It’s Top 3 Video time! The best of the Top 3 videos for May 21, 2016! Welcome friends!

First up is a punk band from Switzerland. This girl looks familiar to me, could she be a member of the Jackets? Yes! She is. Her name is Jack Torera! Her real name is Jackie Brutsche. And, wow! Does she ever have a lot of cool projects going on. About the Jackets (who have been on our countdown before) Wiki says: “The Jackets have electrified concert-goers in every major city in Switzerland and have also played or toured in Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Great Britain sharing the stage with bands like The Monsters and The Sonics. Wow! Go Like their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/thejackets

#3) Jack Torera – Die Welt geht HOPS DI HOPS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoHRhbCXm2o

Next up is a 4-piece outfit from Brroklyn, New York that describes themselves as a “Indie rock, post-punk revival, garage rock, art punk band.” Their name is Parquet Courts, but are also known as Parkay Quarts. They formed in 2010. Here’s their unofficial FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/Unofficial-Parquet-Courts-131054550418575/?fref=ts

#2) Parquet Courts – Berlin Got Blurry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv0bBjMc6FY

At #1 is Wendy James! Many will remember Wendy James from the band Transvision Vamp… But now, she’s back and her new record has tunes that are hotter than ever! I spoke to Wendy’s publicist (Andrea Lynch who sent this music to our attention! Thanks Andrea!) the other day and she was speaking to Wendy on the other phone. Wendy says “Hi! Japan!” Japan loves you too, Wendy James! Here is her FB page, go Like it! https://www.facebook.com/THEWENDYJAMES/?fref=ts

#1) Wendy James – Bad Intentions and a Bit of Cruelty https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FUdErF5YR_k

Today’s Spotlight Artist! Today’s spotlight artist are the Routes from Oita prefecture in Kyushu, Japan… What??? Yeah. I know. How did that happen? Oita is as far away from the happening scene in Japan as you can get. How is it that one of Japan’s most happening bands got stuck down there? Leader, Christopher Jack (British ex-pat) formed The Routes in 2005 with an endless stream of changing members. Their 5th album coming out soon. Here is their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/theroutes/?fref=ts

Today’s Spotlight Artist! The Routes – Meant To Be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBDRFwGEtto

Tomorrow morning, May 22, 2016, Christopher Jack of the Routes will be a guest on my radio show, “WTF?” (What the Funday?) on InterFM 897. Show runs from 8 am ~ 11 and we play only cool music. Christopher will be one from about 10:30 am. Here is my radio show’s FB page (PLEASE go LIKE it): https://www.facebook.com/WhattheFunday76.1/?fref=ts

Here is the radio show’s webpage: http://www.interfm.co.jp/wtf/

And here is a freebie from the Routes album released last year: The Routes – Day and Night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWOoOL1T9ZA

Well, that’s it for today! See you next week!!!!!  – Mike (in Tokyo) Rogers (Please come Like my FB page! Thankx!)