Hakuchi (白痴) - Pops

The three piece hailing from Saga prefecture on the North Western tip of the Japanese island of Kyushu describe themselves as "Junk Pop" which is a fairly appropriate tag. The band who take their name from the Japanese translation of Fyodor Dostoyevsk's "The Idiot" have a joyous, care free, unpretentious, anything goes approach to their music. Something ably demonstrated in the opening track of their 5 track CDR where the band breakdown into Japanese instructional exercise drills mid-song before launching into 30 seconds of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"then rolling straight back into the groove like nothing happened. yeah, why not?

Hakuchi are as fun as they are loud, catchy and unpredictable.  

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Jyunen Senshu (十年選手) - 9696PAR

Jyunen Senshu (Teenage Player) is a side project from Yoshida Hajime best known for being the guitarist/vocalist in long standing Tokyo punk experimenters Panicsmile. Those familiar with his main band won't be too surprised by what's on offer here. It's got a much more chilled vibe to it but the Captain Beefheart, No-Wave influences are still very apparent. 

Not too sure exactly what the lineup is as there's very little information on the band but it seems to be a drum, bass, guit setup accompanied by 2 saxophones. The band sound pretty similar to other local Tokyoites such as Bossston Cruizing Mania and PQ (and possibly have some shared members.). Occasional spoken word vocals layered on top of off kilter bass, stop and start drums, dischordant smokey sax lines and abrasive guitar stabs that ends up sound like a laid back James Chance and The Contortions.

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Ultra Fuckers - King Of Scum Ultra Fuckers at KB*CC 2003

Self declared "Kings of Scum" the Ultra Fuckers are ambassadors of one of Kansai's more quirky little sub-genres. Scum rock which sprang in the mid to late 90's is defined more by its approach and execution rather than stylistic similarities. Scum Rock is defined by its clumsy, amateurish, antagonistic, provocative, wild and eccentric performances. Infamously shy a lot of bands have a hard time getting any sort of reaction from Japanese crowds. Scum is all about shaking things up and keeping things unpredictable in order to create the necessary climate for the elusive "happening".                

Ultra Fuckers' particular brand of scum comes in the form of some raw, crappy, awkward garage punk and more recently experimental diversions into oddball Krautrock. Usually wearing a paper bag on his head and clad in skate pads vocalist  Kawai Kazuki's favourite party trick is to bring a ladder on stage with him and use it to launch his body at anything close enough to hit. At least until 2003 when such antics earned Kazuki a rather painful broken shin bone. The ladder has very rarely been seen since. The painful incident is preserved here on youtube and was later released on a DVD fittingly titled "Bone Crunch Memory".

Kazuki also helps curate Lost Frog, a website created to disseminate scum rock through the web. The site seems to be only sporadically active these days but you'll find a lot of interesting stuff available for free download including a number of Ultra Fuckers' EPs and self-releases.    

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