tokyographers

A few days ago, a user named Aaron wrote some interesting remarks in the comments of the “Yay ORESKABAND!” post, and he also posted them on the band’s LJ community (as the user skaneverdies). As an Oreskaband fan, I felt that the post deserved a response, both to discuss some of the legitimate concerns and to try to point out some of the flaws.

Obviously, I can’t speak on behalf of the band, but I’ll throw in my own opinions based on my understanding of the band’s situation. Perhaps in the near future I’ll get a chance to ask someone directly connected with them for opinions about the issue.

Here’s what Aaron wrote:

It’s apparent to me at this point that Oreskaband has more or less become doomed to be seen as a novelty act, be it by the fault of the dollar-hungry Sony Corporation or the decision of the band themselves. As it stands now, I place the blame on the former, but that’s irrelevant anyway. When it all boils down, there’s nothing more heartbreaking for a band than to realize one day that you’re being sold as just another novelty band.

Allow me to explain. I knew, from the second I heard about a young, all-girl Japanese ska band, that things could go one of two ways, the first being one based on DIY ethics and above all else, a desire to nurture the ska scene, in both the United States and Japan. On the other hand, the band could be picked up by a major label (the Sony Corporation, perhaps), who would then sell the band’s songs to anime, food commercials, and other completely unrelated avenues that a band of Oreskaband’s caliber should never be subject to. This is where we find ourselves now.

In talking to people and doing my fair share of internet investigation, I’ve come to discover that a vast majority of those interested in Oreskaband are those who are interested in anime, and have subsequently discovered them through Bleach. I took some time to check out a lot of what these individuals are into, and only a very select few had anything to say about having an interest in ska music. I’ve seen this happen before, time and time again, throughout the late 1990s especially. If Oreskaband is anything consistant with history, they will explode, with every anime and Japanese culture fan gnawing at the bit to get their pictures taken with them, only to be forgotten years later when the series is discontinued and the major label has long since dropped them (but not after milking the band for every dollar they can produce). It’s happened time, and time again.

To make matters worse, these girls are obviously young, and will no doubt be taken full advantage of by Sony, who sees these young, good-looking girls as their new cash cow. Because clearly, Sony knows shit about ska music. They make DVD players, for Christ’s sake.

The bottom line? Talented ska bands shouldn’t be some novelty act that gets played on commercials and the end credits. I just heard they were casted in an American movie. That’s great - one more way for people to forget that they play some of the best ska the scene has heard in years. They were the scene’s last hope, but now their just the new pogs.

You won’t believe it now, but I’d bet the farm on this.

First of all, I recognize that fans are always going to be concerned about the commercialization of one of their favorite bands. There’s certainly reason for it the case of Oreskaband, at least in the way things are shaping up in the U.S. But I think the pessimistic attitude is a bit misguided.

It’s pretty clear that Aaron is speaking primarily from the point of view as a ska fan, and I get the impression that many of the ska fans who know about Oreskaband see them as a very big thing. I’ve heard a lot of people echo Aaron’s sentiments: that they’re one of the best ska bands in years, and that they have the potential to revive the ska scene. While I can’t claim to be very involved in the ska scene, I at least agree with these people that Oreskaband is indeed the best I’ve heard in a while.

That’s part of why the diehard ska fans feel so invested in the fate of Oreskaband. They want to see the band succeed, but at the same time, they don’t want to see such a good band “sell out.” And just as importantly, when it looks like this is a band that can revitalize the ska scene, they don’t want to see the genre go through the same boom and bust that has happened previously before.

The ska crowd is painfully aware of the fact that the genre is fading from public consciousness, which also means fewer good ska bands are emerging. So I’m sure that Aaron’s concern is a strong one - if Oreskaband gets seen only as a novelty, then that could possibly shut down the possibility of a long-term revival.

