeeeh? Maru-bozu??" (aka bald as a monk? are you SURE?) He said my hair was too good to chop off. I pointed out that the colour was silly. He agreed and got out the razor. Mercifully his delicate hands never slipped, and he did a fabulously smooth job.

And I love it!!!

Here is my gallery of out-takes and mistakes. Perhaps I should just wear hats more often. Or wigs. If I continue like this I'll be bald and have no hair - or scalp - anyway!

We love...

Grey's Anatomy is just wonderful. Of course I only started watching because of Sandra Oh, who remains the best thing about it, but must mention this lovely lady too. Kate Walsh rocks. McBitchy Dreamy Fabulous.

Get on to Joan Collins, tell her there's free Champagne...

Of course, on Friday evening after work when I tried to do the hair poshly for the fashion show, nothing was working, so I had to do my best Madonna Erotica impression and slick it down like a (very very very red) helmet. What's a boy to do... Jack and I had Mexican and margaritas before sashaying to Sendagaya to the grounds of the Meiji Portrait Gallery (I think?) where Fashion Week had set up camp. After the Taishi Nobukuni (www.tashi-nobukuni.co.jp) show, which was very cool, we decided to stay for the DressCamp (www.dresscamp.org) show, which was tons of fun. The music was excellent, although the show was a bit tawdry since it was the very last show of the week and the models looked bored, tired, and occasionally downright hostile - perhaps due to the clothes they were wearing. The collection was rather inspired by vintage Versace, with print hints of Pucci and D&G. Alas, while this might sound like a good thing, it wasn't entirely. Certainly it was a fun, outrageous event, complete with a veritable menagerie of dead animals and stuffed-toy-worthy furs draped over emaciated models, but I won't be rushing out to buy DC. Well - maybe their boots, some of which were amazing.

Thereafter J and I went for (more) drinks, and met up with our new friends from Tuesday night - no, not the soldiers, but Mako, Takeshi et al., aka the fashionistas. The Baileys was flowing, and before I realised, it was 3am and we were piling into a taxi, polluted (again! am I starting to have a problem?!), heading back to Mako's place.

Saturday was a gorgeous day, and - when not in bed "recovering" I managed to fit in a walk around Soshigaya to enjoy the blossoming cherries (nearly there - next week will be gorgeous) and re-discover Kylie's "Impossible Princess" album. Anyone reading this should instantly go and listen to "Breathe" and "Limbo". I mean it, right now. "Some Kind of Bliss" while you're at it.

After writing the introductory (rather silly) chapter to the book, I met Mako and his hag Ayumi (1st Japanese hag! woohoo!) for dinner in Shimokitazawa. We had simple izakaya food and beer while Ayu-chan told stories of her trip to Florida and we discussed the grammar of various languages and how to be rude in all of them. No prizes for guessing who won that game!

On the way home this morning I realised I'm a total sellout and I love it. I love me my Starbucks White Mocha, and I absolutely adore my iPod. Yes, I have been completely hoodwinked by agressive marketing. BUT with these two white-encased joys in hand, on a sunny day as the millions of cherry flowers pop open and the sun comes out from behind a cloud at the perfect moment in a song I've rediscovered, I can't help feeling it's good to be alive.

Bleurgh - I just re-read that last sentence, and BAM my hangover hit. Pass me a sick-bag...

Dance! Get On Your Feet!

Tuesday was the best day I've had in months. Despite being a little cagey about it, I agreed to meet Jack and Alfred and go and enjoy plum blossoms for the afternoon, weather permitting. I met the boys (with Takuma and Takeshi, a new face, in tow) and we headed out on the Keio line to I-forget-where. Spirits were high and the weather was pleasant. Off the train we clambered up a whole lot of hill to get to the lovely garden (photos to follow) choc-full of plums in various delicate stages of beautifully coloured blossom. Yours truly had been a little late, so alas we missed almost all of the local municipal grass-blade orchestra performance (aka old women blowing on grass in a vain attempt to make communal music) but this was a grief easily borne.

We lunched on posh bagels and pittas courtesy of Jack, and had fun people watching before clambering around the whole of the park and seeing a pretty spectacular view of Tokyo. This all took about an hour, after which it was still way to early to go home so we went back into Shinjuku with the intention of seeing a movie. Alas, our five differing agendas and temperaments ensured that we couldn't pick anything to watch, so we went for a coffee, before finally deciding to go for dinner at a place Alfred new that purveyed Nagoya gay chicken wings. Imagine chicken wings prepared with masses of aromat and salt. Delicious!! (Don't yet know what made them gay, mind you...) Dinner was really nice, with soup, and sweet-miso kebabs, and the wings (galore), swilled down with plum liquor (for the day that was in it!).

Of course, now quite well-sauced, we were in no mood to go home, so instead we headed for Sin City for some dancing. And a whole lot of sinning. The club wasn't particularly crowded and the DJ was sufficiently impressionable that we got our way all night. Which was fun! As were the soldiers who were enjoying their national holiday (perhaps we were the entertainment!!). I doubt I have ever been so drunk. I had about a pint of vodka, without as much cranberry as I shoulda had with it. But who cares?? It was hilarious. Top tracks of the night are below...

On our way out, we all pulled, too.

Then Wednesday was clearly spent recovering... In the evening I met Nicky for dinner (in truly foul rain) at Good Honest Grub. I am loathe to sing the praises of this wonderful place, but it's not like I'm A.A. Gill, so I'm sure that a glowing mention here will ruin the place at all. We LOVE it. Nicky and I were the only customers when we got there, so we were treated like royalty and given free booze and all manner of niceties. Not least of which is their moderately priced and always delicious food. Or indeed their fun cocktails - eg Love Bubbles (created for Valentine's Day, with champagne, amaretto and a strawberry) or Green Margaritas (regular Ms with lots of Melon - my poison of choice the other night...). On the way home, in the dreadful rain, I happened across M's TRUE BLUE album on the joyPod. This album is so summery and fun, it almost made me forget the rain!!

Thursday I was back in Saitama, and in the evening got a call from home - finally the Columbia communication arrived, and, alas, I have not been accepted. Boo hoo, next business...

Tonight I am going to a fashion show in Harajuku as part of Tokyo Fashion Week. Since I had nothing exciting to wear, I dyed my hair.



Kinda red!!

More news will follow if/when it happens...

The Soldiers' Night Playlist:
Love at First Sight - Kylie
Erotica - Madonna
1, 2 Step - Ciara (* why why why is this pronounced Sierra...??)
Hung Up (SDP Remix) - Madonna
All Nite (Don't Stop) - Janet
Filthy Gorgeous - Scissor Sisters
Vogue - Madonna
Sorry (PSB Maxi Mix) - Madonna
Believe - Cher
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - Cher
Butterfly - Kylie
Jump - Madonna
Outrageous (Junkie XL Mix) - Britnah
Just A Little While (Remix) - Janet
These Boots Are Made for Walking - Jessica Simpson

Third Thai's the Charm

I've had a rather interesting ten days. (When do I not?!)

Zaki came to Tokyo to collect her mother around about the time of the Chita Rivera post, and the Mexican and I met her off the train. Of course, Miss Thang was about a week late, so plans of karaoke/dinner/dancing/anything needed to be shelved because I couldn't afford to stay out all night. (The Mexican and I had in fact had dinner beforehand and gotten in a dance to "Hung Up" before Z arrived...)

I had been up late working the night before so I was a dreadful host, leaving poor Z to watch movies all night after I disintegrated.

