Merzbow muse and loving sea creature, Minazo the elephant seal, has died at the age of 11. The only male elephant seal in captivity in Japan, the enormous mammal was the inspiration (as well as the cover art) for Merzbow's 2002 release Merzbeat, the flagship album in the on-going Merz-Series. Masami and Jenny Akita, members of the revered Japanese noise group, frequented the aquarium to visit their landlocked friend, and he was the subject of many photographs, paintings and postcards made by Masami. A commemorative Minazo t-shirt designed by Jenny will be available in the near future from the band. www.importantrecords.com www.merzbow.net awesome pictures of Minazo aquarium's Minazo page [warning, it's all in Japanese]
