mushishinaide

Girls Tape Store / ガールズ・テープ・ストア

2010-12-11T02:45:00.005+09:00

I held onto "distance" after downloading it free from the group's website. It was and is a great song. Eight years down the road I bought the two mini albums released by the group. Sad but not surprised, I found websites abandoned, myspace without update, and a twitter feed from "one-half of what was once Girls Tape Store" as an only surviving relic.

The twitter feed has the photo of a small girl, holding hands with the photographer who is the "one-half of what was once Girls Tape Store".

I'm imagining a happy ending where the girl and boy who were Girls Tape Store were became close thanks to "distance", were married and conceived of a child.

But the music is real at least, crystalized in plastic CDs and digital gaps.

Girls Tape Store - Distance
From the album「In The Clouds」released 2003.

Girls Tape Store - Echo
From the album「I'm In Mood」released 2002.

Girls Tape Store - I'm In Mood To Meet You Now
From the album「I'm In Mood」released 2002.

ザ・ピーナッツ / The Peanuts

2010-12-04T20:48:00.009+09:00

The Peanuts are twin girls who are probably fairly legendary in terms of Japanese '60s music. At least, that's what't I've written.

They did act in the film Mothra vs. Godzilla, and sing!

Wiki has a page. Imagine yourself in a small town on the ocean, it's late at night and raining, you're in a bar invited by someone you know. This is Japan, the bar is three meters square, there is karaoke, but it's VCDs!!!

The bar lady, we'll call her Mama Fuji, slips out a silver 12 inch sliver and pops it in. The music plays and you think to yourself "this is great, this is so cool, this is definitely Japan!"

A few years later you think that was great, but now you've moved to the city there are places with girls, and like drinking with you're mother is uncomfortable your new friends don't care for places with Mama Fujis.

But the music takes you back.

The Peanuts - 祇園小唄/Gion Kouta

From the album「ムード民謡/The Folk Songs」released 1963.

The Peanuts - 深川くずし/Deep River Fall

From the album「ムード民謡/The Folk Songs」released 1963.

The Peanuts - 大島節/Song of Oshima

From the album「ムード民謡/The Folk Songs」released 1963.

Nippop Profile

Returned

2010-12-04T19:56:00.004+09:00

All links are dead!

Since the Cubismo Grafico post I opened three different gmail accounts. I have found track of this one.

All links are alive!

Tujiko Noriko / 辻子紀子

2010-12-04T11:19:00.016+09:00

I listened to Tujiko Noriko's album 「From Tokyo To Niagara」 (2003, Tomlab) nonstop for a couple of years while living in a one and a half-room apartment on the East coast of Chiba, Japan. Those were heady days of Work > Izakaya > Nomiya > Mama Bar > Karaoke > Ramen Shop > Home > Work.

Things were simpler but only because I ignored most of them. I was on the verge of going psychiatric, but that was to be part of future psychotic haze and for the meanwhile this album was listened to. It was something about 「町のかけら」 (A Town in Pieces) and 「成田まで」(To Narita) that chimed with me, because she was singing about riding a train to Narita and I had done that!!!

I also set up a reality distortion field and imagine the title of the album was 「Tokyo to Narita」, because I had never been to Niagara.

Someone on a blog I read mentioned Noriko was a "Champagne and Stilettos" kind of girl, which I latched on to. Checking her site now though she looks quite homely. I spent years imagining her in rich Paris suburbs at parties with millionaires and billionaire industrialist magnates' sons in furs and champagne flutes.

She did get three albums out before the one I listened to, 「化粧と兵隊/Makeup and Soldiers」 in 2000, 「少女都市/City Girl」 in 2000, and 「ハードにさせて/Make me Hard」in 2002, which were all as good as "Tokyo to Niagara". They were better in a way, probably because they were completely solo efforts (as far as I know). She's worked collaboratively since then.

Tujiko Noriko - 成田まで/To Narita
From the album「From Tokyo to Niagara」released 2003.

Tujiko Noriko - 町のかけら/A Town in Pieces
From the album「少女都市/Girl City」released 2000.

Tujiko Noriko - Fly
From the album「ハードにさせて/Make Me Hard」released 2000.

Cubismo Grafico／キュビズモ・グラフィコ

2008-08-06T18:08:00.005+09:00

Cubismo Grafico was until 2003 the solo project of Matsuda Gakuji, also of the two-piece Neil & Iraiza. His sound is lounge pop with samples and a laid-back chaison, but also shubiyakei-type sound. Since 2003 the solo project became「Cubismo Grafico Five」when Matsuda invited some friends to help pad out the sound and bring live feel to the noise.

