AT FUJIROCK 2013:
So it rained but we don’t care, happy to be in the Favourite
Festival, this valley in the mountains is beautiful in any weather.
People smile, security is caring & meticulous & the whole
place is geared for goodtimes – everyone who comes through the
gate is catered for.
Had a premonition I would meet Wilco Johnson then sat down
next to him on the plane. His guitar playing is like great slabs
of techno. the godfather of sampled guitar & a gentle man.
Flew out of London with a sandpapered throat, had to laugh at it’s
timing, bodies know how to mess with heads. Popping Beecham’s
capsules to fend off flu, locked into a twelve hour air conditioned
metal tube then squeezed out into a hot & humid world, walking in
diver’s lead boots. Slept on the back seat of the bus, coats
over our heads. Ate glorious noodles in a regular service station,
finished off with ice cream & glutinous balls, Red Bean Paste cake
& Peach Iced Tea. Slept another two hours on the back seat & woke
in a valley where clouds stoop to kiss the heads of mountains & trees
rinse their leaves in it’s blue-grey caress.
Saw Tame Impala, loved their commitment to that sound, tried to
see NIN but they were having a Lock-down, shut-out night.
Found the Rock Man & his crew in a tent in the trees, 250 rocks
painted with faces every year & Scattered all over the festival
for kids to find. It’s this kind’ve love that makes FujiRock
my festival of festivals. Hung out with the Boss laughing into
the night, it’s an honour to be invited by him to play here.
Walked through the rain & bumped into the one person I wanted
to meet, so spent the rest of the night in the bar with Yanis
from Foals discovering we share a lot in common.
Who knows how the throat will sound today or if Angie’s suit case
will turn up in time for the show?
(K)
Karl Hyde 
This is a great pic….there are two big cats in the trees…can you find them? Feel better.
Hi Karl, I am sittin gin Kyoto reading this, glad it was great. I wish I could of been there, but it was too expensive.
Much Love & Loads of Appreciation.
-Matt