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

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.

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!

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.

As for gaijins in J-bands, let’s not forget the French dude in Globe, Marc Panther, maybe the most famous ever.

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.