Sunday, I met Shin and Mark for some Karaoke in Hachioji, and was reminded of how toxic and dangerous J-pop can be (cut to me getting home that night and watching a variety of music videos from such true talents - not - as Koda Kumi and Amuro Namie... In fairness, the videos are often fabulous. It's the music itself that sticks in your head). After we sang our hearts out we went for dinner in a nice izakaya and introduced Mark to the wonders of ume-shuu (plum liquor!). This made us all drunk enough to agree to go into Shinjuku to accompany M while he waited for his date. So we went to a quiet bar and sat and stared, exhausted, at a concert by Koda Kumi that was conveniently playing on the wall. M's date arrived, and Shin and I went home.

Monday I spent working on my book proposal - yes, people, it might actually be published sometime this year! - and generally feeling unwell. Also I paid my health insurance, fearing that the malaise might need serious attention.

Tuesday I went and met Kan from Company Izuru. ANYONE IN LONDON MUST GO SEE THIS SHOW, IT'S FABULOUS! (See image below) . I have been working on translations for their programme also, and we had a good laugh in Hiroo as we figured out what he wanted me to say and how he wanted it said. His appreciation for blank verse is commendable!




After meeting Kan I met a Chinese friend for dinner in Ginza. I was knocked for six by how spookily he resembles the Mexican. What a funny old world...

Wednesday morning I bit the bullet and found a clinic in Aoyama that I could visit to get myself looked at. I had a swollen gland (think My Big Fat Greek Wedding - "it was my twin!") and it was clearly bugging me. Having battled with my Japanese and the relatively patient ladies at the front desk, I was finally seen by the doctor, who told me it was a lymph node infection, and sent me out to wait for my drugs. These were delivered in a cute little bag, with clear instructions etc. But I only got enough for 4 days! And, surprise surprise in this delicate, gentle country, they appear to have had absolutely no effect...

That evening I went over to Takuma's house for a new phenomenon (here at least) known as American Idol night. The show is broadcast on cable here, but they show the entire week's shows together so it's a 3 hour epic. I know I'm very new to this year's show and all, but there's only one contestant for me, and that's Mandisa. If that lady doesn't win, I don't know what.

Thursday, feeling better (probably the placebo effect of just HAVING drugs) I got up early and went to Nishimachi International School to give a presentation to a class full of 14 year-olds, whose teacher had asked me to come speak to them about Greek drama and my "work". I felt so grown up. Despite my fears, they were absolutely lovely and very attentive. Thank god for powerpoint and dvds, I guess. Cleverly, I spoke for almost all of the allotted time, leaving very little room for questions. And those that slipped through were amazingly informed and insightful.

But no, I still don't want to be a teacher.

That evening I headed out in the foul weather to the Irish ambassadorial residence (incidentally JUST across the street from Nishimachi school) for a function to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. This was a big hoo-ha, but it was very nice, and I met some fascinating people, including a professor from Sophia University and one John Dillon, Greek professor in Trinity, who just happened to be in Tokyo. It was rather startling to see such a sophisticated and distinguished crowd descending on the plush buffet spread, particularly when the (Irish) sausages were served and all dignity was eschewed, in a display only worthy of a Biblical pack of locusts...

Paddy's day itself was absolutely lousy. I was on my way to Saitama for the first day of Ninagawa's Titus rehearsals, when I fainted on the train and banged my tired head. So I went home and went to sleep. All day. That evening I called home to wish birthday/patrician greetings to all, and then got an email from Maria wondering if I'd be free to go to Shizuoka (halfway between Tokyo and Nagoya) to see a play the following day. Now, y'all know me and what a sucker I am for a play I like directed by someone famous... This was the Bacchae, remixed (see below! :P) by Suzuki Tadashi, perhaps Ninagawa's only real rival. So of course I agreed to go.

I paid a fabulously decadent sum for a return day ticket on the Bullet train and arrived quite relaxed at Shizuoka, in good time for the performance. Changed trains, got as far as Higashi-Shizuoka (where I was supposed to go) and was really impressed by the lovely station and shopping complex right there. I hopped into a taxi, and showed the driver the flyer for the performance and the map attached. Now, this woman was either biscuit-takingly stupid, or the most evil hostile bitch I have ever met. I knew the theatre was about 3 minutes from the station, so I was a bit confused when we seemed to be 8 minutes away from the whole town. The cow deposited me at Suzuki's performing arts centre, SPAC, which is his (amazing looking, delighted I got the chance to see it, but that's not the point because it wasn't where the show was on) base in the area. She took my money and scarpered, leaving me in the worryingly-empty car-park. I found a security guard at the gate, proferred my flyer (thank god I'd grabbed a few in the station) and asked, winsomely, if this was where the show was on. He was absolutely LOVELY, and said no, that the show was on in the theatre beside the station, and that the taxi-driver was a profiteering shameless bad person. Or words to that effect. It was by now 2.30, and the show was starting, so I asked, defeated, which of the two shows in the programme would begin first. Amused, he reassured me that what I'd come to see hadn't started yet... He ordered a taxi for me (and charged it to the S.P.A. Center!!) and sent me on my way. Of course, while I was waiting for the cab, it started pouring rain...

FINALLY I got back to the theatre (which was inside the posh-looking shopping centre beside the station!) and was met at the door by two very worried-looking assistants who ushered me to a seat and looked after me as though my lateness was somehow their fault. I only saw the last 15 minutes or so of "Nina" the modern dance piece by Kanamori Joh that preceded Dionysus, but it was enough to make me even angrier at that stupid/nasty driver. (Of course it is partly my fault for not asking someone other than the taxi driver, I accept, but I'm the injured party and I'll bitch if I want to...) I shall certainly be looking out for anything else by this really interesting amazing choreographer...

Also spotted in the audience for this very limited-engagement double-bill were numerous fab actors and actresses, and Miyagi Satoshi, artistic director of Ku Na'uka Theatre Company, whose Antigone, Medea and Othello I saw in Tokyo. We love them....

So finally, after much consternation and gnashing of teeth, I was there, in Shizuoka, dripping wet, to see my first Suzuki production since coming to Japan. What was most striking was how similar the soundscape was to that of his Oedipus, which I'd seen in Epidaurus in 2002 - and you can take that either way, as a mark of a distinctive theatrical voice at work, or as a sign of someone who's done nothing new for four years....

The show was almost amazing - Suzuki's eye for composition is flawless and the stage always looked absolutely beautiful. But the acting wasn't particularly life-changing, and there were several cringe-worthy moments. Agave was the most impressive, but she appeared to be doing her best impression of Shiraishi Kayoko (awesome awesome Japanese actress who's worked with Suzuki AND Ninagawa...) who originated the role. I really enjoyed the performance, and I'm thrilled I got to see it, but it was reassuring to feel, as I left, that I'm certainly concentrating on the right septaguanarian Japanese theatre director...!

Sunday I did masses of laundry and tidied my room (I figure if I do Spring cleaning, it might actually become Spring...) and spent a good deal of time chatting to my new Thai friend. I have often heard that Thai people are wonderfully friendly, exuberant, kind and funny people, but my experience has been strange. There was Cortney's madcap friend Mary, who's just heaps of fun but whom I don't really know. I also lost a good Japanese friend to Thailand (he's obsessed with the place and has now moved there, boo hoo). And then of the actual Thais I have made friends with, the first turned out to be a total bore, and the second is very confused and introverted and a huge amount of work. So now I have a new Thai friend (am I not a saint for never giving up?!) and he's a hoot and a half, and all of those nice things Thais are rumored to be. So hurrah! Third thai's the charm....

PS If anyone has a version of Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out for a Hero, please please let me know. Am trying to find a particular one, which is beyond description, so all help gratefully received...

Remixes, Part Deux

The list I gave of favourite remixes could obviously never be complete, or all-encompassing. ..

I really love when a remixer can take a ballad and turn it into an amazing dance track (particularly the kind of track that sad music geeks use words like throbbing, or monster, or floor-filling, to describe...)

Of note today - the Scumfrog remixes of Britney (aka Queen of Trash) Spears' Everytime.

