Rest in peace.

As stated over at the Blog-Tick Phenomenon, this is a dark summer for music.

I apologize for having nothing amusing to say on this particular occasion, but sometimes even I can't be snarky.

You may remember that I posted about Kagrra, an amazingly innovative band with a truly unique sound and appearance. They are definitely among my favorites.

I am greatly saddened by vocalist Ishii's death, which I feel horrible for only having learned about today. The cause remains unknown, but that's not important right now. What's important is that the world has lost a truly brilliant man whose absence in the music community is a great, great loss.

Cayce at the Blog-Tick Phenomenon provides a much better post about this than I do, and for that I apologize to everyone reading this.

Again, I fear I am the last with the news, but X-Japan's Taiji has also passed away. Those who are fans of X-Japan and/or hide know that X-Japan has had its share of tragedy in the past--it seems brutally unfair of the universe to inflict more upon them now. In this case, I'll let Yoshiki's statement take over, because I really cannot do anything like this justice. (It's in English.)

More locally, Amy Winehouse has also passed away. I was not familiar with her work nor her personal life, but there appears to be a truly disgusting and pervasive nonchalance expressed in regards to her death. There is no excuse for this.

I am not a religious, or even a spiritual person, but as always, I think the dead deserve our reverence, even if only for a moment. All three of these musicians contributed to their respective fields in ways we will not soon forget.

Always take the time to remember those who have passed on. They deserve that much, at the very least.

I apologize once again for sounding so trite and rehashed, but unfortunately, I am not well-equipped to deal with this sort of tragedy in written form.

This is Edo, signing off.