Oct 19, 2008

Interview with Rocky Merosi: SL DJ

Rocky is one of my closest friends in Second Life. More about him later!

[18:32] Rocky Merosi: WOO
[18:32] Rocky Merosi: lol you are on

[18:32] Niko Donburi: hey, a question
[18:32] Niko Donburi: why did you choose Merosi as your last name in SL?

[18:33] Rocky Merosi: complete randomness :P

[18:33] Niko Donburi: lol
[18:33] Niko Donburi: why doesn't that surprise me?

[18:34] Rocky Merosi: Hey I am a random sorta person lol
[18:34] Niko Donburi: can I post your response to my blog?

[18:34] Rocky Merosi: sure lol

Now available: Live at the Cafe in Barcelona



Been going through Niko withdrawal for the past month or so? I've been working on a new music video collection, Music for a Virtual World, which is busy consuming my free time. I've also been updating my blog and related sites so be sure and look around.
So that you won't suffer too much, I've edited down and uploaded a live show to my last.fm site. It's one big mp3 file and contains all the usual between song chatter I often indulge in. All songs are originals and subject to the usual license arrangement elsewhere in the site. Feel free to listen to the stream or download it to your iPod or play any of the songs on your podcast. The lineup is just under an hour in length.
Here's the song lineup:
  1. Dear Linden, Dear Linden
  2. Living Virtually
  3. Naive Mind
  4. God Doesn't Care
  5. Virtual Strangers
  6. Won't Be Home Tonite
  7. Escape (The Second Life Song)
  8. Christmas Cake
  9. Second Life (That's Where I Want to Be)
  10. Dearly Beloved
  11. The Next Gone
  12. My Favorite Things (About Second Life)
  13. It's the End of the World (In Second Life)

As many of you know, The Cafe in the Barcelona Sim is one of my favorite venues. Rendered in brick-for-brick detail of the central plaza in Barcelona, it is a hub of the international live music scene. I'm planning on recording a video there on the new album.

There are four kinds of people in the world:
  1. Those who read books.
  2. Those who write books.
  3. Those who sell books.
  4. Those who ignore books.

Which are you?

Niko Donburi SL Satirist


Niko Donburi SL Satirist, originally uploaded by Paisley Beebe.

Check this out. Found it while running a flickr search on myself. Paisley Beebe rocks. Check out her Tonite Live! I need to remind myself to give her an IM to see if I can come back on when my new mp3 collection is release, "Dancing with Lindens"

Oct 18, 2008

Interview with Savanah Markova

[2008/10/18 20:19] Niko Donburi: can I ask you a question?

[2008/10/18 20:19] Savanah Markova: yeah sure
[2008/10/18 20:21] Savanah Markova: what's up?

[2008/10/18 20:22] Niko Donburi: why did you chose Markova as your last name?

[2008/10/18 20:23] Savanah Markova: lol
[2008/10/18 20:23] Savanah Markova: I liked it the most out of the available options
[2008/10/18 20:23] Savanah Markova: why do you ask?

[2008/10/18 20:24] Niko Donburi: can I post your response to my blog in my interview?
[2008/10/18 20:24] Niko Donburi: I"ll need you to email me a great jpg of yourself and any link
you want people sent to

[2008/10/18 20:24] Savanah Markova: what?
[2008/10/18 20:24] Savanah Markova: why?
[2008/10/18 20:24] Savanah Markova: for what>?
[2008/10/18 20:24] Savanah Markova: lol

[2008/10/18 20:25] Niko Donburi: I am doing a series of iterviews of people I know in SL
[2008/10/18 20:25] Niko Donburi: asking them why their last name was chosen
[2008/10/18 20:26] Niko Donburi: why "markova" and not "miller" or something else

[2008/10/18 20:26] Savanah Markova: I see

[2008/10/18 20:27] Niko Donburi: so...
[2008/10/18 20:27] Niko Donburi: can I?

[2008/10/18 20:27] Savanah Markova: idk
[2008/10/18 20:27] Savanah Markova: lol

[2008/10/18 20:27] Niko Donburi: please
[2008/10/18 20:27] Niko Donburi: post to the site
[2008/10/18 20:27] Niko Donburi: ?

[2008/10/18 20:28] Savanah Markova: I'll think about it?

[2008/10/18 20:28] Niko Donburi: you'll be listed as the one who got away
[2008/10/18 20:29] Niko Donburi: :-)

[18:20] Savanah Markova: (Saved Sat Oct 18 22:35:37 2008) yeah go ahead and post it

Interview with Flameheart Sol - Proprietress of the House of Flames

[2008/10/17 21:05] Niko Donburi: Why did you choose "Sol" as your SL last name?

[2008/10/18 9:01] Flameheart Sol: Hey there handsome...how are you???? What a question :). I chose it because it is Spanish for sun, and I am full of fire and passion (redheaded, Sicilian, Leo). I had no idea what my first name should be, but once Sol was chosen, Flameheart was the first thing that came to mond. Funny thing is that now I am also called Flameheart in real life. The name muist fit :). What is going on wtih you????

