We’re talking about ice wine from Canada, the grand opening of the new Tokyo Skytree shopping center and tower, Bootsy Collins, the eclipse, coffee shops in Tokyo, and the new size of our magazine, plus we’re reading some of your comments from out Facebook page.

Here’s the link to our FaceBook page: http://www.facebook.com/MetropolisMagazine

"Fly by Night"

Our friend and former CNN anchor Dalton Tanonaka talks with “Hawk” the CEO of a new airline that employs some unusual ideas to provide the very lowest prices in his new no-frills airline. You’ll need to hear this to believe it.

Jeff Richards, Editor-in-Chief, METROPOLIS magazine

We’re talking with Jeff Richards about what’s in the mag and on the cover. Additionally, we’re joined by Mike DeJong, editor-in-chief of ACCJ Journal, who wrote the LAST WORD in this week’s edition who addresses the problem parents and children separated by divorce.

Steve Cropper, Photo by Don Chapman

Mr. Cropper at Okura hotel lobby

Your humble interviewer/podcaster felt extremely fortunate to be honored to conduct this interview with Steve Cropper a living legend in the world of rock n roll and soul.

Check date, time and location of Tokyo performances on this poster.

Golden Week Quickie

We asked out staff at Metropolis magazine and we received so many different, and interesting answers. Listen!

Along the way, we also talk with promoter TAKESHI ARAKI of Tokyo’s biggest art festival DESIGN FESTA. In this podcast -and for a very limited time- he’s offering 10 PAIRS of FREE TICKETS to this years event to the first 10 people to send an email to me at kong@metropolis.co.jp Be sure to include your snail-mail address because we’ll mail the tickets to you.

Backstage with Nile Rodgers

We were granted the rare opportunity to go backstage at the TOKYO BLUE NOTE to talk with our long time friend, Super Producer NILE RODGERS. In this short interview, Nile tells us about his upcoming book, the two musicals he’s producing, his favorite Japanese artists, what he likes to do in his free time in Japan. And there’s much more. Check it out, listen now.

Nile’s Blog: http://nilerodgers.tumblr.com/

TOKYO BLUE NOTE: http://www.bluenote.co.jp/jp/index.html

Among other things we’re talking about burgers, and that burger on the cover.

Burger Model: Teddy’s Bigger Burger,

Teddy’s Tokyo

Jeff Richards

Hear  directly from the editor-in-chief about items of interest in our current edition and what’s planned for some of our future editions. Also, please forgive my horrible cold….ugh. More vitamin C, orange juice and rest!

Tokyo Tower Burger

Omotaesando model love Teddy's

Burger creator Ted Tsakiris has recently arrived in Tokyo to re-tune his namesake TEDDY’S BIGGER BURGERS in Tokyo located between Harajuku and Shibuya.  In our one-on-one interview, Ted tells us what he’s done to get his burgers back on parr with the burgers in his famous shops in Hawaii. Along the way he shares some of the challenges of operating a business in Japan.

Ted Tsakiris

Get updated with the concerts and artists coming to Tokyo with musician Kaleb James.

TEDDY’S BIGGER BURGER namesake Ted Tsakiris is visiting Tokyo from Honolulu to fine-tune the burgers being made at his busy Harajuku burger shop, and he shares some of the things he’s doing to make his burgers better. Also joining us is “FluterScooter” a Julliard trained flute player who shares her music and tells us about her amazing, dazzling, exotic, techno flute and laser show to be held in Tokyo’s Ginza Apple store. And, Soul Searcher Yoshioka Masaharu tells us where we can see a slammin’ Sly & the Family Stone tribute concert.

SPECIAL OFFER! Print or show this coupon on your smart phone before expiration date and receive the discounts as indicated;

Check Guy Totaro’s website at: http://www.supagaijin.com/

Meet Sam Macaroni the YouTube producer/director/actor/singer/songwriter who’s been creating his own unique brand of YouTube video’s that go viral immediately after he posts. Within the next 32-minutes you’ll hear some of his secrets toward achieving maximum downloads. Along the way, you’ll also hear some of his great thumpin-’n'-pumpin’ music. Also joining us, legendary club proprietor Bill Hersey of the New Lex (seen with sunglasses in pic, right) talks about the passing of Minoru Mori, the man who built Roppongi Hills, Ark Hills and Atago Green Hills.

And there’s much, much more… As we always say, “If it’s going on in Tokyo–it’s going on the MetPod!”

Cyndi Lauper landed in Japan on the day of the big earthquake and tsunami of 3/11 and she tells us about her experience in this short MetPod podcast.

New York City’s famous Tribeca restaurant BUBBY’S is now in Japan. Listen as Warren Wadud (owner of NIRVANA NEW YORK) introduces his friend Ron Silver (owner of BUBBY’s) to Tokyo. Hear how the opportunity came up and the deal went down. Fascinating story.

Among the many articles and items found in our magazine, we also talk with our Editor-in-Chief Jeff Richards about teaching English in Japan and what you put on natto to make it more delicious.

Kyle Hedlund is the Content Manager for a new website called JAPAN TOURIST and he explains how it can be useful for people both visiting and living here in Japan.

Also joining us, our newly appointed editor-in-chief Jeff Richards who always regales us with info about what’s in the pages and on the website of METROPOLIS magazine.

And musically, we have a newly married husband and wife duo called Nature Airliner. You’ll hear the music they make together and you might be surprised when hear how they met. You can connect with them via Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/natureairliner

If you have a musician friend who would like to perform in Japan, you might want to turn them on to this podcast as musician Luna J turns us on to some of her music, and her friend “Davin” explains how he brings bands and musicians to Japan. Luna was recently here shakin’ the walls at Tokyo’s New Lex, and she says she’ll be back soon! We hope so!

LUNA’s SONGS in this podcast INCLUDE:

1. FOR THE MUSIC
2. IMPRESS
3. FADED AWAY

Link to LUNA J’s Website: http://www.lunajmusic.com/

In this fast-moving 30-minute podcast, Miss Brenda Vaughn tells us about her final show in Tokyo (tonight) and about why she’s decided to leave Japan.

Here’s a link to Brenda’s website: http://brendavaughn.com.hostbaby.com/music.html