Cinorama - Garden, The Garden

The 1995 sophomore album of dreamy, jazz-inflected pop, released as a CD by the essential PSF label. Features a guest appearance by Keiji Haino on one song.

Cinorama - Garden, The Garden

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Kyoko Kuroda / Masami Shinoda - Duo




In his time, Masami Shinoda was a master sax-blaster with the likes of Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Ché-SHIZU and A-Musik. He's here on alto and tenor with Kyoko Kuroda drawing sounds out of keyboards and piano that defy belief ... and it's all recorded live on the 30th of August, 1988 at Manda-La2 in Kichijoji, Tokyo.

C80 released on Omba Records in 1988.

Duo

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Cinorama - Three Lies and a Ding-a-Ling at 5 O'Clock

Attention harsh heads: keep on walking. This is not for you. Toshiaki Ishizuka, drummer of proto-punk group Brain Police and two of Kan Mikami's bands (a trio with Keiji Haino called Vajra, and one with Masayoshi Urabe called Sanjah... he's also recorded a duo album with Mikami and has sat in with Hijokaidan a handful of times) formed Cinorama with cellist Hiromichi Sakamoto and singer/clarinetist Sachiyo Sakata. This album is mostly low-key, pastoral pop that fans of David Sylvian, Ai Aso or Go Hirano would get into. Released in 1994 by the mighty PSF, it remains one of the more obscure titles in that legendary label's catalog.

Cinorama - Three Lies and a Ding-a-Ling at 5 O'Clock

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Masami Shinoda - Tokyo Chin Don Vol.1




Chindon'ya are effectively Japanese marching bands that were elaborately dressed troupes playing traditional instruments that were designed as the bearer of that modern curse: advertising! Now much more rare to see on the streets and viewed through nostalgic eyes. Masami Shinoda's goal was to document the music whilst it was still around. One disc is recorded in the studio and one is recorded on the streets and it's much better than I've made it sound.

Double CD released on Puff Up in 1992.

Tokyo Chin Don Vol.1

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Satoshi Sonoda - Early Works Of Satoshi Sonoda 1977→1978 Memories Of Yasushi Ozawa




Key figures within the Japanese underground aggregating as Free Music Space, Free Music Revolt and ANARkiSS and not really appearing anywhere else but here.

CD released on P.S.F. Records in 2009.

1977-1978

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Satoshi Sonoda - Mimi-Nuki: Secondary Works Of Satoshi Sonoda 1982-1989




Secondary in a sequential sense rather than inferior. Satoshi Sonoda slipped past the occidental world ... until ...

Collaborators include Tori Kudo, Masami Akita, Takuya Nishimura, Shinya Kimura, Otomo Yoshihide and many others (including the influence of Sten Hanson). Magical gear!

CD released on P.S.F. Records in 2012.

1982-1989

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Mainliner - Live In Tokyo 2014




Recorded live at UFO Club Tokyo on the 6th of February, 2014. Yes, it's properly recorded but damn the latest line-up nailed every single note ...

CD released on Acid Mothers Temple in 2018.

Live In Tokyo 2014

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Mainliner - Live In New York 97




Recorded live at the Knitting Factory in March 1997. God knows what recording device was used to bootleg this BUT there are parts where the applause is louder than Mainliner even when Mainliner are still playing!!! File it under "Asahito Nanjo ... WTF are you thinking? ... oh yeah, kerching." Even so, it has some fine parts.

CDr on La Musica Records from probably 1998.

Live In New York 97

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Mainliner - Live In London Twenty Thirteen




It's always a joy to know that the Mainliner juggernaut keeps on (steam)rolling. This is Makoto Kawabata on guitar, Taigen Kawabe on bass and the utterly legendary Shimura Koji on drums.

"Recorded live at Corsica Studios, London September 2013. Mixed and mastered from three different source recordings inc soundboard."

C64 released on Swap Meat in 2014 (and that is a cassette subdivision of the splendidly egalitarian Riot Season).

Live In London Twenty Thirteen

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Mainliner - La Musica Tapes Vol. 1




"Compilation CDr of two old tape albums released on La Musica. Tracks 1-6 were originally released as "Troop" and are demo versions of songs that appeared on "Mellow Out". Tracks 7-11 were originally released as "Mainliner Sonic" are a demo versions of songs that appear on the album of the same name."

