Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975
Japan was in the midst of the peak GS (Group Sounds) boom – a sound that fused Japanese kayōkyoku music and Western rock music. But possessing a rare sense of foresight, singer and record producer Yuya Uchida encountered this revolutionary new wave of rock firsthand during his travels through Europe beginning in the spring of 1967. After returning to Japan, he formed Yuya Uchida & The Flowers. Their freaked-out sound — steel guitar driven through wah pedals and fuzz — marked them as something entirely different, standing apart from conventional GS acts. Other groups also added British and American rock numbers to their repertoires, but because their shows and releases were fundamentally bound to the structures of the Japanese entertainment industry, most had few options once the GS boom faded: they either shifted toward a strictly kayōkyoku-style path or disbanded altogether.
Even so, in 1970, The Flowers, now joined by Joe Yamanaka, formerly of 4.9.1, and Hideki Ishima, formerly of The Beavers, renamed themselves Flower Travellin' Band and went on to make their mark overseas. At the same time, other key musicians from the GS generation — including Shigeru Narumo of The Fingers and Hiro Yanagida of The Floral — fought to establish a distinctly Japanese form of rock music. Meanwhile, folk music driven by young anti-establishment artists began to rise out of the underground scene, gradually influencing the mainstream. As a result, record companies one after another launched dedicated rock and folk labels, signaling a major shift in the industry.
In 1972, Nippon Columbia launched its first dedicated rock and folk label, Propeller, releasing a steady stream of forward-looking titles by artists such as Hiroshi Segawa (formerly of The Dynamites) and Tetsu Yamauchi, who, up until then, was a prolific session musician in the scene. Influenced by late-'60s acts like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, Japanese jazz musicians also began boldly incorporating rock elements into their work. As a result, many records from this period have since become prized classics in the rare groove scene.
Above all, this compilation was selected to let you experience the free, innovative, and deeply experimental sounds created by Japanese musicians whose passion rivaled that of their British and American counterparts. Even more than fifty years later, the music on this album still feels remarkably fresh, hitting with the same sense of surprise and impact it did when it was first released!
Original: $49.34
-70%$49.34
$14.80More Images
Far East New Rock Invention 1969-1975
Japan was in the midst of the peak GS (Group Sounds) boom – a sound that fused Japanese kayōkyoku music and Western rock music. But possessing a rare sense of foresight, singer and record producer Yuya Uchida encountered this revolutionary new wave of rock firsthand during his travels through Europe beginning in the spring of 1967. After returning to Japan, he formed Yuya Uchida & The Flowers. Their freaked-out sound — steel guitar driven through wah pedals and fuzz — marked them as something entirely different, standing apart from conventional GS acts. Other groups also added British and American rock numbers to their repertoires, but because their shows and releases were fundamentally bound to the structures of the Japanese entertainment industry, most had few options once the GS boom faded: they either shifted toward a strictly kayōkyoku-style path or disbanded altogether.
Even so, in 1970, The Flowers, now joined by Joe Yamanaka, formerly of 4.9.1, and Hideki Ishima, formerly of The Beavers, renamed themselves Flower Travellin' Band and went on to make their mark overseas. At the same time, other key musicians from the GS generation — including Shigeru Narumo of The Fingers and Hiro Yanagida of The Floral — fought to establish a distinctly Japanese form of rock music. Meanwhile, folk music driven by young anti-establishment artists began to rise out of the underground scene, gradually influencing the mainstream. As a result, record companies one after another launched dedicated rock and folk labels, signaling a major shift in the industry.
In 1972, Nippon Columbia launched its first dedicated rock and folk label, Propeller, releasing a steady stream of forward-looking titles by artists such as Hiroshi Segawa (formerly of The Dynamites) and Tetsu Yamauchi, who, up until then, was a prolific session musician in the scene. Influenced by late-'60s acts like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, Japanese jazz musicians also began boldly incorporating rock elements into their work. As a result, many records from this period have since become prized classics in the rare groove scene.
Above all, this compilation was selected to let you experience the free, innovative, and deeply experimental sounds created by Japanese musicians whose passion rivaled that of their British and American counterparts. Even more than fifty years later, the music on this album still feels remarkably fresh, hitting with the same sense of surprise and impact it did when it was first released!
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Japan was in the midst of the peak GS (Group Sounds) boom – a sound that fused Japanese kayōkyoku music and Western rock music. But possessing a rare sense of foresight, singer and record producer Yuya Uchida encountered this revolutionary new wave of rock firsthand during his travels through Europe beginning in the spring of 1967. After returning to Japan, he formed Yuya Uchida & The Flowers. Their freaked-out sound — steel guitar driven through wah pedals and fuzz — marked them as something entirely different, standing apart from conventional GS acts. Other groups also added British and American rock numbers to their repertoires, but because their shows and releases were fundamentally bound to the structures of the Japanese entertainment industry, most had few options once the GS boom faded: they either shifted toward a strictly kayōkyoku-style path or disbanded altogether.
Even so, in 1970, The Flowers, now joined by Joe Yamanaka, formerly of 4.9.1, and Hideki Ishima, formerly of The Beavers, renamed themselves Flower Travellin' Band and went on to make their mark overseas. At the same time, other key musicians from the GS generation — including Shigeru Narumo of The Fingers and Hiro Yanagida of The Floral — fought to establish a distinctly Japanese form of rock music. Meanwhile, folk music driven by young anti-establishment artists began to rise out of the underground scene, gradually influencing the mainstream. As a result, record companies one after another launched dedicated rock and folk labels, signaling a major shift in the industry.
In 1972, Nippon Columbia launched its first dedicated rock and folk label, Propeller, releasing a steady stream of forward-looking titles by artists such as Hiroshi Segawa (formerly of The Dynamites) and Tetsu Yamauchi, who, up until then, was a prolific session musician in the scene. Influenced by late-'60s acts like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, Japanese jazz musicians also began boldly incorporating rock elements into their work. As a result, many records from this period have since become prized classics in the rare groove scene.
Above all, this compilation was selected to let you experience the free, innovative, and deeply experimental sounds created by Japanese musicians whose passion rivaled that of their British and American counterparts. Even more than fifty years later, the music on this album still feels remarkably fresh, hitting with the same sense of surprise and impact it did when it was first released!
