Raport Nicko McBrain'a - TOKIO cz. 2

[WICKER MAN]

Nicko: Tokyo

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Hotel Room Tokyo
Time: 10:30am
Sunday 29th October

Well, well, well here we are then back in the old hotel room writing me diary. At least I had a great night’s kip I can tell you!
I didn’t even have to get razzed either.
Last night was an absolute hoot!!

We arrived the day before yesterday from Hiroshima. We took the Express train again and it is definitely the way to travel. Great service, polite conductors and waitresses, all very nice I can tell you and the schedule is impeccable always on time. British rail bosses should come over here and experience how to run a railway system.

So, we arrived back into Tokyo and I got settled back into the same room that I had left the day before. Had a wee siesta and decided to go and meet Charlie at the Hobgoblin Pub. I had a stroll over to where it is and meet with him and some of our crew. They had all been in there for a while as the beer had flowed copiously and they where all feeling no pain. I had a coke with ‘em and chatted with Charlie for a while. Geezer Gad and Ian arrived. Ian popped off to meet Dickie Bell at his beloved Sake bar in Roppongi District. After about half hour passing Geezer and I decided to part company with the gang and head out. He went over to Roppongi while I was on a mission back to the hotel for dinner.
I had made my mind up that I was going to have a Teppanyaki dinner.
I popped into me room and changed me shirt and headed over to the restaurant. It was beautiful, very, very expensive but I decided to spoil meself. I met a really nice couple. Oh yes Teppanyaki style is eight or ten places around a large hot plate which the chief stands at and prepares your chosen food. It’s a most wonderful way to eat, very sociable. Great when there are a number of you. You can have what ever you like cooked however you like.
I chose the half lobster with fillet steak and soy soup with egg fried rice and assorted vegetables.
I met a great couple of people a lady named Julie and her son William. They were over visiting while hubby was doing the old power meetings and what not. They were going back stateside the next morning. We had a very pleasant time together.

After dinner I went back to me room and went to bed. Lights out by 11:30pm.
Me misses called me at 3 in the morning but I was very happy to hear her voice on the phone. I had not spoken to her in awhile.
We chatted for quite sometime and then I hung up and went back to sleep. Fortunately I did get back to sleep. Geezer called me for breakfast at around 8am and I got up and met him at 8:30am.
We had a breakfast and then were joined by Bruce. We were also sitting next to Steve Altman, Lauren’s manager and her drummer Tommy. We had a great chat going and then I said goodbye and went up to my room.
I watched a spot of Japanese golf on the glue tube. It’s very unusual. When the ball drops in the pot there’s this ringing sound like a bell. It’s most strange. Wonder what that means WHY!!!!

So, we are due to leave for the show at 4:45pm. I met in the lobby signed a few autographs and the went over to the show. We were playing at the Tokyo Kokusai Forum, very nice venue. Stage time was an early 5:45pm. We rocked out and had a reasonable show not one of our best but still a great time.

After the show we were invited to dinner by our promoter Nosue and her boss. We went to what we call the shouting restaurant. It is called, ‘Inakaya’ in the Roppongi District. What a hoot, when you walk through the door all the waiters and the two chefs, who are sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by food and their cookers. All shout a greeting at you it is an amazing place. If you guys get a chance to visit Tokyo this is a place NOT TO MISS.
Once you are sat comfortably down you chose what you want to eat from all the lovely food on offer from right in front of you It is all laid out in reach of the chefs. The waiter takes your order and then shouts it out to the chief, all the waiters then shout out what ya having to eat, Well, when you order a drink like a bottle of Sapporo beer they go even more crazy with the shouting. You can imagine how crazy things can get when there are twenty two of you all having a blast. When your order is ready they put it on the end of a big paddle stick and then pass it over all the food in front of you. They like you to be quick taking what ever is on the end off, especially if it is a ‘Kin great big bottle of beer. TEEHEE. You should have seen the size of the chefs forearms.

I had to eat: Miso soup with small mussels in it followed by a Pork appetizer followed by King crab legs with fresh roasted garlic on the side then a nice Red snapper fish accompanied with some fresh veggies.
We all had a fantastic time.
A very special thank you to our Japanese promoter, Naoki Shimizu and Nozue Yasui, from Creative Man Productions, for a most splendid night out and for your wonderful charm and character. THANK YOU from all the Maiden boys.

Well we did miss Rod today. He had to pop back to Blighty this morning so he missed out on this great event. Well, there’s always next time. Come to think of it things did seem a little quieter today, wonder why? TEEHEE

Well, it’s that time again, I have to go now and get ready to leave, I’m still sitting in me skivvies.

We’re due to leave the hotel at 12:30pm too head over to Osaka this afternoon. We have a day off today so when I get there I will be checking out the local culinary fare on offer.

Until later you lot
Stay safe and well
God bless you all
=Nicko=