The first half has Hajime Koizumi on drums whilst the rest has Tatsuya Yoshida in the seat.

CDr released on Acid Mothers Temple in 2013.

La Musica Tapes Vol. 1

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Mainliner - La Musica Tapes Vol. 2




"A compilation of releases previously put on on cassette by La Musica. Tracks 1-5 were originally on "Psychedelic Atmosphere Beatnik" and all but the last track are live recordings, tracks 6-8 were originally on "Kamikaze" which was originally planned to be the second Mainliner album."

This is the line-up of the band that had Tatsuya Yoshida on drums.

CDr released by Makoto Kawabata on the Acid Mothers Temple label in 2013.

La Musica Tapes Vol. 2

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Mainliner - Kamikaze




Given that the Makoto Kawabata reissue is coming next, you may ask the question why bother? Well, I hadn't realised that I hadn't posted this before now ... and there are slight differences in the track times ... and frankly, it's rude not to.

C38 released on La Musica Records in 1997.

Kamikaze

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Maher Shalal Hash Baz - First Gig




Apparently recorded at Kid Ailack Hall on the 14th of December 1984, this incarnation doesn't include Tori Kudo. The line-up is Chie Mukai, Takuya Nishimura, Kiwame Oizumi and Tsukasa Takahashi.

C30 released on La Musica Records in 1996 (probably).

First Gig

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Tori Kudo / La Consumption 4 - Atlantic City




Recordings from New York in 1981 that surfaced on a La Musica Tape in 1996 and thankfully cleaned up and released as an LP on Siwa in 2005.

Atlantic City

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Tori Kudo - Early Tapes




This isn't on Discogs so don't bother. It sounds like some of the tracks on the first side are taken from a number of live events. The first track is a rather tentative but enjoyable ragtime piano piece followed by an introduction (?) and then a trio of piano, double bass and drums with some smokey lounge jazz. The second side is all Guys & Dolls and are probably demo recordings. Given that the vast majority of the evidence of Guys & Dolls existence is via this label's bootlegging, everything is welcome.

This is a C30 that was inevitably released on La Musica Records. I can't quite make out the catalogue number in the very poor quality pictures I've seen. Mind you, catalogue numbers never seemed to bother Nanjo much. My best guess is 1996 but the recordings are likely to range from mid to late 70s to very early 80s.

Early Tapes

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Tori Kudo - Tori Kudo Tapes




Another deeply grey area release from Asahito Nanjo that could very easily fit onto two discs rather than four. Even the cover art is inaccurate (there's no mention of La Consumption 4 for instance). I've taken the tagging information from a proven source. In spite of the questionable source material, it quickly becomes very enjoyable.

Four CDr set released on La Musica Records in 2001.

Tori Kudo Tapes

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Vote Robot - In Meorm Na

Full-length head-scratcher by Vote Robot, released by Scratch Records in Canada and (K-RAA-K)³ in Belgium.

Vote Robot - In Meorm Na

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Super Milk - Live ・ Elecdance 1979~1980




Slip into a day-glo Taco / Gaseneta envelope and record live in various venues in Osaka and Kyoto forty years ago.

Another exercise in quality reanimation on this CD released on いぬん堂 [Inundow] in 2001.

ライブ・エレキダンス 1979~1980

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Vote Robot - H.waiian Blue

Seven inch single from 2001, released by Tonschacht.

Vote Robot - H.waiian Blue

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Various - Trans Craze (The Golden Death Menu 1985-1988)




A compilation of tracks that had been previously released on the excellent Trans Records apart from a couple of unreleased live tracks courtesy of Z.O.A. and The Gerogerigegege.

CD released on Wechselbalg Syndicate in 1989.

Trans Craze

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Vote Robot - R.U.R.

Mysterious debut LP by an obscure duo called Vote Robot, whose noise is appreciably difficult to describe. If you like Pork Queen, Microstoria, Glands of External Secretion or Climax Golden Twins, this oddball might tickle all the right soft spots.

