Burning spirits pt1 - Burning spirit in Japan

"So have you heard about GISM?" my friend asked me sometime during the early nineties.
"What? No...?".
"They're from Japan and they're so metal they're punk. And they are Yakuza. You gotta hear this shit, they are fucking nuts!"

And who could not love them with crazy lyrics, over the top distorted guitars, violent behaviour, and anarchy and chaos following them around. I had fallen in love with my first Japanese hardcore band.

Singer of GISM, and allegedly Yakuza killer, Sakevi from a classic video (I paid so much money for a copy of this VHS in the early nineties) bringing out a flame thrower and trying to fry people in the audience.

This was my introduction to Japanese hardcore, and I fell in love right away. Some years later I exchanged tapes with Brian, the drummer of the American band DROPDEAD (brilliant band from Boston by the way, but another story), and he could not stop raving about this Japanese band called GAUZE. First listen I was stuck - this was the.best.band.ever. They had been playing since 1981 (and they still exist, which is nuts) and was on all the "important comps" from the 80ties and 90ties plus did a few downright amazing records during the 80ties.

Live show with Gauze from 1986. Amazing.

Being - like most early Japanese punk/hardcore bands - a well kept secret they "broke" only when the American label Prank records (ran by Ken Sanderson, MRR columnist and Gilman street booker) brought them over to the US for a tour, and at the same time released an EP (and re-released the classic LP "Equalising distort"). Both me and Brian bought three identical shirts from that tour. Because why the hell would you ever want to wear a shirt with anything else than Gauze?

"The prank EP", getting Gauze the recognition (in the USA) they deserved, together with their epic US tour in 1996.

Gauze is my favourite band ever, and while not a part of they were HUGELY important for the part of the Japanese hardcore scene that I intend to write about, namely the BURNING SPIRIT.

Burning spirits is the name of a part of the Japanese scene that shared record labels and venues for shows, but they also had a distinct sound. While getting their foundational sound from foreign influences like Discharge from England and various Swedish bands (like Mob 47 and Anti-cimex) they also had a sweet spot for 80-ties speed metal (mixing glam rock hairdos and studded leather jackets) and long flashy guitar solos.

The first two really influental bands in this genre was Death side and Bastard. Both released their first LPs in 1989 (Death side with "Wasted dreams" and Bastard with "Controlled in the frame).

Death side with the song "Burning spirit" from 1991

But it was not until a few years later with their best efforts that the world REALLY took notice. Especially "The Bastard 12-inch" as we all used to call it really shook us around and left us wanting more more more of this new style of hardcore.

Seriously, just listen to this and you will understand how amazed we were by this. I think I didn't go to one single party in the nineties where this record didn't end up replacing all the others on the turntable sooner or later, never to be removed, and with the volume getting turned up louder and louder.

The opening track from Bastard's classic 12" "Wind of pain" from 1992.

Another band, and maybe the roughest musically and also like GISM rumoured to be really dangerous in real life, with close yakuza ties was Judgement. They only released a few EPs, but they are pretty much a 100% perfect glimpse in the Burning spirit sound.

But Bastard and Death Side formed the absolute core of the Burning spirits movements and when they broke up the members went ahead and formed bands as Forward and Paintbox, two hugely influential bands in the latter parts of the 90ties and early 00s, and being that these bands actually toured the US and Japan

Paintbox first EP was released by the label that now was releasing most of the more important Burning spirit bands, the label HG Fact. The main creative force in this band, they guitarist Chelsea, came from Death Side after they broke up.

The band forward also had a number of members from they now defunct Death Side - especially important for the genre was the vocalist Ishiya with his patented way of singing being imitated by most of the international bands now also getting influenced by the Burning spirit sound.

Sure, there where other bands but these was the main reason that the burning spirit sound travelled abroad to mix with American and European styles of hardcore punk music. Getting even more recognition with some of these bands than the original Japanese bands ever did. But this is for the pt 2 of the story of the BURNING SPIRIT!

Six ft Hick/Midninght/Lightning Bolt

Agreed. Let's do this!

Been listening alot to the Australian band Six ft Hick lately. If you want a good introduction you can get that from this documentary here. Most enjoyable!

