Wednesday, October 18, 2006

I Know It's Only Rock And Roll, But They Like It.

A couple of years ago Kira and Kiyomi became obsessed with the band Puffy AmiYumi and the cartoon that was created about them. I liked this phase, since the worshipping of two hip Japanese rocker chicks was preferable to the phase where they were fixated on Barbies, princesses and those awful Bratz dolls. My daughters, at the young ages of 6 and 8, were determined to become superstars and someday travel around on their own tour bus, just like their idols. I told them I had a similar dream, but it involved me, alone in my minivan on a four day bender to Vegas.

That Christmas they asked for electric guitars so that they could embark on their quest for musical stardom. I found a couple of cheap ones at Toys R Us, but Rigel, currently pursuing his own dreams of rock and roll immortality, decided this was his domain and no wife of his was going to go buying his offspring just any old guitar she picked up in a bargain bin. I figured this was his sneaky way of spending even more time at GuitarCenter, but I was relieved to have anything crossed off my holiday to-do list. Three days and almost four-hundred-dollars later he had purchased two mini Fender guitars, each with it's own amp and guitar stand. I thought this was a little extravagant, especially coming from a man who thought that having GPS installed in his wife's car was too much of an expense, even though it's known that she requires MapQuest to navigate down their own driveway.

Now, two years later, they've just started their guitar lessons. It's going well, and they've already mastered the first few chords of their favorite Green Day song. Kira has obviously inherited Rigel's musical genes which also probably explains why, despite the fact that she barely practices, she has managed to become first-chair violin in her school's orchestra. But what Kiyomi lacks in actual musical chops she makes up for in theatrics. She just joined the orchestra on violin this year as well, and after playing for me a scratchy version of Hot Cross Buns the other day, she stood up, blew me a kiss and then pretended to smash her violin on the floor with big overhead swings. I did the wave and then held my lighter high up in the air.

They've even started a band with their two best friends, Sophia and Samantha, calling themselves the Sunflower Sisters. Though they don't have any songs written yet, haven't mastered any instruments or decided on a genre, Kira has already designed an entire tours worth of band outfits and decided exactly what the inside of the deluxe bus will look like. They've already had their first fight - about the logo design - so it won't be long before they're stealing each others' boyfriends, battling substance abuse and attempting to mend their broken relationships as a result of their solo albums. I'm just beaming with pride!

Recently I saw the two of them in the living room, practicing their post-concert sign-off. Kira had the microphone hooked up to their karaoke machine and Kiyomi was sitting next to her with a globe in her lap. She would spin the globe, stop it with her finger and then show Kira where it had landed. Then Kira would shout out, "Thank yewww... TOKYO!!" and "Thank yewww... WYOMING" and my favorite, "Thank yewww... [examining...long pause]...LIBYA!!"

We're accepting bookings now.


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35 comments:

  1. My boys and I started guitar lessons, but after a month realize we need a new teacher. I think the problem is he's like sixteen and can probably play well, but can't teach. We can't play one damn song. Now we're forced to go with the weird recluse lady who has a thing for lysol spray and cats. I need Kira. She so would totally get me. Personally, I stick with "thank yeww London" because it flows best.

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  2. Sounds like a rockin household to me! How lucky you are. They are just too adorable, and I love the sign off! (great photo too!)

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  3. Thank yewww, Spam from India!

    Can't wait to watch their VH1 Behind the Music episode.

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  4. I secretely hope my daughter grows up to be a rockstar.

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  5. I'm glad they are dealing with the important things, like outfits and logos, first!
    And I do think Libya would benefit from a tour by the Sunflower Sisters. I'll see if I can help get a booking. It could be their first stop in their Sunflower Sisters do the Sahara tour! Will I get a free t-shirt?

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  6. Awesome. Who doesn't need a couple of rockin ladies in the house? Let me know when they book Libya, I'll so be there!

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  7. Oh my gosh, that is so cute. What a great picture of the girls!

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  8. A girl and her guitar. I'll never forget mine. It was a white plastic guitar with a giant sticker of KISS on it. Sure I couldn't actually play it because it was plastic but I rocked out on that thing. I'm so sorry I gave up those eight year old aspirations to open for Led Zeppelin. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

    Thank you Cameroon!

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  9. ROCK AND ROOOOLLLLLL!!!!!!

    I'm so jealous of you and your cool family right now. We're so lame. (sheds tear)

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  10. All the best bands are from families: er ... Donny and Marie Osmond ... er ... Hanson and ... um ... The Partridge Family - do they count?