Vote Robot - R.U.R.

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Koichiro Watanabe - Matomete Abayo O Iwa Sete Morau Ze




Koichiro Watanabe is an integral part of the Japanese outsider scene ... think Maher Shalal Hash Baz, The Fifth Column and Ultra Bide ... and this is a great and obscure retrospective that was released to mark his passing.

A CD from 1991 on a label that escapes me.

In 2013, it was reissued on Super Fuji Discs but it didn't include the 29 second intro that appears here ... speculate as you will.

まとめてアバヨを云わせてもらうぜ

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Morse Code vs. Can't - Untitled

Untitled 3"CDr by Jessica Rylan (in her early guise as Can't) and Tim Morse (drummer of Anal Cunt and Japanese Torture Comedy Hour).

Morse Code vs. Can't

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Saboten - Non Position




I've completely lost track of the number of times I've played this over the past month. It's great.

Compilation CD released on いぬん堂 [Inundow] in 2002.

Non Position

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T. Isotani & K. Yoshimatu - Trypanosoma

An early duo collaboration, released on tape in 1981.

T. Isotani & K. Yoshimatu - Trypanosoma

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Various - Moodoo Dancer: Do The Flop with Sadie Sads, Nubile & Sarasvati




Quite self-explanatory.

Quality triple CD resurrection from 2011 courtesy of the frequently brilliant Super Fuji Discs.

Do The Flop

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K. Yoshimatu - Trojan Blue

This tape came out in 1984 on DD Records, in a similar cover as all the others.

K. Yoshimatu - Trojan Blue

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Guillotine Kyodai - Suspense Carry pro




As commonplace, confounding and extraordinary as a star studded sky.

CD released on Creativeman Disc. in 1997.

Suspense Carry pro

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T. Isotani & K. Yoshimatu - Eternal Morning

A 1982 cassette by Yoshimatu with another DD Records regular (who, apparently, vanished as soon as the label closed in 1985) Takafumi Isotani.

T. Isotani & K. Yoshimatu - Eternal Morning

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Guillotine Kyodai - Viva Guitar




This is mental. Even by our standards. This is MENTAL!

You get the Morricone spaghetti western intro and then the rest of the tracks are the Guillotine cats in one channel chopping up bugles, Adam And The Ants and christ alone knows what else and then they pass the baton to a series of Japanese superheros playing guitar in alternate channels ... and at the end everything is mixed into a single track.

MENTAL!

CD released on Creativeman Disc. in 1997.

Viva Psychiatry

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K. Yoshimatu - Strawberry Secret

Another tape from Yoshimatu's very busy 1983.

K. Yoshimatu - Strawberry Secret

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Guillotine Kyodai featuring Hirose Junji - Meetings With Remarkable Men




Guillotine Kyodai are Guillotine Tiger and Guillotine Jaguar who are better known to their mothers as Hideaki Sasaki and Yuji Katsui.

During a failed attempt to meet remarkable women, they settled upon meeting the likes of Otomo Yoshihide, Seiichi Yamamoto, Ruins, Junji Hirose and Yoshinori Motoki instead. So, there's an excursion past your bedroom door salvaged then.

CD released on Tag Rag in 2000.

Meetings With Remarkable Men

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K. Yoshimatu - Sepia Reminiscence

Another tape from 1983 on DD Records.

K. Yoshimatu - Sepia Reminiscence

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Various - Eat Shit Noise Music






In 1989, RRRon put out a cheeky "unofficial" tape that took tracks from a host of Japanese tape compilations. He did a pretty good job: Hanatarash, Boredoms, White Hospital, The Gerogerigegege, Ruins, Grim and Dissecting Table.

C46 courtesy of Statutory Tape. Hurrah!

Eat Shit Noise Music

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K. Yoshimatu - Melancholy Mix

This tape was released on DD Records in 1982, I have no other information than that.

K. Yoshimatu - Melancholy Mix

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Boredoms - Boretronix




The Noizunzuri posts took me back to the Boretronix tapes. There are parts of the first tape where you can hear remnants of Mitsuru Tabata's previous band but you quickly come to terms with the reality that he has climbed on board Yamatsuka Tetsurō's post-Hanatarash armour-plated chaos engine.

