OldSkuleNerd Tribute - KAMIBAND The Hill of Wisteria RIP Mikio on the anniversary of his passing

[@athlonen]

Bit of history on this song. Originally, this song was called "The Gathering of Metal Warriors", which makes sense, for it being the Kami Band. But with Mikio and all that he was with the Kami Band, Kari Band, and Babymetal, The Hills of Wisteria is more apropos: Fuji is Japanese for the Wisteria Flower. Oka is Japanese for "hills". So, The Hills of Wisteria is literally his name: Fujioka. There is another performance of this at a tribute show after he died. Mikio's wife gave Takayoshi Ohmura Mikio's pink ESP Snapper (It's the Mikio Fujioka signature model ESP Snapper; neither Ohmura or Mikio are playing it in this clip). It was fitting for him, as Mikio was Ohmura's teacher and mentor. That guitar has serious meaning now: 1. Taped to the back of that headstock is a cigarette. That was Mikio's favorite cigarette, and serves as an invitation for him to come back and play it at any time. 2. Under the bridge and pickups plate at the back of the guitar is a letter. That letter is written to Mikio, by his daughter. Nothing more to really be said about that. 3. Ohmura stated that from now on, whenever he is playing with Babymetal, that guitar will always be there, either on stage behind him, or him playing it. This is so Mikio is always on stage performing with them, in one form or another. 4. This hit the girls hard as well. While Moa was already learning how to play guitar and knows a few chords on her own, Mikio was teaching both Moa and Yui in their spare time on tour. So in a sense, they lost a favored uncle, protector, and teacher as well. 5. The Mikio Fujioka tribute show, arranged and put on by Ohmura, is called "My Little God". Not only is the entire show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but they are putting this show on every year, with all of the proceeds/funds going to help Mikio's family and organics business. Additionally, they will always play videos of Mikio playing and in his element to his children, so the children will always know who he is and never forget him, plus keep his memory alive to them. So this song has serious meaning both inside and outside of Babymetal.

[@Superelksch]

Thank you so much for all this information on this Lost hero, we will never forget him😔🙏🏻

[@flugelhornoldman1362]

I got a "My Little God Keyholder" by ordering food with his family business. This is one of privileges' to be a Japanese like me or someone residing in Japan. Because the shop is selling fresh groceries only.

[@tonygriffin_]

That info is a beautiful thing. Thanks for sharing.

[@FastWa1ker]

This instrumental had no title until it got its name "The Hill of Wisteria". "The Gathering of Metal Warriors" is the title of DVD where this song was first published (and where this video is from). The DVD came with undisclosed tracklist as a part of Ohmura's "Cerberus" CD release.

[@Erik6706]

Missed but never forgotten.

[@hafizahmad6924]

Damn ninjas cutting onions.. Go away..

[@Hadesillo]

His talent is still missed. It was too soon. _Wherever you are live in our hearts._

[@crypticmisery7996]

You have to see the one they did after Mikio passed. You could feel the mourning in the way they were playing, it was so sad, yet so beautiful.

[@ForestOfSleep]

I think that one is gone from youtube

[@GregDaGoblin]

I've seen 2 versions floating a round. The normal one, and one where they kind of superimposed Mikio in on the first solo. But yeah, it's gut wrenching and awesome at the same time. At the beginning it doesn't look like Takayoshi is even gonna be able to get thru it but then he slays it!

[@crypticmisery7996]

@@ForestOfSleep Yeah, I was trying to find it to leave a link, but it's gone.

[@crypticmisery7996]

@@GregDaGoblin Yeah, you can see him crying his eyes out while he wails on (what I believe was Mikio's) guitar.

[@athlonen]

@@crypticmisery7996 It was Mikio's guitar. Mikio's wife gave it to him, as Ohmura was Mikio's student.

[@Grington300]

Well said. RIP Mikio

[@safrisaleh412]

Missed Ko Kami (Little Smiling God). Missed but never forgotten.

[@Imsdal666]

when i where younger my guitar teacher told me that i should start playing drums instead of guitar because i was short, my fingers where too short etc. so i started playing drums, and i played drums for nearly 16 years, then i saw Mikio Fujioka on youtube. 158 tall and he owned his guitar, i went back to guitar recently and mostly thanks to him! Thank you Mikio Fujioka for showing me that even though we are short, there are always ways around it! i will miss him!

[@ZippyThePinhead]

Such a tragic loss to the music world, his family, and the band. I didn't get into Babymetal till the late summer of 2018. I was so knocked out by his playing I REALLY started searching & watching the videos of him playing only to find out he'd passed earlier that year. The band he formed with the drummer Yuya Maeta, and BOH before his passing, The Kari Band, one of his students Satoshi Oka is playing in his place now, and plays very much in the style of Mikio. The fact he was asked by Maeta & BOH to play speaks volumes of his talent. On another note, I recommend if you haven't seen it yet, Mikio did a demo video for the Marshall JVM amp, and the tune he wrote for it is fantastic, simply called The JVM Song. I have it in my "watch later" collection so I can hear it when I want to.

[@oldtom4583]

i am so glad i found this performance. thanks a ton for posting.

