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Volume 36 of TDATS features Japanese bands. A small but talented hard rock scene emerged from the country's prevailing 60s psychedelic 'Group Sounds' musical collective, much as it did around the world at the time. The bands all have a pleasingly oriental twist in their sound. Starting with 'Japan's answer to Jimi Hendrix', is Shinki Chen's Speed, Glue & Shinki. The band was started by guitarist Shinki Chen, and Ikuzo Orita, Japan's president of Polydor Records. Next up, Gedo was a mainly live band that has a few live recordings, and played sounds alternating between hard rock and vigorous proto-punk.
Too Much's name came from the TOO MUCH concert that The Helpful Soul played with the newly-formed Blues Creation, in Kyoto at the end of February 1970. The hippy phrase ‘too much’ was already utterly clichéd in the West by this time, but it was iconic and easily pronounceable to the Japanese! Yonin Bayashi's debut album "Isshoku-Sokuhatsu" displayed amazing progressive musical ability, especially as they were all around 20 years of age at the time! Ginbae was originally released as a private pressing on the Sea Side Label, rare as hen's teeth, to the point that it's not known what the track names are any more. Aside from the slightly lacking sound quality, they play some excellent churning metal.
Little is known about Jun Kamikubo and his single album, but he sure recorded some warm stoner rock jams, as shown here with 'Getting Into The Ecstasy'. Blues Creation and Flower Travellin' Band shouldn't need too much introduction here, along with Shinki Chen they are one of Japan's most famous 70's hard rock acts, with a doomy sound. Datatenryu play some excellent spikey noise/prog with great aggressive vocals. Nokemono and Bow Wow (later 'Vow Wow') end the collection as examples of two of the only Japanese bands that were taking metal into the NWOBHM-influenced latter half of the 70s and beyond.
*EDIT: I have found the Ginbae track names at long last :)
01. Speed, Glue & Shinki - Calm Down (1972)
02. Too Much - Grease It Out (1971)
03. Yonin Bayashi - Isshoku-Sokuhatsu [edit] (1974)
04. Ginbae - Toluene (1976)
05. Jun Kamikubo - Getting Into The Ecstasy (1972)
06. Gedo - Don't Run Away (1974)
07. Murasaki - Far Away (1976)
08. Datetenryu - Bukkowareta Boku (1971)
09. Blues Creation - Nightmare (1971)
10. Love Live Life + 1 - Love Will Make A Better You (1971)
11. Nokemono - From The Black World (1979)
12. Flower Travellin' Band - Hiroshima (1972)
13. Bow Wow - Silver Lightning (1977)
A special thanks must go to Julian Cope's awesome wealth of knowledge at japrocksampler.com, and to all of you out there who listen to these comps!
Thanks
Rich
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