Maybe one or two of you don't have these already ...

C50 released on Eye's ? Records in 1988.

Boretronix

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Boredoms - Boretronix 2




C50 released on ? Records in 1989.

Boretronix 2

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Boredoms - Boretronix 3




C50 released on ? Records in 1990.

Boretronix 3

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Kaoru Abe - 未発表音源+初期音源




You really should have expected that this was next.

The label is generally fantastic but unfortunately seems to attract speculators so prices very quickly spiral well beyond the depths of the pockets of most people.

Four CD set released on Youth Inc. in 2012.

One

Two

Three

Four

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Kaoru Abe - CD Box 1970-1973




If you don't know him then there is nothing that I can say to prepare you.

All human emotion and/or the real sound of Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell channeled through a saxophone except it's so much better than that.

Seven CD set released on Youth Inc. in 2012.

01 Abe Kaoru Trio - 1970.3.15

02 Abe Kaoru & Hiroshi Yamazaki Duo - 1971.1.24

03 Abe Kaoru - 1972.1.21

04 Abe Kaoru - 1972.4.11

05 Abe Kaoru - 1972.7.13

06 Abe Kaoru - Winter 1972

07 Abe Kaoru - Solo 1973

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Noizunzurie - 人間は金の為に死ねるか / Wish You Are Here




The final act of off-kilter cabaret psychodrama before Mitsuru Tabata left to help form Boredoms.

LP released on DIW in 1986.

Wish You Are Here

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T. Kamada, A. Koshi, T. Nakamura - Home Made Music 1981/4

On this 1981 cassette, Kamada is joined by two other mysterious artists called A. Koshi (I have not been able to even determine his full name) and Teruo Nakamura... who, amazingly, seems to still be (a little bit) active! Yes, he has a band called Lake of Madder and there's even a Bandcamp page.

T. Kamada, A. Koshi, T. Nakamura - Home Made Music 1981/4

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Noizunzurie - Ho-Yo




Indori Igami, Ken Fukuda and Mitsuru Tabata with an album full of enthrallingly odd performance art rock.

LP released on Telegraph Records in 1985.

抱擁

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K. Yoshimatu - Marine Crystal

This one is not on Discogs. No information, but probably recorded between 1981 and 1985.

K. Yoshimatu - Marine Crystal

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Daisuck & Prostitute - 光の海の中で




I'm leaning towards the record label being one of those that "kind of unofficially" release things. D&P were done and dusted by the time this saw the light of day ( ... and there was another one they put out in the same year that I have never seen nor heard ... any help there would be marvelous). Apparently "recorded at Lock On Studio, January to November 1991" but presumably this is a venue as this is clearly live (as in, in front of a paying audience). Also Discogs (which, of course is never wrong) has this as having eight tracks, my copy has seven. As far as I'm concerned it's a live bootleg recorded who knows where or when but a very welcome addition nonetheless.

CD released in 日本晴 Records in 1994.

In The Sea Of ​​Light

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K. Yoshimatu - Emerald Eclipse

Another one from 1983 on DD Records (of course).

K. Yoshimatu - Emerald Eclipse

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Daisuck & Prostitute - Ushirosugata no Suteki na Bokutachi




Four years passed before the next appearance and the sound is different. If they were attempting a more commercial sound they clearly forgot that the weird would get in the way.

Originally released on vinyl in 1985. This is the CD reissue from 1991.

後ろ姿の素敵な僕たち

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K. Yoshimatu - Commercial Romanticists

One of six cassettes released by K. Yoshimatu (aka Juma) under his own name in 1983 alone. Commercial indeed! Be forewarned. The love song to Jenny is adorable.

K. Yoshimatu - Commercial Romanticists

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Daisuck & Prostitute - Shinu Made Odori Tsuzukete




Maybe it's just the way I feel right now but I can't think of a comparator to Daisuck & Prostitute. They just seem to exist on one of those higher planes of genius. It's not possible for me to recommend these people enough.

Originally released on vinyl on Japan Record in 1981, this is the rather excellent remastered reissue on Super Fuji Discs from 2010.

死ぬまで踊りつづけて

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