Hip japanese music

Yes, I love many of the Japanese euphemisms. I also dig the sound of shakuhachi---and by that I am referring to the music, not the euphemism. Well, no---wait a minute... :biggrin:

One of my favorite euphemisms is akagai---the mussel. If you don't know what it is, don't ask your wife---just order it the next time you go to a sushi bar and look at how they serve it to you--how the meat sits in the shell.

The Europeans used to have the same euphemism, and probably still do. I have a French woodblock print about 150 years old of a pastoral scene. I am sure that I have seen a similar pastoral scene innocently hanging on my grandmother's wall (unbeknownst to her, with the same message)---it is a scene of innocence lost---a young girl is sitting under a tree, between the legs of a young man sitting at her back. A flute is in her mouth, and he has his arms around her holding up her hands to teach her how to play the flute. Her dress is hiked up enough that her petticoat sticks out, they have both kicked off their shoes. A dog barks at them trying to stop them from what they are doing, and nearby, a cornucopia spills out its contents of flowers and fruits. If you look for it in the tree, it is not hard to find the shape of an erect phallus and balls in the shape of the bark, trunk and roots.There are other symbols buried in too. And yet----the picture is so innocent and common.

My favorite French Artist from the period of pastoral art is Jean-Honore' Fragonard. He did quite a few pieces like this, and they seem like innocent paintings of pastoral scenes---which they are---but filled with all sorts of sexual content. Several of these pieces you can see on Wikipedia---The Swing, The Lover Crowned, The Secret Meeting---tons of discreet, yet sometimes blatant sexual symbolism buried in these pieces. Last summer we visited his family museum (which we just happened to pass, and I couldn't believe the good fortune of finding--of all the French artisits, the family museum of Fragonard) near the Mediterranean and I bought a book that has a huge collection of his pieces. It's all in French which I do not speak, but that is ok---I am familiar enough with the pieces and history to spot out the nasties myself. I forget who it was, a queen, or a Duchess, or princess, that once commissioned several paintings from him, but then after hanging them in her castle, rejected them because they were 'too filthy.'

Chinese art is filled with a lot of that symbolism, but you have to know what to look for, as it is a fallback to their ancient fertility culture---for example, such things as a rose, or similar flower, or a peach all represent the vagina. (even when you think----no it can't be... but the symbolism is correct---because fertility equates to luck, wealth and so on.) I have a wooden carving from China of a peach, a monkey has got his arms around it and is playing with the---line down the middle, and the point at the top. That is why a Chinese paradise often includes a peach garden---lot's of peaches... You have probably seen those silk screen scrolls that are popular---next time take a closer look at the rocks that river runs down or through. It is not hard to at least see a phallus. I have 4 scrolls hanging on my wall with all kinds of hidden euphemisms.

I was in a Chinese restaurant a few years ago, and noticed a painting on the wall done by a Chinese artist. The Chinese accross the top said Valley of Gen, (Gen is the Japanese reading of it), Gen is hard to translate but it is something like mystical mystery or something. Chinese dictionaries probably give a clearer definition as I recall, but you can ask your wife---tell her it is the gen of Yuugen (a real cool concept that we do not have in English). There is a bridge accross this valley which is a huge waterfall of sorts, and a river running under the bridge. There is a small male standing on the bridge--maybe two or three---staring intently at the waterfall. But the valley and the waterfall are clearly the shape of a woman's pubic mons----and the river is an everflowing release of her yin. What most Chinese medicine books do not tell you, is that the secret to long life for the man is to collect as much yin as possible, without releasing too much of your own yang (i.e. bring a woman to climax, and limiting your own). The reason why the sages and mystics have high foreheads in China is because they have collected much yin from many women, and that is where it is stored. The Japanese have some of the same traditions---for example the fox will change into a seductive female to steal a man's yang, which she is so voracious at, that after a night spent with a beautiful maiden who turns out to be a fox, the man is near death, if not dead, from losing all his yang. Anyway, I tried to buy that Chinese painting off the owner of the restaurant and was willing to pay quite a bit---but no luck.

Anyway----I guess I got off subject----you just got me to thinking and sharing when you mentioned shakuhachi.

 

Thank you Kumaji---I just registered for the concert---it will be next Tuesday evening!!

 

I went to the show lastnight and it was FANTASTIC! It was a great opportunity to invite a lot of friends and introduce them to tsugaru shamisen----they thoroughly loved it----and it was free. I would definitely check it out if they are touring near you.

 

Melt Banana!

 

Why I have never though about listening to japanese electro.

Now I got to go. I have research to do...
---
I think I know why I haven't.

Theres way too many people obsessed with all this manga stuff. And it had to move my attention to other things.

 

I had to come back to this and post again----I have been catching some ofthe recent Japanese girl bands on TVJapan. I still have trouble with ome of the male bands---I suspect that for males to break from the status quo enough to pursue music in Japan requires a big ego---and this is reflected in their music. But that is definitely a different story for the women.

I mentioned in an earlier post that the Japanese music scene appears to have grown considerably from the crap in the 80's.

One group I have just become smitten with after watching them on TVJapan is Scandal. They've got the rebellion of rock and roll down pretty good. I always thought girls that pick up an electric guitar and rock out were sexy----these girls do it in Japanese school uniforms. But they can play---not from rationalized theory like the guys----these girl got it in their heart. They are from Osaka, so you know they don't put up with crap, and are rebellious by nature (at least compared to Tokyo people). And their songs reflect sexiness, and a hip desire to have fun and live in the moment--but they also reflect what may be changing social issues in Japan. I hear Pinheel Surfer and recognize a ballad for the female workers of Japan who struggle in a man's world with very little career opportunity because they are supposed to get married and quit right away anyway (At least that was the Japan I lived in).

