I've been a fan of Japanese popular music for 40 years, and have managed to collect a lot of material during that time. So I decided I wanted to talk about Showa Era music with like-minded fans. My particular era is the 70s and 80s (thus the "kayo kyoku"). The plus part includes a number of songs and artists from the last 30 years and also the early kayo. So, let's talk about New Music, aidoru, City Pop and enka.
Credits
I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Akina Nakamori -- TATTOO
In the latter half of the 1980s, after her big successes with the singles "Meu Amore" and "DESIRE", Akina Nakamori（中森明菜） made the transition from superaidoru to artiste starting with her 9th album, "Fushigi"（不思議...Strange) in 1986. That album and the ones following it were notable in that they were produced by Nakamori herself, she started getting more experimental with her sound (hard rock, exotic, etc.), and they didn't include the hit singles that she was still releasing regularly. I did buy "Fushigi", "Crimson" and "Stock" and gave them a listen when they came out over 20 years ago....I have to admit that I didn't really cotton onto them...but that was then, this is now. Perhaps I might appreciate them better in the 21st century.
But my point is that during this career parallelism, when I thought I was losing Akina-chan to avant-gardism, this single just went....BOOM....in a whole lot of noggins, including the hollow one on my neck in 1988. She showed up on the music countdown shows wearing a tight red mini-skirt and a Madonna-worthy bodice, and started shimmying those shoulders to a synthesized Big Band melody! Yowza!
"TATTOO" was written by Yuriko Mori（森由里子） and composed by progressive rock band EUROX keyboardist, Asato Sekine（関根安里）, who had helped craft "Fushigi" a few years previously. According to Mori, she'd had the movie "Blade Runner" in mind, and the lyrics do mention "replicant" and push the idea of an android revolution. Not sure if Mori had also been trying to send a message about Japanese society at large.
The song was first released on May 18, 1988 and it hit No. 1 on the Oricon right from the get-go and stayed there for 2 weeks. It would also be the 15th straight single to reach No. 1 for Nakamori since "Southern Wind" in 1984. It became the 13th-ranked song of the year and would also earn a Gold Prize at the Japan Record Awards.
Motohiro Makaino（馬飼野元宏） a critic for "Hotwax Presents: Kayo Kyoku Famous Songs and Recordings 1980s"gave the following impressions:
"This was a bold undertaking melding a Benny Goodmanesque motif with a Big Band orchestration and a jungle beat, realized through a digital sound. It's a cutting-edge number which deviates from the usual structure of a kayo kyoku."
I'm happy to hear that you started to like Akina more. I have been her fan for a long time and her music still sounds as good as when they were released. Glad to find your blog and will continue to follow. Thanks.
Yeah, I'm hoping that I'll get more followers in the weeks and months to follow. Haven't heard from Akina in a number of years, but I'm just hoping that she's OK. I've always had a feeling that she's quite fragile.
You know, I must admit that TATTOO never was a favourite of mine. I do enjoy the track, but I prefer when it is performed in live concerts. Unfortunately, I rarely listen to the studio version.
As a side note, yesterday was an exception. I listened to all of Akina's 80s singles and didn't skip TATTOO. Most of the times I skip Second Love, Twilight, Gypsy Queen and TATTOO.
But talking about the track itself, I remember that my first impressions about TATTOO were related to the wildness of the song. The bass, in special, is a killer, and my favourite element of the song. It's bouncy and sexy. I can only think about these two adjectives to describe it right now. Curiously, I really enjoy a new mix released in the "Best Collection -Love Songs & Pop Songs-", a compilation that hit the stores some months ago. This new mix enhances the bass in TATTOO.
About the synthesized big band horns, they just add wildness to the track, and Akina's performances were always very sexy and provocative. I consider TATTOO a highlight of her '88 Femme Fatale Tour and the '91 Special Concert, althought every performance of this song is worth watching.
From her '88 singles, TATTOO, in my opinion, comes in second place. AL-MAUJ is kind of a forgotten track, as Akina rarely performs it in concerts. And I MISSED "THE SHOCK" still wins my preference, as it's one of my favourites singles from her. Indeed, a very beautiful track.
"I Missed The Shock"has two things I remember very well: the amazing opening drum riff and Akina's vocal acrobatics near the end. I have her "CD 87" which reminds me of her songs in the late 80s. For me, I've enjoyed her middle stuff from 1985 to 1989 the best. "Fin"is also a favourite of mine. I've been a fan of big band jazz for some years which would explain why I like "TATTOO", although I have to agree with you that her appearance in the red dress helps a lot with the presentation. :)
But the one song I've really enjoyed by her is one that didn't even become a single: "Romantic na Yoru da wa". It was the second track from her 1985 "Bitter & Sweet". I think it was the first time I've heard her belt out funk. The other surprise that it was written and composed by EPO, who's usually more in the City Pop vein of music.
I didn't like "Fin" so much at first, but, right now, it's one of my favourites as well. Some time ago, I read a translation of the lyrics and, after that, I started enjoying it much more. The performance included in the "felicidad AKINA NAKAMORI LIVE '97" helped a lot as well.
About "Romantic na Yoru da wa", I consider it a great track too. I'm suspicious because I really like disco/funk songs, so it's was quite obvious that I'd enjoy that song so much. I also like when she sang it live during her "BITTER & SWEET 1985 SUMMER TOUR". It was quite short as it was included in the "BABYLON medley", but it's better than nothing. Unfortunately I don't have a good copy of this particular concert. I need to get it somehow.
Another track that I like a lot, and battle for my favouritism with "I MISSED THE SHOCK" and "Kazari Janai no Yo Namida Wa", is "SOUTHERN WIND". Do you enjoy her "aidoru" singles, like this one, or you don't listen to then very often?
