A full 8 months late. I can’t bear to see this on the front page. Hit the jump if you dare. Read the rest of this entry »
Tokyo no Records signs The Questionmarks?
July 2, 2009
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the TNR camp. A couple of days ago, they left this cryptic message on their website:
We’re currently working with a brand new band…full details soon…they’re from Nagoya and they sound like this.
Which sounds a lot like “Ghost Left Town” by The Questionmarks. I never heard of this band before, but I’m liking all of the songs on their myspace. Hopefully TNR will seal the deal with them soon!
ELLEGARDEN: Where Are They Now?
June 4, 2009A year ago, ELLEGARDEN announced that the band is on indefinte hiatus. A year later, it appears all four members have settled into their new bands. Where are they now?
Takeshi Hosomi 細美武士 (vocals, guitar)
Takeshi is the singer/guitarist for the HIATUS, formerly Takeshi Hosomi Solo Project. He’s joined by members of toe, Radio Caroline, Neil & Iraiza, and FULLSCRATCH. Ironically, almost all of these bands are inactive. Perhaps they see the HIATUS as an actual hiatus from their respective bands? Or maybe there’s a future for the HIATUS? They already topped the Oricon charts with their debut major label album “Trash We’d Love,” beating out J-Pop idol Ken Hirai. Musically, the HIATUS is predictably similar to ELLEGARDEN, the only major difference being the addition of piano.
Shinichi Ubukata 生形 真一 (lead guitar)
Shinichi formed Nothing’s Carved In Stone, featuring members of STRAIGHTENER, FULLARMOR, and vocals by Taku Muramatsu of Abstract Mash. The guitar sounds a bit like ELLEGARDEN, but the vocals are more mature making this a great alt rock band.
Hirotaka Takahashi 高橋宏貴 (drums)
Hirotaka is the drummer for Scars Borough, a female fronted punk rock band. There’s very little traces of ELLEGARDEN’s sound in this band. They sound raw at times, but have a very fun, spunky sound. For fans of Ketchup Mania, noodles, etc.
http://www.myspace.com/scarsborough
Yuichi Takada 高田 雄一(bass)
Yuichi is the new bassist for MEANING, an unsigned hardcore band from Tokyo active since 2004. The band has no previously released albums or singles. MEANING is currently playing the Shake! Shake! Shake! Tour with with Scars Borough.
http://www.myspace.com/meaning666
The Future of ELLEGARDEN
I think that there’s a future for the HIATUS and Nothing’s Carved In Stone. Both sound similar to ELLEGARDEN, it’s hard to think they could have split due to “creative differences.” Honestly, I don’t see Scars Borough making it big outside of the live house and MEANING will go nowhere until they decide to record a CD. Will ELLEGARDEN get ever get back together? Who knows. But at least they formed new bands that don’t suck, unlike blink 182.
Random J-Rock Updates #9
May 11, 2009The triumphant return!
-“Layers” from Asobi Seksu’s new album is used in the movie Treeless Mountain. It was also on Ugly Betty.
-Download Hoshina Aniversary’s “Galaxy” mixes here.
–Quixotik covered Aerosmith. lol
–Cornelius canceled his North American tour. Swine Flu!
-Temporary Residence is releasing the Young Widows/Melt-Banana split. PS: I’m still waiting for my Mono preorder TempRes!!
–Utada has a new CD coming out. She wants to sign it.
-Both m.o.v.e. and The Slants canceled their performance at Anime Central on Saturday. Sorry guys, no review this year 😦
–the telephones have signed to a major label
-A short video of FACT’s US tour. The tour was canceled after a serious van accident.
I’ll be graduating college next Sunday so hopefully I’ll have more time to update this blog now.
SXSW 2009
March 19, 2009Every year SXSW sweeps right past me. This is not helped by the fact that I never get to go. But for the past two years I’ve made a list of all the Japanese bands performing in Texas. Even though the fest started last night I hope you still find this useful. All bands with a star after their name have a free mp3 on their SXSW page. Later, I’ll zip a folder with all the mp3s and upload them to mediafire.
Wednesday
Natccu *
Thursday
Geeks *
The S.I.G.I.T (from Indonesia) *
Friday
Bo-Peep *
Japan Nite 1
–FLiP *
–Honey Sac *
Saturday
Natccu *
Sonpub *
Japan Nite 2
–The Emeralds *
–Quaff *
–Sa
Sunday
NOTHING
edit:
For all the mp3s: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?minj4nzymbz
parms debut album + tour
February 21, 2009
The first full length from parms (ex: DRUMKAN) is now available to order from Parrot On A Porch Records.
