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• My love/hate relationship with Tokyo

  2008-12-16 7:01PM / 標準BLOG

  Disclaimer: For those of you wondering, "Where the pictures at?!" scroll past the massive chunks of text below. Though, I'd much rather prefer if you read and commented!
  
  I love Tokyo.
  
  I really do.
  
  It's so clean, efficient, and it's just a marvelous city -- a veritable playground with so many nooks and crannies I can't possibly uncover them all. There's so much to love about this city -- cheap food, awesome entertainment, and above all else -- incredible hospitality.
  
  But really, that's a trait about Japan in general that I love. If it's anything the Japanese really are great at, it's hospitality. A Japanese friend of mine discovered that I'm traveling to Japan by myself and told me that he was considering moving his "leave-Tokyo-to-visit-family-for-New-Year-date" back by one day (from January 1st to the 2nd) so I don't "have to spend the first day of the new year alone." I thought that was probably one of the sweetest, most considerate things anyone's ever thought of for me, and such a gesture is, at its very root, very Japanese. Of course, I told him to go visit family -- I have more than enough friends who'll be in town, but even still, I was incredibly touched. Taking in consideration of the fact that he's not just some average Joe, but an incredibly high ranking executive from one of Asia's biggest record labels made the impact of the gesture hit me like a 500 ton mack truck. Packed with explosions, too.
  
  Yeah, Japan, your culture of hospitality is awesome.
  
  I've been to Tokyo 4 times in the 15 months, and in about 32 hours from now, I will be making my 5th trip out. The previous 4 times were all for work. This time, it's way more personal. This time, I actually will get to do things that I want to do and experience and explore the city in a way I never have been able to before. I'll actually have time to visit Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, Akihabara, and stop by Tsukiji Market to sample fresh fish at dawn. I'll actually get a chance to soak in an onsen -- Japanese hot springs, for those of you who don't know what that is -- and let the heat and nature just  melt away all my stress. I'm already starry-eyed just picturing it.
  
  But things to hate about Tokyo?
  
  As a New Yorker used to the most efficient transportation system in the world (or so I say with full bias), I hate Tokyo's lack of unlimited transportation passes; the fact that their transportation system is not one, but multiple; furthermore, everything closes at midnight when it comes to trains, and then taxis are exorbitantly priced! Good god! Transportation in Tokyo is probably the one thing I spend the most amount of money on, believe it or not. If that's not ridiculous, I don't know what ridiculous is.
  
  And then there's just about a million crazy rules as well such as no using mobile phones on trains, requiring manner mode just about everywhere, not checking makeup on trains or anywhere public, etc. etc. 
  
  There's also the fact that as advanced as Tokyo is, it's still the center of quite possibly the most repressive industrialized country in the world, especially for women's rights. Women as a whole are still treated as a second-class citizen; and when they are not, they are being horrifically objectified and sexualized in every single way possible. Tokyo's unquestionably phallogocentric, but as a feminist I shouldn't be surprised about that, seeing as America's not all that much better. But at least it's not nearly as bad as it is in good ol' Japan.
  
  But there are so many things to love about Tokyo.
  
  If you've been to Tokyo and you haven't had crepes from Harajuku, you are totally missing out.
  
  These thin, chewy, flaky crepes are prepared quickly and wrapped around all sorts of different condiments from your chicken-curry variety to incredibly rich and calorie-packed cheesecake slices with fresh, succulent strawberries, blueberries and thick cream to send you straight to dessert heaven.  I'm hungry just thinking about it and I just had a Boston Creme donut. (Sweet tooth, much?)
  
  Then there's the nightlife. Even for a New Yorker, I must say I'm pretty impressed by the quality of Tokyo nightlife. Japanese people really know how to get down, let me tell you. While they can't dance very well (unless you're lucky enough to be in the right hiphop club on the right night of the week to catch actual dance crews tear it up), they really know how to party. Tokyo nightlife is an unending playground, and unlike New York where last call is at 2am and the party stops at 4am, the party never stops in Tokyo. It just keeps going. And going. And going. Of course, drinking in moderation is important and knowing how to pace yourself is even more so. But I'm not the type of person who needs to get drunk to have fun anyway!
  
