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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Japanese Over The Top Pop Music

Like many Japanese folks, we've had a long standing family tradition watching NHK's New Year's talent show. It's a trip, especially when you're slowly getting inebriated with hot sake. The pop stars are outrageously skinny. Many have fried their hair to be blond. And the old timers wear costumes that make "Transformers" look like Barbie in a Matchbox - it's crazy I tell you. All in all, the show gives me a headache more than the sake but I can't stop watching the insanity. It's the Asian Grammy Awards performed by Anime on Extacy.

The best are the Japanese rock bands. They look like Green Day but act like the Osmonds - they're so polite and humble - it's hysterical. Imagine Metallica being interviewed by Billy Crystal, if they were Japanese it would go something like this.

"James, you've been sober for six years now?"

"Yes Billy, and I'm looking forward to playing in front of my fans again. Thank you for your support!"

Audience cheers, girls scream "metalli-CAH!"

"Well, you better take your place on stage - what song are you playing for us today?"

"Master Of Puppets."

"Master Of Puppets - that sounds wonderful!"

Yes, Japanese pop is way over the top. What's with their gazillion member boy bands? I don't mean to sound ignorant, but they all look the same to me. Actually, all boy bands do. In my opinion, a country that produces a large number of Boy bands demonstrates a clueless economy. Not poor - clueless. If they were poor, they'd sing. Like their meal depended on it. Since they're Dunkin'-Donuts-instead-of-Starbucks-poor, they lip sync. And dance around like cheerleaders.

We've yet to see a Japanese music artist make it big in America. The closest was "Loudness," a heavy metal band that sort of made a break in the mid-eighties.



Gee, I wonder what went wrong.

Then there was "Pink Lady," a duo with a normal sized girl and a twig. They barely spoke English but NBC thought it would be a great idea to give them a prime time television show here.

It lasted a whopping six weeks. See what happens when you end with a hot tub?


There's always Cibo Matto made semi-famous by associating with Sean Lennon. But seriously, who knows any song by them? And don't even go there with Yoko. I'd put her in the same capsule as Paula Abdul - it's named "Just Go Away".

All joking aside, I should mention that this year's NHK show was dedicated to the folks in Fukushima, Japan. The residents are undoubtedly still dealing with the horrendous aftermath of the numerous disasters they survived from last March. The live feeds showed the audience watching the broadcast from shelters and homes in good spirits. I don't think any amount of hot sake and boy bands would do it for me if my town was quaked, drowned and radio-activated.

I thought of dedicating an original tune on YouTube but every time I sing falsetto I wind up singing Pick up your TOYS! So, here's the future boy band I'm currently working with. Right now, they're calling themselves "The Fart Boys."


P.S.: My camera and I are on working terms, again. (Thanks for the gift, Grammy!)

10 comments:

  1. I have never even heard of most of these but oh my goodness am I apparently missing out!

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  2. Hah!!!!!my sisters and I always crack up watching the Korean channel when the talent shows come on....so many cheesy dancers in the back ground and lots of ballads. Buti was kind of impressed with some of the rapping. Do the fart boys have an agent yet? Haha!

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  3. Oh man, I miss watching NHK's New Year's Eve. I love all the enka songs they sing. I used to crack my host family up by trying to follow the lyrics even when I didn't know the tune...Bahaha !

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  4. "the Asian Grammy Awards performed by Anime on Extacy" Awesome.

    I like the Fart Boys, I bet they won't stink... ;)

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  5. I've yet to see one but I can totally picture it out. Hahahaha!

    Fart boys! Fart boys! Fart boys!

    Love those cheeky smiles!

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  6. If The Fart Boys should ever find themselves in need of a couple of non-Asian members...one infant and another darn near forty-year-old...just let me know. Neither can sing, but they can fart on cue AND in unison. It's kinda impressive, really.

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  7. @Megan: That's why we have YouTube! Now you can see the cheesiness for yourself.

    @crittersandcrayons: I'm sure all of Asia has the same production company. If the Fart Boys do find an agent, I hope he or she can get them to clean up their toys.

    @Grace: Knew YOU would know what I was talking about. Enka - Japanese country music, what's not to like?

    @Twinisms: They don't stink because they'd rather make fart noises than actually fart. That's Daddy's department.

    @grapesandoranges: You can't picture it because nobody is actually that cheesy.

    @Michelle: These days, does anybody really sing? Rehearsals start next week!

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  8. Boy bands...phew! My wife remembers when The Back Street Boys were nothing. Look at them now.

    Michelle's comments are too darn funny! My son can burp on cue. Now that's amazing talent!

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  9. Hahahaha you are hilarious, woman! Love the Fart Boys's expressions. Stars in the making already :D

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  10. @Diplo_Daddy: I suppose when you think about it, any kind of bodily noise on cue is equal to singing.

    @Maureen|TatterScoops: They better have something, because academics is definitely NOT their forte!

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