Ooh, and a curious remix in the opposite direction... (aka weird world-music lesson of the day:)




















Dana International blazed out of the alternative club scene in Israel under the auspices and remix talents of Ofer Nissim. S/he was crazy, provocative, and controversial, singing in Hebrew and Arabic, and often doing ironic cover versions of camp classics like Baccara's "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" or "Hello Dolly" in Hebrew. She went on to win the Eurovision, and just when you thought she couldn't out-camp her feather-clad winning performance, the following year she created the Eurovision's interval act, and performed the Jewish Sabbath prayer (on a Saturday night) as a tribal dance remix extravaganza. And then fell flat on her ass when she was presenting the trophy, thereby ensuring that poor Charlotte, the Swedish winner, got only half the attention in the following day's press... Gotta hand it to her. ANYWAY, now that Dana is rather established, her most recent album was less provocative (or downright crazy) than previous efforts, and is a slick, sophisticated collection of songs. Most interesting is the "remix" of her song "Ani Nitzachti", which means "I Won" - from her Eurovision follow-up album - in a gentle, delicate acoustic version. Super classy, complete makeover, super remix.

If you are still reading this, god bless you.

PS Shout out to Ofer Nissim, whose monster remixes of everyone from Dana to Suzanne Palmer to Ofra Haza are throbbing, floor-filling genius...

Chita Rivera

www.chitarivera.com

For the strangest Flash animation I've seen in a very long time. Who'd have thought a Broadway diva would choose Prodigy's "Slap My Bitch Up" as her theme music? Go figure...

Conor's Loves #48 - Book Off

I found a copy of Naomi Campbell's album "Babywoman" yesterday in the newly-opened Book Off cd & book shop in Seijo. Also a copy of Ruthie Henshall's George Gershwin album. Both of these are entirely out of print (the first deservedly, the second scandalously) and I'm delighted!!

Conor's Loves #47 - The Remix

I absolutely love remixes. Filling up the pod over the past while has confirmed this love.

I don't remember the first remix I ever heard, or how precisely I came to enjoy them (occasionally far more than the original song) but I suppose it's the ultimate postmodern musical expression - chopping up a song and, on occasion, completely changing its character. My current favourite for this is Stuart Price (aka Paper Faces aka Les Rythmes Digitales aka Man With Guitar aka Thin White Duke...) - his remixes, often of songs he produced himself in the first place - are almost uniformly fabulous. Zaki (and I love her for it) recently sent me in the direction of the Verve Remixed series - Jazz classics from the Verve back catalogue that have been given some very slinky facelifts by painfully chic deejays and producers for our listening pleasure. I also recently got my hands on the Cirque du Soleil compilation "Solarium/Delerium", which remixes many gorgeous tracks from their back-catalogue.

Of course Madonna has long been a pioneer of the remix - as far back as 1989/1990 she was at it, and included her most startling "remix" - The Beast Within, on her Justify My Love single. Fancy juxtaposing lines of text from the Book of the Apocalypse with her (thereto) most overtly sexual song. What are you gonna do?

Of course there are many less-than-satisfying remixes, and mashups/bootlegs might get another blog entry at some point in the future (as the 21st century, post-postmodern bastard cousin of the remix...) but for now, here's a few of my all time favourite remixes, listed because they give an entirely new feeling to a song, or, mainly, because they're cool...

The Music - Bleed from Within (Thin White Duke Remix)
Missy Elliot - Lose Control (Thin White Duke Remix)
Depeche Mode - A Pain That I'm Used To (Jacques Lu Cont Remix)
Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl (Hollatronix Remix)
Madonna - Don't Tell Me (Victor Calderone Sensory Mix)
Madonna - Sorry (Man With Guitar Rmx)
Madonna - The Power of Goodbye (Fabian's Good God Mix)
Madonna - Nothing Really Matters (Kruder and Dorfmeister Remix)
(ok you get the picture, lots and lots of Madonna remixes)
Ofra Haza - Shali K Rework
Delerium - Silence (DJ Tiesto In Search of Sunrise Remix)
Tina Arena - Never (DJ Tiesto Remix)
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You (Hex Hector Remix)

Oscar The Grouch

I can't comment much as I didn't see the telecast and half the movies aren't even out here in Japan. The fact that Memoirs of a Geisha is now an Oscar-winning movie is sad. The fact that Brokeback couldn't possibly win best picture is sad (but go the score-composer for what he said about love!) The fact that Reese beat Judi and Felicity is sad. The fact that so many people wore ugly dresses is sad. The fact that P S Hoffman looked like a tramp at the OSCARS is very sad. Oh well, I guess it's because he's a serious character actor - don't they have to make an effort? (David Straithairn looked marvellous, by contrast)

But, saddest, of all, Dolly Parton didn't win the chocolate-filled trophy for her lovely Transamerica song. And she had so much work done for the big night. Lady is starting to look like Jocelyn Wildenstein...!



Favourite quote of the night:

"I do have some sad news to report. Bjork couldn't be here tonight. She was trying on her Oscar dress and Dick Cheney shot her." Jon Stewart.

But why would she be dressing as a septaguanarian republican??

Curioser and Curioser

MySpace is seriously weird. I was checking a friend's page and found a video of two boys from Kansas, performing "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked, with more gusto than really was decent to display.

At the bottom of the page was a selection of "funny things you can add to your MySpace to make it fun-er", including the following quizes, which are all determined by simply typing your name in a box.

Who were you in a past life?
A forlorn priest in Cyprus who died by decapitation. (That's rather interesting)

What's your Japanese name?
Kenji Yamamoto (Where this came from is beyond me. Although I have been haunted by the name Ken/Kenji/Kennichi/Kenny/K here, and I know kountless people with variations of the name!)


What colour should your eyes be?
Brown. (They're not, they're blue)

Your Brain's Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You're also good at connecting people - and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

I don't even have free time to be wasting on this junk...

Me and miPod

Apologies for the lack of postage since the Big Trip to the Big Apple. It was lovely.

I arrived kinda dizzy with tiredness in Long Island, which was calf-deep in snow and a little dark and gloomy, but that all changed once I got to my cousins' house and they looked after me wonderfully. It was so comfortable to have their place as a base of operations.... Thursday, as the jetlag wore off, I pottered around with Catherine, went to the mall with her, and then to see my great-aunt in Garden City. It was lovely to see her.

Friday was my orientation day, of sorts, so I packed up early and made my way into the city, and found my way up to Columbia and met Antoine for lunch. We found each other in Barnes & Noble, and then went to a cool diner and had hamburgers. The chat flowed and flowed (as it is wont) and soon we found it was 7pm (we'd met at 11.30!) so I headed off and met MyLinh to go and see Blasted by Sarah Kane, a piece by one of the graduating directors from Columbia. It was fun to look at the crowd and try to figure out who else there mighta been a directing auditionee.

The weekend itself was extremely intense - we were there from 8.30am on Saturday until all hours that night (after which I had to go looking for red paper in Manhattan, along with a Hawaiian who was looking for wrapping paper and chalk...) and then I went back to MyLinh's for donuts and much-needed sleep. Sunday was equally intense - we were all regrouped at 10am and continued until lunchtime. I must say it was an amazing experience to spend a weekend with 24 other such talented, exciting, interesting individuals. The calibre of all involved was such that I think we can all agree that whoever is chosen more than deserves their place, and there SHOULD be no hard feelings. Of course my standing on this might change if/when I hear I'm not in... :P

After we finished on Sunday we went for very much needed nourishment and margaritas at a Mexican restaurant close to Columbia. To Matt, James, Yaelle, Henning and Lara, thank you for the best unwinding possible!!