  Nightlife aside, there's a gazillion things to do during the day. Just about every time I've been there, I've had the pleasure of catching a street matsuri (or festival) go on. Parades and all sorts of fun stuff happen at any given moment in Tokyo and it's totally amazing to see it all -- and that's without mentioning all the sights!
  
  I can keep going on forever about all the things there are to love or hate about Tokyo. But at the end of the day, I think I love Tokyo more than I hate it. What I hate the most about Tokyo is the fact that every single time I've been there, I've never, ever had a chance to truly experience it cuz I was always busy working!
  
  This time, it's going to be a totally different experience, and I'm definitely looking forward to it. I'll be bringing my trusty laptop, camera, and USB cord, and will be sure to update while I'm there!
  
  Until next time, AnD.
  
  
  EDIT: Before, I forget, I totally thought I was done for the night, but I just remembered I had some photos to share!
  
  I attended the Women In Music holiday party last Monday and had a blast. I'd met one of the board's directors, Hadley Poole, at a networking event back in July or so and she invited me to go. I decided to get kinda dolled up and camwhored a bit in the bathroom before I went.
  
  Here is the evidence:
  
  
  
  
  And here I am with an incredible violinist, Heather Paauuwe, Alissa Turchen (EMG's Administrative Marketing Assistant/JRR's East Coast Director of Events) and artist, writer, photographer and model, Tré:
  
  
  
  We had a fabulous time. Unfortunately, it was wayyy too packed to take too many pictures of us, but this one at least came out somewhat decently!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  8個評論–  我來說兩句

• 10 things about doing business with Japan

  2008-12-09 2:56AM / 標準BLOG

  Running an international startup  is definitely quite stress-inducing and not exactly what I'd call a healthy way to live your life. But if you're crazy enough and believe strongly in whatever it is that you're involved in, you'll do it.
  
  The following is a list of 10 things you can expect while working between America and Japan:
  
  1. Expect to sleep at really weird hours, or not sleep much at all.
  
  2. Every time you call Japan and ask if they can speak English, expect that they will never tell you "NO." Come to think of it "NO" does not really exist in the Japanese vernacular because it's considered rude to flat out turn down someone. Subtlety is the key to doing business in Nippon.
  
  3. Be prepared to never be told what someone really thinks if they don't like something about you/your business/your business practices. If someone holds a grudge against you in Japan, they will hold it forever.
  
  4. Be prepared to go insane and have mental breakdowns. Address this situation with liberal amounts of ice cream, take out, and Crunchyroll.com.
  
  5. Give someone unready for a position of leadership a little power and they'll get too big headed and start powertripping with gusto. (This is not partial to Japan, as it's a universal phenomenon.)
  
  6. Skype is your best friend on earth.
  
  7. If traveling between the US and Asia and you want to skip that horrific thing called jet lag, do not sleep the night before. Snooze on the plane and you will not regret it.
  
  8. Virtual offices such as the type 37 Signals puts out are the best things to ever hit the internet for entrepreneurs. We use Backpack, Basecamp, and Highrise religiously. There was one point where we were heavily using Campfire, but that's subsided a bit in recent times.
  
  9. Expect decisions to take forever to come down, and once they do come down, expect to do everything LAST MINUTE! Japan is so efficient at how they do business that they aren't quite used to the long, meticulously planned out ways of doing business we here in the US take for granted.
  
  10. Expect that everyone in Japan will think the way they do business/marketing/promotions [fill in the blank here] in Japan will work in America and expect you to do it their way. Only a rare few are brave enough to do business the way it should be done overseas: a different practice, a different strategy to cater to different markets.
  
  In any case, this is just a small little bird's eye view into what it is like to do business between the US and Japan. Anyone else have any horror stories to share about intercontinental business?
  
  
  On a side note, thanks for the spotlight, AnD! (However short lived it might be...) ♥ ♥ ♥
  
  

  10個評論–  我來說兩句

• G.I. Joes Phishing on Facebook: A lesson on keeping private things private.

  2008-12-04 11:02PM / 標準BLOG

  Social networking is great. Except when it is used for phishing, otherwise known as a hacker or just an annoying idiot's attempt at trying to get sensitive information out of someone to later on use for their own purposes.
  
  Now, it's no secret that I am probably one of the world's biggest nerds ever. Albeit, I do it with style, but that's besides the point. Point is, I'm online enough to know better than to respond to some shady requests for information.
  
