Fashion Crisis is one year old this week, hence another mega-celebration and another change of day, this time to Friday 2nd April. This time we're going to party hard, like Andrew WK, deep into the morning, to an embarrassment of cool sounds, unlike Andrew WK.
For this live and DJ extravaganza, we've gathered a bumper collection of some of our favourite acts from the last year with more DJs and live acts than you can count on the fingers of two hands (i.e. more than ten, just).
Date: April 2nd (Fri) Place: Koenji Bar One Time: 8:00 P.M. till 5:00 A.M. Price: FREE
Still resolutely refusing to settle on any one particular day, Fashion Crisis is back to Saturday again, with the usual aggregation of pop scientists and amateur indie miscreants. Special live guest Yamaco, a.k.a. Yamada Noriko, formerly of indiepop duo and longtime Call And Response friends Her will be playing for the second time, and post-punk heart-throb Urano from Creepy Pop will DJ. Also spinning discs will be Slovenia's sexiest Bret-from-Flight-of-the-Conchords lookalike N'toko and his lovely wife Caroline from Paradise Kiss, as well as regular Koenji ne'r-do-wells James Hadfield and myself.
Date: March 6th (Sat) Place: Koenji Bar One Time: 7:30 P.M. till late Price: FREE
Looking at the Japanese pop charts nowadays, with the ugly, airbrushed tedium of Avex Trax and the waxy creepiness of Johnny's Jimusho, it might seem hard to believe, but for a brief period in the 1970s Japan was home to some of the greatest pop music ever made. With its roots in the 60s Showa Pop scene, the 1970s was dominated by a succession of brilliant female idols, from the ambiguous charm of the glorious Yamaguchi Momoe to the spicy, saucy, and outright sexy Yamamoto Linda.
It wasn't just solo stars though. Before the embarrassment of their early 80s U.S. TV series, Pink Lady were laying waste to the Japanese pop charts of the late 70s using a combination of eye-mounted laser beams and goofy yet insanely catchy pop music, and for a period of five short years the Candies were releasing a string of the most extraordinary pop singles Japan has ever seen.
Back in those days the ideal size for an all-girl pop group was two or three members rather than the absurd idol inflation that came to characterise the industry from the late 80s when Onyanko Club went through more than 50 members in the space of about two years, and now leaves us in the dizzying position of seeing behemoth clone armies like the slick, horrifying AKB48 with their cold, dead, fishlike eyes battle it out with the forthcoming, and frankly terrifying sounding, HRJK96. Where nowadays you need a degree in advanced life-avoidance to memorise the names of every member of an idol group, back in the 70s everybody in Japan could name Ran (the romantic one), Miki (a little bit boyish) and Sue (slightly sentimental). Not only that, but every member of your family, from baby sister who's just learned to speak to grandma who's rapidly going deaf, could sing along to songs like Haru Ichiban and Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu.
The 1970s was a strange time in Japanese postwar cultural history. The excesses of left wing radical group the United Red Army culminating in the 1972 Asama-Sansō Incident marked the end of ideological student radicalism in Japan, and the initial airing of Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979 helped kick off the explosion of otaku culture that in many ways replaced the unifying narrative and lifestyle offered by radical politics with a safer, fictional narrative and associated lifestyle among awkward, alienated youth. Into the hole dividing these two social movements came the explosion of 1970s pop culture, filling the ideological void with superficialities, confections, and, most importantly, Candies.
With a career lasting from 1973 to 1978 the Candies could almost have been designed to ford this particular Rubicon on Japan's journey into postmodernity, and their combination of innocent charm, simple yet affecting lyrics, and sweet, sweet melodies was the perfect antidote to the turmoil of the dying days of the student movement. They were also the product of an era before pop culture became the Balkanised mishmash of subcultures that we have today, all hiding in their niches, eyeing each other suspiciously, communicating only to shout over the Web at the aliens in the cave next door. This was an age where pop music was a uniting cultural force, not a divisive one.
The group released 18 singles including the posthumous Tsubasa, although only the farewell hit Hohoemi Gaeshi reached number one in the charts. Nevertheless, every one of them is a stark naked, face-melting classic. A few highlights of the highlights (and I can't express strongly enough, every song is a highlight):
Debut single Anata ni Muchū (above).