A few reality checks, though - I actually think it will be highly unlikely for the U.S. mainstream (on the whole) to accept Oreskaband as anything other than a novelty. While those who truly love good music will always enjoy their music, I doubt the public at large is going to embrace them in the long run. A few things:

1. They’re a ska band. Unless their arrival actually does spell the regrowth of the genre, most of the non-ska fans (by this, I mean those who are just indifferent to ska) will eventually turn to other music.
2. They’re a ska band from Japan. Let’s face it - Japanese music on the whole does not have a terribly large audience in the U.S. It’s still a niche market.
3. They’re an all-girl ska band from Japan.
4. They’re just out of high school.

To an average U.S. person, that’s at least four different “novelty” factors they have to overcome to be accepted as legitimate artists. Can they do it? It’s possible, but I doubt it.

At the same time, though, I think it’s a mistake to be looking at the public at large. Just because the clueless masses might view the group as a novelty doesn’t mean that their music is any less amazing, or that they aren’t reaching true fans. Let’s be realistic - if Oreskaband wasn’t being promoted the way they are, who would they reach? They might spread by word of mouth or on an indie label to *only* the ska fans or other J-music fans, but is that really better than the current route? As long as the quality of the music doesn’t get compromised, I see no problem.

In interviews, they’ve said that they originally had no interest in selling lots of CDs or going big. All they wanted to do was enjoy playing live shows and sharing their music. If Sony hadn’t picked them up, it’s very possible that they would’ve remained just a local band, and U.S. ska fans would be completely unaware of their existence, at least for several years. Instead, in just a couple of years, they’ve already managed to spread their popularity across Japan, appear in a Pocky CM, play at Fuji Rock Festival and other music festivals, go on a nationwide tour, play in the U.S., produce two anime theme songs, and land a movie deal. And if I remember right, WAO!! debuted at #29 on the Oricon charts, which is pretty impressive.

Aaron’s right that the vast majority of U.S. fans heard about them through interest in anime. But honestly, how many Japanese bands is that *not* true for (considering that many originally get into J-music via anime)? A band from Japan has a much better chance of getting noticed by the anime and J-pop crowd than by any other segment of the population. Is that bad? No - it means is that more people are getting exposed to the music. Some of them are going to jump on the wagon for the short run, but others have found a new legitimately favorite band.

But even Bleach didn’t turn them into instant hits. They’re still largely unknown, even though they’ve also produced an ending theme for Naruto before. Based on reactions on the internet and at Anime Expo, people had heard their music, but weren’t particularly enthused - until they saw the band perform live. And that’s where the true fans were made. I’ve said it before: although their music is excellent on its own, listening to the CD pales in comparison to experiencing their live show. Their energy just adds so much more to the music.

And I think that’s an important point to note. While ska fans might be able to recognize the music itself as being good stuff, the non-ska fans have no real idea. They love the band more for their personality and performance. It’s unfortunate for those who are hoping that Oreskaband can get ska rooted in the mainstream, but it’s true.

Their movie will likely be along the same lines. A lot of people who have no clue about ska or Japan are going to see it. If it becomes popular, the girls may gain celebrity status, but I don’t know how long it’ll last. I mean, I can dream of the day when a Japanese band can gain a legitimate following among the general U.S. public, but that’s just being way too optimistic. Off the top of my head, the only act to do so is Puffy, and that’s almost entirely because of their cartoon show - which, on second thought, might actually be an argument in favor of the movie being a good thing.

Aaron’s line about Sony selling the music to “completely unrelated avenues that a band of Oreskaband’s caliber should never be subject to” strikes me as a common sentiment among diehard fans of anything, often referred to as purists. I understand the feeling, and I feel the same way about other things, but here, I think it’s misguided. Should good bands never sell songs for commercial works? I also think labeling anime as something completely unrelated ignores the role that anime plays as one of Japan’s leading cultural products (particularly in an international sense), and the whole industry is a lot more complex than people in the U.S. perceive it to be.

