EAD - Lead Or Deadead? Head Or Ead.

E is for EAD.

EAD are one of the many bands that sprang up during the sudden peak in interest in the Japanese experimental underground scene in the mid-90's that followed on the heels of the success of bands like Boredoms, Ruins and Acid Mothers Temple.

"Lead Or Deadead?" was put out by renowned Osaka D.I.Y. label Gyuune Cassette in '97. The label was created by local musician Suhara Keizo in '94 as a way of documenting the local underground experimental scene. Over the years the label has been home to some of Japan's best known musical vanguard including Yamamoto Seiichi (Boredoms, Omoidehatoba), Hiroshi Na (Hadaka No Rallizes, Port Cuss, Niplets), Tabata Mitsuru (Acid Mothers Temple, Zeni Geva) as well as younger generations of cosmic sonic adventurers such as Afrirampo and LSD March. 

EAD were a 4-piece collaboration project (Junji Miike, Atsushi Shibata, Koichi Yoshimura, Manabu Ishikuma. Off the top of my head the members don't ring any bells but I'm sure most of them must have been active in other bands and projects. Kudos to any knowledgeable reader who can point them out to me.) that bare many of the hallmarks of the underground scene at the time. Genre-less experimentations into noise-psychedelia with heavy Krautrock, prog and No-wave influences. The album also features a number of guest musicians including members of Omoide Hatoba and Solmania.

It doesn't look like the CD is still available (I found my copy tucked away in the treasure trove of Japanese underground gems that is Forever Records.) but you could always try contacting Suhara himself through the Gyuune Cassette website to inquire about it. Yeah, when I say D.I.Y. label I mean D.I.Y. label.

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