Gakuji often provides remixes for other groups and in the single and five incarnations has released a total of 8 full albums between 1999 and 2007.

He also provided production for a Halcali／ハルカリ song from their most recent album, released in 2007. Below are a selection from his second, third and fourth albums respectively, all produced as a solo artist.

Cubismo Grafico - World Is Yours
From the album「Untitled (but one wish)」released 2002.

Cubismo Gafico - Sarah
Song from the album「Vocoder Block Diagram」released 2003.

Cubismo Grafico - Mini Microphones
Song from the album「Cinq」released in 2003.

Conservatory?

2008-08-01T20:47:00.004+09:00

Just go outside.

YMCK / ワイエムシーケー

2008-08-01T01:35:00.005+09:00

YMCK was formed in 2003 as a Japanese chiptune band, producing and composing using sound exclusively derived from old component computer parts. They are a group of three, two guys and a girl, and have released a total of three albums so far, not only in Japan but also in Korea, the USA and even Thailand where they seem to have a bit of a following.

This year they will appear at the ROCK IN JAPAN festival. Here are three of their tracks!

YMCK - Magical 8bit Tour
From first album「Family Music / ファミリーミュージック」released 2004.

YMCK - Go. YMCK, Go!
Song from second album「Family Racing / ファミリーレーシング」released 2005.

YMCK - Rusted Door To Eighth Heaven / 錆びた扉の第８天国
Song from third album「Family Genesis / ファミリージェネシス」released in 2008.

Let's bury the hachet

2008-07-31T07:44:00.004+09:00

Where?

Roll-Up Roll-Up!!

2008-07-29T19:43:00.005+09:00

Roll-ups for sale.

Takako Minekawa / 嶺川貴子

2008-07-29T19:05:00.003+09:00

Currently Cornelius' hubby (whom also provided production duties on the third song below) and an accomplished musician composing (most) of her own music she loves Kraftwerk and french pop and sings about "quirky things like cats, clouds and the colour white".

Her debut was in the achingly shibuya-kei group (at least pre-something to shibuya-kei group)「Fancy Face Groovy Name」alongside Kahimi Karie with Flipper's Guitar backing in 1990, which I didn't know about (the Cornelius connection runs deep) before releasing her first solo album in 1994.

As far as I know she is now busy bringing up Cornelius' and her child, but that may be completely wrong. Some songs? Ok.

Takako Minekawa - Fabie (1,2,3 Beat It)
From ep「Athletica」released 1997.

Takako Minekawa - Cat House
Song from the album「Cloudy Cloud Calculator」released 1998.

Takako Minekawa - Plash
Song from album「Fun 9」released in 1999.

It said 'wet paint'

2008-07-28T21:41:00.002+09:00

So I did.

Angry when I drew you?

2008-07-28T21:40:00.003+09:00

But I only do poor traits.

Cibo Matto / チボ・マット

2008-07-28T17:07:00.007+09:00

Do ex-pat Japanese living in New York qualify for a Japanese music blog? They do when they're Cibo Matto! Original formed in 1994 as a female two piece with Yuka Honda as the instrumentalist and Miha Hatori as the singer though sometimes sharing roles one story is that their name was first chosen to mean「Food Crazy」in Italian but actually means「Crazy Food」but wasn't changed to the opposite.

Their first album released in 1996 as a two piece, when a couple of others joined the group, including Sean Lennon on guitar and they produced the second album a few years later in 1999, from which the below three tracks are taken.

Not having released as a group since, they last played live in 2001, but each have their own solo and colaborative projects since releasing a number of albums, easily dig-uppable on wiki or amazon. Bon Appetito!

Cibo Matto - Working For Vacation
First song from album「Stero Type A」released 1999.

Cibo Matto - Spoon
Second song from album「Stero Type A」released 1999.

Cibo Matto - King Of Silence
Song from album「Stero Type A」released 1999.

HAPPY END / はっぴいえんど

2008-07-26T23:00:00.006+09:00

Happy End were a Japanese four piece rock band active between 1970 and 1973, and are most noted on my part for the band member Haruomi Hosono / 細野晴臣 who went on to form Yellow Magic Orchestra as well as releasing as a solo artist. Apparently one of the other members, Takashi Matsumoto / 松本隆 went on to become one of Japan's formemost lyricists, which I'll have to look out for in the future.

They became known in the West mainly by being great and more recently after one of their songs was included in the Lost in Translation soundtrack. Copolla did well. Encore.

HAPPY END - A Sketch of Cold Autumn Rain / 氷雨月のスケッチ
Song from album「HAPPY END / はっぴいえんど」released 1970.

