The Decline Tour Japan: Part One

I was introduced to Useless ID's Redemption years ago in high school and used to have it on repeat religiously. It's probably one of my favourite records of all time, so, much like our European tour in May, if you had told me back then that we would be touring Japan together one day, I would have found it a little hard to believe. But, here we are. It's 2am and we just played our first show with them in Tokyo. Standing side of stage with a drink in my hand watching them tear it up was a moment that reminded me why I'm doing this.

Useless ID tear Japan a new one.

Although tonight was our first show supporting Useless ID, Implants (US) and Kill The Drive (Israel), we've already played two headline shows, and Harry (drums), Ben (my brother), Ray Ray (our roadie) and I have been here for a week and a half already. We flew over early to take advantage of the fact we were going to Japan, and we've had an incredible time. On top of the usual tourist outings – Ginza Palace, Harajuku, Meiji Shrine, Electric City and a million other things - we experienced a minor earthquake, and wandered into an eerie forest where we found human bones. It's been weird and wonderful. I've also come across our albums in a few stores.

We're all vegetarian, and it's almost impossible to find decent vego food over here. Today I had three hash browns and a Dr Pepper for dinner. That's the best meal I've had in a while and the only thing I've eaten today. We're definitely on tour. If I were going to eat meat, Japan would be the place.

Ben making friends.

Our guitarists, Pat Decline and Nathan Cooper, landed on Tuesday morning and picked us up so we could head to Yatsuka to rehearse and get in the correct headspace for the show the following night with Japanese punk rockers TNX, who booked our two headline shows.

Performing in Tokyo.

Despite venues failing to supply bands with a rider, most supply backline and the staff are super friendly. Our first show was on Wednesday at a club called Kyara in Kitaurawa, Saitama, and its layout reinforced the fact we're on tour in Japan. It was a tall, narrow building and the bar was on the third floor, the stage was on the fourth and the band room was on the fifth. Getting an elevator from the band room to bar and then stage seemed absurd.

Like I said, we toured Europe in May, and at most of those shows we had people singing along to our songs, which was unbelievable. Well, the same thing is happening in Japan. I think a lot of our Japanese fans don't speak English too well, so it looks like most of them are pretending to sing along, but they definitely know the songs. The crowds we've played to have probably had no idea what we've been saying between songs, which is a good thing as we have a tendency to ramble and make fools out of ourselves. Japanese label Bells On Records released both our albums over here, and owner Nobuyuki Watanabe came to the show on Thursday night and told us to talk a little slower and use less words.

The latest attraction at Tokyo Disneyland.

After following a GPS spewing out information in Japanese and getting horribly lost, we arrived at our hotel on Friday to find Useless ID and Kill The Drive chilling in the lobby with their instruments out, going over little bits and pieces. They were fresh from guitar shopping and most of them had purchased new instruments. I'm feeling a jealousy-fuelled impulse buy coming on.

There's a pool at the hotel, but I think Ben and I are the only ones who can use it because everyone else has tattoos, which is a pretty big deal over here as they're generally associated with the Yakuza. I rarely see Harry wearing jeans, but when we got off the plane, the first thing he did was get changed to hide his tatts. “It's 'cause I'm white,” Implants guitarist Jim Blowers joked after being denied entry to the pool.

We hope this kid's prayer at Meiji Shrine is answered.

The Useless ID, Implants, Kill The Drive and The Decline tour has been dubbed Union Way Revolution. I never really get nervous before we play anymore, but having members of the aforementioned bands watching us kind of put the pressure on – especially considering Implants are a punk rock supergroup featuring members of Strung Out, Pulley and Ten Foot Pole. I thought we played pretty well, and then Kill The Drive got up and absolutely killed it. How on earth did we get onto a tour of this magnitude?

Useless ID followed and, like I said, I soaked up every second. They're celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band soon, and it shows. They're so tight, and tonight's set was the first time they've played together in two months. We've got three more shows in Japan, and then we board a plane with Useless ID for an Australia tour. There's not really much money in it for new punk rock bands, but when you get to tour Japan and Australia with one of your favourite bands, and tour Europe in the same year, you can't really complain.

Written by Daniel Cribb.