In the end, I can see where Aaron is coming from, as the ska scene seems to be pinning a lot of hope on Oreskaband. As a fan of the band, I also share his concerns about possible over-commercialization or Sony taking advantage of them (but that’s true for all bands I love). At the same time, I also see a lot of unnecessary pessimism/cynicism in his arguments, as well as a partially blinded attitude by viewing this solely from the perspective of the ska scene. I also think that he overlooks the possibility that Oreskaband doesn’t need to be *the* one to rebuild the scene - if the group makes a big enough impact that lots of new bands start getting interested in ska again, that may be enough to generate new life for the genre.

Anyway, as I’ve said before, one of the bigger tests for Oreskaband will be Warped Tour. They’ve already seen success on the SXSW Japan Nite tour and at Anime Expo, but those were both geared towards people with an established interest in Japan. At Warped Tour, on the other hand, they’ll be the only Japanese band there (I believe). Aside from the people who are going mainly to see them (like me), they’ll be playing for a crowd who will be representative of whether their music will be accepted in the U.S. at large. If they can succeed on the tour, they’ll be one step closer to establishing themselves as legitimate musicians here. It doesn’t matter that a lot of people will become temporary fans just because of anime or their movie - what matters is that they keep making good music and spreading it to people who really care.

I don’t usually have time to write up random blog posts, but today has worked out fine, and there happens to be plenty of things I feel like talking about.

Interesting results in the early Oricon drama satisfaction ratings for this summer. Overall, the numbers are pretty low, but that seems to be the trend lately. Still, this is only the start of the summer, and numbers tend to get higher later in the season. We’ll see how things shape up in the midseason rankings.

I’m not surprised to see Papa to Musume no Nanokakan on top; so far it’s my favorite. I’ll have to check out Kikujiro to Saki, though, as I didn’t expect it to get #2. I’ll probably like it since I’m a fan of Beat Takeshi’s humor.

The big surprise, though - Hana Kimi, which is by far the most talked-about show of the season, is only in #7. I guess the viewers can see right through the fact that it’s only built on young star power. Still, I admit I’m enjoying it for its silliness.

Possibly an even bigger shocker: the “Getsu 9″ series First Kiss is not even on the list! Seriously! I’ve only seen the first episode, and it wasn’t that great, even though I always think Mao Inoue is cute as hell. At least its ratings have rebounded for now.

Good news from some artists I like:

1) Pistol Valve’s U.S. debut was ranked #15 on Billboard’s Top Internet Albums chart. Congratulations to them! Looks like they’ve really found an audience here. I’m actually really surprised by their ranking, though, since as far as I can tell, Tsunamic Girls From Tokyo isn’t even being sold on iTunes. Or is that not counted by Billboard anyway?

2) I’ll soon get a chance to ORESKABAND perform again, with Warped Tour right around the corner. It also turns out that they’re performing on the 13th at The Echo on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. The show’s free (it looks like they’re opening for Manic), though the venue is 21+ only. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it because of work. Still, I encourage everyone else to go. (AND IT’S FREE!!)

UPDATE (8/1): The band just announced on their MySpace that they’ve added a Warped Tour stop to their schedule. They’ll be playing in San Diego on the 24th.

3) Ai Otsuka finally got another #1 single with “Peach/Heart” - I’m very happy for her! She’s still one of my favorite artists, and I’m excited to hear that on September 26, she’s doing a triple release: her Ai am BEST tour DVD, her 4th album LOVE PiECE, and a CD-only version of Ai am BEST (this last one is pretty unexciting, though).

4) Next week, GO!GO!7188 will be hitting up Bethlehem (PA), New York, and Chicago. I really wish I could fly out to watch them again, but it won’t happen. I’m just hoping they find a U.S. label to sign them and they return to LA.

The news of a “Cutie Honey” drama series was pretty unexpected. I hope I get a chance to check it out, though I’m sure it won’t even compare to the kick-ass movie version, which I just saw a couple weeks ago (and wow, Eriko Sato looked good!). Seriously, though, I’m not expecting much, since it is just one of those late-night shows and not a prime-time program.

Anyway, that’s all I have time to talk about for now. I’m working on getting some new additions to the site, but I’ll provide more details when they’re closer to completion.