Sunday evening, I went back to MyLinh's for a snooze, and then we headed out to try to find the others at an Irish bar on Bleeker St - we failed miserably, but did pass Sushi Samba again on the way to Joe's Pizza, which was too full so we went to have Indian food instead - perfect antidote to the absolutely horrendous cold in Manhattan. Thereafter we went to a very funky moviehouse to see Transamerica, which was excellent. And a completely different movie than the one I was expecting. Felicity Huffman is boundlessly talented.

Back at the mans, M and I ended up watching Flavor of Love, the tackiest and most spectacularly trashy show in the history of time. Much respect to New York (aka Tiffany Robertson) for keeping it real and being the most fabulous lady I've ever seen on Reality TV. Maybe apart from Nadia on BBUK. I crashed, but M continued watching Entourage, Marky Mark's show about making it in Hollywood. It was fun, but I seem to know it far better than I should for having watched only 1 episode. I guess osmosis works!!

The following day we woke late, and I went to meet the lovely Tokyo transplants for coffee which became dinner at a cool pizza house near Astor Place. I then trekked back to Long Island, while they all headed to see a show. I would liked to have gone, but this crushed flower was seriously wilting from fatigue...

Tuesday morning I headed back into the city to attempt to meet Ginny and Ryan Joyce, but she was sick and SHE was a total flake and didn't answer his phone. So grrr to him, but hopefully I'll see them soon.

Back in Tokyo - after an upgraded flight! Woohoo! - I was knocked for six by weird jetlag and was all over the place for most of the past week. I did manage, however, to get a new iPod, which I absolutely love. It's already filled with more divas and screamers than you could shake a stick at.

And that's pretty much all the news. More as soon as it happens.

Valentine's Day

Relationships: There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous...

I love the internet

By accident I came across this site this evening, check it out for a quick laugh at the expense of my best girl Miss Hilton...

http://cityrag.blogs.com/main/2006/02/bird_brain.html

A Collection. Perhaps not Immaculate, but...

Ok, so many people have asked me "exactly what do you HAVE in your fabled music collection?" that I've decided to list some of it here. Haha more fool you, poor reader, for looking at my blog today. This is the list of COMPLETE ALBUMS that I have with me here in Tokyo. There's about 500 random cds sitting at home in Dublin too. And I'm not including all the individual tracks or compilations or such like that have accumulated, either.

So, we're talking approximately 24,000 songs.
Below are the 963 albums.
I take requests.

