11/12/2025
I don’t usually share personal posts, but I need to honor my friend Mr. Death, who passed away yesterday. For those who know me, you know how much I cherish Tokyo’s underground garage rock scene—it’s been a cornerstone of my yearly trips to Japan, and it’s where I’ve made lifelong friends.
Mr. Death was one of the most unforgettable characters in that world. With his signature fez and adult diaper, he DJ’d with wild passion and unmatched drunken charisma. He had impeccable taste in gritty 50s and 60s rock and roll—the trashier, the better.
One drunken night, he told me something I’ll never forget: “It doesn’t matter that you’re English and I’m Japanese. What matters is rock and roll—it’s the spirit that unites us all.”
He went out of his way to make me feel welcome, every single time. He lived life on his own terms. Mr. Death embodied the true outrageous spirit of rock and roll.
I’ll miss you, my friend. You were one of a kind. Rest in power.