So those of you who’ve been following along with the blog might know that ever since I saw ORESKABAND at Japan Nite, I’ve been a huge fan. I was really happy to hear about their new album, their upcoming movie, and their success in general, and when I heard they would be playing at Anime Expo this year, I knew that would be the highlight of the convention for me.

I am REALLY happy after seeing how well their concert went today. Yesterday, I was disappointed by the fact that it seemed not too many people seemed to know about them - their small table in the Exhibit Hall wasn’t attracting too many people, and their focus panel got a relatively small crowd, for the size of the room at least. (By the way, they had some interesting answers during the Q&A of the panel. For example, I didn’t know Saki was such a big One Piece fan. One of the best parts was when one fan said, “You’re all very pretty,” and Saki responded in English, “Tell me something I don’t know!”)

Based on how poorly some of the events were being run (for example, the lines/ticketing for the SOS Brigade concert, not to mention the concert itself), and the low attendance in general (Anna Tsuchiya deserves a bigger crowd, people!), I was expecting that ORESKABAND might draw a disappointingly small crowd. But in the end, I was pleasantly surprised to see a huge turnout. I know the vast majority of the fans there only knew them as the band who did the Bleach and Naruto themes, and had no idea how awesome the group is - until the band proceeded to rock the house. I’m sure hundreds of new fans were born there, and that makes me really happy.

The concert itself was amazing. They played almost all of their songs from Ore and WAO!!, including a version of “Monkey Man” that was different from the one on Ore. Everything went smoothly, and the sound and lighting was perfect (unlike a certain other concert *cough*SOS*cough*). As I knew they would, they really got the crowd going with their incredible energy. Just like at Japan Nite, they were able to take an audience who had little idea who they were and, by the end, have them shouting and chanting for more.

Afterwards in the exhibit hall, their lonely table was now crowded by new fans, picking up WAO!! and other merch (I had already picked up the album yesterday).

At the panel yesterday, I had gotten a ticket for the autograph session later that day, but I had missed it because of the Haruhi concert (if I had known that there was going to be a whole fiasco with the lines and ticketing, I could have gotten an autograph and made the concert with no problem). I was pretty bummed about that, and I wasn’t quite sure they were having the second autograph session today because it hadn’t been mentioned at the panel. But I went to check anyway, and YES, it was happening! Unfortunately, I had forgotten the new album at home so I couldn’t get it signed, but on the bright side, it worked out for the better because I had to buy a new T-shirt and the autographs came out really nicely!

Also cool - the staff remembered me from the panel because I had been wearing an ORESKABAND shirt, and some of them remembered me too after it was mentioned. A couple of them also pointed out the 50 Kaitenz shirt I was wearing today. Anyway, I signed up for the “street team,” though hopefully I can do some extra promoting through Tokyograph! (By the way, for those that don’t know, ORESKABAND will be coming back to the U.S. for Warped Tour, and they’re also releasing a U.S. album in August.)

I have to give major props to the band’s staff and promoters. They’re doing a really good job of getting the word spread and lining up some awesome events for them here in the U.S.

All of you should go get their album (if not WAO!!, then their U.S. release at least), though I do have to warn you - while their music is good on CD, it’s not even half as awesome as their live show. I really hope you all get a chance at some point to see them in concert.

Anyway, like I said, they were the highlight of my AX experience this year. There are a few other things I want to talk about, such as running across JapanFiles there and picking up their Fresh Cuts Vol. 2 compilation. I hope I have time in the near future to feature one of their artists - most likely Budo Grape, Ketchup Mania, or Swinging Popsicle. Look forward to that (though I can’t make promises).

Final ORESKABAND shout-out: put up your peace sign!!

So Chuck just told me about this video, which is just many levels of awesomeness. WATCH IT.

Last night was the SXSW Japan Nite show at the front bar of the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Six bands were scheduled to play: GO!GO!7188, Asakusa Jinta, ORESKABAND, The 50 Kaitenz, HY, and Pistol Valve. I had only heard GO!GO! before (and really liked them), but I had also heard very good things about Asakusa Jinta and ORESKABAND, so I was looking forward to both of them.