[2008/10/18 9:03] Niko Donburi: I'm well, thanks. Thanks also for the info. Can I quote you on my blog?

[2008/10/18 19:42] Flameheart Sol: sure you can quote me :)

Interview with Katronix Serf: Podiobook Producer and Podcaster

[19:43] Niko Donburi: Why did you choose "Serf" as your last name?

[19:44] Katronix Serf: dunno, it was just one of the options, when I joined :-)
[19:45] Katronix Serf: why?

[19:47] Niko Donburi: But why THAT one and not, say, Donburi or something else?

[19:48] Katronix Serf: honestly don't know... I don't even recall if back then we had a choice of last name

[19:48] Niko Donburi: Yeah, there was a selection screen. We are similar in rez day
[19:49] Niko Donburi: I'm doing an interview of people in SL asking them why they chose that particular last name.

[19:49] Katronix Serf: oh ok.... sorry I don't know... I probably picked the default it chose for me
[19:49] Niko Donburi: You can read the results on my blog at http://www.nikodonburi.com/
[19:49] Niko Donburi: You are the first to either have just randomnly chose one or doesn't want to tell me!
[19:49] Niko Donburi: lol
[19:49] Katronix Serf: lol
[19:50] Niko Donburi: can I quote this chat as your interview on the blog? I will also upload a photo of you and a weblink to whereever you want it to go.
[19:50] Niko Donburi: Also, are you still podcasting?
[19:50] Katronix Serf: sure
[19:51] Katronix Serf: I am still podcasting, but not under my SL name anymore
[19:51] Niko Donburi: you have the coolest SL name, IMHO, why not use it?
[19:51] Katronix Serf: lol thanks
[19:51] Niko Donburi: BTW, how did you come up with Katronix? THAT wasn't on the list!@
[19:52] Katronix Serf: well, my RL name is so incredibly common, I wanted something that isn't common. So I threw letters together :-)
[19:52] Niko Donburi: Damn, that's cool.
[19:52] Niko Donburi: Can I quote that?
[19:52] Katronix Serf: sure
[19:53] Niko Donburi cuts and pastes into his blog post before Kat changes its mind.

Interview: Kira Finn

[2008/10/17 20:35] Niko Donburi: Hey, why did you choose "Finn" as a last name

Kira Finn: (Saved Sat Oct 18 19:33:40 2008) Well....I loved the name Kira even before I knew anything about SL. If I had a daughter that would of been her name. So when I signed into SL I knew I wanted that name and Finn seemed to just fit.

[19:42] Kira Finn: (Saved Sat Oct 18 19:34:10 2008) Can I ask why you are asking?
[19:43] Niko Donburi: Can I post your response as part of my interview of my favorite people in Second Life?
[19:43] Kira Finn: Sure
[19:43] Kira Finn: I'm one of your favorite people in SL?
[19:43] Niko Donburi shakes his head and rolls his eyes
[19:43] Kira Finn: lol

Hey, let go of that Ego Surf

While learning to use Technorati!, I ran across this post by Poppy Linden referencing "44 Lines about 22 Lindens" (you remember: Poppy Linden finds the bugs that cause us residents to scream). He found whilst ego-surfing himself. I found it by doing the same. Guess it's one ego strokin' another, eh?
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Interview with Phoenixa Sol: SL Dancer



[9:01] Phoenixa Sol: hiya, hope all is going great!
[9:02] Niko Donburi: Hi! A question for you: why did you choose your last name to be "Sol" ?
[9:03] Phoenixa Sol: phoenix... firey. Sol... sunshine. (and also, I live in San Fran bay area, and most of the names in that time frame were streets of san fran, which I flat out REFUSED to have
[9:03] Phoenixa Sol: Sol also because spoken could be swapped as "soul"
[9:03] Niko Donburi: lol
[9:03] Phoenixa Sol: i dance from the core of my soul
[9:04] Niko Donburi: is it okay for me to quote you on my blog on how you derived your name?
[9:04] Phoenixa Sol: sure, make sure you say that "Phoenix" was already taken, so I created Phoenixa by adding the A