2 Many DJs	As Heard on Radio Soulwax
2 Unlimited	Get Ready
2 Unlimited	Hits Unlimited
2 Unlimited	No Limits
2 Unlimited	The Real Thing
A*Teens	The ABBA Generation
ABBA	ABBA
ABBA	Arrival
ABBA	Gold
ABBA	Live
ABBA	More Gold
ABBA	Ring! Ring!
ABBA	Super Trouper
ABBA	The Album
ABBA	The Visitors
ABBA	Voulez-Vous
ABBA	Waterloo
ABBA	Waterloo 30th Anniversary
Ace of Base	Flowers
Ace of Base	Happy Nation
Ace of Base	The Bridge
Ace of Base	The Remixes
Adam, Adolphe	Giselle (2 CD)
Adiemus	Greatest Hits
Adiemus	I - Songs of Sanctuary
Adiemus	II - Cantata Mundi
Adiemus	III - Dances of Time
Adiemus	IV - The Eternal Knot
Adiemus	V - Vocalise
Alanis Morissette	Feast on Scraps
Alanis Morissette	Greatest Hits
Alanis Morissette	Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette	Jagged Little Pill Acoustic
Alanis Morissette	Now Is The Time
Alanis Morissette	Prayer Cycle
Alanis Morissette	So Called Chaos
Alanis Morissette	SupposedFormerInfatuationJunkie
Alanis Morissette	Under Rug Swept
Alanis Morissette	Unplugged
Ali Campbell	Big Love
Alison Krauss	Every Time You Say Goodbye
Alison Krauss	Forget About It
Alison Krauss	I've Got That Old Feeling
Alison Krauss	New Favourite
Alison Krauss	Now That I've Found You
Alison Krauss	So Long, So Wrong
Alison Krauss	Two Highways
Amuro Namie	Style
Anastacia	Anastacia
Anastacia	Freak of Nature
Anastacia	Not That Kind
Anastacia	Pieces of a Dream
Annie	Anniemal
Annie	DJ Kicks
Antique	Alli Mia Phora
Antique	Blue Love
Antique	Die for You
Antique	Me Logia Ellinika
Antique	Mera Me Ti Mera
Aretha Franklin	Gospel
Aretha Franklin	Greatest Hits
Automator & DJ Shadow	Bombay the Hard Way
Bach, JS	Harpsichord Concerti
Backstreet Boys	Greatest Hits
Baltimora	Living in the Background
Barbra Streisand	The Broadway Album
Barbra Streisand	The Essential (2CD)
Basement Jaxx	Rooty
Bea Arthur	On Broadway
Beethoven, Ludwig von	Piano Sonatas
Beethoven, Ludwig von	The Best of
Bette Midler	Bathhouse Bette
Bette Midler	Beaches
Bette Midler	Experience the Divine
Bette Midler	The Divine Miss M
Bette Midler	The Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Beyonce	Dangerously In Love
Bill Bailey	Live
Billy Porter	Untitled
Bizet, Georges	Carmen Suites
Bizet, Georges	The Best of Bizet
Bjork	Army of Me
Bjork	Bjork and Brodsky Quartet
Bjork	Debut
Bjork	Drawing Restraint 9
Bjork	Gling Glo
Bjork	Homogenic
Bjork	Hyperballad
Bjork	Medulla
Bjork	MTV Unplugged
Bjork	Post
Bjork	Selma Songs
Bjork	Telegram
Bjork	Vespertine
Bjork	Vespertine B-sides
Black Box	Dreamland
Blondie	Greatest Hits
Blossom Dearie	Et Tu Bruce
Boyz II Men	II
Brand New Heavies	Trunk Funk - The Best Of
Brandy	Afrodisiac
Britney Spears	Baby One More Time
Britney Spears	Britney
Britney Spears	In the Zone
Britney Spears	My Prerogative - The Greatest Hits
Britney Spears	Oops I Did It Again
Bryan Adams	The Best of Me
Bulgarian Women's Choir	Angelite
Bulgarian Women's Choir	Fly, Fly My Sadness
Bulgarian Women's Choir	Mystere des Voix Bulgares I
Bulgarian Women's Choir	Mystere des Voix Bulgares II
Capella	Move On Baby
Carlos Jean	Back to the Earth
Caroline O'Connor	From Stage to Screen
Caroline O'Connor	What I Did for Love
Cecilia Bartoli	The Art of
Celine Dion	1 Fille et 4 Types
Celine Dion	A New Day Live in Las Vegas
Celine Dion	A New Has Come
Celine Dion	All The Way
Celine Dion	At the Movies (EP)
Celine Dion	Au Coeur du Stade
Celine Dion	Celine Dion
Celine Dion	Celine Dion Chante Noel
Celine Dion	C'est Pour Toi
Celine Dion	Chantes et Contes de Noel
Celine Dion	D'eux
Celine Dion	Dion Chante Plamondon
Celine Dion	Du Soleil Au Coeur
Celine Dion	Falling Into You (2)
Celine Dion	Incognito
Celine Dion	La Voix du Bon Dieu
Celine Dion	Les Chansons En Or
Celine Dion	Les Grands Succes
Celine Dion	Les Oiseaux du Bonheur
Celine Dion	Let's Talk About Love
Celine Dion	Live
Celine Dion	Live A L'Olympia
Celine Dion	Live A Paris
Celine Dion	Melanie
Celine Dion	Miracle
Celine Dion	Mon Ami M'a Quittee
Celine Dion	On Ne Change Pas
Celine Dion	One Heart
Celine Dion	Operation Beurre de Pinottes
Celine Dion	S'il Suffisait D'aimer
Celine Dion	Tellement J'ai D'amour Pour Toi
Celine Dion	The Best of (Vivre)
Celine Dion	The Collector's Series, Vol 1
Celine Dion	The Colour of My Love
Celine Dion	The Colour of My Love SE
Celine Dion	These Are Special Times
Celine Dion	Unison
Charlotte Church	Enchantment
Cher	Believe
Cher	Greatest Hits
Cher	Greatest Hits 1965-1992
Cher	Gypsies Tramps and Thieves - The Greatest Hits
Cher	It's A Man's World
Cher	Living Proof (2)
Cher	Not Commercial
Cher	The Very Best of Cher
Chopin, Frederic	Cello Sonata
Chopin, Frederic	Favourite Chopin
Chopin, Frederic	Music of the Night (2 CD)
Chopin, Frederic	Piano Concerto 1 (Argerich)
Chopin, Frederic	Preludes (Argerich)
Chopin, Frederic	The Piano Works (Ashkenazy) (13 CD)
Christina Aguilera	Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera	Stripped
Christina Milian	It's About Time
Cindy Mizelle	Cindy Mizelle
Cirque du Soleil	Alegria
Cirque du Soleil	Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil	Dralion
Cirque du Soleil	La Nouba
Cirque du Soleil	Mystere
Cirque du Soleil	O
Cirque du Soleil	Quidam
Cirque du Soleil	Saltimbanco
Cirque du Soleil	Solarium
Cirque du Soleil	Varekai
Cirque du Soleil	Zumanity
Coldcut	Journeys By DJ
Crystal Method	Community Service
Crystal Method	Legion of Boom
Crystal Waters	Storyteller
Cyndi Lauper	At Last
Cyndi Lauper	Merry Christmas, Have a Nice Life
Cyndi Lauper	She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper	Shine
Cyndi Lauper	Sisters of Avalon
Cyndi Lauper	The Body Acoustic
Cyndi Lauper	The Essential
Cyndi Lauper	True Colors
Cyndi Lauper	Twelve Deadly Cyns, and then Some
Daft Punk	Daft Club
Daft Punk	Daft Punk vs Chemical Brothers
Daft Punk	Discovery
Daft Punk	Homework
Dana International	Dana International
Dana International	Free
Dana International	Ha'chalom Ha'efshari
Dana International	Listen to the Rhythm
Dana International	Maganuna
Dana International	Tempa
Dana International	The Possible Dream
Dana International	Yoter ve-Yoter
Dana International	דנה אינטרנשיונל - אומפטמפה
Darren Hayes	Spin
Darude	Before the Storm
Darude	Ignition
David Gray	White Ladder
Dead or Alive	Evolution - The Greatest Hits (2 CD)
Debussy, Claude	Etudes (Uchida)
Deepak Chopra	A Gift of Love
Delerium	Poem (2 CD)
Depeche Mode	Playing the Angel
Depeche Mode	Remixes (4 CD)
Despina Vandi	Greatest Hits
Destiny's Child	Destiny Fulfilled
Destiny's Child	Survivor
Destiny's Child	The Writing's On The Wall
Dhol Foundation	Big Drum, Small World
Diana King	Tougher Than Love
Diana Krall	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Diana Krall	Heartdrops
Diana Krall	Love Scenes
Diana Krall	Only Trust Your Heart
Diana Krall	Steppin Out
Diana Krall	The Girl in the Other Room
Diana Krall	When I Look In Your eyes
Dido	Hunter
Dido	White Flag
Dikshitar	Water Music of South India
Dinah Washington	The Masters