  So, a few days ago, I get this message on Facebook:
  
  

  Good day, Ms. Yang.
  
  My name is Terrence Lydon. I am conducting an investigation that may involve [NAME CENSORED], whom my information tells me that you attended college with.
  
  Would you be willing to answer a few questions in order to help me further this investigation? My purpose is for information-gathering only.
  
  If for some reason you are not the correct Krystal Yang to be contacted regarding this, please disgreard this message and accept my humblest apologies.
  
  Best,
  
  Terrence Lydon
  
  

  Now, some people might look at this and think it's perfectly normal. This is so not normal it's not even funny. Do NOT respond to messages like these unwittingly -- you might be helping someone phish information that's supposed to be completely private.
  
  I responded rather curtly with "What is this regarding?" and promptly reported his ass to Facebook, also blocking him. (I didn't realize at the time.) And then, I forwarded the message on to my friend, who was shocked to hear that this was happening.
  
  This morning, I receive this message:
  
  

  Ms. Yang:
  
  My name is Cooper MacBride. You had previously been contacted by my coworker, Terrence Lydon. He says that he cannot make further contact with you, and thus I am sending a message in his stead.
  
  To answer your last question to Mr. Lydon as to the nature of your being contacted, he is conducting an investigation for a client who wishes to remain unnamed. The investigation involves the confirmation of information that has been provided by the client, which will lead to having clearer information.
  
  One name that is a part of my inquiry is [NAME CENSORED], whom my information tells me that you attended college with and that you were friendly with her brother.
  
  Would you be willing to answer a few questions in order to help further this investigation? As I said, the purpose is for information-gathering only.
  
  If you would prefer to communicate with me, rather than Mr. Lydon, that is acceptable as well.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Cooper MacBride
  
  

  At this point, I was rather incredulous. Yes, some of this information was true. I did attend college with this individual and I was friendly with her brother. But still, this seemed really, really sketchy to me. A client who wishes to remain unnamed? A confirmation of information to lead to clearer information? Sounds like phishing to me. Unperturbed, I responded:
  
  

  If your client wishes to remain unnamed, and if you don't wish to better explain why you want me to spend my time answering questions for a so-called investigation, other than this answer you have given which is very unsatisfactory, then I will opt out of said investigation and continue to report any further attempts to contact me as harassment to Facebook.
  
  Also, it's rather difficult to believe that G.I. Joe characters would be contacting me.
  
  Consider your ass reported.
  
  Get with the program, yo, I am hardly a newb to the interwebz.
  
  

  Yup, ladies and gents, you read that right.  G. I. Joe characters. I was so confused as to what the hell this was that was happening so started to Google these names -- Terrence Lydon and  Cooper MacBride. The only website online where both names come up is this. Yes. The Complete Guide to G.I. Joe.
  
  These names are totally fabricated. These identities are completely not real. I was talking to phishers with G. I. Joe identities trying to get information out of me about a friend of mine.
  
  What the fuck indeed.
  
  In any case, the moral of the story is -- be careful who you talk to online, especially if they're asking for information or conducting an "investigation."
  
  Never EVER give any kind of personal or private information out to someone over the internet that you do not personally know. And even if you do know that person, never give anything like your social security number, driver's license, or anything that might end up constituting as identity theft.
  
  It's a scary, scary world out there, people. And the internet just makes it easier for shitty people to do even shittier things. So watch your backs!
  
  
  

  8個評論–  我來說兩句

• Is the business side really that evil?

  2008-12-03 12:59PM / 標準BLOG

  I wonder what it is that distinguishes "artists" as "artists" and "business" as "business" with a finite line drawn between the two categories and no blending of the two identities.
  
  Rather ironic, if you consider how many talented artists are out there who are also incredibly good business men/women. But if you were to ask them, they'd always say, "I'm an artist, not a businessman/woman," as though there's this horrible stigma attached to the idea of doing business. Just think about Gabriel Lee's recent post. "Evil" businessman? Come again?
  
  Like most good little ABCs, I started playing classical piano at the tender age of 7, competing in state-wide classical competitions, since that is what ABCs do. By age 13, I was in a little girl group that was in talks with RCA before it was bought by the monster that is now SONY, and by 14, I'd given up any pursuits as an actual artist to promote and support my favorite bands instead.
  