Sono Ki ni Sasenaide (above)
Heart no Ace ga Detekonai complete with extended intro (above).
Through my label, Call And Response Records, I've been gradually over the last couple of months collecting a number of cover versions of Candies songs by Japanese underground musicians for release on a limited edition compilation CD/R. The results have been fascinating, with fourteen songs now in, from technopop to garage rock to avant-garde electronic music to guitar pop to noise, reflecting the fractured musical times we live in, but also joined in a fierce appreciation of the frivolous-yet-unifying power of pure pop.
V/A 「Valentine's Candies」 Call And Response Records (CAR-91)
Valentine's Candies is Fashion Crisis' first ever event at a "proper" live house (one with a PA, a stage and all the gear), as well as functioning as a release party for Call And Response's first new release of the year: an album of Japanese indie and underground bands covering the legendary 1970s idol trio The Candies.
A number of Fashion crisis favourites have contributed songs to the CD, including Yamaco (formerly of Her), Umbrella-X, and Candies' near-namesakes Candles. Fashion Crisis/Switched On's regular Slovenian collaborator N'toko and Call And Response's Ian Martin both feature as members of the band Trinitron.
Other bands contributing songs to the CD include eccentric pop duo cottonioo, Fukuoka's ruruxu/sinn, noise trio Jahiliyyah, experimental something or other snip n` zener, post-punk band Uruseeyo, up and coming girly garage punk duo Puffy Shoes, electronic genius Yamanoi Yuzuru, electro rock band Killer Condors, and more super musical things.
The release event will be this coming Friday, featuring some of the musicians who contributed to the CD and all the regular Fashion Crisis people in a broad celebration of the ordinary girls of The Candies.
Fans of fluffy-haired Englishmen can rest easy knowing that in tomorrow's Fashion Crisis regular DJ James Hadfield returns from his Kansai-bothering taiko trip with presumably more of his exciting world sounds. As usual he will be faithfully supported by all the usual suspects. Guest live is electronic pop person yu-tamitsu and DJ Ryan Erik Williams.
Date: February 1sth 2010 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / yu-tamitsu DJs: Ryan Erik Williams / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
Switched On! isbusy this past month or so, with yet another party in yet another part of Tokyo. This time there's a funny sort of double-feature event at Shibuya Home, starting with a one-man live from event founders Motocompo, and continuing with an all-night DJ party at the same venue, featuring all the usual team, plus guest DJ, the impossibly arty/designy Yuri Suzuki.
Tokyo's finest new wave/electro/technopop party Switched On! has its annual Christmas party again tonight back at its original venue, the old Bar Drop. Although the venue officially closed last year, the place is still there and the owners invited us back to do a show, so it should be a homecoming spectacular for all concerned. For all, that is, except our special guests Tika Tika from Nagoya, and N'toko from Slovenia, both of whom will be adding some of their own spice and glamour to procedings. 12/26 (Sat) Kichijoji ex.Bar Drop
5:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M. 2000yen adv. / 2300yen door
The last Fashion Crisis of 2009 is coming up next Monday, so be sure to cancel all appointments and get on down to Koenji for the undoubted extravaganza that the event will surely be. Along with the familiar faces of Candles will be special live guest Kiyokazu Onozaki from indie/folk/neo-acoustic tunesmiths the Andersens. Also, making regular DJs Ian and James look like the hopeless amateurs they are, will be Slovenian electro/hip hop/experimental superstar N'toko.
Date: December 7th 2009 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / Kiyokazu Onozaki (from the Andersens) DJs: N'toko / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
Fashion Crisis is back with all the usual favourites as well as special guest DJ Shingo Nakagawa, infamous as the bass player in Tokyo's most fearsome no wave noiseniks The Mornings. Tuesday is a national holiday, so there's no excuse not to let loose and disco down.
This month's Fashion Crisis provides a reprise of September's guest, Koenji electro scientist Back in Tokio, with a hopefully fit and healthy Candles returning after Tessy's frankly astonishing Akiba-metal solo performance last time. If that isn't enough to make you wet with anticipation, Tokyo's favourite fake Brazilian DJ extraordinaire Antonio Yodobashi will be spinning all manner of fabulous tunes in honour of the fantastic victory of Rio in winning the 2016 Olympics.