Formed in 2008….Hailing from Tokyo/Japan, Satoshi and Kei got acquainted through a mutual friend, then formed the powerful pop punk trio PARMS also featuring Jiro on Bass. After crafting 13 pop punk masterworks, the band entered the studio in Kentucky, USA with Kevin Ratterman(Producer,Wax fang drummer) Parrot On A Porch is pleased to release their first debut full length album in the USA. See them on tour with PARK RANGER throughout the Spring of 2009. For fans of Alkaline Trio and Gameface.
PARMS : 1ST FULL ALBUM
1. Sunlight
2. Stolen my herat
3. Jumping to the new world
4. Mountain of faults
5. Smile of angel
6. Lose sight of all
7. Shine
8. Despair changes all into nothing
9. Our conversation
10. Lady luck smiles me. Maybe no maybe yes…
11. Drink till get drunk
12. Burning
13. Two peas in a pod
PRODUCED BY KEVIN RATTERMAN & PARMS
USA tour
3.01＠CAKE SHOP with Park Ranger
3.02＠THE KHYBER with Park Ranger
3.03＠THE RED & THE BLACK with Park Ranger
3.04＠QUE PASA? with Park Ranger
3.05＠THE SOAPBOX with Park Ranger
3.06＠THE OASIS with Park Ranger
3.09＠SPRINGWATER with Park Ranger
3.11＠SKULL ALLEY with Park Ranger,FRONTIER(S)
3.12＠GARFIELD ARTWORKS with Park Ranger
3.13＠ABILENE with Park Ranger
3.14＠THE RAVEN with Park Ranger,Long Since Forgotten
3.15＠THE LOST HORIZON with Park Ranger, Long Since Forgotten
The Blue Hearts- Linda Linda
February 19, 2009From one legendary punk band to another, MxPx have announced that they will cover The Blue Heart’s “Linda Linda” on their upcoming cover album On the Cover 2.
“The song was originally intended to be released in Japan only, but the band loved it enough to not only include it on the US release, but to also record the song in Japanese for the Japanese edition.”
Yikes. I’m kind of excited to hear this, both versions. MxPx has never let me down. Meanwhile, lets rock out to the karaoke classic:
UPDATE: Vagrant Records signs FACT
February 13, 2009
Vagrant/Maximum 10 have officially announced that they will release FACT’s debut US album. The album will contain 16 tracks and was produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Incubus, Story of the Year) and mixed by Chris Lord Alge (Green Day, My Chemical Romance). Although the bulk of the album will contain new material, select songs will be taken from their first full-length in Japan, Never Turn Out The Light To Keep Myself, and their EPs. The album will be released on April 14th. Vagrant is the home of many accomplished punk bands, including Alkaline Trio, Dashboard Confessional, Thrice, The Get Up Kids, Saves the Day, and more.
Tracklist:
1. Paradox
2. Los Angeles
3. A Fact of Life
4. Chain
5. Reborn
6. Purple Eyes
7. Lights of Vein
8. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
9. CO3
10. Snow
11. Stretch My Arms (from The fine day never last)
12. 45 Days
13. Why…
14. 1-2
15. Rise
16. A Fact of Life (Boom Boom Satellites remix)
FACT goes viral, scene kids disappointed
February 12, 2009
Earlier this week, punk news website AbsolutePunk.net posted a link to Fact-Of-Life.com. At the time, the viral website only contained the phrase “FACT OF LIFE.” The letters A, F, and I were clickable, leading many to believe it was a teaser site for the new A.F.I. album. Eventually, someone posted the link to FACT’s video “A Fact of Life” which was identical to the audio found in the letter “A.” Mystery solved.
Or so we thought. Yesterday, a new article was posted, “Who Could This Be?” The Fact Of Life website was updated, clearly stating the band was FACT, a link to their YouTube video, and with the same image of the mask they wear on their myspace profile picture. However, some people just don’t get it:
“I figured it was Davey Havok using autotune to hide his voice”
“Surely the vocals were altered a bit? so we couldnt figure out who it was?”
“Maybe this band “fact” is made up, and it really is some other band going waaaaaay over the top via viral marketing or whatev and the autotune is used to mask who the real voice is, and the masks really are hiding whoever’s face it is…and the person said he loves Fact and their split ep, maybe he’s working with them to cover their true identity up…”
“At first it seemed like AFI, it still could I be but I have no clue, the video was a little weird. I kind-of want to know who it is, it seems like one band then they add something and I get so lost, I wonder what will happen next.”
“Either Lost Prophets or 30 STM.
I’m guessing.”
It’s amazing how many people on the internet can’t read. Having posted on that forum for several years, I can tell you this isn’t an isolated incident. Not the brightest bushel in the barrel. It’s funny how they all loved this band when they though it was A.F.I. and now it’s “just a random Japanese band.”
Interestingly enough, when you sign up for FACT’s mailing list, you’ll get an email confirmation from Vagrant Records. Does this mean they have a record deal in the States? They’ll be touring America in March and April with Greeley Estates, Memphis May Fire, and iwrestledabearonce.
J-Rock Explosion 