The Reward of Waiting Three Decades

In 1979, I first saw a three or four paragraph mention of the Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra in a magazine sidebar. They had recently played in California, and I rushed out to get their first two albums.
The next two hours whizzed by magically with hits from the late 1970s to more recent experimentations. Decades ago, I gave up home that I would ever see these guys live. Keeping ever hopeful finally paid off. It was a real high being surrounded by grandparents singing along with their grandchildren, and we all knew every word.

J-Pop Week in San Francisco - #1

Just when I thought I knew every Pizzicato Five tune, here is a new one.

Plus this incisive interview with Maki and Konishi by Brandy Wine from 15 years ago is journalistic excellence without parallel.

Has San Francisco Finally Arrived?

Though some people might argue that she is risking over exposure, I am glad to see that Hello Kitty is coming back to San Francisco to co-chair the J-Pop Summit in Japantown next weekend that heralds the opening of New People on Post Street. I think the term co-chair is very crucial and subtle, just as she chose to serve as the co-grand marshal of this spring's Cherry Blossom Parade.

And Since We're Talking About J-Pop

This is my absolute favorite song by my favorite Japanese band -- Oh, Penelope! -- that I discovered in Hong Kong about 15 years ago. I just listen to this and hear an Asian re-interpretations of the Beatles and 1000 years of Western culture in a much purer light. It just makes me happy trying to imagine what on earth the lyrics are about.

Precious Junk, Junk-Pop, J-Pop, and the Ken Doll

Junk Thief has had an obsession with J-pop, high Japanese culture and all things Tokyo since the late 1970s and owns the nearly complete catalogs of Y.M.O., Sakamoto's solo and film scores, Shonen Knife, Pizzicato Five, Puffy Ami Yumi and Oh Penelope. He's tended to lean towards J-Pop girl groups since the male singers are too often of the whining U.S. boy band genre. Junk Thief's love life has often resembled kabuki theater. And, of course, Junk Thief has often joined forces with Hello Kitty and Deery Lou to fight evil forces in the Universe. Sanrio characters are the only hope to bring justice to our trouble, terrorized world.

Junk Thief was aware of but not not that into Ken Hirai until lately, and he's been in very heavy rotation these days. You've got to an admire a 6 foot plus Japanese gay dude that looks like, well, the way he looks and who can do something as fun and goofy as Pop Star (above) and Fake Star (below) where he cavorts with a bunch of blonde super models as if he was actually into them. Don't listen to the lyrics too closely and you might mistake him for, well, you insert the American name. Fittingly, his first hit was Precious Junk. Is Junk Thief off base, or does this guy deserve to have his own version of the Ken Doll? Junk Thief would be first on line to order one.