Divas Live	Divas 2000
Divas Live	Divas 2002
Divas Live	Divas Live 1998
Divas Live	Divas Live 1999
Dixie Chicks	Home
Dixie Chicks	Thank Heavens for Dale Evans
DJ Tiesto	Best and New 2005
DJ Tiesto	The Parade of the Athletes
Dmitris Papandimitriou	Ornithes
Dntel	Life is Full of Possibilities
Dolly Parton	Greatest Hits (3 CD)
Dolly Parton	Hello, I'm Dolly
Dolly Parton	Honky Tonk Angels
Dolly Parton	Just Because I'm A Woman
Dolly Parton	Simply the Best
Dolly Parton	The Grass Is Blue
Dolly Parton	Those Were The Days
Donna DeLory	Donna DeLory
Donna Summer	Another Place and Time
Donna Summer	Anthology
Donna Summer	Live and More Encore
Doop	Circus Doop
dZihan & Kamien	Fakes
dZihan & Kamien	Freaks and Icons
dZihan & Kamien	Gran Riserva
Eddie Izzard	Sexie
Edith Piaf	The Very Best of
Elaine Paige	From A Distance
Elaine Paige	Performance
Elaine Stritch	At Liberty (2 CD)
Electric Six	Fire
Eleftheria Arvanitaki	Laika Demotika
Eleftheria Arvanitaki	Meno Ektos
Elena Paparizou	Euro Edition
Elena Paparizou	Proteraiotita
Eleni Keriendrou	Troades
Ella Fitzgerald	The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald	The Legendary
Ella Fitzgerald	The Wonderful World of
Elton John	Greatest Hits (3 CD)
Elton John	Songs from the West Coast
Elvira Kurt	Kitten With A Wit
Emiliana Torrini	Love In the Time of Science
Eminem	Encore
Eminem	The Eminem Show
Eminem	The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem	The Slim Shady LP
En Vogue	Greatest Hits
Enigma	Erotic Dreams
Enrique Iglesias	Cosas del Amor
Enrique Iglesias	Enrique
Enrique Iglesias	Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias	Escape
Enrique Iglesias	Quizas
Enrique Iglesias	Seven
Enrique Iglesias	Vivir
Enya	A Box of Dreams (3 CD)
Enya	A Day Without Rain
Enya	Amarantine
Enya	The Celts
Enya	The Memory of Trees
Enya	Watermark
Eternal	Greatest Hits
Eurythmics	Greatest Hits
Evanthia Reboutsika	Mikres Istories
Evanthia Reboutsika	Politiki Kouzina
Eve	Eve-o-lution
Eve	Scorpion
Faithless	Forever Faithless
Felix da Housecat	Playboy - The Mansion
Filippa Giordano	Filippa Giordano
Filippa Giordano	Il Rosso Amore
Filippa Giordano	Passioni
Filippa Giordano	Prima Donna
Florence Foster Jenkins	The Glory (!) of the Human Voice
Franz Ferdinand	Franz Ferdinand
Fugees	The Score
Gackt	Rebirth
Garbage	Beautiful Garbage
Garbage	Bleed Like me
Garbage	Garbage
Garbage	Version 2
George Michael	Listen Without Prejudice I
Gershwin, George	Piano Music
Gershwin, George	Simon Rattle Album
Gershwin, George	Songbook
Girls Aloud	Sound of the Underground
Girls Aloud	What Will The Neighbours Say
Glass, Philip	Mishima
Glass, Philip	The Screens
Gloria Estefan	Abriendo Puertas
Gloria Estefan	Alma Caribena
Gloria Estefan	Amor y Suerte
Gloria Estefan	Cuts Both Ways
Gloria Estefan	Destiny
Gloria Estefan	Eyes of Innocence
Gloria Estefan	Gloria!
Gloria Estefan	Into the Light
Gloria Estefan	Mi Tierra
Gloria Estefan	Primitive Love
Gloria Gaynor	Greatest Hits
Gloria Gaynor	The Very Best of
Goldfrapp	Black Cherry
Goldfrapp	Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp	Supernature
Goran Bregovic	Arizona Dream
Goran Bregovic	Black Cat White Cat
Goran Bregovic	Irish Songs
Goran Bregovic	Kayah & Bregovic
Goran Bregovic	La Reine Margot
Goran Bregovic	Paradechtika
Goran Bregovic	Sezen Aksu and Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregovic	Silence of the Balkans
Goran Bregovic	Songbook
Goran Bregovic	Tales and Songs of Weddings and Funerals
Goran Bregovic	Underground
Goran Bregovic	Unza Unza Time
Goran Bregovic	With Two Canvas Shoes
Gustavo Montesano	Fantasia Flamenca
Gwen Stefani	Love Angel Music Baby
Haddaway	Greatest Hits
Hamasaki Ayumi	My Story
Handel, GF	Messiah Highlights
Handel, GF	Murray Perahia Handel & Scarlatti
Hikaru Utada	Exodus
Hoobastank	The Reason
Hooked on Classics	Hooked on Classics (3 CD)
Horace Silver Quartet	Tokyo Blues
Hossam Ramzy	Immortal Egypt
Il Divo	Il Divo
Jackie Clune	Boy Crazy
Jacques Lu Cont	Fabric Live
Janet Jackson	All for You
Janet Jackson	Control
Janet Jackson	Damita Jo
Janet Jackson	Design of a Decade
Janet Jackson	Janet
Janet Jackson	Rhythm Nation
Janet Jackson	The Velvet Rope
Jason Donovan	Greatest Hits
Jay Z	The Black Album
Jean Michel Jarre	Images
Jennifer Lopez	J Lo
Jennifer Lopez	J to the Lo
Jennifer Lopez	On the 6
Jennifer Lopez	Rebirth
Jennifer Lopez	This Is Me… Then
Jive Bunny	The Album
Joe Hisaishi	Kitano Movie Music
Joplin, Scott	The Entertainer
Jose Jose	25 Aniversario (2 CD)
Josh Groban	Josh Groban
Joyce Grenfell	Requests the Pleasure (3 CD)
Joydrop	Metrosexual
Juliet	Random Order
Junkie XL	7am Ambient
Junkie XL	Radio JXL
Junkie XL	Saturday Teenage Kick
Juno Reactor	Beyond the Infinite
Juno Reactor	Bible of Dreams
Juno Reactor	Shango
Justin Timberlake	Justified
Kanye West	The College Dropout
Karl Jenkins	Diamond Music
Karl Jenkins	Imagined Oceans
Karl Jenkins	Requiem
Karl Jenkins	The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace
Kate Bush	Aerial
Kate Bush	Hounds of Love
Kate Bush	Lionheart
Kate Bush	Never for Ever
Kate Bush	The Dreaming
Kate Bush	The Red Shoes
Kate Bush	The Sensual World
Kate Bush	The Whole Story
Kate Bush	This Woman's Work I
Kate Bush	This Woman's Work II
Kelis	Kaleidoscope
Kelis	Tasty
Kelis	Wonderland
Kitaro	Peace on Earth
Kodo	Mondo Head
Kodo	World Celebration
Kristen Chenoweth	As I Am
Kylie Minogue	Body Language
Kylie Minogue	Enjoy Yourself
Kylie Minogue	Fever
Kylie Minogue	Greatest Hits
Kylie Minogue	Hits
Kylie Minogue	Impossible Princess
Kylie Minogue	Kylie
Kylie Minogue	Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue	Let's Get To It
Kylie Minogue	Light Years
Kylie Minogue	Rhythm of Love
Kylie Minogue	Ultimate Kylie (2 CD)
La Bouche	All Mixed Up
La Bouche	Sweet Dreams
Ladysmith Black Mambazo	Greatest Hits
Leela James	A Change is Gonna Come
Let Loose	Let Loose
Lil Kim	Hardcore
Lil Kim	La Bella Mafia
Lil Kim	The Naked Truth
Lil Kim	The Notorious KIM
Lila Downs	Una Sangre
Los Del Rio	Fiesta Macarena
Lucy Pearl	Lucy Pearl
Ludacris	Chicken and Beer
Ludacris	The Red Light District
Ludacris	Word of Mouf
Luke Slater	Fear and Loathing (2 CD)
M People	Greatest Hits
Madison Avenue	The Polyester Embassy
Madonna	American Life
Madonna	American Life SE
Madonna	Bedtime Stories
Madonna	Confessions on a Dancefloor
Madonna	Confessions on a Dancefloor SE
Madonna	Erotica
Madonna	Evita
Madonna	Evita (2 CD)
Madonna	GHV2
Madonna	GHV2 SE
Madonna	I'm Breathless
Madonna	Like a Prayer
Madonna	Like a Virgin
Madonna	Madonna
Madonna	Me Against The Music
Madonna	Music
Madonna	Music SE
Madonna	Ray of Light
Madonna	Ray of Light SE
Madonna	Remixed and Revisited
Madonna	Something to Remember
Madonna	The Immaculate Collection
Madonna	True Blue
Madonna	Who's That Girl
Madonna	You Can Dance
Mahalia Jackson	Greatest Hits (2 CD)
Maksim Mrvica	The Piano Player
Mandy Moore	Coverage
Mandy Moore	Mandy Moore
Manteca	Indestructible Asian Beats