Here is a video of the song Doll. Notice the 1960's British pop influence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF7WryzsPH0"]Scandal - Doll - YouTube


Or here is a song that makes me want to start dating again ('No' apparently does mean 'yes')-----now to only figure out how to do that so my wife won't mind...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LKALYtBVy0"]Scandal-Girlism - YouTube

 

I know what lots of the good ones sound like, but I have not even song titles. Almost anything Sung by females in said genre is good. Even though that is very generic, I find it to be true...

 

I've enjoyed both for a long time... Manga has some good stories. Although I prefer reading them over watching them. And as for J-Electro, I actually prefer DemoScene music and HardCore CHiptunes myself but I doubt anyone here know what those are, so I'll just say I like the genre, and As for artists I prefer, ones like Trash80, Xinon, and Rchtype.

 

Loudness!!


M. Z. A. !!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1nrbG8hl9s"]Loudness - Crazy Night - YouTube

 

Since links are being shared...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pNZxxGCoZw

Is great. It's near the "outer edge" of requested genre but still relevant right?

BTW the song sounds like crap unless you at least listen 30 seconds of it. Trash usually starts with some really weird intros.

EDIT: Video embed BBcode?
BTW 0:45 is when vocals begin.

 

The problem isn't the fact that some people enjoy it, but that some are extremelly obsessed with it. I know chiptunes but never heard of demoscene.

 

Wow, Trash80 is awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOiXXSim080

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnCvlyXizzg

---

I also like these artists:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-jASTELsow&feature=fvwrel"]Flashworx - Odaiba Chase - YouTube
/\ this is brilliant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI9qfE0WHjI&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PL7E12B77800A915AA"]Flashworx - One More Night In Tokyo - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpWM6rpl2UE&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PL55C3330D4A090B20"]The Outrunners - Diamonds - New 2010 Disco - YouTube

 

Demoscene is somewhat connected to the "warez" and the old amiga/c64 community as well. But in an odd way, warez and "trainers" contain the works of many demoscene artists. I actually like to rip the music right out of the .exe's just for the music

Demoscene is also mostly 3d tech demos with music on first releases.
But many good resources if you dislike watching an entire tech demo and just want music are

Keygenmusic.net
http://modarchive.org/index.php
http://metamacro.com/modulez/
http://chiptunes.back2roots.org/
http://www.demoscene.tv/
http://www.scene.org/

The good ones are hard to find, but demoscene is 100% free and legal. If anyone wants to know some good artist names I have loads

EDIT: And if you really like Trash then you might enjoy this place too
8bitpeoples.com
Just don't listen to most of this stuff on a trip, I've heard some of it can fidge you up really bad.

 

Ah, so basicly chiptunes are part of demoscene.

Thats what is great in rare genres. Good ones are hard to find, but when you find them they are amazing. There is a huge leap between shitty and good.

Yes, please.

I take it as a challenge.

Glad to find someone who is into rare genres.

 

It's nice to see someone who likes this music active on the web. ^^
Most people who like it are in the UK region and just produce music or do other stuff. They are sometimes hard to contact. But still I have a large collection of good ones that are scattered all over. I can upload and post link when done.

DubMood, PaleDeth, radix, Zabutom, Zalza, Skuter, HyperLite, Loonie, SeaBlue. for artists.
Razor1911, SKiDRoW, RzR, MeTROiD, and pretty much all the good Warez groups, for groups.
And pretty much everything on 8Bitpeoples.

EDIT: Since I'm on a hippy forum, I should also post a great single with a great (and relevant) title. It also is crap unless you pretty much hear the whole thing.
Society Of Non Conformists - By RushJet1
And here is some chiptune/other genre mixes and just great chiptunes.

GoreGrind (I think) The Primordial Booze - By Rainbowdragoneyes
Trenchvent - By Animal Style
I'll Have You Naked By The End Of This ROM - By Saskrotch
Left - By minusbaby
Icarus - By Trash80
Electric Heart Strike - By NullSleep
Out There - By RushJet1
Moonlight Sympathy - By Xinon
Confessions In A Chatroom - By Coleco Music
Extended Loo Break - By Vim
PICOPICODISCO - By USK
Information Chase - By Bit Shifter
And my personal fav; Sounds Of The 2A03 - By RushJet1

 

I know what you mean, I have heard of the nasty fantasies that some people get from reading them. I have read many of the series that people claim to cause these fantasies and I have yet to find anything other than some epic yet very very strange stories. Chobits was amazing but I am disappointed at the ending of the last book. Ending an entire series on a massive "cliffhanger" is very disappointing and uncreative.

I also have a somewhat embarrassing question for a man to ask;
Does anybody know if Cardcaptor Sakura is even printed on paper anymore? I cannot seem to find any copies other than the occasional random number. And I have only read #1 and that was forever ago.

 

thanks for sharing these!

 

I love a lot of Japanese music going all the way back to stuff from the 1960s. While I love plenty of modern stuff (Shishido Kavka, Baby Metal, Stereopony, Wagakki, stuff like that) my favorite is the stuff from the 70s and 80s like Akina Nakamori, Mariya Takeuchi, Meiko Kaji, Jun Togawa, Kyu Sakamoto, etc. That was the soundtrack to my childhood. Every time I'm in the kitchen I have to put on Akiko Wada while cooking, just like my mother does