Casiopea/Yonin Bayashi -- Lady Violetta（レディ・ヴァイオレッタ）

Earlier today, the premier of our province Ontario put out all of the modeling data on what the death toll could be like due to COVID-19. The stats aren't great, and frankly they are meant to scare us into absolute seriousness about how this terrible disease should be treated. Of course, my stress levels were elevated on first hearing this news.

So, how am I coping with the current reality? Well, along with blogging everyday, taking walks in the neighbourhood (while keeping my distance), and keeping in touch with other family and friends, I do have my various other audiovisual therapies such as some of the variety programs on TV Japan. But online, there are the plethora of podcasts including my friend Rocket Brown's "Come Along Radio" who has his latest YouTube concoction.

There are also the old episodes of "Dragnet" with Jack Webb. Always loved this pioneer of police procedurals. Indeed, thank god it's Friday!😄

Cooking channels such as "Binging with Babish" have also helped soothe me. The good thing is that all of the hosts are well aware of what's happening out there in the world but they also feel that the show must go on, and I appreciate them for that.

And I have also been very happy to indulge in some ASMR virtual rubdowns through channels such as Rirakuya. To be honest, I'm surprised that a lot of these places are still putting out videos considering the shutdowns that have been happening, but for the time being, I'm happy to see that they're still coming out.

In any case, I hope that "Kayo Kyoku Plus" has provided some solace and comfort to the various kayo/J-Pop viewers all over the planet through the many kinds of music that has come from Japan over the decades. I think music has acted as a salve in a number of situations.

For example, I found this alternatingly mellow and frenetic song by the fusion band Casiopea（カシオペア）that apparently was never an official single or track on any of their albums (correct me if I'm wrong), but according to Marty McFlies v2, "Lady Violetta" was performed by them on some radio show back in 1980. It's the type of song that I would like to hear while lying on the sofa or bed.

Casiopea's performance was actually a cover of the original by rock band Yonin Bayashi（四人囃子）which included guitarist Katsutoshi Morizono（森園勝敏）. I've written an article about one of his solo ventures, "Blue Funk". I couldn't find the original single from 1976 but here is a concert performance by them. I'm assuming that it is Morizono doing those guitar solos, and it sounds like "Lady Violetta" was meant more as a rock ballad. The number was also included as a track on Yonin Bayashi's 2nd album "Golden Picnics"（ゴールデン・ピクニックス）in the same year.

Anyways, wherever you are, I hope that you are keeping safe and if you are having to stay home, you are finding something creative or at least amusingly distracting to do. Ah, I also forgot one more channel that I've enjoyed. That would be Active Otaku Channel which has a very congenial fellow describe in Japanese his expertise in Akihabara from various angles. Nice and calming bossa nova background music!