Before They Were Y.M.O. - Part 3

We now conclude our three-part special, "Before They Were Y.M.O.", with Ryūichi Sakamoto and his 1978 solo debut Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto.

It should go without saying that much of what appears on Thousand Knives hints at what was to come from Y.M.O., as both future members of the group, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono, join Sakamoto on the recording. Its title track begins with an ethereal vocoder monologue that gives way to a funky space-dance groove, complete with whaling guitar solos and synthesized tribal percussion.

From the music on the album one can catch a glimpse of Sakamoto's early vision of Japanese electro-pop, a music far removed from the cold, calculated rhythms of Kraftwerk, one of Y.M.O.'s most frequent comparisons. And as with Thousand Knives, there is an organic quality to Sakamoto's music; something that is at the same time playful and daring, yet distinctly Japanese.

As a classically trained musician, Sakamoto received instruction in both traditional and electronic music, as well as composition, from the faculty at Tokyo's prestigious National University of Fine Arts and Music. As a result, it is quite easy to perceive an academic influence in the music he produced during the late 1970s. In comparison with his colleagues in Y.M.O., both of whom attended equally reputable art schools, Sakamoto was much more so a "composer" than he was performer (at least outside of the conservatory). Ultimately, it was Sakamoto's academic training coupled with his bandmates' studio background and firm grounding in rock and pop that made Y.M.O. the successful and dynamic group we know them as today.

Download:
Ryūichi Sakamoto - Thousand Knives (1978)
坂本龍一 - 千のナイフ

Here's a clip from 1979 of Y.M.O. performing "Thousand Knives" live at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles:

Before They Were Y.M.O. - Part 2

Up next in our three-part "Before They Were Y.M.O." special is bassist Haruomi Hosono and his legendary folk-rock group, Happy End.

Hosono, much like future bandmate Yukihiro Takahashi, had years of experience recording and performing under his belt before joining Y.M.O. He was a member of the psychedelic rock group Apryl Fool before forming Happy End with the band's drummer Takahashi Matsumoto in 1969.

Happy End created in Japan an original sound and image that bore the natural influence of Western rock without succumbing to sheer imitation. 1970 saw the release of the group's self-titled debut, from which "Asa" is taken. The diverse selection of music on their first album sets the stage for much of what was to come in the future, displaying the group's strong roots in blues, folk, rock, and psychedelia. However, Happy End would release only two more albums in their brief history: Kazemachi Roman the following year, and another self-titled album in 1973, whose title is written in English as opposed to the previous album's Hiragana. It should also be noted that the band's name is written in Hiragana as well, instead of Katakana, a script most commonly used for words of foreign origin, thus highlighting the group's emphasis on creating a strong Japanese identity.

Following their work in Happy End, Haruomi Hosono would record with guitarist Shigeru Suzuki in the "tropical" band Tin Pan Alley, and in 2002 form the duo Sketch Show with Yukihiro Takahashi. As a producer, Hosono has worked with a number of important figures in the Japanese pop world, including Seiko Matsuda, Chisato Moritaka, and Akina Nakamori. And aside from his influence in Happy End, he has amassed a large body of work throughout his prolific solo career.

Download:
Happy End - Asa (1970)
はっぴいえんど - 朝

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Before They Were Y.M.O. - Part 1

With all the talk about Yellow Magic Orchestra in the previous post, we decided to create a series of postings devoted to exploring the musical output of the members of Y.M.O. before they formed one of the most influential groups in Japanese pop history. First up in our three-part series is drummer Yukihiro Takahashi's group Sadistic Mika Band.

Unlike many Japanese groups, Sadistic Mika Band acheived notable popularity overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom. Three of their first albums, including the group's eponymous 1973 debut, were additionally released in the U.K., and in 1975 Sadistic Mika Band supported Roxy Music during their tour of England.

The band was fronted by singer/songwriter/producer Kazuhiko Katō, whose former group The Folk Crusaders, and subsequent solo work helped popularize folk music in Japan during the 1960s and 70s. Katō was responsible for a majority of the songwriting duties for the Sadistics, while the role of lead vocalist was mainly held by his wife at the time, media personality Mika.

Yukihiro Takahashi was a studio drummer when he joined the band in 1972 for their first album and has remained a member to this day through each of the group's many reunions. One such reunion occurred in the summer of 1985, as the Sadistics briefly gained the monumental talent of Ryūichi Sakamoto and Yumi Matsutōya, reforming temporarily as Sadistic Yuming Band for the legendary music festival All Together Now. The current incarnation of the band, however, aptly titled Sadistic Mikaela Band, features pop star Kaela Kimura on lead vocals.

"Time Machine Ni Onegai" is taken from the 1974 album Kurofune, released in Japan, as well as the U.K. and the U.S.. The sound of the track embodies the group's arena rock leanings and serves as a high point for the brash and sexy attitude of which the band would later seem to forget.

Download:
Sadistic Mika Band - Time Machine Ni Onegai (1974)
サディスティック・ミカ・バンド - タイムマシンにおねがい

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Showa OK! has recently received a generous writeup in a fellow Asian music blog called The Far Eastern Audio Review. The site is run by current Chicago resident Mack Hagood and, according to their mission statement, "exists to expose you to music from Asia that matters: Taiwanese girl punk, Japanese psych, Korean indie rock, new recordings of traditional sounds and (because we like to cry in our beer) those romantic, enka-flavored oldies." Sounds good to us!

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