HAPPY END - Hana Ichi Monme / 花いちもんめ
Single released from album「WIND CITY ROMANCE / 風街ろまん」released 1971.

HAPPY END - Gather The Wind / 風をあつめて
Song from album「WIND CITY ROMANCE / 風街ろまん」released 1971, also from soundtrack to Lost in Translation, 2003.

How are the Scottish like cats?

2008-07-25T18:28:00.001+09:00

They both love a good malt (sp).

Scha Dara Parr / スチャダラパー

2008-07-24T05:14:00.009+09:00

Schadaraparr are simply the best hip hop group in Japanese history. They've been releasing consistantly good and great albums since 1990, now well into double figures. As well as the music their lyrics are often pretty interesting, like conversations between more interesting friends.

At the two extremes of their career they opened for De La Soul's Japan tour in 1989, and for NIGO's BAPE show in 2008. I should also say that Schadaraparr consist of two MCs (Bose and Ani) and one DJ (Shinco). The below songs are from their most recent album (at time of copy). I have at least another 100 of these. Exshelente!

Schadaraparr - Manual / マニュアル
Song from album「CON10PO」released 2006.

Schadaraparr - CATCH the DROP
Song from album「CON10PO」released 2006.

Schadaraparr - Song Of The Hill / ソングオブザヒル
Song from album「CON10PO」released 2006.

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE

2008-07-23T21:37:00.004+09:00

Another post-punk indie band from Japan, OGRE YOU ASSHOLE pretty much wear their influences on their sleeve, or at least they're all extremely familiar to me, like the Pixies, Modest Mouse. In fact they're a slightly less snappy version of a cross between those two bands, and without the means to travel too far, yet!

Two albums, one mini album and a CD-R so far released, with a nice website for everyone to check out they're a four piece from Nagano prefecture, they first touted themselves as「joy division」but soon changing that one, after Eric from modest mouse suggested the name「ogre you asshole」to them after a show played in Japan.

First off one of the group member's elder brothers also played in the group, leaving before they started making original songs in 2000 and replaced by someone else locally. Now touring regularly I nearly missed seeing them in Shibuya Nest one Friday evening last year. Will be looking out for more opportunities, and if so, see you there!

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE - ? / カイセントウ
First demo released by group onto website several years previous, also appearing on self-titled first album.

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE - Advantage / アドバンテージ
Single from second album「The Average is Expectation for a Reverse Influence / 平均は左右逆の期待」released 2006 (this version ripped from youtube).

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE - Coin Laundry / コインランドリー
First song from third album「Alpha vs Lambda」released 2007.

Kitahara Kenji / 北原謙二

2008-07-22T18:23:00.007+09:00

Though with only a short series of nine singles released between his debut in 1961 and 1965, Kitahara appeared on the NHK 'Red and White Sing Off' twice. He was also very active for the rest of his life, with a short interval in 1991 due to suffering a brain hemorrhage and the period of subsequent recovery, playing to secondary live houses throughout Japan until his untimely death at the age of 65 in the year 2005.

Kitahara was first scouted from a Jazz Cafe in his home town of Osaka, so, Showa period male sung jazz-enka, enjoy!

Kitahara Kenji - Good Weather on a Narrow Street / 日暮れの細道
Debut single from 1961.

Kitahara Kenji - A Young Couple / 若いふたり
Third single, released in 1962.

Kitahara Kenji - Young Tomorrow / 若い明日
Fifth single, released in 1963.

SAMBOMASTER / サンボマスター

2008-07-20T08:01:00.009+09:00

Here's another one of those loud, punky groups from Japan (to be honest, I think this is the end of the Enka series of posts, though will pick up again at some point). A three piece formed around 2000 they've been causing a stir with a number of singles and a few albums, plus a pretty good video to the first of the songs listed below freely available on youtube.

What their English Wiki entry doesn't know I probably couldn't tell you other than they gained in popularity through ecstatic live performances on tour and at festivals, and they've been parodied by a variety show performance group who started a band of, as opposed to the real SAMBOMASTER good looking young men named 'B-Sambomaster'.

Now on tour (in Japan), take it away boys!

SAMBOMASTER - Become Like A Flower That Opens To The Moon / 月に咲く花のようになるの
Single from soundtrack album to Matsuo Zusuki's great film 'Otakus in Love / 恋の門' from 2004.

SAMBOMASTER - People Call It Passion / 人はそれを情熱と呼ぶ
B-side to single from soundtrack album to Matsuo Zusuki's great film 'Otakus in Love / 恋の門' from 2004.

