Japanese Rock...Prog or Not...

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

You’re confusing it with Nipponjin, which was a re-recording/remixing of old tracks for the European market produced by Klaus Schulze. Side 1 is actually a remake of one of the sides of the Far Out album, with tons more keys/synths added to the arrangement. The rest of Nipponjin consists of remixed tracks from The Cave... with new English vocals (but not the whole album).

great detail... thanx!

[claycorn]

http://www.japrocksampler.com/artist...yonin_bayashi/

lets not forget this band,whom i love very much

[spellbound]

Stomu Yamashta

Forgot about him. And Flower Travellin' Band.

[JAMOOL]

Yea I liked that^

Tom

Well since you asked (or not!) here's one I find pretty fascinating; I haven't heard anyone play (err..manipulate) guitar quite like this

[NogbadTheBad]

As others have mentioned :-

Bondage Fruit
Happy Family
Korekyojinn

Someone also mention Hiromi, more straight jazz but fantastic

[sonic]

What? No Carmen Maki & Oz?

[Zeuhlmate]

I didn't see 'After Dinner', Haco or 'Wha ha ha' mentioned?

[Sputnik]

Motoi Sakuraba is another great Japanese keyboardist. His new album, "What's Up", is very good, as are his previous albums.

I recently bought Motoi Sakurabas - Live Concert - Star Ocean And Valkyrie Profile, and it's a killer concert. Always liked his Prog band Deja Vu (sadly only one Album).

I just checked out some samples from Sakuraba's What's Up? Pretty smokin'!



For me, the Deja Vu album is just OK. The instrumental tracks fare better than the vocal pieces, imo, which have a bit too much "stadium rock" for my taste. But this new solo disc has promise.

Bill

[wideopenears]

I have not heard Ghost or Gerard. I wonder if I need to?

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

the Deja Vu album is just OK. The instrumental tracks fare better than the vocal pieces, imo, which have a bit too much "stadium rock" for my taste. But this new solo disc has promise.

Bill

If you don't already know about them, his albums Gikyokuonsou and Shining of the Holy Ark are very highly rated and quite excellent!

[Zeuhlmate]

This tune changes totally at 1:42 - fantastic production btw

[Sputnik]

If you don't already know about them, his albums Gikyokuonsou and Shining of the Holy Ark are very highly rated and quite excellent!

I didn't. I will check into them for sure, thanks.

Bill

[TheH]

Also: what about Interpose+? I’ve only heard the odd track, but I’ve heard good things about them, and what I have heard was promising. They were sort of a precursor band to TEE, which in my book is recommendation enough.

The Interpose+ keyboardplayer went on to TEE. The first album is somewhere between Providence and TEE, and I can recommend it.
Haven't heard the second one, but I've heard that it is weaker than the first.

[Zeuhlmate]

Gestalt: Gomorrha vs Khan

[TheH]

I didn't. I will check into them for sure, thanks.

Bill

Shining The Holy Ark will set you back by 200 - 300 bucks. Gikyokuonsou has a french version (Musea) and should be easy to find at normale Prices.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Shining The Holy Ark will set you back by 200 - 300 bucks.

time to sell! I'll be fine with a copy of mine if I can get $200 for my original!!!

[Sputnik]

Shining The Holy Ark will set you back by 200 - 300 bucks. Gikyokuonsou has a french version (Musea) and should be easy to find at normale Prices.

Yeah, I saw that on Amazon. No freaking way I'm paying that kind of price, I don't care how good an album it is. Greg has Gikyokuonsou at a reasonable price and I'll probably get the new one from him as well.

Bill

[Pr33t]

As far as I can tell, there is no such thing.

Well, I thought that was a bit more descriptive than "Japanese Proggy-Prog" In general, I was just trying to distinguish the more avant Ruins end of things from the the more standard prog.

[Mythos]

You’re confusing it with Nipponjin, which was a re-recording/remixing of old tracks for the European market produced by Klaus Schulze. Side 1 is actually a remake of one of the sides of the Far Out album, with tons more keys/synths added to the arrangement. It’s weird, as Fumio Miyashta was the only one in Far Out to go on to play in FEFB, the rest of the Far Out members formed another band called Chronicle. The rest of Nipponjin consists of remixed tracks from The Cave... with new English vocals (but not the whole album).

Incidentally, I like the version of that side-long track on Nipponjin way more than the one on the Far Out album. All the cool kids say it’s hipper to like the “more psychedelic” version, but I like the synth-ier one.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

“It doesn't get any more...like this. Than this.” --Anders Lundquist

N.P.:“Besuch aus dem Kosmos”-Witthüser & Westrupp/Der Jesuspilz

Glad to agree here and I would like to add that Nipponjin is one of my all-time fav's, right up along side Dark Side of the Moon, in fact, I'm sure your (other) oldsters recall FEFB being referred to as the Japanese Pink Floyd, back in the day. I also had the chance to see them live as when they signed with All Ears Records they did a show in Hollywood Ca, in the late 70's...

