WHAT'S THE STORY, SUNFLOWER?

My experience

(Osaka, 1994)

Let me show my sweet experience with Echobelly. I saw their gigs five times. Reading Festival 1994 and 95, Japan tour 1994 (Osaka), 96(Osaka, Nagoya). This is my first letter to Sonya. (Entrusteded with tour manager just before the gig in Osaka Dec. '94)

Some pix are inside-out!
Dear Sonya,
Welcome to Japan! Thanks for coming so soon after your debut.
I'm an indie rock fan living in Hiroshima, and I've become your fan since I heard the 3rd single "I Can't Imagine the World Without Me".
I've been to England 3 times to watch gigs and eat the food. Actually,I met you at the Melody Maker tent in Reading Festival '94. Can you remember the man wearing an Echobelly T-shirt and "Sonya" label on his hand? That was me! At that time,I had been waiting to meet you and get your autograph for 2hours. But the time went quickly,and soon you were about to leave. So I took off and threw my T-shirt at you. I was really impressed because you sent it back to me with an autograph and a special comment, "You are brilliant!!"
After the special moment in my life,I watched your set from the front row. It was the best gig in the fes. I was very ,"belly" happy to listen to your natural and smooth voice. I especially loved your vocals on "Give Her a Gun","Insomniac".When you sing in falsetto,a chill runs down my back, and I feel high. Your message always encourages me in many ways. It's to hard to explain,but I get a surge of energy whenever I hear it.
Enjoy today's gig and Merry Christmas.
With all my heart,
Hideyuki "bellyached-insomniac" Furumoto
P.S. I hope you play "Scream".I heard that you don't like to sing this song on the stage. But It is a special song to remind me that I've been waiting for a FRIEND. It's been a long time.

They played "Scream" for the encore. Frightening! And when they left the venue, Sonya threw kisses at me. Yes, I completely fell in love with her...

(Reading, 1995)
I went to Reading Festival again (1995). Of course, only to see Echobelly!!(?) 4 hours before their stage, I followed the queue for Melody Maker signing tent. Wasted 2hours in awful cloud of sand dust and missing to see some good bands, Tricky, The Bluetones, My Life Story... till Echobelly's appearance. But I didn't want to make same mistake as I made in '94 (See the first letter).
At that time I had on my handmade Sonya T-shirt and 'Sonya' sticker on my left arm. Some audience laughed or amazed. Yea, it's O.K.
Before my turn to meet the band, Channel 4 TV interviewed me. I shouted, "Sonya, I can't imagine the world without you!" with fighting pose.
When I fronted to Debbie she abruptly hugged and kissed me. Whaaaooo! I was a lucky man because I wiped out my dirty face with wet tissues... She wrote "WHAT ABOUT US!?" on my shirt with little complaint. She called out Sonya, "Son! Son! Look, he, he!" Then I have got Andy's and James's and talked some. At the signing tent, MM gave us signing sheets without James's figure. I felt sympathy with him.
And finally I met with Sonya. She said to me, "May I hug...?" Woo, I can't remember. I completely lost myself in her arms...
Here's the second letter(1996). I wanted to hand this directly to Sonya before the gig in Osaka. But I was tardy to catch the band entering to stage door. So I had to entrust their manager again after the show.
Dear Sonya,
Hello again, Sonya! It's been a f***in' long time since Reading Fes. '95.
Today I have some news for you.
The first one is : I launched my own Echobelly fan page on the internet. (I enclosed the sample.) Please visit my page. (Ask Sony how to connect with.)
The address is http://www.urban.or.jp/home/echobell/
If I had a chance, I can show you 'coz I always carry my PC.
The second is : Last year Yoko Ono and her son,Sean came to Hiroshima to have a concert. I met them and presented the CD,"I Can't Imagine..." . I said,"This is 90's 'Imagine', I think." Sean said "Oh, 'I Can't Imagine the...' It's cool!" Yes, I thought the line, 'Can everybody play, Can anybody win?' was refered to John Lennon's 'I wonder if you can'.
And I also enclosed a TAFKAP's CD, "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" (Valentine special edition) as your forthcoming birthday present. I don't know the date but I heard you are the Pisces. So I want to know your birthday. If I have the one, I can share some feeling with you on that day.
I'm always 'ON' and ON your side. So please be 'SO NEAR' to me.
Play it loud !
Sincerly yours,
Hideyuki "Hidebottom" Furumoto
P.S. I also will go to Nagoya tomorrow. See you again there.

I couldn't get her answer because the security was severe! But someday I wanna try again. Won't you have a drink with me?

This adventure goes on...