Yes, the above is spam. Naked spam, all fresh from the can. And I'm more than delighted to inform you that I've been a big fan of spam ever since I was a kid. I've had friends who have pooh-pooh'ed it as dog food for humans but hey, the Okinawans have used it in their goya champloo and the Hawaiians have also made spam musubi. Me? Throughout my years on Earth, I've enjoyed having it sliced up, fried up and eaten up with steamed rice.
Now it was almost a year ago when I introduced 99.99 (pronounced Four-Nine), this music project spearheaded by keyboardist Masei Hattori（服部ませい）and violinist Tadahiko Yokogawa（横川理彦）which wanted to get out its brand of progressive rock, technopop and fusion. And they were able to do so through a couple of albums in 1982 and 1983.
The first album from 1982, the self-titled "99.99" with that gorgeous album cover of an old gas pump was divided into two types in terms of the music with the Type A of prog rock and technopop and the Type B of fusion. The first song that I introduced was the first track "Amazin' & Amusin'" which was comfortably set in the latter type. Track No. 2 is "Spam Rhapsody" which again I think is a fusion tune. Depending on which website one visits, the title can be seen as either "Spam Rhapsody" or "Spum Rhapsody" but since I have no idea what "spum" is and I do adore my meaty spam, I haven't hesitated to go with the first option.
As the YouTube video explains it, "Spam Rhapsody" is indeed filled with its funk and jazz although it starts out rather airily, almost like a prog rock prelude. Then about a minute in, we get into some festive atmosphere with vocalist Suzi Kim in full funk mode and a lot of electric instruments: guitar, bass and piano with Hattori on a number of synthesizers including an Oberheim OBX. No, it doesn't remind me of one of my favourite easy dinners, but heck it's fun to listen to. And there's even another cameo by the Type A music as Hattori decides to play around on the synths. Especially in the latter half of "Spam Rhapsody", that music project-rather-than-a-band feeling comes out with some of that free-wheeling jam session.
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After reading this post I think our opinions on SPAM may be in agreement. I am a little surprised Spam is or can be used in dishes from Okinawa! ANd, there are even songs named dedicated to spam or named after spam.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall, I think that there was a Monty Python song dedicated to spam too. The spam usage in Okinawan dishes was probably something from the American military stationed there.
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