  My passionate love affair with promoting artists started out of a very pure, simple need to want more of my friends involved in the music I enjoyed. It started as young as 11, when I started building websites for the pop boyband Hanson. You remember them? Mmmbop?  I was totally crazy about those boys and I wanted more people to be crazy with me.
  
  As I wrote in a previous blog post on my other blog:
  
  

  "At that time, I obviously had no idea what I was doing was marketing. But every fan page is essentially a marketing tool, an incredible vehicle of promotion for any artist. It provides the artist with exposure, and allows other fans or would-be fans looking for information about the artist to learn more about the artist. Fan sites are incredible, and integral to the careers of artists, especially emerging artists who are still struggling to gain footholds in the industry.

  When I was 13, I became exposed to the world of gothic and industrial rock, and at that time I began to actively participate in street team activities by making home made flyers and passing them around. At that time, I didn’t even know what I was doing was “street team” activity, as I wasn’t part of an official street team. I simply made up flyers and cold marketed with them in an attempt to encourage people to attend one of my favorite band’s shows. It was fun, exciting, and I loved the fact that what I was doing might actually help out that band."

  Some of us involved on the business side of the music industry aren't all evil money making hungry sharks that have no passion for the music and don't care about the artists. Some of us genuinely enjoy working with the artists and feel happiest when we see the fruits of our labor.

  Exhibit A: X Japan Reunion

  My team worked tirelessly, some of us going days without sleep to pull this off. For an international ticket sale that had never been done before in Japan, completely unprecedented and untested, we only had 10 days to figure out how to do it, how to set it up and market it, and only 5 days to actually facilitate it.

  Let's just say, that was probably hands down one of the top 10 most stressful experiences of my entire life. But it was also one of the most fulfilling. Fans from all over the world bought tickets to come see X Japan, and when we arrived at the Tokyo Dome on Day 1 of the 3 day spectacular reunion, we were greeted with the sight of over 50,000 fans waiting to see their favorite artist.
  

  

  Where's Kuri? Good question. Virtual points for anyone who actually can find me.
  

  

  Here I am with Christina, EMG's International Relations Director, working the ticketing will call.
  

  We actually had the chance to meet a huge chunk of the fans who flew into Japan worldwide just for this event, and seeing everyone there really was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It made every moment of frustration, stress, screaming at the computer or over the phone, keyboard mashing, and lack of sleep totally worth it at the end of the day.
  

  Not because we made a shitload of money or anything like that, but because we were able to help make so many fans happy, and witness the reunion of one of Asia's most phenomenal bands of all time with a global audience. My heart knew we'd made the right decision when I saw fans laughing, crying, standing in anticipation, waiting for that moment they'd wanted to see for so many years. It was incredibly fulfilling, and I was grateful for the experience. 

  Exhibit B: Juno Reactor

  The Juno Reactor 2008 Tour of North America was yet another one of those insane breakneck campaigns that I can't believe we did. After a meeting with SUGIZO (of yet another legendary Japanese band, LUNA SEA) in Tokyo on September 2nd, I flew back to NYC on September 3rd with only one mission in mind: to help promote a very unpromoted tour. Juno Reactor, the artist that brought you the awesome soundtrack from movies like The Matrix, would be flying out to their first stop in Mexico on Sep. 16 so we really had no time. But because I've always been a huge supporter of anything SUGIZO involves himself with, we agreed to help Juno Reactor as much as we could.
  

  With a small, dedicated team, we worked our behinds off in a full scale online/offline marketing and publicity campaign and even went as far as press scheduling and setting up and running publicity events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City.  None of us got much sleep, but it was incredibly fulfilling knowing that we were responsible for boosting all ticket sales dramatically. It was also really great seeing so many fans come out to see SUGIZO perform with Juno Reactor across the United States. I was also rather happy to see how many people bought his newly released album, "COSMOSCAPE."

  What I was most happy about was how grateful SUGIZO and Juno Reactor were for all of our hard work. To know that the artists we supported and worked so hard for were very appreciative of everything we did was an incredible feeling, and through the process I realized that it's impossible for artists to thrive without the support and the skills of management, marketing, and publicity teams who essentially make their careers happen for them. 

  Talent is an incredible gift, but without the right resources to bring it to the eyes and the ears of would-be fans, it's a wasted gift. Without the proper channels of communication and the proper means of distribution, there's no way any amount of talent, regardless how large it might be, might somehow turn into a successful career.
  