SAMBOMASTER - The World Calls It LOVE!! / 世界はそれを愛と呼ぶんだぜ
Single from ending theme to well liked TV drama 'Train Man / 電車男' released 2005.

On the Pavement

2008-07-20T02:53:00.001+09:00

After a recent derailment.

SPARTA LOCALS / スパルタローカルズ

2008-07-19T02:37:00.007+09:00

Somtimes after a few days solid enka you just want to listen to something a bit harder. And so we have SPARTA LOCALS. Formed in 1998 in Fukuoka, Western Japan they exist sometimes as a four, sometimes a three piece, tour regularly (appearing at a rock festical in Japan near you), and are already onto their eigth album. And if you really want to know what they sound like listen below!!

Songs are taken from fourth and second albums respectively.

SPARTA LOCALS - Banzai UFO / UFOバンザイ
Song from album 'SUN SUN SUN' released 2004.

SPARTA LOCALS - Romatic Hotel / ロマンチックホテル
Song from album 'SUN SUN SUN' released 2004.

SPARTA LOCALS - Perfect Song / バーフェクトソング
Song from album 'Sad Tinititus / 悲しい耳鳴り' released in 2002.

Ishida Ayumi / いしだあゆみ

2008-07-17T01:43:00.006+09:00

Ishida Ayumi is another of the big players in the world of Enka, first entering the celebrity world after being scouted as a figure skater in about 1960, releasing singles up until 1968 when it was decided she should have an image change, then continuing to release right into the eighties, though seeing a change in emphasis in her career from music to acting around the mid 1970s, appearing in TV and film.

Her big hit was Blue Light Yokohama (below) at which point her sales reached the 1.5 million mark, and she has appeared in the prestigious new years NHK 'Red and White Sing Off' 9 times in a row. The middle of four sisters, one of whom coached the other to competition in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, she has the same birth place as Okumura Chiyo (just a few posts below).

Welcome! To the world of Ishida Ayumi..

Ishida Ayumi - If It Was You What Would You Do? / あなたならどうする
Single released in 1970.

Ishida Ayumi - Blue Light Yokohama / ブルー・ライト・ヨコハマ
Single released in 1968.

Ishida Ayumi - Yesterday's Woman / 昨日の女
Single released in 1970.

Nishida Sachiko / 西田佐知子

2008-07-16T08:16:00.006+09:00

Nishida Sachiko of Osaka is the second in this series of Enka singers. Familiarly known as Sa'chan her career started in 1956 and by 1967 she had sold over 10 million copies of mainly singles, so one of the big players.

She appeared 10 times on the NHK red/white singing competition, where enka singers are pit against eachother singing the same song, probably winning some of them. All of her releases are now in mono, as though many aritsts of the age re-recorded their hits in stereo after the time, she never really bothered and those that were set down an additional time have gone missing.

At the time of one of her very big hits, the internationally known 'Coffee Rhumba', Sa'chan actually had no idea what certain lyrics in the song meant as she knew almost nothing about coffee, during recording asking people what a mocha was.

Below are a few cuts from her archive that stretches up to about 1970. She again gave up most of her celebrity duties on her 1970 marriage to the famous actor Sekiguchi Hiroshi, and has since given birth to a son, also active as an actor and television celebrity, Sekiguchi Tomohiro, born two years after their marriage.

Sa'chan is now a housewife, though her 'GOLDEN☆BEST' best of album was released in 2003.

Nishida Sachiko - When Erika's Flower Falls / エリカの花散るとき
Single released in 1962.

Nishida Sachiko - Coffee Rhumba / コーヒー・ルンバ
Single released in 1961. The Peanuts (other Enka artists) released the same single at the same time, but with different lyrics.

Nishida Sachiko - Sunday's No Good / 日曜はいやよ
Single released in 1961.

Okumura Chiyo / 奥村チヨ

2008-07-15T08:08:00.005+09:00

There's this style of music that stretches back decades in Japan that goes by the name of 'Enka', which translates literally to 'performing songs', i.e., each song should be some form of performance, and they are, generally being about love, or dramatic places where love's story unfolds.

First in a series of Enka posts is one fo the big guns, Okumura Chiyo. Her hits were mainly singles which sold over a million copies in the mid and late sixties, while hailing from Osaka she pioneered a 'coquetish' style of singing. After her big breakthrough hit 'Sorry Jiro' / 「ごめんね、ジロー」 she went stratospheric, though even then one of her songs was though a little too coquetish and banned from play on NHK (Japanese version of the BBC).