Her "AKINA EAST LIVE INDEX-XXIII" is a great concert to enjoy her old hits because they really match her matured voice, specially when she uses the vibrato.
I've seen both concerts. I have the double-CD pack of XXIII as well as the VHS video....both start out with that rollicking extended version of TATTOO. And I borrowed...a couple of times...that video of the BITTER & SWEET tour. Interesting choreography; if I remember correctly, Akina starts out wearing a silver wig and dull gray dress while doing some ballet moves.
For me, I tend towards the latter half of the 80s for repeated listening to her stuff, but I like her big hits from her early aidoru days such as "Jukkai" and "Kinku". The latter song was my introduction to Akina. It's poignant to listen to those early hits since her voice at that time was still fairly high back then.
Again I learned something new here: EUROX-Akina connection. Blade Runner athmosphere is very much present in EUROX' Galient World, OP from Panzer World Galient. Time has treated anime badly, but Galient World sounds still good.
But what do I know. I love 80's synth sound and my favourite from Fushigi has always been that hauntingly awesome distorted mix of Teenage Blue.
I never learned about EUROX until I started getting the information for this entry. As I replied to another fellow fan, I've only listened to some of her original late 80s albums once; if I can do so, I'd like to give "Fushigi"another try.
I'm happy to hear that you started to like Akina more. I have been her fan for a long time and her music still sounds as good as when they were released. Glad to find your blog and will continue to follow. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm hoping that I'll get more followers in the weeks and months to follow. Haven't heard from Akina in a number of years, but I'm just hoping that she's OK. I've always had a feeling that she's quite fragile.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I must admit that TATTOO never was a favourite of mine. I do enjoy the track, but I prefer when it is performed in live concerts. Unfortunately, I rarely listen to the studio version.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, yesterday was an exception. I listened to all of Akina's 80s singles and didn't skip TATTOO. Most of the times I skip Second Love, Twilight, Gypsy Queen and TATTOO.
But talking about the track itself, I remember that my first impressions about TATTOO were related to the wildness of the song. The bass, in special, is a killer, and my favourite element of the song. It's bouncy and sexy. I can only think about these two adjectives to describe it right now. Curiously, I really enjoy a new mix released in the "Best Collection -Love Songs & Pop Songs-", a compilation that hit the stores some months ago. This new mix enhances the bass in TATTOO.
About the synthesized big band horns, they just add wildness to the track, and Akina's performances were always very sexy and provocative. I consider TATTOO a highlight of her '88 Femme Fatale Tour and the '91 Special Concert, althought every performance of this song is worth watching.
From her '88 singles, TATTOO, in my opinion, comes in second place. AL-MAUJ is kind of a forgotten track, as Akina rarely performs it in concerts. And I MISSED "THE SHOCK" still wins my preference, as it's one of my favourites singles from her. Indeed, a very beautiful track.
Hi, bode1967.
Delete"I Missed The Shock"has two things I remember very well: the amazing opening drum riff and Akina's vocal acrobatics near the end. I have her "CD 87" which reminds me of her songs in the late 80s. For me, I've enjoyed her middle stuff from 1985 to 1989 the best. "Fin"is also a favourite of mine. I've been a fan of big band jazz for some years which would explain why I like "TATTOO", although I have to agree with you that her appearance in the red dress helps a lot with the presentation. :)
But the one song I've really enjoyed by her is one that didn't even become a single: "Romantic na Yoru da wa". It was the second track from her 1985 "Bitter & Sweet". I think it was the first time I've heard her belt out funk. The other surprise that it was written and composed by EPO, who's usually more in the City Pop vein of music.
I didn't like "Fin" so much at first, but, right now, it's one of my favourites as well. Some time ago, I read a translation of the lyrics and, after that, I started enjoying it much more. The performance included in the "felicidad AKINA NAKAMORI LIVE '97" helped a lot as well.
DeleteAbout "Romantic na Yoru da wa", I consider it a great track too. I'm suspicious because I really like disco/funk songs, so it's was quite obvious that I'd enjoy that song so much. I also like when she sang it live during her "BITTER & SWEET 1985 SUMMER TOUR". It was quite short as it was included in the "BABYLON medley", but it's better than nothing. Unfortunately I don't have a good copy of this particular concert. I need to get it somehow.
Another track that I like a lot, and battle for my favouritism with "I MISSED THE SHOCK" and "Kazari Janai no Yo Namida Wa", is "SOUTHERN WIND". Do you enjoy her "aidoru" singles, like this one, or you don't listen to then very often?
Her "AKINA EAST LIVE INDEX-XXIII" is a great concert to enjoy her old hits because they really match her matured voice, specially when she uses the vibrato.
I've seen both concerts. I have the double-CD pack of XXIII as well as the VHS video....both start out with that rollicking extended version of TATTOO. And I borrowed...a couple of times...that video of the BITTER & SWEET tour. Interesting choreography; if I remember correctly, Akina starts out wearing a silver wig and dull gray dress while doing some ballet moves.
DeleteFor me, I tend towards the latter half of the 80s for repeated listening to her stuff, but I like her big hits from her early aidoru days such as "Jukkai" and "Kinku". The latter song was my introduction to Akina. It's poignant to listen to those early hits since her voice at that time was still fairly high back then.
Again I learned something new here: EUROX-Akina connection. Blade Runner athmosphere is very much present in EUROX' Galient World, OP from Panzer World Galient. Time has treated anime badly, but Galient World sounds still good.
ReplyDeleteBut what do I know. I love 80's synth sound and my favourite from Fushigi has always been that hauntingly awesome distorted mix of Teenage Blue.
I never learned about EUROX until I started getting the information for this entry. As I replied to another fellow fan, I've only listened to some of her original late 80s albums once; if I can do so, I'd like to give "Fushigi"another try.
Delete