70年代から80年代にかけて次から次へと爆発的なヒットを打ち立て、90年代に入ってからもいくつかのヒット・ダンスナンバーを送り出していたドナ。私が初めて彼女の歌声を聴いたのは、AFN局（米軍放送網）でアルバム「On The Radio」の収録曲が流れたとき。いまだに当時のことを憶えているのですが、彼女のパワフルでセクシーな歌声に圧倒されたのを憶えています。1979年当時、同アルバムは“性的な刺激が強すぎる”という理由で論争を巻き起こし、多くのラジオで彼女の曲は放送禁止となりました。しかし、そんな逆風は彼女にとって何の支障にもなりませんでした。彼女のダンスと音楽は世界を圧倒し、何年にもわたり彼女の人気は衰えることはありませんでした。ドナの音楽を聴いてから間もないときのクリスマス、わが家は香港で過ごすことになったのですが、そこで私はクリスマス用に貯めていたお金の残りを彼女のアルバムを買うことにあてました。それが初めて自分で買ったアルバムでした。私はよくリビングルームで彼女の音楽をかけては、歯磨きをしながら彼女の歌を歌って踊って、家族を悩ませていました。ドナは私の幼少期の中で欠かせない人物であり、世界中のファンが彼女の死を悼んでいることでしょう。偉大なるシンガーのご冥福をお祈りします。
（原文） Hi everyone!! I hope you are enjoying the warm weather:) I always love the months leading up to summertime! Recently we have been losing some of our much loved celebrities too soon. Last week it was announced that Donna Summer, the queen of disco,died at the age of 63 from lung cancer. According to many sources, she contracted cancer by inhaling toxic particles after the 9/11 attack in new York City. For those of us that remember the incredible singer, it is truly a tragic loss.
Donna Summer was unstoppable during the late 70's and 80's....even releasing quite a few dance hits into the 90's. I still remember when I heard my first Donna Summer record. It was on the Armed Forces Network radio, and it was one of the singles from her album "On the Radio, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2". I was completely amazed by her powerful and sexy voice.At that time (1979) the album received a lot of controversy for being a bit too "sexy" and there were a lot of radio stations that refused to play her music. But it didn't matter, because she took the dance and music world by storm and continued to dominate for many years. Not long after hearing Donna Summer's music, my family was planning a trip to Hong Kong for Christmas. And so I decided to save my Christmas money and the rest of my allowance to buy her album...and that became the first ever album that I ever bought.I used to drive my parents CRAZY playing her music on the family stereo and dancing around in the living room, holding a brush to my mouth and singing along to her songs. Donna Summer was a very big part of the soundtrack of my childhood and she will be sorely missed by her fans around the world. R.I.P. to an incredible singer.
Another person that we lost recently is one of the founders of Beastie Boys, MCA a.k.a. Adam Yauch. He also passed away from cancer, on May 4th, 2012 at the age of 47. For those of you that were music lovers in the 80's and 90's, you will definitely recognize the name and songs of the Beastie Boys. They became one of the most successful hiphop groups in music and had many platinum selling records over the years. By the year 2010, the Beastie Boys had sold over 40 million records worldwide, and in April of this year, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Adam also went on to become very involved in humanitarian work, and was also a very strong supporter of feminism. In 2009 he recorded a message to share with the world...that he had cancer but it was "very treatable." Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz was seated right next to Adam in the video, trying to stay strong for his fellow Beastie Boy band member.
Unfortunately he lost his battle with cancer. I remember the first time I ever met the Beastie Boys. I was interviewing them for the Japanese television show "Countdown TV", and the Beastie Boys were in Japan for a concert tour and to promote their latest album, "Hello Nasty", which later went on to win the band two Grammys. And they were one of the hardest interviews to conduct!! I would ask them a question about their album and the recording process,etc and the members would take turns looking at me with a straight face and coming up with the most bizarre comments that had NOTHING to do with my questions! haha! Needless to say, this was extremely frustrating for me. BUT I also know that the Beastie Boys were just trying to give their Japanese fans the "Beastie Boys image" that everyone knew and loved...a couple of boys from Brooklyn who didn't take themselves of their music seriously. And even though it was a very strange and difficult interview, I will always remember it. R.I.P. Adam Yauch.