In 1971 she married the writer of one of her last hit songs and did what most female performers did at that point in their lives, retired from top tier celebrity life into homely annonymity. Below are three singles released consecutively, all with love in the title, and pretty much all racking up over a million sales.

One of the big guns, Okumura Chiyo!

Okumura Chiyo - Slave to Love / 恋の奴隷
Single released in 1969.

Okumura Chiyo - Love Gone Mad / 恋狂い
Followng single released in 1969.

Okumura Chiyo - Love Thief / 恋泥棒
Last in '3 pieces of love' single collection, released 1969.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

2008-07-15T05:35:00.002+09:00

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Those were the days.

In Flew Ants

2008-07-14T20:53:00.001+09:00

With wind's influence,

In flew ants.

I'm On The Brink!!

2008-07-14T19:19:00.005+09:00

Brink Rice Cakes that is.

Do cherries and oranges and raw ham actually go together?

They do when you try them on the Brink!!

Morita Douji / 森田童子

2008-07-14T16:57:00.008+09:00

Morita Douji was a Psych/Folk singer from Tokyo who started her career when the death of a close friend inspiring her to write and sing the album Good Bye in 1975, thus she is known as one of the more depressing artists in Japan's musical canon.

Her songs tend to tell a story, always a sad one, about loss or longing, while titles to songs usually include some cryptic allusion to loss or longing.

She ended her music career in 1983 with the release of her last album 'wolf boy' and a live event in Tokyo.

Morita Douji - About A Blue Night / 蒼き夜は
First song from 1977 album 'A Boy' / ア・ボーイ.

Morita Douji - ? / 球根栽培の唄
Song from 'wolf boy' / 狼少年 album released in 1983.

Morita Douji - I Become A Shooting Star / ぼくは流星になる
Song from 'wolf boy' / 狼少年 album released in 1983.

Chatmonchy / チャットモンチー

2008-07-13T18:00:00.004+09:00

All female three piece from Tokushima prefecture on the Southern Japanese island of Shikoku. They first formed at school as a six piece, while exams took their toll leaving Yashimoto as the one original member, who then reformed the band.

THey distributed their first album by hand mainly in the local area, while their second album was produced by a proffessional, one member of the indie-rock group SUPERCAR, selling over 20,000 copies. A third album followed reaching number ten in the charts, and numerous singles inclusing anime song tie-ins have followed.

Cute-as-nails they sing about young girly stuff mainly, with their sound existing somewhere between mogwai, dire straits and a mid-nineties brit-pop band who had a hit with a song called 'sleep' but whose name excapes me.

Here are a few cuts including the single that broke them (into the big time) and a couple of b-sides, where they seem to shine the most for me.

Ohno! The links are dead, and I've deleted the songs since then. Try youtube.

Chatmonchy - Shangrila / シャングリラ
Single released in 2006.

Chatmonchy - Mr Y's Evening / Y氏の夕方
B-side to「Love Spirits / 恋愛スピリッツ」single released in 2006.

Chatmonchy - Bus Romance / バスロマス
B-side to「Girls Have No Tomorrow / 女子たちに明日はない」single released in 2007.

"Climate Change!"

2008-07-13T03:40:00.002+09:00

If we all stopped telling it to,

Would it not?

Sunny Day Service / サニーデイ・サービス

2008-07-13T01:42:00.007+09:00

Sunny Day Service / サニーデイ・サービス are a Japanese indies dream-pop band and personal favourite, origianlly a four piece but sliming down to three. They began in 1992 while stil at Uni with the intention of becoming rock n' roll stars, but later scalled down a little and moved towards more indies songwriting.

They had several hits and are still well-liked after disbanding in 2000, with the main singer, Sokabe Keiichi / 曽我部恵一 going solo and continuing his music career to this day.

Sunny Day Service - Theme / テーマ
From the 'Best Flowers' b-sides collection released 2001.

Sunny Day Service - Night Melody / 夜のメロディ
Single from the album「LoveAlbum」released in 2000.

Sunny Day Service - Did You See The Stars? / 星を見たかい？
Track from their self-titled album released in 1997.

Tomoyo Harada / 原田知世

2008-07-11T16:45:00.005+09:00

A big idol in the eighties Tomoyo appeared in dramas, films, and to begin with was part of the techno sounds era of early eighties music in Japan being produced for several tracks by the Yellow Magic Orchestra crew.

Tomoyo still appears in films and dramas, and the below tracks are taken from her more recent music career which has seen her collaborating with a number of different producers around the world to create an easily listenable and attractive sound. Well done Tomoyo!

English wiki also says she appeared in a couple of classic early eighties tv shows and films, including 'The Girl Who Conquered Time', while the Japanese gives many lists of her appearances, and tells us she is a youthful 40 years and originally from Nagasaki.

