Category: Music

Japanese Rock Group VooDoo Hawaiians to Play Tokyo’s Club251 with Doberman

VooDooHawaiiansBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Tickets are now on sale for VooDoo Hawaiians latest concert at Tokyo‘s popular Club251. The venue is located in the basement of the office building owned by Two Five One Co, Ltd in one of the most interesting and lively districts of Tokyo, Shimokitazawa. The area is known for its hungry bands and it’s loud and flashy nightlife. Club251 has hosted a variety of acts that one would consider the underdogs of the music industry, or to put it another way, artists that haven’t given in to the mainstream. SpecialThanks, Thee 50’s High Teens, Broken Doll, Earth Crisis, and The Monochrome Set are just a few groups that have played to the excitement of patrons in this sub-level venue .

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Band Maid Announces First European Tour!

BrandNewMaidBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Japanese group Band-Maid whose appearance in cute, maid aesthetics while serving skillfully played powerful music onstage, is continuing their world domination. In the past year alone they have appeared at Sakura-Con in Seattle, MCM London Comic Con in England and had multiple videos go viral (“Thrill” hit 2 million views within the first two weeks). Now in a global push Band-Maid announced a European tour to coincide after their Latin America debut in Mexico City on October 9th.

The dates are to promote their first international album “Brand New Maid” that saw release June 17, 2016. Brand New Maid is available across the UK and Europe through JPU Records. The CD version contains an exclusive bonus track as well as an extra booklet containing lyric translations and transliterations into English.

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Babymetal Shares Stage with Metal Legend Rob Halford

Babymetal2By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

At the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards in Columbus, Ohio audiences were witness to what could be considered a major event in the music industry. Japanese music has been gaining ground worldwide especially in North America, proving music is truly universal, it is a turning point to see Metal God Rob Halford of Juda Priest share the stage with Japan’s mini-metal mights Babymetal.

Halford with Babymetal covered two of Judas Priests’ classic songs, “Painkiller” and “Breaking the Law.” For “Painkiller” Halford performed with Su-Metal before Yuimetal and Moametal joined them on guitars onstage for “Breaking the Law”.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG_fqkyJ-wo&w=560&h=315%5D
 
Su-Metal looked absolutely estatic to be performing with Halford and Babymetal’s backing band were exceptionally pumped during this performance. I guess sharing stage with one of the legends of metal will do that to you. Alternative Press rightfully called this collaboration as one of the top 14 moments that defined the awards ceremony.

This had been a long time coming and it’s shame an event like this couldn’t happen earlier. If it did perhaps Japan X would be in the position Babymetal is now. But much of this event is owed to bands like them who toured North America before Japanese music grew outside it’s own country. Groups like Puffy and even earlier than X or Puffy, Shonen Knife, introduced Japan’s music to the masses. In many ways Japanese garage band The Blue Comets were Japan’s version of The Beatles as they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1968.

Macross Delta CD Takes Second Highest Ranking on Oricon Music Chart

WalkureAttackCoverBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

The soundtrack to the animated television series Macross Delta has taken the second highest ranking on Japan’s Oricon music chart since debuting July 6th. Within it’s first week the album Walküre Attack! performed by Macross’ voice actors under the group name Walküre, sold 78,000 copies. Walküre’s first album single, “ICHI DO DAKE NO KOI NARA” (一度だけの恋なら)/”RUN GA PIKATTO HIKATTARA” (ルンがピカッと光ったら), has sold 36,000 copies since it’s release on May 11th. The single climbed to #18 this week on the Anime CD Singles chart. It recorded a previous best of 3rd spot in late May.

Walküre Attack! was denied the top spot by pop group Dreams Come True and their greatest hits album Dreams Come True The Best! 私のドリカム

Source(s): Gwyn Campbell, Vintage Anime Fans Facebook group, and マイナビニュース.

Leo Ieiri’s 4th Album “We” Hits Retail Shelves Today!

LeoIeiriPetsBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

The 4th full-length album of J-pop artist Leo Ieiri, “We,” hits retail shelves in Japan today and it has the song “Brand New Tomorrow” — the Japanese theme to Illumination Entertainment’s upcomng animated movie The Secret Life of Pets. The movie will open August 11th in Japan.

The film is about a terrier named Max who enjoys his freedom while his owner is away from home. But this dog’s life is turned upside down when said owner takes in Duke, a stray mutt who manages to stir up Max’s cozy lifestyle.

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Wind up Geek’s Cool Japan: Ghostbusters Music Vid Offers Best of Old and New

GhostbustersJapanBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

If Fall Out Boy‘s version of the Ghostbusters theme song is not for you, then stop your crying and dry your eyes because Japan has something a little more retro to offer (and sweeter on the ears).

Japanese comics Tomochika (Why Don’t You Play In Hell?), Oniyakko Tsubaki (Miss Kurosawa Film), Naomi Watanabe (Tug of War!) and Shizuyo Yamasaki (Maniac Hero) star in this homage to the original Ray Parker Jr. music video, complete with neon lights. While the music video was shot on a soundstage, the reason behind such a move may have been to give it a retro feel. But the reboot still retains a presence throughout, the female Ghostbusters are all donned in the latest uniforms and carry the 2016 edition Proton Packs. One the director’s instructions may have been to “have fun” because the female cast (and the ghostly dancers) have taken it to heart.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52-0plebbPk&w=560&h=315%5D
 

Source(s): Polygon.

Video Source(s): Ghostbuster News.