Oct 17, 2008

Interview with Durzle Darkstone: Virtual DJ

[20:47] Niko Donburi: Why did you choose Darkstone as your SL last name?
[20:48] Durzle Darkstone: It was mysterious
[20:48] Durzle Darkstone: grins
[20:48] Durzle Darkstone: and went exceptionally well with Durzle
[20:48] Niko Donburi: lol; mind if I quote you?
[20:49] Durzle Darkstone: depends
[20:49] Niko Donburi: upon?
[20:49] Durzle Darkstone: why? and to whom?
[20:49] Durzle Darkstone: what's the context
[20:49] Durzle Darkstone: LOL
[20:49] Niko Donburi: on my blog I am posting the response to all my friends in SL on why they chose their last name
[20:49] Niko Donburi: the story
[20:49] Durzle Darkstone: sure
[20:50] Niko Donburi: send me a SL photo of yoruself, a link or slyrl
[20:50] Niko Donburi: slurl
[20:50] Niko Donburi: it is okay to publish?
[20:50] Durzle Darkstone: how many responses have you gotten?
[20:50] Niko Donburi: two up so far
[20:50] Niko Donburi: www.nikoburi.com
[20:50] Niko Donburi: www.nikodonburi.com
[20:51] Durzle Darkstone: lol
[20:51] Durzle Darkstone: ok, you been drinking?
[20:51] Durzle Darkstone: what's the story behind it?
[20:52] Niko Donburi: just thought it would be something cool, all the neat people I know in Sl. That's why you are among the first asked
[20:52] Durzle Darkstone: how bout you?
[20:52] Niko Donburi: My last name?
[20:53] Durzle Darkstone: nods
[20:53] Niko Donburi: Donburi is a rice dish in Japan.
[20:53] Niko Donburi: Oyako Donburi is chicken and egg on rice
[20:53] Niko Donburi: Quite good. Incidently, it means "Mother and Child" on Rice
[20:54] Niko Donburi: Nikko means smile in japanese
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: shehs
[20:54] Niko Donburi: I shortened it to Niko for spelling
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: deep thoughts
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: that's great
[20:54] Niko Donburi: so, can I post it?
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: I came up with mine so quick
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: and loved it
[20:54] Durzle Darkstone: nods, sure

Interview with Elwood Abernathy: Virtual Landlord of Thousand Palms




[20:42] Niko Donburi: why did you choose "Abernathy" to be your last name in SL?

[20:42] Elwood Abernathy: only because it was at the top of the list, the first one there
[20:42] Elwood Abernathy: i never looked down the list
[20:42] Elwood Abernathy: and Elwood is my fahters middle name
[20:43] Elwood Abernathy: i did not expect to stay
[20:43] Elwood Abernathy: i was going to sign up see what the hype was and then leave
[20:43] Elwood Abernathy: and then in one week i met like 10 different people and had to stay to see them lol
[20:43] Elwood Abernathy: and here i am
[20:44] Niko Donburi: wow
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: with no where to go
[20:44] Niko Donburi: 3 years later
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: almost
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: we are old timers now
[20:44] Niko Donburi: Can I quote you on my blog?
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: lol
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: sure
[20:44] Niko Donburi: cool
[20:44] Niko Donburi: feel free to send me a link to a site or something if you want it linked
[20:44] Elwood Abernathy: ok

Interview with Esch Snoats: Artropolis

[20:35] Niko Donburi: Hey, why did you choose "Snoats" as a last name
[20:36] Esch Snoats: I was trying to find a name that sounds like someone clearing their nose when they spoke.. My av looks like someone who speaks with this snooty nasally voice, so "Snoats" sounded good that way :P
[20:36] Niko Donburi: are you serious?
[20:36] Esch Snoats: Yeah :P
[20:37] Esch Snoats: Say my av's name out loud with a snooty nasally voice
[20:38] Niko Donburi: can I quote you on how you chose your name?
[20:38] Esch Snoats: lol sure

Oct 6, 2008

Blog alert: A N00b's Progress



Blogger & SLPhotographer Lelani Carver posted a nice entry on A N00b's Progress . Her posts have a definite Asian-vibe, which is really cool. I'll have to remember to play her "Christmas Cake" and some of my other songs from my time in Japan and Indonesia.

Now I have to just figure out how to get on her Flickr page like Maxamillion!

Oct 5, 2008

Check out these podcasts!

Since my foray into the wild world of Podsafe Music, I've gotten notices that two podcasts thus far have played some of my SL parodies:

Atlantic Wave Radio out of the UK and Virtual Yooper out of Michigan. His blog is worth checking out, particularly if you ever dreamt of moving up, up and away or ever wanted to be an EMT!

Sep 13, 2008

Niko + Podcast = More Listeners?



While all of my songs have been Creative Commons licensed, I took a few minutes and uploaded a few of them to the Podsafe Music Network for those podcasters amongst you. Two of my new songs, The Linden and Virtual Strangers are uploaded for your listening pleasure. Here's the link.

Aug 21, 2008

ASD 1 year anniversary show: Sun 9/14 @ 1:30 pm SL



Yes, it's been TOO LONG since I've had a show in SL. The last one being the Music Isle show--which does make for good watching on your iPod, btw.

But whenever I get a chance to perform at ASD Studios, I'm taking it. So mark your calendars, fire up your recording devices and get ready for an hour of SL parodies, audience participation and as much virtual fun as your internet connection can stream.

Drop me an email or IM in-world if you aren't in the group and I'll get you a slurl or TP.

Jul 21, 2008

SLCN - Music Arts on the Isle

Always wondered what a Niko Donburi performance was like? Short of logging into Second Life, take a look at this week's episode of JeuL Resistance's Music Arts On the Isle, a weekly videocast from the Second Life Cable Network, where I perform a half hour or so set of SL parodies including the debut performance of Wasting Away the Day (in Second Life), an SL parody of the Buffett classic.

Thanks to all who logged in just for the show. It was good to see you on so late!