  But for those of us who truly embrace artists and entertainment, for those of us who thrive and feel the most amount of joy by helping another succeed, or creating their success, there's something so special and meaningful about the experience that no amount of words can quite articulate.
  

  

  Here I am with a few members of Juno Reactor before their NYC stop.
  

  The business side is integral to the artist side, and in a way, I think those of us who are most passionate about it are also artists, because we make the business itself our art. We aren't just pushing numbers and trying to get the biggest deal or make the most amount of money; instead, we are holistically working together with the artist to help them as much as we can in realizing their dreams and ascending higher in the world of entertainment.
  

  Some of us get involved in the creative process -- determining the look and feel of a campaign, graphics, imagery, etc. Others of us find outlets for that creativity in the media. But all of us are ultimately creating -- we're pouring our passion into that creation, and if all we create is the success of the entertainer we work so hard for, that alone, is still creation.

  And that's what matters most.
  

  
  

  6個評論–  我來說兩句

• Social Networking: Breaking down the boundaries

  2008-11-26 6:32PM / 標準BLOG

  I've always been really big on social networking.
  
  MySpace? Got one. Facebook? Yup. LiveJournal? You know it. LinkedIn? Can't live without it. Xanga? Been there, done that.  Social networking done right is probably one of the most awarding things about the internet. EINSOF Marketing Group's Director of PR, Susan English, ended up becoming part of the company after a message sent to me on MySpace.
  
  So needless to say, I'm a pretty big fan of social networking.
  
  I'm also a pretty big fan and advocate of breaking down the boundaries between "industry" and "fan."  As I said in a previous post imported onto AnD from my other blog:
  
  

  "There is a feeling that if you’re industry, you’re somehow better than everyone, but that’s bullshit.

  A certain kind of elitism runs with “being industry,” and many people like to use it to their advantage. Power is great after all. People love it. They also love to abuse it. As industry, you are supposed to be inaccessible. Fans are supposed to know about you and see your name in things like credits, booklets, maybe on press releases and whatever else — but they are not supposed to talk to you, and you’re not supposed to talk back. In a sense, you’re “too good” for them."

  Well, the same kind of philosophy applies for artists.

  In this world, there exists three different categories of people: celebrities, industry, and fans. If you think industry and fans aren't supposed to associate, forget about artists and fans. That's even more unheard of. Which, in my opinion, is kind of unfortunate.
  

  One of the most revolutionary things that's risen with social networking is seeing artists participate on a very personal level. But usually, that means MySpace or Facebook, with artist pages controlled in part by publicity or management teams. Artists have an image to upkeep after all, and they aren't supposed to do anything or say anything that might ever possibly compromise that carefully packaged image labels and managements spend so much time crafting. So anything they write or blog about tends to be very careful, and not very open.
  

  I didn't think a social networking site like Alive Not Dead -- where artists actively blog and network with fans and fellow industry and artists alike, sharing so much of their personal day-to-day lives and thoughts unabashedly with anyone who cares to read -- was even possible in this tightly regulated world of entertainment. In fact, some artists even have enough agency to post up private pictures and videos.
  

  Clearly, I was in for a pretty big surprise when I came across this site. 

  EMG mostly works with artists from Japan, and we've worked with everyone from X Japan to LUNA SEA's SUGIZO, to D'espairsRay. Unfortunately, entertainment in Japan is far more restrictive and image control is insanely regulated there, to the extent that any private, unapproved photos taken with artists are absolutely not allowed to be published on the internet. Which means, you're not going to find any interesting pictures of me with anyone else on this blog. Nor will you hear any crazy stories. Sorry.
  

  But that aside, I must say, I am thoroughly impressed by what AnD has managed to do in breaking down so many boundaries I previously thought impossible. It's given me hope for the future, with artists being able to find a voice outside of what their managements decide, and gain a little more control over their identities.
  
  It's really nice to see so many artists on here blogging, both established and new, connecting with each other and most importantly, with the people who matter the most -- their fans. It's also amazing to see emerging artists being able to potentially grow their fanbases and connect using this viral medium.
  
  In any case, I look forward to seeing what else the AnD team has hidden away in their back pocket for the future, as well as participating in its growth.
  
  
  

  16個評論–  我來說兩句

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