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  11. Man, my family is so lame compared to yours. All I hear is arguments about whether melee weapons are allowed or not.

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  12. As long as you remain their ever-supportive mom and don't try to steal their millions as their defunct manager, than I think you all will be okay!!

    Rock on, girls!!!

    Carrie

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  13. Love your rockrrrrr grrrrlz. And their sign-off is so hilarious. (You'll have to post one of those sound clips one of these days!)

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  14. That is so terrific. They look like mini rock stars.
    I was just in a music shop, picking something up, and I noticed a Hello Kitty guitar - man, wouldn't that just be great ...
    Excellent post!

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  15. They've got the name of their band all figured out and the clothes. What more could there be?

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  16. That is so awesome! I had a guitar. But I sold it when I found out just how hard it really is to hold your fingers down on the strings LOL.

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  17. I remember having dreams of rock and roll stardom when i was little, but my parents squashed those when they insisted I play the cello over the guitar. What rockstar plays the cello?

    Good for you for supporting your girls musically!

    -annie

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  18. Libya really? Neat.

    I love the guitars and the pic of the girls, they are so freaking cute.

    I wasn't cool enough to be in a band...i played the piano. Oh well, maybe in my next lifetime.

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  19. Awesome! K is jumping at the bit to get B into guitar lessons (keep in mind he is 15 months). We saw a sign that advertised lessons starting at 5, K swears it will happen. Unfortunately, we are not musical, and basically have no rythym, so little B will have to dig deep down inside to find some musical skills all on his own.

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  20. I watch the cartoon too with my little sister. It's fun. Animation is lacking though.

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  21. The girls are awesome! My own girls are now 6 and 8 and have started a neighborhood band called "30 second Attention Span". They like to do Avril Lavigne covers. I'm pretty sure they will want real guitars soon. My husband will be thrilled.
    Have your girls heard the group Smoosh
    ? They are 2 sisters who are like 11 and 14. We saw them on Conan and then downloaded their album. They are adorable and their music is pretty good, too.

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  22. Have they been helping Rigel work on his bands sign off? ... "Thank yewww...Studio City". And I know that Nine2Midnight could really use tips on outfits having seen what they chose to wear at their first concert.

    Also did Rig passout when the girls placed stickers on their guitars? I would have loved to have seen his reaction.

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  23. When I graduated from college my parents had a huge party for me and invited all of their rich friends. I got some ridiculous amount of money. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to do and I kept telling them, in all seriousness, that I was going to buy a VW buy and an accoustic guitar, grow dreadlocks and tour the country until I was either broke or dead.

    I wish I had done it.

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  24. How cool!!

    "pretended to smash her violin on the floor with big overhead swings"

    That ROCKS! ((Me banging my head with fingers in the air))

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  25. Are you going to let them play Sun City?

    Surfed in thru BlogMad--nice place you have here. Hope it's ok if I come back.

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  26. My husband and I both play guitar, we thought our two sons would, too. But they both took up the drums. We haven't gotten any sleep for 2 years.

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  27. I can already tell you that six tickets are done sold if they make their way to southern Colorado. Your girls ROCK! Pun totally intended.

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  28. Dude...the cuteness is killing me. How can you stand it? Meanwhile, although I'd always heard about Puffy AmiYumi, I'd never heard them before. Just saw their latest video. They rock! The kids have great role models. Can't wait for the record release party.

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  29. AWESOME! Seriously, you have two of the coolest girls ever! They could be awesome rockers like Shiina Ringo. Do you guys ever listen to her? My husband got me into her and while I don't know what she's saying 80% of the time, she totally rocks my world! My favoritest song of hers is Tsumi To Batsu.

    Anyway, I had no idea that they have little Fenders. That's a great gift for my son when he's bigger!

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  30. Will they be writing a tell-all book soon about their days in the spotlight? I got my credit card ready.....

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  31. How about "Thank Yew ASHRAF in India!"
    Heh.

    They are most rockin' indeed!

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  32. How cool! I hope L.A. Toddler takes up music. She's so very interested now. And if she's got my genes, there may be some good ol' rock and roll in her blood.

    Congrats - they look like they're having a blast!

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  33. Love this! They totally look like rock stars.

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  34. This is my husband's dream come true for my daughter! She's only two, but he's already pushing the Elmo guitar over the Baby Alive doll.

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  35. Keep us posted. I want tickets if their first tour comes within a hundred mile radius of my town.

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