Fuck, I miss touring. Cold floors, waaaay too much drugs, loud music, fist fights...  (hmm, come to think of it that sounds a bit like midsumers eve, only everyday...). What's not to like?

Motorhead and Venom. What if there was a mix between them. Wouldn't that be amazing?

Sorry for the lack of direction in this post, but also gotta get the new Lightning bolt LP mentioned. 5 years no record, and now a full on sonic attack from these two guys (bass + drums).

Next time I'll do a complete run through of one of the most important bands in the Swedish rock scene during the late 90s and early 00s. The Hellacopters. (if you guys would be interested)

EDIT: nope, apparently I started to listen to the Japanese hardcore that had me in such a firm grip during the nineties. The Hellacopters run through will have to wait!

Let's do it

We should get back on this...

- Oakland Stroke

Guitar Wolf Sneak Attack!

Sorry guys couldn't wait. Easily the best and loudest live show I have ever seen in my entire life. During the course of which the front man Seiji collapsed and was carried off stage three times, one of the times after vomiting. Three encores, the bass player re-combing his pompadour during every other song then asking me for blow(this was his last tour, r.i.p. the rumor was that during one of the final dates his heart exploded). The highlight of the night easily being the crowd surfing a beer in a pint glass, about 50 feet from the bar to the stage into Seiji hands which he held up then with out taking a sip dumped on his head. Quote of the night (in broken Japanese-Rock-and-Roll-English)

"San Francisco go home."

Enjoy

Hypnotic Brass/Betty Lavette/Fire/Lee Fields/Render Useless

Kelan Philip Cohran and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

Here is another album of great spiritual jazz, this time with even more unabashed funk leanings.  Kelan Philip Cohran is probably best known for his work as a cornet player with Sun Ra's Arkestra where he appeared on a number of excellent records.  He has also released several excellent reecords of his own in the deep/spiritual jazz vein as well as founding the influential and afro-centric Afro Arts Theater in Chicago.  The Afro Arts Theater focussed on promoting African American art as well as having a strong kid-friendly educational aspect.  Music education was indeed another passion of Cohran's including the serious education of his many children, I mean many, check out the photo above of Cohran and some of his kids.  I believe that at least eight of his children are professional musicians and many of them play in the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.  This ensemble released an excellent record of brass band funk a few years ago and is now following it up with a collaboration with the father of much of the band.  The funk is still foremost but there is much more of a deep jazz feel on this one.  Absolutely one of the best albums of the last couple years and likely to please a wide variety of tastes from start to finish.  I highly recommend this album.

For example see Stateville:

Betty Lavette - Thankful N' Thoughtful

Betty Lavette spent the first four decades of her career as an almost successful soul singer with an abundance of heartbreaking stories of getting screwed over by record companies and their ilk.  It seems that she had all but given up on the dream in the early 2000s when her career was given new life by interest from Anti Records and a surprisingly good record where she was backed up by the Drive By Truckers.  The record received enthusiastically positive reviews and was followed by another surprisingly fanstastic record of British classic rock covers.  Last year she released Thankful N' Thoughtful, another collection of covers but without a theme this time and I would say this is her best record yet and one of the best records of 2012.  She is one of those aritsts who can really make a song entirely her own and is capable of giving her treatment to an astonishly wide range of material.  Here she tackles material from Gnarls Barkley, Neil Young, the Black Keys, Bob Dylan, Savoy Brown and Sly Stone to name a few.  There is to me great power in these songs although at first listen they may seem to be too restrained and somewhat underwhelming.  I recommend giving these songs a couple listens before casting judgement.  I cannot stress how much I love this record though.

Everything Is Broken:

 Thankful N' Thoughtful:

Fire with Jim O'Rourke - Unreleased?
Here's another Mats Gustafsson (see the Thing from the last post) project for you all.  Like the Thing, all fire records are quite different but in this case the constant elements seem to be a super repetitive, krauty vibe overlaid with some forceful, skronky saxophone noise.  And hey, Jim O'Rourke is here too, what's not to like?  Kindly Dig.