[Mythos]

As far as (somewhat) modern day Japanese CD's, I cannot recommend anything more than
NIWA I & I Harmonic Odyssey (Inoxia)
I bought it a few years ago at Aquarius (LINK): http://www.aquariusrecords.org/bin/search.cgi

It is an awesome mix that combines Prog, Psych and Space Rock, here is what they say about it:
Japan's Niwa used to be known as Choukoku No Niwa, and you might know that name from a split release entitled More Echoes, Touching Air Landscape they shared with AQ-faves Boris a while back. We'd been wondering ever since what had happened to the mysterious Choukoku No Niwa, whose psychedelic tribal Amon Duulish thwump made their half of that split every bit as good as that of Boris. What we know know, is that they shortened their name and recently released this new album, a 69 minute spaced-out trance-bliss trip of ocean-deep, fx-laden psych rock with gently pulsing rhythms, some drifting female vocals, and much dubby droning. Real nice, stoned groove, a little bit slick perhaps but certainly well-produced. And don't get the wrong idea from the Boris connection -- this is ain't a bit heavy, not at all. Plenty of bass, yes, definitely super mellow -- that's even a song title here: "Mellow", a reggaefied number halfway through the disc. Other song titles like "Warm Rain", "Sunset Swell" and "Moon Flower" should to give you an idea of the laid-back, hippyish vibe that this floats along upon. It's kinda like Hanadensha meets Circle or Salvatore, or zoned out Boredoms on the beach...

There are Links to two of their songs there as well.

Sadly: though, Aquarius has been out of it for years and I have NEVER seen anyone else selling it. I suppose the only way to get a copy would be to find someone who already has a copy (wink, wink...)

[Progbear]

Bondage Fruit

I saw them live in 1999, great show, though it was a shame they had trouble miking the vibes/marimba player (who also played a second drum kit). I only have their second album, which is great, and has some hilarious Damo Suzuki-like vocals that sometimes sound like a turkey gobbling! I need to get more of their stuff.

Il Berlione

I forgot about them, their debut is fantastic and very varied. Still have not heard the second.

Providence (their second Album was just rereleased by Musea, by the way)

I was quite disappointed with the second, but then, after the first (which I consider one of the finest albums from the Japanese symphonic scene of the 80s/90s, alongside Mr. Sirius’ Dirge), pretty much anything would be a disappointment. I didn’t much care for the metal influence. I do have to say, though, that There Once Was a Night of “Choko-Muro” The Paradise is one of the best album titles of all-time!

I didn't see 'After Dinner', Haco or 'Wha ha ha' mentioned?

I mentioned Wha-ha-ha on the first page. They are one of my most-loved avant-rock bands from any country. I still have the vinyl compilation disc that Recommended released, which plays at 45 RPM (and, like many 45 RPM albums, the fidelity is excellent).

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

N.P.:“Free Folk”-Zao/Kawana

[Brainforest]

IMO, no conversation about Japanese prog is complete without mentioning one of the best King Crimson covers ever. Not exactly rock, but still...

[spacefreak]

As far as (somewhat) modern day Japanese CD's, I cannot recommend anything more than
NIWA I & I Harmonic Odyssey (Inoxia)
Sadly: though, Aquarius has been out of it for years and I have NEVER seen anyone else selling it. I suppose the only way to get a copy would be to find someone who already has a copy (wink, wink...)

It is still on sale directly from the record label, where I got mine some five years ago.

I'm posting the link below:

https://inoxia-rec.com/shop

They do accept Paypal payments as well.

PS. Great album for a hot summer day by the way...

[proggosaurus]

It’s not really worth the effort. The two instrumentals are basically solo showcases for Naomi’s flashy keyboard work and thus, sound a bit like Ars Nova-lite. The two vocal tracks are sort of Rush-meets-neo prog with typically high-pitched female vocals in Japanese. The former are, of course, far more interesting than the latter.

what about King's Board?

Has anyone here heard Head Pop Up? One album to date (2002), which I only recently heard. Guitar, bass, drums and dual keyboards. Their sound is prog with a little fusion mixed in. I need to hear this more for it to sink in, but it struck me as quite radical for a band of this type.

I've got that and remember liking it quite a bit but I would have to revisit that one (among many others)

[sonic]

Picked up the Interpose+ 2005 album today. It's a good one.