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Spring 2008

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 5 months ago

Spring 2008 Underground Japan CD

Track 1: Haisei Ojisan - Shokichi Kina

Lyrics:

Hey, man! Hey, man !

If there’s a drop of sake left in last night’s little bottle

Won’t you give me some?

Hey, boy! Hey, boy!

You think I’m satisfied with a little bottle?

Don’t say there’s none left!

Ok, man! If the little bottle’s not enough, give me a big one

Hi, man! Hi, man!

I wanna marry, I’m not a kid anymore

Can I marry your daughter?

Hey, boy! Hey boy!

Marry? No kidding!

You’re still too young to talk about such things

Ok, man! I’ll wait till my hair turns white

Hi, man! Hi, man!

What a big bald spot you have!

Hey, boy! Hey, boy!

Bald men are excellent

My forefathers were really excellent

Ok, man! I’m gonna have cosmetic surgery to add bald spots

Hi, man! Hi, man!

Your beard is funny, like the whiskers of an attic mouse

Hey, boy! Hey, boy !

Laugh at my beard, but women love bearded men

Ok, man! I don’t wanna be outdone by you,

Starting tomorrow, I’ll grow a beard that looks like the whiskers of a mouse

Hi, man! hi, man!

Last night’s hooker was really pretty, you should go there, too

Hey, boy! Hey, boy !

In Chiji, Nakajima and Watanji,* I’m a big shot

Okay, man! Going around here and there, I’m wasting my money

You’re wasting your money

*Red light districts in Okinawa

Here are two pages with a good bit of information about Kina:

Japan Times

Biography at GeoCities

Performance

Track 2: Born to Anal - The Boredoms

The Boredoms are one of the great uniting (yet destructive) influences on the Japanese underground music scene. This song is from their album Pop Tatari and, like most Boredoms songs, is hard to translate. Eye-san does say “Coke is it,” at the beginning, but from there it devolves into gibberish or word-play. Here are some interviews with the Boredoms that may or may not shed some light on their music.

Browbeat

Myspace

Video from US Tour

Track 3: Won Won Killer - The Won Wons

The Won Wons were a band that lasted only a few minutes. Won Won is the sound a dog makes in Japanese (like woof-woof), and the band itself consisted of drums, base, and guitars. Most people thought they were a joke as the guitarist and bassist didn’t really know how to play their instruments, but when they traveled to Tokyo they were treated like rock royalty.

Track 4: Yes I Do - The Go-Devils

The Go-Devils are still going strong, playing the same material and I kind of can’t believe they aren’t one of the most popular bands on the planet. Here’s their homepage:

Homepage

Video

Track 5: Ari-Bri - The Bakans

Ari-Bri is a girl group in the same vein as the Raincoats – off-key and basically strange pop music.

Lyrics:

I want to go on a vacation

In a scarlet swimsuit

Taking a nap in the shade

Whoo-hoo

I want to go on a vacation

Going for a drive in a convertible

Macadamia Nuts

Whoo-hoo

I want to go on a vacation

Track 6: Roll and Tumble - DJ Krush

or

Shin Sekai

A remix from the pioneer of hip-hop and turntablism in Japan.

Home Page: http://www.mmjp.or.jp/sus/djkrE1.htm

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVjgRlto8PI

A Fairly Comprehensive Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Krush

Interview

Track 7: 5 by Merzbow

Merzbow is called “The King of Noise.” Here’s a very interesting interview with him:

http://www.furious.com/perfect/merzbow.html

Video in Korea and Kobe

Track 8: 50I02 by OOIOO

OOIOO is the solo band of Yoshimi, the drummer from the Boredoms. Here is a short interview with her about both bands.

http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/yoshimi.shtml

Track 9: 600m by Music Start Against Young Assault

Music Start is a great three piece band about whom almost nothing is written and who rarely even plays a live show or releases an album. Since the drummer died late last year in a tragic accident, they might not be heard from again.

Actually, they've reformed with some new members and have a MySpace page!

Track 10: Honey and Snorkle by Indian no Echo Sine Bine No

Indian No Echo… started in 1999 and is a three (sometimes four) piece band with drums, violin, and bass. They’ve only released their demo (which this track is from) and one live album.

Homepage (Japanese Only)

Track 11: Watch Your Step by Dry and Heavy

MySpace

Homepage

Track 12: Prince of the Land of Rising Noise by The Ultrafuckers

This was the first band I saw live in Japan at Bears in Osaka (a small club run by seiichi Yamamoto of the Boredoms). It was “Scum Night” and I was forever changed (I think).

HomePage: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=20283561

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBG0Yl_AUM

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6xkobac4UM