Please, I Am Released:

 
Lee Fields - Faithful Man

Yet another late in like soul singer success story.  Lee Fields has been quietly releasing fantastic albums in the James Brown style for several years now but final got noticed a couple of years ago thanks to what seems to be somewhat of a revival of interest in soul music and an excellent record, "My World".  Last year he followed up this success with an even more excellent and well rounded soul record, "Faithful Man".  This is maybe not as much of gem as the Charles Bradley record that I posted some weeks ago but it should be noted that T. Brennick, the guitar player and major songwriter for Charles Bradley also had a big hand in Lee Fields' last couple records.  It should also be noted how powerfully amazing this track is:




Wish You Were Here:

  
Vancouver Hardcore #3 - Render Useless

Continuing on in this mini-series that I can't imagine has much interest for people outside of Vancouver where these records are probable unattainable I present to you Render Useless.  These dudes were considered very clever and socially conscious etc.  They were favourites of nerdy, often humourless, punk rock activist types.  I was once one of those types and found inspiration or rather found shared idealistic frustration in the music of this band.  Despite all those associations, I still think that the band put out some fucking great hardcore, maybe too clever for its own good at times but, well, you know, think for yourself, judge for yourself etc. right?

I managed to find a youtube post of the entire 7" The Relationship Between a 1/4 note and an 1/8 Note so lucky you:

 Render Useless 7"  (For some reason, I couldn't get the video to embed here so you'll have to follow this link to Youtube.  Do it.)

Baptists/Haggatha/The Thing/Beak/Steve Reid

Alright.  Despite appearances and Adrian's comments to the contrary February has been a very productive month for me in terms of music appreciation.  This is a pretty big post this week to account for a glut of new music I've been digging recently.

Baptists - Bushcraft (2012)

Baptists are probably the darlings of Vancouver's thrash/hardcore scene right now and deservedly so.  Over the years playing in shitholes in East Van they have become a polished and devastating sonic machine.  They were just signed to the illustrious Southern Lord records and hosted a rightous record release party on Friday.  This record has been on my platter pretty steady for the last couple days.  Nothin' particularly original going on here but some very solid representations of the genre that definately repay repeat listens.

Check out a nicely packaged little trio of songs from the record release show (take note of the classic breakdown ~6:30):

Haggatha

Here's a little taste of another Vancouver band.  These guys are my current favourite local act.  They opened for Baptists at the aforementioned recent slow and are brutal.

Dig them from a recent European tour:

Their drummer is a personal hero of mine. Now dig them from their new record:

Neneh Cherry and The Thing - The Cherry Thing (2012)

The Thing are a Swedish based avant-jazz power trio led by superstar saxman Mats Gustafsson of whom more will come in future posts.  Each of their records is quite different but generally contain a good deal of devastating, balls out jazz noise and maybe a punk cover or two.


Item: Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek

Elsewhere they do a great cover of Lightning Bolt's Ride the Sky but it was sadly not to be found on Youtube.

For the new record though the trio is joined on vocals by Neneh Cherry, the daughter of pocket trumpet genius Don Cherry.  They run through a surprisingly accessible set of mostly covers which ends up being being a mix of sugary pop-jazz and fierce free jazz blowing.  This record is full of really fresh sounds not quite like anything I've heard before.

Check out the opening track Cashback:

 

 Beak - s/t 2009

Here's one for those more krautily inclined.  This is the new project from Portishead's Geoff Barrow and here he and a couple of other English dudes diligently follow the cartography of Can and Neu! This, their first is so indebted to the Can and Neu! that it sometimes feels that one is listening to some lost metting between those two motoric German ensembles.  Even the record's production carries with it the clean, warm sound of the early '70s.  Generally, each track centers around one repetitive minimal groove, I am given to understand that some of you out there enjoy this sort of thing.

Here is a characteristic example, Iron Action:

The second album is also very good  and finds the band adding more variety to the mix without moving far away from their krauty devotionals.

Check out the opening track from Beak II, The Gaol:

Steve Reid - Rhythmatism (1975)

Of late I have been going through somewhat of a deep jazz kick and one of the artists most able to provide the fix I need has been drummer/bandleader Steve Reid.  His is a long career the details of which I will not relate in full here but he grew up in New York out of the free/spiritual jazz scene associated with John Coltrane and Sun Ra.  He also spent some years in West Africa playing with Fela Kuti after which he was arrested and spent a few years in jail for missing his military duty in Vietnam.  Following his release from prison he recorded three birlliant records on his own label and helped to propel the burgeoning New York loft jazz scene.  The selection presented here comes from his first record.  The later two records follow in the same vein although they steadily move farther 'outside'.  Despite a move to freer playing Steve Reid remained dedicated to a strong rhythmic pulse in his work.  In the last decade Steve Reid has returned to the spotlight leading his own band with electronics whiz Keiran Hebden to much deserved acclaim.  I plan to post some contemporary material from Mr. Reid later this week along with a slew of other material that I have been spinning lately but for the time being I will close with some insanely groovy spiritual jazz.