I went with my brother, who unfortunately had two finals to take today, so we were going to have to leave early. And of course, the show started late - doors were supposed to open at 7:00, but they didn’t until almost 7:45. This meant we were likely going to miss at least one of the bands, and hopefully it wouldn’t be GO!GO!

One other unfortunate thing was that we forgot to bring cameras with us, so we missed out on some incredible photo opportunities. Doh!!

The first band up was Asakusa Jinta, a septet generally described as a punk marching band. Awesome music, and a great way to start off the show - they really helped set an energetic tone for the rest of the night. The frontman, Osho, was a lot of fun and just seemed like a really cool guy (well, they all seemed really cool). I also have to say that Mikachinto, the female saxophonist and soprano, has a really bright and adorable smile She even bumped into me later on when she passed through the crowd! But anyway, I found their music very enjoyable, and I’d love to listen to more of their stuff.

(Asakusa Jinta’s official site)

Next up was The 50 Kaitenz, a garage rock trio with the most awesome hair. They’re an entertaining group, and the frontman Danny was just hilarious. I have to say that out of all of the performers I saw that night, he really seemed to be having the most fun. Part of it may be pure show, but his facial expressions by themselves made me smile. They were certainly the least “Japanese-sounding” of the bands (whatever that means), but I still enjoyed rocking out to their music.

(The 50 Kaitenz official site)

The 50 Kaitenz were followed by ORESKABAND, who I was really looking forward to. I’m a fan of fun ska-pop music, so from what I knew about them, I figured I would like them a lot. They’re a six-piece all-girl band from Osaka, and they formed while they were still in middle school. They just graduated from high school this month, so they should be more active now. Admittedly, though, part of their appeal is being young girls, but they should still be awesome even after a few years. I really dig their sound, and I’m definitely hoping to hear more from them in the future.

(ORESKABAND official site)

Surprisingly, the fourth band up was the awesome surf/punk trio GO!GO!7188. (So at least this meant we weren’t going to miss their set!) This band was the main draw tonight, since they clearly had the most fans in the audience. Everyone flocked to the stage, arms outstretched with cameras. They really had the crowd going throughout the whole set. I definitely wasn’t disappointed at all by their live performance, though I have to admit they actually had less of a stage presence than the previous three bands. But who cares, right? They still sounded amazing live, and their music is still my favorite out of all the bands there.

(GO!GO!7188 official site)

After their set, a considerable portion of the crowd broke up, turning their attention to the tables in back where the bands where selling their merch. Meanwhile, Pistol Valve began setting up, though I kind of feel bad for them to have to be following GO!GO!, especially since they were the least known band there. On top of that, their music is a rather far cry from the rest. The group consists of ten women (several of which happen to be fairly cute) - eight of them play a sax or a brass instrument, one plays the violin, and the other is a DJ, who provides a range of accompanying beats. They’re actually closer to hip-hop than rock, in my opinion. The crowd definitely wasn’t feeling them as much as the other bands, but at least a large number were sticking around for the set (while others had left or were hanging out in the back). I kind of like the concept, but I suspect they may actually sound better on CD or in a more open venue. As it was, the sounds were crowding each other, and a lot of the vocals were drowned out.

(Pistol Valve official site)

We had to leave by the end of Pistol Valve’s set, which meant we were going to miss HY. I haven’t heard HY yet, though I do at least plan on sampling their music later. I’ve been told they’re pretty decent, though.

We picked up CDs from all of the bands, including Pistol Valve to see how they sound recorded. We also got Asakusa Jinta and Akko (of GO!GO!) to sign the CD booklets, which was very awesome. (Again, no pictures! Argh!) I also wish I had had time to hang around and actually talk to, or even interview, some of the band members. We also bought some T-shirts, though I was disappointed to see that Asakusa Jinta only had XS sizes (boo).

Overall, I thought it was an awesome show, with a great collection of bands, especially in a small setting like the Knitting Factory where you get a chance to meet the bands. Much props to SXSW for putting it together. I hope next year’s tour is just as good, and I also hope some of these bands make it back here for another show!

