Monkey Majik and Yoshida Brothers
06/13/2007 @ 12:00 pm
Some stranger sent this video of the band Monkey Majik. After I got over the initial shock of seeing some gaijin in a band in Japan, I decided I actually like the song and the video, with its nod to kitsune mythology. And of course, I really, really love the Yoshida Brothers. So, thank you, mysterious person!
The ending bit with the kitsune reminded me of the opening vignette in Akira Kurosawa’s film “Dreams,” in which a boy is told not to go out and play, but does anyway, and in doing so, spies on a fox-wedding. As a result, he is told he must commit suicide. Never, ever mess with foxes.
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
Shes definitely at the top of my hot list.
perfeckt 10:10
Wow, I love the song and the video. Great post. Now I just gotta check out the Yoshida Brothers of whome I had never heard of before; but they sound good so far. I really like the shamisen.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:26 pmGaijin in a rock band in Japan?
Please don’t forget my good friend Casey Rankin who was playing with the Japanese rock band SHOGUN (million seller albums, album of the year) way back in 1979.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:36 pmJP, I’ve never heard SHOGUN before. But I find SHOGUN is a very good band with high quality sound.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:39 pmBest cross-cultural music/video I’ve seen so far.
Not cheesy, not even too “clichesque”.
As for gaijins in J-bands, let’s not forget the French dude in Globe, Marc Panther, maybe the most famous ever.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:06 pm“Best cross-cultural music/video I’ve seen so far.
Not cheesy, not even too “clichesque”.”
Yes, that was what I thought! And on top of that, it was just a good song. Someone is a very intelligent and sensitive person–wtih a good sense of humor. I was impressed.
Natajn, I hope you do check out the Yoshida brothers. They are wonderful virtuosic and engaging players. You may know them for the “theme song” for the Wii, which if we haven’t posted on Japundit, I’ll put up for others to hear. Their albums aren’t too hard to come by, and they seem intent on developing an audience outside of Japan. Too late I learned they were here at Joe’s Pub in February.
June 13th, 2007 at 10:12 pm“Gaijin in a rock band in Japan?
Please don’t forget my good friend Casey Rankin who was playing with the Japanese rock band SHOGUN (million seller albums, album of the year) way back in 1979.”
Oooookay. Now your interest in music is in a bit more context!
June 13th, 2007 at 10:13 pmWell, Marie, if you really want to see my claim to fame, click on over to here, which is a web page for Casey’s album “Miyabi Project.” Scroll on down and, ahem, note the credit for, “japanese/english translated by.”
June 13th, 2007 at 10:55 pmThere’s also the French guy in ‘United Future Organization’ who, I see, are with Verve records (http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?ob=per&src=prd&aid=2883).
In a reversal, Towa Tei was in Deee-Lite(“Groooooove is in the heeeeeeeaaaaaaart”) and, going farther back to the very early ’70’s, Damo Suzuki from the Krautrock progressive group, Can (especially his vocal work on ‘Oh, yeah’)(video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXy9bRGmU0A .
Suzuki, in particular, seems like an interesting character. His wiki entry has him roaming around busking in Europe while still a teenager and becoming a Jehova Witness in ‘74. Woah.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:11 am“Someone is a very intelligent and sensitive person–wtih a good sense of humor. I was impressed.”
Speaking about me???
:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
Seriously, the music also reminded me of the well cafted tap dance scene in the end of Zatoichi.
Until then, I would have never imagined that old Japanese stuff could be mixed with other genres in such nice ways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fsDL24o8uM
June 14th, 2007 at 6:58 pm