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Name: Mike from S.C. <E-mail>
Subject: Why Shinji's Still Around
Date: 2003/04/16 22:25:35

Hi everyone,

We have to remember that Seiko is a Japanese businesswoman doing business in a Japanese world. We like the music, we like the concerts, we like her movies, but Seiko is a businesswoman. 
People like to jump on a plane, go to Japan, walk into a Japanese conference room with their little suit and tie and slap a business proposal on the table. They think that if the proposal is "impossible to resist" they will soon walk out of that room with a signed contact.
Wrong.
Japanese business is all about relationships. That's why people lacking in talent or ability will find work while other very capable people will fail. If you have a talent for understanding the basic, deeply imbedded Japanese cultural principles for forming and maintaining a relationship, you will obtain work and you will make money regardless of your talent (or lack of it).
I don't know about or care about Seiko's friendship or personal relationship with Harada. I don't want to know how they met and became friends. All that matters is that they are friends right now, and as a result he will have one hand on Seiko's stacks of cash as long as they remain friends.
That means that if Seiko records a follow-up to "Area 62" you had better believe that she will "give" Harada a track on that one too. Tim, you may have predicted the future...maybe the "Area 62 Part 2 Shinji Harada Bonus Track" will be "Ai Ai Ai 200% Pure Love." If not, it will be something equally ridiculous. He might even "remix" Ave Maria AGAIN...that's how low he sinks.
June 28, 2000...the release date of "20th Party." That's how long we've had Shinji in our "Seiko World." We keep waiting for him to either deliver music on a "My Story" or "Forever" plateau and it's been three years and it hasn't happened. Not songs that "sound like" Seiko's past victories....just songs that have the same quality. Who cares if they're fast or slow or loud or soft if we can really hear her heart in them? I haven't heard her heart since "Forever."
So we expect the next best thing, which is for Harada to realize that he's no longer welcome, that many of the fans do not care for his songwriting or production or stage presence, and that we like Seiko much, much better when he's not around. Guess what?
He's not going anywhere until he betrays his friendship with Seiko. As long as he is her friend she will give him work. That's how a Japanese businesswoman does business. She cares more about Shinji than she cares about "us."
I too support Seiko and anticipate more good work from her. It is great to "think positive." It is possible that Harada will "surprise us." I just think that three years is a long, long time to "get it right." I've gotten to the same point with the "20th Party" and "L&E" concert tapes that I did with the Alan Reed stuff...I can't watch them anymore. To me, Shinji Harada has always looked like Takako Matsu's big sister. And that's a shame, because I really like Takako Matsu. But he's like Alan Reed, or any other person unable to shine ON THEIR OWN. Seiko has given him a big share of the spotlight, and a big share of the profits, and HE LIKES IT. It doesn't matter if YOU like it, or I like it, or any other Seiko fan likes it. As long as he likes being there, and as long as Seiko wants him there...he's gonna be there.
Get ready for "Love and Emotion Volume III" featuring the new hit single "Ai Ai Ai 200% Pure Love" and the special bonus track "Ai Ai Ai 200% Pure Love More Money in Shinji's Bank Account Album Remix."

:-(

Best regards,

Mike