Tomoyo Harada - Love's Rocket / 愛のロケット
From the album「I Could Be Free」released in 1997.

Tomoyo Harada - You Are Your Own / 君は君のもの
From the album「I Could Be Free」released in 1997.

Tomoyo Harada - Embrace the Burning Sun / 燃える太陽を抱いて
Again from her「I Could Be Free」album released in 1997.

Heads Will Roll

2008-07-11T00:19:00.001+09:00

There seems to be a trend for larger, more rotund headmasters in this country.

I'm sure that with a suitably steep hill and monetary encouragement, heads will roll.

The Tigers / ザ・タイガーズ

2008-07-10T19:15:00.007+09:00

The Tigers were part of the movement in 60's Japan known as「Group Sounds」following the influx of the Beatles and Beatles-like music across Japan's shores.

A number of groups either formed or were put together as groups of musicians, or even non-musicians (as long as they looked good in a pudding cut) and set out to mock the Beatles with almost always an upbeat or dreamy message for their devout fanbase.

The Tigers were the biggest of all the Group Sounds boom era groups, and featured the singer Kenji Sawada who went on to become one of the top selling solo artists in Japanese history.

The Tigers - My Mary / 僕のマリー
The first Tigers single released in 1967.

The Tigers - Mona Lisa's Smile / モナリザの微笑
Released as a single in 1967.

The Tigers - A Necklace of Flowers / 花の首飾り
Released as an album track around the late 60's.

久々のビジット

2008-07-10T06:05:00.009+09:00

友達をあいにいきました。

しらなくて仕事がおそかったから近くのアーツセンターをみた。

入っている作品より（「私が宇宙人です」という絵とか、誰かが実際な緑者として描いた、あんまり）ビルのほうが面白くて写真を撮った。

出会ったごろは小学校で、２人の歴史が中国の炭鉱より深い、といえるかな。

彼はノッティンガム大学で社会学を勉強、同級生なのに。

実は何回も専攻や大学を変えたりしてきたんです。

それで結局ノッティンガムにもどってきた。

あまり笑えないけど！

近状のパブで（壁の写真）久しぶりに一緒にパイントを飲みながら懐かしい話を続々とした。

楽しかった。

また近いうちに会うように約束して別れた。

Kiyoshiro Imawano / 忌野清志郎

2008-07-09T16:37:00.009+09:00

Known as both 'the king of rock and roll' and 'king of live' as in live performance in Japan, he's the main guy when it comes to rock and roll pomp and circumstance. Often pitting his music against current events with a heavy dose of black humour his songs are produced and released under the group name 'The Timers'.

Kiyoshiro is also a founder and central member of 'RC Succession', one of the legendary rock groups of Japan, formed in 1968.

He and his groups cut a fine figure through the eighties for fashionistas and coined a style of their own, still referrenced and regarded to this day.

A friend calls him the 'Japanese Tom Waits'. Maybe, if Tom only ever did Rock.

Kiyoshiro Imawano - Koi no Mon / 恋の門
Released in 2005 as soundtrack to 2005 Japanese film 'Otakus in Love' / 恋の門.

Kiyoshiro Imawano - Hypocrite / 偽善者
Released in 1995 on the「復活！！THE TIMERS」album, though appeared in live set in 1988.

Kiyoshiro Imawano - Youth Times / 少年時代
Released in 2004 on the「YOSUI TRIBUTE」album as a cover of a song by the well know singer songwriter Yosui Inoue / 井上陽水.

TERIYAKI BOYZ / Beriyaki Toyz

2008-07-09T01:30:00.009+09:00

The TERIYAKI BOYZ are a rap supergroup with vocal duties by rappers drawn from a number of Japanese groups, various guest rappers and production duties featuring a who's who of commercial hip hop/rap/electronica producers.

At the centre of the TERIYAKI BOYZ is also NIGO, the owner and producer of the 'A Bathing Ape' clothing line. The BERIYAKI TOYZ, as known on this blog, are often seen wearing NIGO's clothing range.

One album was released in 2006 and 'The Fast and The Furous: Tokyo Drift' film also contained a couple of their songs. 2007 saw a single release produced by Kanye West, and so far in 2008 'Zock On!' by the Neptunes.

The MCs include Ilmari and RYO-Z from RIP SLYME, VERBAL from m-flo and WISE from 'wind people' group. Song producers have so far included Adrock of the Beastie Boys, Cornelius, Cut Chemist, Daft Punk, Dan the Automator, DJ Premier, DJ Shadow, Just Blaze, Kanye West, Mark Ronson, and The Neptunes.