[@rebel131313]

R.I.P Mikio🤘🎸🦊🤘

[@foxgod4466]

Star light, Legend never die 🤟🏻🦊🔥🎸🔥

[@flugelhornoldman1362]

Nice and thanks from Japan 有難う💛。There is a band called "KARI Band" (Not Kami band) lead by BOH and Maeta (former Kami band drummer). They plays instrumental music entitled "I See You" dedicated to Mikio. It has very beautiful melody featuring BOH's fretless bass. BOH said "There is no guitar part in this tune. We left that out, because that's where Mikio plays."

[@RudeAlert]

Thanks for bringing this up!

[@boranblok]

One of the greatest accomplishments of Kobametal was getting these guys to support Babymetal. What an insane concentration of talent.

[@lovefrompraha]

Fuck I miss Mikio. Probably my all time favorite guitarist. Guy was just on a whole other level. The Kami-band did this song after he died to raise money for his family and Ohmura, the other guitarist was bawling the entire time. Shit was rough to watch

[@joopboom4119]

His passing broke my heart. I still miss him stage left.

[@jaygonzales7198]

amazing speech old school choked up am i

[@Marty-Metal]

beautiful content brother RIP Ko-Gami, may you stand first in line to play in the heavens.

[@stevestevens8709]

thank u makio may u rest in peace 😢god bless

[@yunametal344]

R.I.P Mikio🤘

[@PLF...]

Boh is one of the best I've ever seen

[@projectcreation]

Too soon... one of the most incredible and skilled guitarists I’ve ever heard. Not only that, but that smile tells a lot about a person and he was one of a kind. The brightest star in the sky when you look up, well, that’s him.

[@lancruzx3742]

Big Big Big Thank You 🤘🏻🦊🤘🏻

[@RREvilMonk]

RIP Mikio-Sama 🤘🔥🦊🔥🤘

[@jaygonzales7198]

wow! still got emotional watching

[@alexaccount0]

love these guys. Thanks Mikio for everything!!!

[@arisketch9247]

Just came by to hit the like button, not ready to watch the reaction vid yet, I still get too emotional on the subject of Mikio's death, I really miss him :/ But thanks for doing this commemorative reaction vid ... promise to watch it someday :)

[@jamesmcclung153]

Wonderful yet again. Excellent job on both reactions. We appreciate you!

[@user-cd2yp6cn5k]

Big thanx for this from JP🤘

[@_Gato.Negro_]

This song used to be called "The Gathering of Metal Warriors", but now is called "The Hill of Wisteria"... why?... because Fujioka in japanese is written 藤岡, the first kanji 藤 (fuji) means "wisteria" and the second kanji 岡 (oka) means "hill", so now this is his song. ❤🤘

[@seregamolodets5286]

🍅🍅🍅 🤘🏼🦊🤘🏼 Forever missed MIKIO.

[@lonniehockenbury1244]

Amazing as always. RIP Mikio.

[@chrisharris1522]

Thankyou for uploading this, he was a special soul deeply missed

[@junsb9306]

RIP mikio

[@souzan3838]

Thank you for your warmest comment‼️

[@syncoyava8950]

Thanks for part 2 of your nicely done tribute to our Little God. Nice choice to show this version of Hill of Wisteria with Mikio playing, that's how to remember him. The tribute version is so emotional and sad, I couldn't easily have watched it today....but maybe I will anyway. There are lots of lovely words already in the comments here, and I can't say it any better than those. Never to be forgotten you wonderful talented man. You live on through your music...RIP Ko Gami.

[@thelmamatic5004]

sayonara mikio

[@RezaKronis]

Mikio Fujioka is teacher from Takayoshi Ohmura (guitar pink)

[@simonbarrett8628]

That was a really lovely tribute , Well done OSN, RIP Mikio❤

[@user-qc1bo7ly4k]

心から本当にありがとうございます。藤岡さんのギターをもう一度目の前で聞きたいです。

[@jakemuller8626]

this man, legend... mad respect. Wait for us up there, someday will join sooner or later it's unavoidable.

[@BAZURUST]

thank you

[@keshanizm]

damn! they are so good at it.

[@owenbauer4524]

Mikio and Hideki look totally different out of the makeup. Boh and Takayoshi both are pretty recognizable either way. Their are lots of videos of Mikio being incredible on youtube, but this song always hits just right.

[@athlonen]

Yeah.. the thing that gets everyone is that they don't realize that only Mikio, Takayoshi, and Isao were the only ones with long hair. Leda and Hideki wore wigs because they kept their hair short.

[@Gustiangt-cj8vs]

Thanks for wacht whisteria of RIP mikio fujioka.. did you like to watched n react guitar fingerstyle alip bata

[@mscman5]

You missing Mikio is hard. Me missing Hide from X Japan is rough.

[@richardbiondo239]

Great but you should have done the Tribute song they did after he passed very emotional same song but without him

[@619BadDog]

He did. But got blocked

[@crimson0119]

Going to make it a 3 part Mikio Day, and react to the Tribute concert of Hills of Wisteria?

[@crimson0119]

damn, they took down the video....

[@OldSkuleNerd]

I know I was going to do all three

[@crimson0119]

@@OldSkuleNerd if you can still find it.... good luck.

[@afro208]

Wouldnt it be great if Kamiband got a decent singer and just did their own thing

[@Iammelodic]

Orbit Culture! Try The Shadowing, North Star of Nija (Live In the Studio), Saw, or Open Eye, doesn't matter. Its all good.