Manu Chao	Vieilles
Margaret Cho	Assassin
Margaret Cho	Drunk With Power
Margaret Cho	I'm The One that I Want ( 2 CD)
Margaret Cho	Live in Houston
Margaret Cho	Revolution
Margaret Cho	The Notorious CHO (2 CD)
Maria Callas	The Best of
Maria McKee	Life Is Sweet
Mariah Carey	#1s
Mariah Carey	Butterfly
Mariah Carey	Charmbracelet
Mariah Carey	Daydream
Mariah Carey	Emotions
Mariah Carey	Glitter
Mariah Carey	Greatest Hits
Mariah Carey	Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey	Merry Christmas
Mariah Carey	Music Box
Mariah Carey	Rainbow
Mariah Carey	The Emancipation of Mimi
Mariah Carey	The Remixes (2 CD)
Mariah Carey	Unplugged
Marinella	Xryses Epityxies
Martha Wash	The Album
Martha Wash	The Collection
Mary Black	The Collection
Meatloaf & Bonnie Tyler	Heaven and Hell
Mega Om	Waterwall
Megan Mullally	Big As A Berry
Megan Mullally	The Sweetheart Breakin
Mel C	Northern Star
Michael Jackson	HIStory (2 CD)
Michael Jackson	Number Ones
Michaelis Hadzigiannis	Kryfo Fili
Mika	Mika Haka
Mikro	Tronic Plasma
Minne Driver	Everything I've Got in my Pocket
Mirwais	Production
Missy Elliot	Da Real World
Missy Elliot	Miss E So Addictive
Missy Elliot	Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliot	The Cookbook
Missy Elliot	This Is Not A Test!
Missy Elliot	Under Construction
Miyavi	Gagaku
Miyavi	Miyavism
Miyavi	Recopilation
Moby	Play
Monica	After the Storm
Monteverdi, Claudio	Orfeo (2 CD)
Monteverdi, Claudio	Poppea (3 CD)
Monteverdi, Claudio	Vespers
Mozart, WA	Don Giovanni (3 CD)
Mozart, WA	The World of
Musical	A Chorus Line
Musical	Aida
Musical	Ain't Misbehavin (2 CD)
Musical	Annie
Musical	Annie Get Your Gun
Musical	Assassins
Musical	Avenue Q
Musical	Bombay Dreams
Musical	Bugsy Malone
Musical	Bye Bye Birdie
Musical	Cabaret - Broadway
Musical	Cabaret - New Broadway
Musical	Calamity Jane & Pajama Game
Musical	Caroline, or Change
Musical	Cats (2 CD)
Musical	Chicago - Broadway
Musical	Chicago - London
Musical	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Musical	Fame
Musical	Feet of Flames
Musical	Fiddler on the Roof
Musical	Funny Girl
Musical	Grease
Musical	Guys and Dolls
Musical	Gypsy
Musical	Gypsy - New Broadway
Musical	Hair
Musical	Hairspray
Musical	How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Musical	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Musical	Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Musical	La Cage aux Folles
Musical	Les Miserables (2 CD)
Musical	Lord of the Dance
Musical	Mack and Mabel
Musical	Mame
Musical	Miss Saigon (2 CD)
Musical	Oklahoma
Musical	Oliver!
Musical	Passion
Musical	Phantom of the Opera (2 CD)
Musical	Rent (2 CD)
Musical	Riverdance
Musical	South Pacific
Musical	Starmania
Musical	Sunset Boulevard (2 CD)
Musical	Sweeney Todd
Musical	Sweet Charity
Musical	The Frogs
Musical	The Last 5 Years
Musical	The Lion King
Musical	The Only Musicals Album You'll Ever Need
Musical	The Producers
Musical	The Wild Party
Musical	West Side Story
Musical	Wicked
Nat King Cole	The Best of (2 CD)
Natalie Imbruglia	Left of the Middle
Neil Diamond	Greatest Hits (2 CD)
Neil Diamond	The Essential
Nikos Sydakis	Hecuba
Ninagawa Yukio	Medea 2005
Nine Inch Nails	The Fragile (2 CD)
Nitin Sawhney	Prophesy
No Doubt	Beacon St Collection
No Doubt	Everything in Time
No Doubt	No Doubt
No Doubt	Return of Saturn
No Doubt	Rock Steady
No Doubt	The Singles 1992-2003
No Doubt	Tragic Kingdom
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan	The Magic Touch
Ofra Haza	Desert Wind
Ofra Haza	Fifty Gates of Wisdom
Ofra Haza	Greatest Hits (3 CD)
Ofra Haza	Kirya
Ofra Haza	Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza	Queen Exile
Ofra Haza	Shaday
Ofra Haza	Yemenite Songs
Olivia Newton John	Indigo - Women of Song
Olivia Newton John	Two
Panjabi MC	Dhol Jageero Da
Patti LaBelle	Classic Moments
Paul Van Dyk	Reflections
Paula Abdul	Greatest Hits
Paulina Rubio	Border Girl
Pink Martini	Hold On Little Tomato
Pink Martini	Sympathique
Poe	Haunted
Poe	Hello
Portishead	Dummy
Prince	The Very Best of
Princessa	Princessa
Prodigy	Greatest Hits
Propellerheards	Decksanddrumsandrockandroll
Puccini, Giacomo	Madame Butterfly
Puccini, Giacomo	Turandot
Queen Latifah	The Dana Owens Album
Rachel Stevens	Come and Get It
Rachel Stevens	Funky Dory
Rachmaninov, Sergei	Piano Concerti
Raphael Saadiq	Instant Vintage
Real McCoy	Another Night
Rednex	Sex and Violins
Reel 2 Real	Move It
Richard Stagg	Shakuhachi
Ricky Martin	Ricky Martin
Right on Time	Paradise Club
Ringo Shina	Shoso Strip
Rishi Rich	Gift 2 U Vol I
Roald Dahl	Revolting Rhymes
Robbie Williams	Greatest Hits
Robbie Williams	Intensive Care
Rocio Durcal	Caricias
Rocio Durcal	Entre Tangos y Mariachi
Rocio Durcal	Me Gustas Mucho (Todos Sus Grandes Exitos)
Rod Stewart	The Great American Songbook I
Rod Stewart	The Great American Songbook II
Rod Stewart	The Great American Songbook III
Roger Doyle	Salome
Royksopp	Melody AM (2 CD)
Royksopp	The Understanding
Rufus Wainwright	Poses
RuPaul	A Shade Shady
RuPaul	Foxy Lady
RuPaul	Red Hot
RuPaul	Supermodel of the World
RZA	Birth of a Prince
Sakis Rouvas	S'exw Erwteutei
Sakis Rouvas	To Chrono Stamatao
Salma & Sabrina	ABBA in Hindi
Salt n Pepa	Very Necessary
Savage Garden	Affirmation
Savage Garden	Savage Garden
Savina Yannatou	Songs of the Mediterranean
Scissor Sisters	Scissor Sisters
Shakespear's Sister	Hormonally Yours
Shakira	Laundry Service
Shania Twain	Come On Over
Shania Twain	Up!
Sheryl Crow	The Very Best of
Shirley Bassey	The Greatest Hits
Shirley Bassey	The Remix Album - Diamonds are Forever
Slava	Snowshow
Soundtrack	2046
Soundtrack	8 Femmes
Soundtrack	A Celtic Tale
Soundtrack	A Mighty Wind
Soundtrack	Aladdin
Soundtrack	Alias
Soundtrack	Alice in Wonderland
Soundtrack	Ally McBeal
Soundtrack	Amelie
Soundtrack	American Beauty
Soundtrack	Angels in America
Soundtrack	Another Sun
Soundtrack	Antwone Fisher
Soundtrack	Beauty and the Beast
Soundtrack	Bewitched
Soundtrack	Black Hawk Down
Soundtrack	Blade Runner
Soundtrack	Cabaret
Soundtrack	Camp
Soundtrack	Catwoman
Soundtrack	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Soundtrack	Chicago
Soundtrack	Chocolat
Soundtrack	Cinderella
Soundtrack	City of God
Soundtrack	Corpse Bride
Soundtrack	Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Soundtrack	De-Lovely
Soundtrack	Devdas (2 CD)
Soundtrack	Dick Tracy
Soundtrack	Dolls
Soundtrack	Eternity and a Day
Soundtrack	Exotica
Soundtrack	Eyes Wide Shut
Soundtrack	Finding Nemo
Soundtrack	Frida
Soundtrack	Fried Green Tomatoes
Soundtrack	Get Shorty
Soundtrack	Gladiator
Soundtrack	Gohatto
Soundtrack	Grease
Soundtrack	Grey's Anatomy
Soundtrack	Hamam
Soundtrack	Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Soundtrack	Hello Dolly
Soundtrack	Hercules
Soundtrack	Hero
Soundtrack	House of Flying Daggers
Soundtrack	In the Mood for Love
Soundtrack	James Bond
Soundtrack	Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
Soundtrack	Kama Sutra
