Posts Tagged Japan
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July 25, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit: April is The Cruellest Month
Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit April is The Cruellest Month Blank Forms Editions Japanese guitarist Masayuki “Jojo” Takayanagi (1932-1991) was a jazzer – playing cool jazz in the late 50s, a disciple of Lennie Tristano. He turned his back on the movement after hearing the late-60s classic, Free Form Guitar by Chicago Transit Authority. After that all Takayangi wanted to do was make noise. He formed […]Archive
July 18, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast # 176: Carl Shuker
Welcome to episode 176 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. I first met Carl Shuker close to 20 years ago. He […]Archive
May 2, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 166 – Rob Mayes (Failsafe Records)
Welcome to episode 166 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify -follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. I had a chat with Rob Mayes. He runs a […]Archive
August 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 82: The Soft Boys – “Underwater Moonlight”
Here’s another where I can’t really explain myself – I’m really a big fan of Robyn Hitchcock, I continue to check out his material (mostly great) and I have a few favourite albums by him. And yet the band he was in, The Soft Boys, has sat neglected – I had a compilation album and […]Archive
August 5, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 79: Japan – “Quiet Life”
I always love finding a New Favourite Album of The Year that comes from way back – this year my favourite album of 2018 not released in 2018 is – easily – Japan’s Quiet Life (released in late 1979). I have never listened to Japan. I’ve heard about the band, read about the band, thought […]Archive
July 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 389
Bob Dylan, Masterpieces (1978) You just know what you know – especially when there was no internet. So all I knew was that Masterpieces was a life-changer. Possibly the most important album I ever heard. It opened all the doors. In fact it blew them right off their hinges. And if it was only supposed […]Archive
February 7, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 97 Post-Punk
The early eighties in Wellington was the best place and the soundtrack for me was what I suppose you would call post punk. It was a new type of music and I loved it – Echo and XTC, Furs and the Cure, Magazine and Joy Division, Dexy’s and Only Ones, Stranglers and Members, Japan and […]Archive
December 1, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
WWE Beast In The East: DVD
Beast In The East WWE Shock Here’s one that’s for fans only, even more so than the usual case of pro-wrestling DVD up for review. You see here’s a special event – Brock Lesnar in Japan for the first time in a decade – masquerading as a PPV-event. In fact it was a network show […]Archive
May 8, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
Haruki Murakami: The Strange Library
The Strange Library Haruki Murakami Knopf Originally published in Japan in 2008 here we have the first English translation of Murakami’s novella. The Strange Library has been translated from Japanese by Ted Goossen and is supported by wonderful illustrations and design of Chip Kidd, but the real magic is in this creepy, intriguing tale – […]Archive
December 9, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
Win Tickets to See King Brothers In Wellington
Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, Japan’s King Brothers will play a stonking set at the San Fran with Auckland band, THE DHDFDS (see here for ticket details and full gig info). Should be a rowdy-good time. And for one lucky Off The Tracks reader I have one double-pass to giveaway. To be in to win just […]Archive
September 8, 2014 by Simon Sweetman