MAX is that 1990s song-and-dance group that I've known for their association with Namie Amuro（安室奈美恵）when they were collectively known as Super Monkeys, and then when the two parted in their own directions, MAX also gained their fame for their catchy J-Eurobeat tunes during that decade. Nana, Mina, Lina and Reina were also quite the popular guests on television, especially with a running gag involving their home prefecture's (Okinawa) wetlands of Lake Man which when said in their original Japanese has the same pronunciation as the term describing a certain part of a woman's anatomy. Ah, much mirthful embarrassment was had by all!
Anyways, at this juncture of my life, it sure sounds nostalgic hearing the group's 4th single "Seventies" from July 1996 (following "Tora Tora Tora") because of all of that J-Eurobeat again although the lyrics by Kazumi Suzuki（鈴木計見）hearken back to all that disco of the titular 1970s. Heck, they even refer to the hairstyles, fashion and some of the popular songs from that decade. All in all, it's the type of song that reminds me that the video game Dance Dance Revolution would become a thing a couple of years later.
"Seventies" became MAX's first Top 10 hit by placing in at No. 7. The song composed and arranged by Groove Surfers was also included on their first studio album, "Maximum", released in December 1996 which hit No. 1. And to top it all off, the song was actually a cover of the 1994 original by Mega NRG Man.
Enjoyed the article. It's fun to read how big Eurobeat was in Japan during the 90's(and it's still there. Avex just posted on their Youtube channel the other day an MV for a Eurobeat song).
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile in America, Eurobeat never really made a dent at all. Around this same time, the biggest single of 1996 was "Macarena."
Thanks very much. If Eurobeat is still alive and well in Japan, I wonder if Trance is doing similarly fine. "Macarena" seemed to be a thing in Japan as well along with a few other dances such as the "Lambada" back in the early 90s.
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