Join the new world

In this Entertainment Edition, I'll be going introducing a new project called "Punk Around the World". I'll also be including the usual "Readers' Favorites".



PUNK AROUND THE WORL😨 JAPAN

As some remember, the second entertainment edition covered "The History of Punk" and included various bands from various nations and genres. My goal now is to take this research further and provide quality exposure for bands around the world, whom many haven't heard of. I'd like this to be collective, and I know my newspaper has a handful of punk fans, so if you know of another band from the current edition's nation, feel free to message me, and I'll add it in to the article, and yourself as a contributor.

The punk scene arrived in Japan in the early late 70's and early 80's, assisted by massive social changes occurring in nation throughout the decade along with the price inflation and other issues which the generations of the 70's had endured. With needed improvements to the healthcare system along with a number of scandalous politicians, one of whom stated that Japan's success was due to the absence of minorities, it's no surprise Japan's punk scene blossomed like only few nations' outside the US and UK. In fact, many rebellious scenes were born from the same generation, including Visual Kei.

Some of the earliest Japanese bands to incorporate punk into their music were Friction, Aunt Sally, and The Roosters, who were active for nearly a decade. The Stalin, which was formed in the early 80's took on three names throughout their career. Though their founder was a socialist activist, the name was only chosen because Stalin was very hated in Japan at the time, so the band leader felt it was a name that suited their image.


The Stalin

Oi was very prevalent in the Japanese punk scene. Cobra was formed in 1982, and was heavily influenced by UK oi bands like the Cockney Rejects. 10 years later, the Discocks were formed and carried on the more traditional oi sound. Meanwhile, The Solution is a newer addition to Japan's oi scene, forming in the early 2000's.


The Discocks

In the mid-80's, Japan was experiencing the best of the "pop-punk" sound of the Ramones, and the hardcore punk sound as well. One of the most legendary of the traditional punk sounding bands of Japan would be the Blue Hearts. Their hit "linda-linda" is still commonly found on karaoke machines throughout the country. One of their hardcore counterparts, The Garlic Boys, left a huge mark on the punk scene of the 80's by implementing thrash and other unique sounds.


The Blue Hearts

The horror punk scene has been small internationally since it's creation by the Misfits, often being overshadowed by rockabilly and psychobilly. Very few bands of the genre exist in Japan, but one of them, Balzac, is the best known Misfits cover band and has a huge collection of their own original music as well. The band has toured numerous times throughout the world, and is one of the few bands to hold a sound comparable to their influence, The Misfits.


Balzac

As the US was being dominated by a more alternative punk sound throughout the 90s, Japan was being impacted by the same music. Bands like High Standard, who are signed on Fat Wreckords, have performed with a number of major punk bands in the US, such as NOFX. Formed in '89, Eastern Youth has continued to put out albums to date, also implementing various sounds. Though influenced by punk bands like Fugazi and Discharge, they have toured with many different genre bands, such as Jimmy Eat World. Penpals is another less known band outside Japan, and I refer to them as the "Blink 182 of Japan", given their more alternative/skate punk sound. They also recorded the intro song to the anime "Berserk".


Eastern Youth

Japan has a handful of Ska bands, some with more skacore sounds like Dallax. You also have a nice arsenal of female fronted bands, such as 54 Nudes Honeys, who formed in the early 90's. Lastly, Japan is home to a wide selection of unique sounding bands which fall briefly under the punk genre every once in a while. Melt-Banana plays extremely fast and their unique sound is even too much for me to enjoy. And of course you have the 5,6,7,8s, known best for their songs in Kill Bill.


The Skacore band, Dallax

As the world continues to turn, punk will live on. In Japan, though heavily impacted by social issues, the punk scene was more of an artistic visual rebellion against the social norms which have plagued generation after generation throughout the world. But though social issues aren't as major a concern in Japan as they are in a handful of other nations, the genre will always active and ready to react. There's always room for improvement, and so long as there are those who don't want it, there will be those ready to fight for it, whether the weapon be a molotov or microphone. o/

READERS' FAVORITES

le.ninja [Colombia]
Favorite Ban😛 Iron Maiden
Favorite Song: Iron Maiden - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Favorite Movie: Weekend at Bernie's (1 and 2)

Ian Coleman [Ireland]
Favorite Ban😛 The National
Favorite Song: Modest Mouse - Broke
Favorite Movie: Old Boy

BOUDICCA [Australia]
Favorite Ban😛 Cold Chisel
Favorite Song: Cold Chisel - Flame Trees
Favorite Movie: Moon Nazis and Sarah Palin in the Whitehouse (Iron Sky)

MY CURRENT MISSION

I've not been doing much lately, aside from trying to encourage myself to write more, since I hardly produce articles compared to how many I used to write my first year playing. I'll be fighting for Ireland, Canada, and Aurora, while slowly making progress with babyboom research and I'll most likely be heading back into the Dail next term as well.

-R.A.

Issue Song:
The Blue Hearts - Linda Linda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9kBdIG-NcY

"My friends, let us hurry on the Revolution as quickly as we can, since, as you see, our enemies are letting us die like this - in prison or in exile, or crazed with sorrow" - Carlo Cafiero

The Irish Radical issue #71