So are they any good? Well, depends on how much they pay their producers, whose base starting value must already be pretty high. I guess NIGO has designed some pretty deep pockets into his hoodies.

Just think of them as a Cool Edition for the naughties.

BERIYAKI TOYZ - Moon The World (produced by Cornelius)
Released 2006 on the Beef or Chicken album.

BERIYAKI TOYZ - You Know What Time Is It!
Released 2006 on the Beef or Chicken album.

BERIYAKI TOYZ - I Still Love H.E.R. (produced by Kanye West)
Single released in 2007 taken from forthcoming album.

アホ猫と鳥の死

2008-07-07T21:02:00.005+09:00

キッチンに入ってこれ見つけた。
死んだ鳥と鳥を殺したアホ猫。

アホよりバカかもしれない。スポーツみたいに殺そうとした。

「いきているものだ」ぐらいの考え「うまそうな〜」までもなかった。

あくまでくえ！

と思わず思うね。

庭の中の木から、小鳥たちの声を聞こえる、この鳥の巣も、残念だな。

Kirinji / キリンジ

2008-07-06T13:32:00.008+09:00

Kirinji are the Horigome brothers, Yasuyuki and Takaki, both hitting their late thirties and from Saitama, just north of Tokyo.

They play a poppy sort of melodic rock and are well liked by the variety show community in Japan (according to wiki).

With a bit of a recording history they've already had a best of compilation out, and have been releasing as Kirinji since around 1997.

Kirinji - Sweet Soul
Released 2003 as part of the Sweet Soul ep.

Kirinji - Arcadia / アルカディア
Single released in 2000 taken from third album '3'.

Kirinji - Drive Me Crazy
Released in 1999 on the second album 47'45".

Clammbon / クラムボン

2008-07-05T07:30:00.025+09:00

Just occasionally turning this into a Japanese mp3 blog.
Testing the software.

Clammbon - Night Cruising (fishmans cover)
Someone special should sing this at karaoke (for me). And soon!

Clammbon - You Are Mine / 君は僕のもの
Track from the best of album released in 2003.

Clammbon - Contrast / コントラスト
Another track from the Clammbon best of album released 2003.

optimism

2008-07-05T01:20:00.002+09:00

glass half empty

so get me another pint!

me: not looking for alone

2008-07-04T21:30:00.000+09:00

just a quip getaway.

ハズしているぜ！

Funny Dog woof woof

2008-07-02T17:35:00.003+09:00

On the local high street, bizarre but probably very comfortable sitting position.

At least he was vocal about it, *woof woof!!*.

近くの商店街の犬の面白い座り方。

うるさくて気持ちよさそうかな〜。

Reprieve

2008-07-02T02:08:00.002+09:00

We live アパート, not テゥゲザー。

What is Great, and what merely Grates

2008-06-22T16:00:00.001+09:00

America is great, the American accent just grates.

Any more?

びっくりブック

2008-06-18T01:36:00.007+09:00

タイトルは「Arrest for Ned the Horse」／「馬ネッドは逮捕」。

子供の本で、びっくりだった。

表紙に書いてあるかわいいネッドさんという馬は、なぜ逮捕されるか、わからないけど、なんか違う。

なにものか、アイデア募集

2008-06-17T01:26:00.007+09:00

なにものか、アイデア募集中。

自分の考えはまだ書かないけど。

ノッティンガム暴走族／ Nottingham Joyriders

2008-06-16T00:22:00.006+09:00

（実映像）

静かなサバーブに暴走族がたどりました。

遠いエステートを切り抜いて、走り出して、カフェの商店街に登場。

うるさくって、R&Bぽっくて、地元たちにあんまりウエルカム（well come）ではなくて、ちょっと面白い。

KanyeのFlashing Lightsに聞きながらなにも悪くないと発見。

百円！

wishing for the best...

2008-06-15T03:53:00.007+09:00

チャリティーショップでおいた「How to make better of yourself／自分をアップにする方法」という本の表紙の中にアンドルーというモトの持ち手にメッセージが残してあった。

「がんばれ、これで「スピリット」が強くなって、自分もつよくなるよ。みな応援しているよ。ルーシー。」って

アンドルーは人生でひどいことにぶつけたと思う。

そして本をオックスファムにくれた。

もう必要がないかな、なんで。

！（o＿o;）！

working for charity

2008-06-14T06:30:00.003+09:00

not like, working for very little money, but working for A charity.

i didn't know staying busy could be so cheap!

