Japanese Girl Bands are taking over the world!
Well, MY world, anyway. I'm noticing them more and more-- and how I love their kicky, almost-genre-parodying sound.
Shonen Knife was my first exposure, with their cover of The Carpenter's On Top of the World. It was just so cool to hear that piece of 70's Americana done to a hip, girly-but-accented sound. Kind of punk but...sweet, at the same time.
Then came Puffy Amiyumi, the singers of the Teen Titans cartoon theme. Cartoony! Fun-- and yes, so very cute Girl From Japan Next Door.
And I'm hooked. Can't get the song out of my head. Just ask my friends. It sticks in THEIR heads, too.
And then I saw Kill Bill, the latest Tarantino flick, this past weekend. And in one scene, set in a Japanese high-class restaurant/dance lounge (in Japan, no less!) there was another girl band with a Japanese interpretation of 1950's swingin' rockabilly-- The 5.6.7.8's.
MAN. What is WITH these Japanese girls? WOW, I'm saying WOW. I don't pretend to know everything about the bands-- but I'm definitely seeing a trend in my music preferences here. I like their looks. I like their sounds. I like how I feel when I hear them. I feel-- well, perky. Rock-out, dance like a bunny PERKY. I'm pogo'ing to the beat, even now. Woo Hoo, as our 50's ladies would say.
I'm not making any sweeping claims like "Classic!" or "ground-breaking" or anything of that nature. But I am saying this: FUN. Undeniable, unsullied FUN. And I can't help but feel that they're all having fun too. At least, they sure make ME feel welcome.
Dance, monkey, Dance! While cartoon animals with big eyes shimmy and shake around you to a multicolored beat, and you focus on the boom anime babes that make you think the RIGHT thing.
Is it a phenomenon? Sure feels that way to me; like the Tsunami that Japan coined the term for, they are washing over my shores and drowning me in their poprock candy love. And Agents, I'm not even trying to tread WATER.
Because when the world needs heroes on patrol-- Puffy AmiYumi.
Who's on top of the world, looking down on creation?-- Shonen Knife.
Who's rockin' the Garage Stomp? -- The 5.6.7.8's.
You go, girls.
AnimeM
Posted by Agent M at November 04, 2003 01:37 PMEr, they were a real band? Honestly, I thought they were some horrible parody of yet another Western Fashion being poorly copied by the Japanese. No, really, I thought it was some kind of tongue-in-cheek poke by Tarantino. Kind of a "drunken-Japanese-businessman-doing-really-bad-karioki" on a grand scale.
I mean, a real band couldn't be that *bad* and still record, could they?
Evidently, I stand corrected.
On the other hand, the movie's opening tune is something I'm going to have to track down *right now* since I've just been reminded of it.
Posted by: Rook on November 4, 2003 01:45 PMDon't hold back; how did the music make you *feel?*
Yeah, it's an acquired taste-- but then, ANY music is because music and art are so subjective. And to be honest, you don't really strike me as the "pogo'ing" type.
And in terms of "bad" I can only assume you mean your reaction to the music, since the tune was bang-on to the original 50's hit.
Anyway, I'll try not to sing it around you :)
M
Posted by: Agent M on November 4, 2003 01:51 PM>Yeah, it's an acquired taste
So glad you said that.... as apparently it's a taste I have yet to acquire. ;) Personally, I can't stand it. But I've never been a big music buff, as y'all know very well. :D
ACK!
Posted by: Agent CK on November 4, 2003 02:28 PMLas Ketchup, "The Ketchup Song".
That's all I've got to say about it.
Posted by: Agent Brucie on November 4, 2003 06:29 PMApparently the TITLE of this particular blog entry threw Agent Brucie off.
Allow me to quote from the Las Ketchup home page:
"Who are "Las Ketchup" ?They are: Lola, Lucia and Pilar and they are Tomate's daughters. These three young ladies are the new teen sensation from Spain which at only one week of their first single release "The Ketchup Song (Hey Hah) ", have entered directly to #1 in the Supersales chart in their native country. They have also held the #1 spot in the most important radio charts for two consecutive weeks.
New teen sensation... FROM SPAIN. Are they Japanese? No. Are they a girl band. Yes. Is this blog "In Praise Of" ALL girl bands? NO! Is it "In Praise Of" SPANISH girl bands? NO!
Thank you for posting your non-sequitur irrelevancy, you blind bastard!
Love,
M
I have found that I do like *some* J-Pop that I've come in contact with, but none of it has sounded like that song in Kill Bill.
Right now what I'm trying to find more of is East Indian Techno. (again, not to everyone's tastes)
Posted by: Rook on November 5, 2003 03:41 PMLook, they may as well be... I can't get that freaking song out of my head!
Posted by: Agent Brucie on November 5, 2003 05:45 PMRook, check out CJSW in the evening on fridays, (or Sat I can't remember) arount 8:00-9:00, they have a show that feature east Indian dance and pop... haven't heard myuch techo, but if you call the station when it's on the DJ could probably tell you where to look...
Posted by: Agent Brucie on November 5, 2003 05:48 PMThanks for the suggestion, Bruce. I checked out CJSW's programming schedule and it looks like the show you described is on Fridays from 9 to 10. I'll have to remember to check it out.
Posted by: Rook on November 6, 2003 09:12 AMNot having heard any decent Japanese Girl bands it is difficult to comment. Especially being well positioned in the U.S / UK / European music industry. the last time I was in Tokyo, a few bands were very good at playing copies. Obviously there are a lot of creative Japanese bands around, but I have not found any that can compete on a global scale. This does not mean I am unwilling to find them. Rather, would like someone to correct my initial thoughts and show me some original talent. It certainly would be appreciated in Europe/ Uk /US.
Have a good new year
ex-girl rules!
Posted by: dasrock on April 20, 2004 04:50 AM