Though primarily known for their 70's folk hits, the band Tulip (チューリップ) went through three stylistic phases during their initial 17 year-long run, all of which involved member changes. The second of these phases spanned between 1980 and 1985, during which the band decided to leave the Earth and explore the world beyond through their music. I'm guessing it was probably the leader Kazuo Zaitsu (財津和夫) who decided to push the band in this new direction after experimenting with digital sounds on his 1978 solo album "Uchuujin" (宇宙塵... Space Dust). With the advent of techno during those years, he also couldn't resist playing with the synthesizers. As for Tulip, not everyone in the group liked this new direction, so two original members, Akira Yoshida (吉田彰) and Masatoshi Ueda (上田雅利), left, being replaced by Shin'ichiro Miyagi (宮城伸一郎) on bass and Kaoru Ito (伊藤薫) on drums. Long story short, Miyagi became a loyal member of the band, and after their reunions from 1997 on he was always there.
Thankfully for Tulip, entering the Space Age didn't necessarily mean leaving behind their Beatle-eque melodic roots and vocal harmonies they were always known for. Their sound still remained simple and melodious, but with a dreamy atmosphere that accompanied the new motif. The title track from their 1982 album "2222-nen Picnic" (2222年ピクニック), composed and written by Zaitsu, is just vibrant with life from that distant and uncertain future that he invites us to imagine. Try listening to this song with your eyes closed and feel that dark space brighten up with the delight that's coming through the ears. Yep, I do love this song, and this album also happens to be my first Tulip purchase I made in 2010, just when I was getting into this band. That dreamy 1.5 instrumental intro in the clip above is an opening track titled "Utsukushii Hoshi" (美しい星...Beautiful Star), and when the drums and tinkling synths kick in, the real adventure starts. Kind of like launching a rocket after that moment of stargazing. Yes, we can fly indeed.
Here's a performance of "2222-nen Picnic" from their 1982 tour "Live Act Tulip The 1000th". I always get chills whenever I watch the part with the smoke and bright lights breaking through the darkness at the end of the intro. Even on stage this song still maintains its original impact. I always found the early-80's to be a magical time for Japanese music, so hearing songs like this vividly brings that period to my mind.
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| Source: Tulip's official website |
Hey, nikala.
ReplyDeleteI guess the turn of the decade into the 1980s was pretty pivotal for Japanese pop music. A new brand of aidoru debuted, YMO was bringing in technopop for the masses, and even the established groups were changing directions. Off Course decided to go for a more mainstream pop sound while Tulip veered into the Space Age. I'd heard about this change in sound for Zaitsu and company but hadn't actually heard an example until now. Very interesting indeed.