Where on earth do they find women like this?
Probably Shimokitazawa or Koenji—that s the kind of town where you find girls like this.
She s playing guitar.
It s surprising anyone even does music these days.
In an era where CDs don t sell, even going pro won t make you rich.
Most of their income comes from T-shirts sold at live venues.
It s no exaggeration to call it the apparel industry—the reality of exploitation disguised as fulfillment.
Music has ceased to be a dream.
If you want to do it, just keep it as a hobby.
I, too, used to be a band member.
I moved to Tokyo thinking I d make a living with music. After years of struggling to get by, when I turned 35, my girlfriend got pregnant. I couldn t manage on part-time jobs alone, so I ended up dipping a toe into this underground scene.
It s a common story in this world.
That s why I can t stand young people chasing their dreams.
“Face reality, face reality!” I find myself saying the very words once