オックスファムジャパンの翻訳協力とつながり、今度はオックスファム本屋／音楽屋で手伝っている。

楽でステレオは自由。

graphic design

2008-06-12T04:21:00.008+09:00

もし見えなかったら、描いてみたのがバナナ、なす、ブドウと、りんご。
Skills with illustrator could be coming back to me, in order of drawing; Obergine, Banana, Grapes and Apple.

ブドウは美味しそうでしょう。
I'll hopefully come up with some ハピキャラ soon!

(now listening to; Only Success Can Fail Me Now/Quasi)

r u anti or pro?

2008-06-05T01:32:00.002+09:00

Are you anti-biotics, or pro-biotics?

I'm pro-biotics.

アニメキャラ

2008-06-03T21:20:00.003+09:00

アニメキャラは「よく食べる女はいい女だ」だって。

食べている女を見て「よく食べる女はいい女だ」を言い出す男は簡単すぎる。

「よく食べる女はいい女だ」と言い出すアニメキャラでも、人間でも、状況を簡単に理解してお世辞にすぎないと思う人は簡単すぎる。

気をつけて漫画を見るように。

アニメキャラは勉強になっている。

Pun／だじゃれ

2008-06-01T19:14:00.001+09:00

I prefer to find my own whey.

豆乳の投入だ。

ホモ達に配給量！！

2008-06-01T02:36:00.005+09:00

子供の二酸化炭素鵜の足跡は。

二酸化跡（二酸化炭素鵜の足跡）が話題になったが、子供の二酸化跡はなにものだ。ブリーダー達に税金を与えた方がいいだろうか。

ホモ達に配給量

fukuiben

2008-05-12T14:55:00.001+09:00

福井弁でもえ〜やんか。

関西弁か。

どっちやねん！

futsuu ni

2008-05-11T21:49:00.001+09:00

「きゃくさまとふつうにしゃべれるとおもう」って。

思われなかった。

チェ’。

invitations to spend money

2008-05-10T16:48:00.002+09:00

CM, DM, Poster, Pamphlet.

invitations to spend money.

shiba ga rakuda

2008-05-10T08:33:00.002+09:00

なんかしようと言われ。

「しばらくしてから」と言わせ。

シバ楽だなと思いまして。

sensu

2008-05-10T08:27:00.002+09:00

扇子を持ちながら「センスがいいからデザインできる」って。

明らかにして。

talented

2008-05-06T09:04:00.004+09:00

I overheard that this girl's "talented"

Or was it she's really a "Talon Ted"?

mushishinaide

2008-05-04T18:20:00.002+09:00

色々な虫が市内でいきてる。

無視しないで。

mushishinaide

Girls Tape Store / ガールズ・テープ・ストア

ザ・ピーナッツ / The Peanuts

Returned

Tujiko Noriko / 辻子紀子

Cubismo Grafico／キュビズモ・グラフィコ

Conservatory?

YMCK / ワイエムシーケー

Let's bury the hachet

Roll-Up Roll-Up!!

Takako Minekawa / 嶺川貴子

It said 'wet paint'

Angry when I drew you?

Cibo Matto / チボ・マット

HAPPY END / はっぴいえんど

How are the Scottish like cats?

Scha Dara Parr / スチャダラパー

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE

Kitahara Kenji / 北原謙二

SAMBOMASTER / サンボマスター

On the Pavement

SPARTA LOCALS / スパルタローカルズ

Ishida Ayumi / いしだあゆみ

Nishida Sachiko / 西田佐知子

Okumura Chiyo / 奥村チヨ

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

In Flew Ants

I'm On The Brink!!

Morita Douji / 森田童子

Chatmonchy / チャットモンチー

"Climate Change!"

Sunny Day Service / サニーデイ・サービス

Tomoyo Harada / 原田知世

Heads Will Roll

The Tigers / ザ・タイガーズ

久々のビジット

Kiyoshiro Imawano / 忌野清志郎

TERIYAKI BOYZ / Beriyaki Toyz

アホ猫と鳥の死

Kirinji / キリンジ

Clammbon / クラムボン

optimism

me: not looking for alone

Funny Dog *woof woof*

Reprieve

What is Great, and what merely Grates

びっくりブック

なにものか、アイデア募集

ノッティンガム暴走族 ／ Nottingham Joyriders

wishing for the best...

working for charity

graphic design

r u anti or pro?

アニメキャラ

Pun／だじゃれ

ホモ達に配給量！！

fukuiben

futsuu ni

invitations to spend money

shiba ga rakuda

sensu

talented

mushishinaide

Funny Dog woof woof

ノッティンガム暴走族／ Nottingham Joyriders