Make Believe Mailer Vol. 14: Sorry, We Were Waiting For Authorization To Send This Newsletter
I've got no beef with Tokyo Girl's Update, a site that posts news and features focused primarily on idol culture. It serves its purpose, and has featured some of the better insights into idol culture from Japanese writers. But dang if it also doesn't sometimes offer up some hilarious looks into how the J-pop...and, really, all of Cool Japan (these guys have a show on NHK so...some of my tax money is going to this)... industry works, especially in relation to spreading globally. Here are some lessons from 2016 so far:
EVERYTHING can be Cool Japan if you try!
A long-running issue with all Japanese effort to sell soft power abroad, everything can be worth zooming in on! NHK's Cool Japan would be a Tim And Eric sketch in an alternative world, but not in Japan.
You can't be accused of promoting "weird Japan" as long as you run one article mentioning how many people are wrong about Japan.
Every site attempting to get clicks via Japanese culture, pop or not, has done this, from Kotaku to RocketNews24 -- post an article stressing how oh no Japan is not weird at all, please stop doing that. Which is true and a good point to underline! Problem is, all these sites post primarily about niche stuff to get clicks, which doesn't exactly disrupt the "weird Japan" image many have. Lecture all you want, but when the only thing your site shares are the stranger things, what do you expect people to think?
Stick to the cl-ass-ics
Always defer to labels and management companies, just stick a note in there
Nothing says "alternative idol group" like doing the exact same thing as every other idol group.
(All this said, I think I'd rather be writing about Japanese music / culture right now than America, or maybe I haven't recovered from Kanye take-a-thon 2016)
Japanese Music Highlights From The Past Week!
Stretching it back just a bit, Ytamo and Seiho both released new songs about a week and a half ago, both worth your time!
Sleepwell's new EP Never Ever is a really nice collection of moodier electronic music from the usually thumping Trekkie Trax imprint.
Mikeneko Homeless are proving to be a solid production crew, and "Online Love" is not dead.
Sometimes a simple guitar song is the best thing you hear all week.
News And Views
I guess the biggest news in J-pop lately was the announcement that Johnny's group KAT-TUN announced they'll be taking a hiatus after a tour later this year, but also I don't think anyone really cares? Maybe just because the stakes for entertainment scandals are so high right now in Japan (the only really interesting wrinkle is the idea that the inner workings of Johnny's are a real HBO-worthy drama right now), or because KAT-TUN had a way better flap in recent memory.
Is...is Music Station (a weekly live-music show) getting vaguely cool? They featured Charisma.com this week, and Suiyoubi No Campanella debuts next week. As someone who learned a lot about J-pop by blogging about Music Station every week for two and a half years, this is deeply interesting
Prepare for A LOT of Babymetal in the coming months. Lots of news in that link, but them set to appear on Stephen Colbert's late night show is probably the most interesting. Considering my Dad, who still plays the first Hootie And The Blowfish album in his truck, told me about this shows the reach this has.
"Only Wanna Be With You" goes, though
Speaking of Grammys...someone from Japan won one!
Perfume announced a new album for this year, along with a nationwide tour and another U.S. trek at some point. Also preparing for a new collection -- Soutaiseiriron, who have quietly been the most influential Japanese rock band domestically over the last three years.
Oh right, a week off made me forget...Fuji Rock announced their first round of performers. Based on the very encompassing demographics of my Twitter feed, it seems like older folks like this announcement while younger people think it is bland. Caught between old and young (the dreaded "late 20s"), I am stereotypically mixed, thinking it's alright...and that Red Hot Chili Peppers are probably about as safe a headliner you could get for a 20th anniversary version given that they played the first installment...but think they probably need one more heavyweight.
Skrillex and Vic Mensa discovered Tokyo's underground by going to the city's worst club.
Oricon Trail For The Week Of Feb. 8 - Feb. 14
Every week, I'll share the top-charting single from the Oricon Charts, a deeply flawed ranking system that favors groups who get fans to buy multiple copies of the same single and/or offer something beyond just music in the package. Or maybe they just make it near impossible to hear their music any other way!
#1 KAT-TUN "Tragedy" (129, 008 Copies Sold)
Huh it's almost like that hiatus news came at a really convenient time.
While we are here, it's probably worth pointing out that last week's number one came courtesy of Boys And Men, who topped the charts earlier this year with the truly noxious "Boyman Ninja." "Wanna Be!" is the slightest of steps up, though what it really highlights is the gap between Johnny's boy bands and...well, every non-EXILE squad out there. "Tragedy" sold more than double "Wanna Be!" which is a nice reminder that even the garbage pop groups are working at a mass disadvantage unless they have the right ties.
Look At Me!
Talked to Tokyo artist Zombie-Chang about her recently released album Zombie-Change for The Japan Times. Very good album, and a fantastic person to chat with.
Also for Japan Times, I reviewed Nagoya trio Crunch's new EP, which is great and definitely worth your time.
Wrote about Niigata for MTV 81's Sounds Of Japan series, though this prefectural promotional video might be all you need.
Written by Patrick St. Michel (patrickstmichel@gmail.com)
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