Soundtrack	Kill Bill (3 CD)
Soundtrack	Kingdom of Heaven
Soundtrack	Kundun
Soundtrack	La Mala Educacion
Soundtrack	Lagaan
Soundtrack	Lemony Snicket
Soundtrack	Lost in Translation
Soundtrack	M Butterfly
Soundtrack	Mary Poppins
Soundtrack	Mean Girls
Soundtrack	Mighty Aphrodite
Soundtrack	Mona Lisa Smile
Soundtrack	Monsoon Wedding
Soundtrack	Moulin Rouge (2 CD)
Soundtrack	Mr and Mrs Smith (2 CD)
Soundtrack	Mulholland Drive
Soundtrack	My Fair Lady
Soundtrack	North of Niagara
Soundtrack	Passion - The Last Temptation of Christ
Soundtrack	Pocahontas
Soundtrack	Pret a Porter
Soundtrack	Pride and Prejudice (BBC)
Soundtrack	Pulp Fiction
Soundtrack	Queer as Folk
Soundtrack	Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
Soundtrack	Red Corner
Soundtrack	Rent (2 CD)
Soundtrack	Reservoir Dogs
Soundtrack	Riven
Soundtrack	Sahara
Soundtrack	Save the Last Dance
Soundtrack	Sex and the City
Soundtrack	Shall We Dance
Soundtrack	Shaolin Soccer
Soundtrack	Shrek 2
Soundtrack	Sirens
Soundtrack	Sister Act
Soundtrack	Sister Act II
Soundtrack	Skys
Soundtrack	Songs from Almodovar's Films
Soundtrack	South Park The Movie
Soundtrack	Spirited Away
Soundtrack	Stand By Me
Soundtrack	Stranger Inside
Soundtrack	Talk to Her
Soundtrack	Tatie Danielle
Soundtrack	The Addams Family
Soundtrack	The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Soundtrack	The Fabulous Baker Boys
Soundtrack	The Governess
Soundtrack	The Green Mile
Soundtrack	The Hours
Soundtrack	The Jungle Book
Soundtrack	The Last Emperor
Soundtrack	The Last Samurai
Soundtrack	The Lion King
Soundtrack	The Little Mermaid
Soundtrack	The Lord of the Rings I
Soundtrack	The Matrix
Soundtrack	The Matrix Reloaded (2 CD)
Soundtrack	The Matrix Revolutions
Soundtrack	The Mission
Soundtrack	The Next Best Thing
Soundtrack	The Passion of the Christ
Soundtrack	The Prince of Egypt
Soundtrack	The Skeleton Key
Soundtrack	The Sound of Music
Soundtrack	The Sweet Hereafter
Soundtrack	The Wizard of Oz
Soundtrack	Thoroughly Modern Millie
Soundtrack	Three Colours - Bleu
Soundtrack	Throne of Blood
Soundtrack	Titus
Soundtrack	Troy
Soundtrack	Troy - Rejected
Soundtrack	Vanity Fair
Soundtrack	Victor Victoria
Soundtrack	Water
Soundtrack	Will and Grace - Let the Music Out
Soundtrack	Winnie the Pooh
Soundtrack	With Honors
Soundtrack	Zatoichi
Spice Girls	Spice
Spice Girls	Spiceworld
Squirrel Nut Zippers	Bedlam Ballroom
Squirrel Nut Zippers	Christmas Caravan
Squirrel Nut Zippers	Hot
Squirrel Nut Zippers	Inevitable
Squirrel Nut Zippers	Perennial Favorites
Steps	Buzz
Steps	Greatest Hits
Steps	Step One
Steps	Steptacular
Take That	Greatest Hits
Takemitsu Toru	Piano Works
Talvin Singh	Anokha
Talvin Singh	Back To Mine
Talvin Singh	Ha
Talvin Singh	Master Musicians of Jajouka
Talvin Singh	OK
Talvin Singh	Remixsingh OK
Talvin Singh	Vira
Tchaikovsky	Ballet Music
Tchaikovsky	Festival
Tchaikovsky	Piano Concerto 1 (Argerich)
Tchaikovsky	Piano Concerto 2
Temple of Sound	People's Colony No 1
Texas	Greatest Hits
The Corrs	Borrowed Heaven
The Corrs	Forgiven Not Forgotten
The Cranberries	The Best of
The Killers	Hot Fuss
The Orb	Greatest Hits (2 CD)
The Peter Malick Group feat Norah Jones	New York City
The Quantic Soul Orchestra	Pushin On
The Waifs	Up All Night
Thievery Corporation	Babylon Rewound
Thievery Corporation	Om Lounge
Thievery Corporation	Sounds from the Verve HiFi
Thievery Corporation	The Cosmic Game
Thievery Corporation	The Mirror Conspiracy
Thievery Corporation	The Outernational Sound
Thievery Corporation	The Richest Man in Babylon
Tim Rice	I Know Them So Well
Tina Arena	Don't Ask
Tina Arena	Just Me
Tina Arena	Souvenirs
Tina Turner	Rockin' and Rollin'
Togi Hideki	from Asia
Togi Hideki	I Am With You
Togi Hideki	New Gagaku
Togi Hideki	Togi Hideki
Togi Hideki	Togism
Togi Hideki	Togism 2
Togi Hideki	Togism 2001
Tom Lehrer	An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer
Tom Waits	Alice
Tom Waits	Big Time
Tom Waits	Blood Money
Tom Waits	Bone Machine
Tom Waits	Closing Time
Tom Waits	Foreign Affair
Tom Waits	Frank's Wild Years
Tom Waits	Mule Variations
Tom Waits	Nighthawks At the Diner
Tom Waits	Rain Dogs
Tom Waits	Real Gone
Tom Waits	Small Change
Tom Waits	Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits	The Black Rider
Tom Waits	The Early Years - Vol I
Tom Waits	The Early Years - Vol II
Tom Waits	The Heart of Saturday Night
Tom Waits	The Island Years - Beautiful Maladies
Tom Waits	Used Songs
Tomoyasu Hotei	Electric Samurai
Toni Braxton	Libra
Toni Braxton	Secrets
Toni Braxton	Ultimate
Tony Scott	Music for Zen Meditation
Tori Amos	Boys for Pele
Tori Amos	Scarlet's Walk
Tori Amos	Under the Pink
Tosca	Suzuki
Towa Tei	Last Century Modern
Tulku	Season of Souls
Tulku	Trancendence
Tweet	It's Me Again
U2	Best of 1980-1990
U2	Best of 1990-2000
Usher	Confessions
Ute Lemper	Berlin Cabaret Songs
Ute Lemper	But One Day
Ute Lemper	Michael Nyman Songbook
Ute Lemper	Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper	Sings Kurt Weill I
Ute Lemper	Sings Kurt Weill II
Ute Lemper	The Best of
Various Artists	Banging Globe Anthem
Various Artists	Barcelona Gold
Various Artists	Bollywood Nights
Various Artists	Breakfast Baroque
Various Artists	Chill in India Vol 2
Various Artists	Cocktails With Cole Porter
Various Artists	Dance Premier
Various Artists	Disco Queens (3 CD)
Various Artists	Divas Reimagined
Various Artists	Favourite Baroque
Various Artists	Favourite Opera
Various Artists	Favourite Opera Choruses
Various Artists	Geisha Lounge (2 CD)
Various Artists	Great Pianists of the 20th Century (2 CD)
Various Artists	Gypsy Music of Constantinople
Various Artists	HMV - Tango
Various Artists	Japanese Koto Music
Various Artists	Japanese Melodies for Flute and Harp
Various Artists	Kabuki Music
Various Artists	Kamasutra Experience
Various Artists	Mozart in Egypt
Various Artists	Musique de la Grece Antique
Various Artists	New Dimension of Trance
Various Artists	Nu Jazz (2 CD)
Various Artists	Nu Progressive Era
Various Artists	Renaissance Desire (2 CD)
Various Artists	Rough Guide to Sufi Music
Various Artists	Rough Guide to the Music of Japan
Various Artists	Smash Hits 95
Various Artists	The Very Best Bollywood Songs (2 CD)
Various Artists	The World of Drums and Percussion
Various Artists	Tribute to Female Voices
Various Artists	Verve Remixed
Various Artists	Wild Cool & Swingin
Vivaldi, Antonio	8 Seasons
Vivaldi, Antonio	Gloria
Vivaldi, Antonio	Stabat Mater
Vivaldi, Antonio	The Four Seasons (Karajan)
Vivaldi, Antonio	The Great Composers
Whigfield	The Album
Whitney Houston	I'm Your Baby Tonight
Whitney Houston	The Bodyguard
Whitney Houston	The Greatest Hits (2 CD)
Whitney Houston	The Preacher's Wife
Wilson Phillips	Wilson Phillips
Yahel	Around the World
Zakir Hussain	Music of the Deserts
Zakir Hussain	Tabla Duet
Zakir Hussain	Vanaparstham
Zakir Hussain	Zakir Hussain and the Rhythm Experience
Zen Dreams	Space
Zen Dreams	World
Zukabar	Tribal Works