It seems that Ai Otsuka is also scheduled to release a “best” album, titled “Ai am BEST” (愛 am BEST). The release date is March 28.

1. 桃ノ花ビラ (Momo no Hanabira)
2. さくらんぼ (Sakuranbo)
3. 甘えんぼ (Amaenbo)
4. Happy Days
5. 金魚花火 (Kingyo Hanabi)
6. 大好きだよ。 (Daisuki da yo)
7. フレンズ -サバカン ver.- (Friends -Sabakan ver.-)
8. 黒毛和牛上塩タン焼680円 (Kuroge Wagyuu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen)
9. Cherish
10. SMILY
11. ビー玉 (Biidama)
12. ネコに風船 (Neko ni Fuusen)
13. プラネタリウム (Planetarium)

The DVD contains music clips for each of the songs.

Some news for Ai Otsuka fans:

I don’t believe the album has been officially announced yet, but I’ve been seeing reports on blogs that her 4th album, titled “Love Story,” will be released on March 7. Here’s the reported track list:

1. Rifuresshu!
2. ハンチュウレディ
3. フレンジャー
4. 乙女白書
5. MIRROR BALL
6. CHU-LIP(love-piano ver.)
7. ユメクイ
8. Fruit Basket
9. あのころ.
10. 恋愛写真
11. 愛 ここにあるよ

The additional DVD contains:

1. LOVE’STORY ～恋愛写真～
2. Rifuresshu! MUSIC CLIP

I’m not sure if that means the album won’t contain the regular version of “CHU-LIP”; another site listed it without the “love-piano ver.”, so who knows? In any case, the “CHU-LIP” single goes on sale February 21 - you can see the jacket covers on the official news post on her site.

Speaking of which, I just started watching Kirakira Kenshui (”CHU-LIP” is the ending theme for the drama) because of Manami Konishi. Looks fun so far, though obviously not meant to be anywhere close to a serious drama. I’m just happy for her that she’s finally getting a lead role! Congrats, Konitan!!

EDIT: I meant to update this earlier. For those who haven’t realized yet, this album turned out to be a false rumor.

I just got a chance to watch the first episode of Hana Yori Dango 2 - I’m so excited for this series! I thought the first series was awesome, without even having read the original manga. I was really happy when I heard that a second season was coming out, and to top it off, this first episode is 2 hours long! More HYD goodness to enjoy.

Part of the first episode was filmed in New York; it would’ve been amazing if I could’ve been there and seen them in action. I’d especially want to meet Mao Inoue. She does a fantastic job as Tsukushi, and I’m trying to find some of the other dramas/films she’s been in to see her in other roles. She’s just so… adorable? Is that the right word? Probably not, but in any case, I really enjoy seeing her on screen.

I can’t wait to see the rest. HYD is definitely at the top of my list of most anticipated dramas this season.

So I had a chance recently to listen to two new albums - one was the debut solo album of Miho Hatori (formerly of Cibo Matto), and the other was the debut album of the young singer/songwriter Ayaka.

My friend Nate picked up Miho’s “Ecdysis” at one of her performances, and he let me listen to it. He mentioned a comparison to Bjork, and that’s somewhat appropriate, but Ecdysis certainly has a different groove. Since the days of Cibo Matto, Miho’s sound has evolved into something much subtler and less poppy. Her blending of instruments works brilliantly with her vocals, and the overall effect is rather mesmerizing. I’m not very good at actually describing how music sounds, though, so I won’t try. But if you like Cibo Matto, I definitely recommend checking out Ecdysis. My current favorite is track two, “A Song For Kids.”

As for Ayaka, she’s one of my favorite pop artists at the moment. After having done the moving “I Believe” (the theme song for Rondo) and the catchy “Real voice” (the ending for Sapuri), I was really looking forward to hearing her debut album, “First Message,” and I wasn’t disappointed. She has a strong and talented voice that really carries her upbeat songs, while also giving a tender richness to her slower songs. I know I’ll be looking out for her releases in the future.