Date: October 5th 2009 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / Back in Tokio DJs: Antonio Yodobashi / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
It's that time of the month again and tonight (September 7th) sees the latest Fashion Crisis swing into view. Joining the usual crew will be Noriko behind the decks, and Koenji local Back in Tokyo on vocoder and electropop. The fun starts at the usual time and ends when it ends.
Date: September 7th 2009 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / Back in Tokio DJs: Noriko / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
Edit (3:20 P.M.) : Just heard that Pepe from Candles is out of action with the lurgee, so Tessy is going to play a one-off set without her today.
The bimonthly Tokyo electro, new wave and dance music party Switched On! will have its second anniversary event at Kichijoji Fourth Floor on the 28th of August. As always, Call And Response's very own me will be there as a DJ, as will all manner of other, better, DJs and a handful of live acts.
Full event details here:
8/28 (Fri) Kichijoji Fourth Floor 8:00 P.M. - 5:00 A.M. 2000yen (including 1 drink) * Members of the Switched On! mixicommunitycan get in for 2000yen (including 2 drinks)
This event goes on for nine whole hours, so come prepared to dance your poor little feet off. Alternatively, just arrive late or leave early. It's all up to yourself.
This month's Fashion Crisis is tonight (August 3rd), with the usual behind-the-scenes chaos and disorder. As usual, myself and Metropolis' own James Hadfield will DJ, and of course Candles will perform.
However, the lovely Puffy Shoes were forced into cancelling last week for certain reasons (get well soon, Azumi!) and a bit of a palaver ensued. Fortunately Fujiko More has agreed to step in at the last minute and perform in their place. One crisis over, another to begin, er, as it were. Then lastly, we have DJ extraordinaire Evil Penguin joining us to pound our listeners into submission with his genre-busting party tunes or whatever he's planning to play. In any case, it'll be worth it.
Date: August 3rd 2009 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / Fujiko More DJs: Evil Penguin / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
Candles were charming and elegant as usual, but Mana's sound was desperately low, so their 1990s J-Pop-ish singing came over like someone singing karaoke in their bedroom. Without having time for a soundcheck, there wasn't much that could be done about it though. Eiichi Kawai's DJ set seemed to include an inordinate amount of XTC and/or Andy Partridge solo stuff, and James Hadfield's set included the usual mix of absolutely everything in the known universe.
My own sets were pathetically predictable for anyone who knows what I'm like.
First set (7:30-7:55) Hot Hot Hot!!! - The Cure New Feeling - Talking Heads The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu Friction - Television The Bridge - Clinic French Disco - Stereolab
Second Set (10:05-10:30) Ricky's Hand - Fad Gadget Switch on Bach - Moderne A Complete History Of Sexual Jealousy (Parts 17-24) - Momus One More Chance - Pet Shop Boys Kino - The Knife Electricity - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Third Set (Midnight-ish) We Like Guys Named Luke - Mu Ca Plane Pour Moi (Plastic Bertrand cover) - Sonic Youth That's How I Escaped my Certain Fate - Mission of Burma Surgeon's Girl - Wire Map Ref 41°N 93°W (Wire cover) - My Bloody Valentine Definitive Gaze - Magazine So What - The Cure Lachleute Nettmenschen - S.Y.P.H. Getting Nowhere Fast - Girls at our Best White Overalls - La Dusseldorf Hero - Neu! I Want More - Can
Call And Response, in collaboration with technopop duo Candles and James Hadfield from Metropolis, has started a free monthly live and DJ party on the first Monday of every month, taking place at Koenji Bar One.
Today, July 6th, is the third such event, and the regular team will be joined by DJ Eiichi Kawai and by the electropop group Mana:
Date: July 6th 2009 Time: 7:30 P.M. Place: Koenji Bar One Cost: FREE Live: Candles / Mana DJs: Eiichi Kawai / James Hadfield / Ian Martin
Call And Response is a Tokyo-based independent record label and event organiser, specialising in post-punk, new wave and assorted experimental pop trash.