 Kai:

Unfortunately I could not find a full version of this song online, it should be 12:45.  If you want more I guess you'll have to find the whole album for download or buy the thing.

 

Rock to Member Ratio

Friends!

It seems that February has been an idle month! And while I wish I could say it was because I felt Dan's most-righteous post deserved some extra spotlight (it does!), mostly it's just been real busy around the bustling metropolis that is Scotts Valley.

Quick Side Note: Dan's last post had me spend more $$ on more albums than any other so far...that's some kinda record...

Well, let's get down to bidness;

Kim has long held that a band needs a good "Rock to Member Ratio" (RTMR); what good is your 16-member-half-orchestra-hipster-guitar-drum-circle if you can't at least lay out the mutherfucking jams once in awhile (looking in your direction, modern-day Godspeed!). Reflecting on this for some time now, I cannot find fault with her logic.

So, today will be an exploration of those that take full advantage of this ratio. The ol' Rock n Roll two piece. Consider this an appetizer as I will post later in the week also with some fresh jams (a lot of these today will probably be familiar to you guys).

First up is a recommendation from my dear friend in Brooklyn some time ago. Senior Osorio tipped me off to the Brothers Bird and I couldn't get enough. In short, TWEAK BIRD rules. Start with Reservations, then move to their self-titlted, then to Undercover Crops. You can get through all of these in about an hour (not much of an exaggeration). These two are like the sugar-cookies of the heavy rock world: melt in your mouth fast and can't stop eating....they are also surprisingly heavy at times.

Here's one off their latest:

Next up we've got an oldie, but a goodie. BLACK COBRA! Now, they have a few albums that I can't really recommend (Chronomega is not their best work, in my humble opinion), but they have a few albums that KILL (Bestial, Invernal, Feather and Stone)! Start to finish, Bestial hauls serious ass and the production is heavy as shit. Definitely my fav from them. Kris didn't believe me it was just two dudes at first. Let this be a lesson: Tuned down baritone guitar + bass amp = holy shit! Sounds like a cello on steroids.

Seeing these dudes open for Sleep during the latter's first reunion in SF on my Birthday a few years ago will go down as one of my favorite shows ever. It was also this show that was the catalyst for the birth of the aforementioned "RTMR", as Saviours played next with what seemed like 10 dudes on stage and couldn't rock 1/2 as hard (or as LOUD) as the Cobra.

Exhibit A:

The riff that starts around 1:30 is ALL TIME! Drummer Rafa Martinez also played bass in ACID KING for a bit too....

Let's end things with a bit of the new. As mentioned earlier on the Divide, EAGLE TWIN recently released a new album: The Feather Tipped the Serpent's Scale. Now, their first album was a bit of a let-down for me. It promised throat singing and winding, giant, bottom heavy riffs, but never felt like it hit the mark. I feel like they got it right the second time around; endless riffs, some clever timing here and there, moody as all get out, and above all, super heavy. These guys have literally blown up amps during live performances (you can hunt around to see footage of amps on fire at basement shows and such) with a setup similar to BLACK COBRA's.

 Now, I feel of all the three, EAGLE TWIN's needs to be taken as an album. Clear an hour and sit down with this one.


Let's recap: It seems we've learned that the trick to the RTMR is a baritone guitar (or at least a de-tuned, super-heavy-gauge-strings guitar), a bass amp and a drummer that's not afraid to lay it down and take the lead once in awhile.

Honorable mention, but not covered (I think you guys are already all over them):
OM
SUNN 0)))))
Early EARTH
MELVINS (I consider them to be really just Buzz and Dale...)

Who'd I Miss?


"Said to bring luck in Hunting, Rain-making and Love",
-APB

Oh and remember: