Japanese punk?

[ben]

Does anyone know about it? Anything beyond the Blue hearts that is? I am a huge punk fan, but I found that most of the stuff there was kinda weak. Just average lyrical content put to a pop-punk beat. Of course there are a few jems, but does anyone know any? Especially political stuff. I would be much obliged.
Ben

 

[Saiyuki]

the Pillows have a punk/rock tone. they kind of sound like The All American Reject or The Ataris. they're real good you should download RIde On Shooting Star, Flame, Rush, or Skeleton Lair. everyone of those songs are good

 

[ben]

Thanks. I'll see what i can do. Do any of these bands go beyond the usual pop dogma of singing about love or how nice life is in their corner of the world?

 

[Saiyuki]

yeah, you want have to worry about that

 

[Punk の軍のロッカー]

May I suggest, 175R, Splash, D [di:], and Mongol 800.

All of witch are good Japanese Punk Music.

 

[ben]

I tried mongol 800, but they sound, how shall i put it, usui.
Thanks for the other reccomendations, though.

 

[dark for tears]

Get the album Humanity by The Mad Capsule Markets. I'd call that the punkiest sounding one they've done. The rest is more techno/metal/punk ^_^

 

[ben]

I tried them and personally did not find them that great. Also, i guess ia should clarify what i mean by punk.
It does not just signify the sound of music, but a type of attitiude and/or philosophy trying to provide an alternative to mainstream culture and music. This would i guess include people like Tom Waits, or Ani Difranco, whose music is not what might be "punky", but rather the fact that these people have either jumped off a major or started their own label, and are creating music that you would not hear on the local pop station. Thus, i have not been able to find alot of japanese punk that i like. While the sound might be ripped off of NOFX ala Nicotine, the lyrical content in something you could hear in any pop song.
I will admit that i have not listened to the full depth of work from bands like Bump of Chicken, SOBUT, Mad Capsule Markets, Hi Standard, or anybody else you might find in the "INDIES" section of your local video store, not to mention my japanese is not always able to decipher the lyrics, but on the whole i have not found much that isn't well, substandard. Thats not to say that this is just a Japanese thing (it isn't), but if i am going to bother cheching a band out, i would like something more than another song about someone's girlfriend troubles.
Thanks in advance, and to the people that have already posted.

 

[killerwolf]

Balzac

Best punk in Japan... or anywhere, for that matter.

www.isolation13.com
www.balzac308.com
http://www.samuraifactory.com/balzac/ <--(jpn only)

 

[Gaki]

Guitar Wolf

 

[Ami]

I would recommend The Pillows or the Mad Capsule Markets._.

 

[Malice Mices]

mew...hide sama mew I still say he was punk >.> looking at his life and his music n all...

 

[xanadu_essay9]

sorry to resurrect an old topic, but the implication that the mad capsule markets can be lumped in with bands singing about someone's girlfriend is utterly unfounded. i know you said you hadn't listened to much of their stuff, but i really would suggest that you do. if you listen through their entire back catalogue from 1990, they're consistently inventive, and constantly reinventing themselves. they've lost the political edge in recent years, but at no point have they threatened to lose their incredible passion and conviction with what they do. their japanese lyrics are often beautiful as well, though bad translations are easy to come across (even in the english lyric booklet) so be careful. i don't want to sound as though i can't accept any opinions other than those i share, but i really think you've simply made a mistake on this one (and they're my favourite band in the world ever). give them a proper listen - they're incredible.

 

[nathan]

i too have been on a search for hardcore political punk in japan.
what sort of stuff are u into ben?(check out my intro). do you know thug murder? they are not overly political but they are good ummmmm..........have you heard of (the) GAIA ?hardcore all female punk band. ive heard they are political(they donated some tracks to a womens liberation comp?) but the CD ive got doesn't have the lyrics and i cant really tell if they are singing in english or japanese (yes i can understand both but the lyrics are very screamed), ive heard melt bannana is good whether they are political or not i do not know! you know romantic gorilla (did a split with spazz)? again pretty intense hardcore but far from political. i have the mongol 800 cd and while i usually wouldnt listen to something so poppy i think they do have a political edge "...how many boys must be killed by ******* war?". its not crass but hey.
from being over there for a while i noticed that they are not as encouraged to challenge their government/ sytem as we are.....but maybe i just wasnt exposed to it!???
last time i was over there i did however see a book by chomsky translated into japanese so maybe we'll start to hear some anarcho-japanese punk who knows?
in love and resistance
nathan