Popular/Legendary/Respected Japanese bands that you've NEVER listened to...(and probably should)

[CAT5 9075]

Just as the title says. What well-known bands have you never bothered listening to? You know, the bands that everyone likes to talk about and/or
dick-ride. The bands you're committing "blasphemy" by not listening to, ahaha. ; )

 

X Japan

 

I have no idea why, but I've never been remotely interested in these guys. I've heard a few of their songs on turntable.fm, but nothing that made we want to go grab an album...

 

Supercar

Eastern Youth

 

These 2 bands in particular are very popular amongst Japanese indie-heads, but I suppose I never tried them because when I first started exploring indie, I had a very hipster-ish mindset and avoided the big names. I'll have to get around to it one day, heh...

 

Some others:

 

THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT

AKFG

Ging Nang Boys

BLANKEY JET CITY

Fishmans

54-71

 

 

I suppose I should at least try a few of these bands out...Funny, because I'm sure they probably have some tunes that are worth hearing too...

[Tokage 5930]

You're missing out on not listening to Eastern Youth, TMGE and Supercar dude

[CAT5 9075]

You're missing out on not listening to Eastern Youth, TMGE and Supercar dude

 

Any noteworthy albums?

 

Also, I'm sure you have a few to mention, Monsieur Turtelz

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Radiohead, Placebo, The XX, Nirvana, Luna Sea, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Zi=Kill, Shazna, Color...or was this supposed to be just Japanese?

[CAT5 9075]

Radiohead, Placebo, The XX, Nirvana, Luna Sea, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Zi=Kill, Shazna, Color...or was this supposed to be just Japanese?

It was, but that's fine. Feel free to mention any kind of band.

I haven't listened to most of those you listed either, but I am definitely a fan of Radiohead! To me, they're one of those bands that are overrated, but with good reason! ; )

[Number Girl 48]

Ging Nang Boyz are the shit, though they are just one of those crazy, noisy garage/punk bands not really anything particularly profound or special. Same with Blankey Jet City and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, minus some of the crazy noisiness. Honestly, I like 'em but I don't love 'em. 

 

I have never heard from Japan: 

- Flower Travellin Band 

- Mono

- Animetal or JAM Project (surprise, surprise)

- Tokyo Yankees

- Sex Machineguns

- Tomoyasu Hotei

- Tokyo Jihen 

- Cornelius 

- Mr. Children 

- Keiji Haino 

- The Mad Capsule Markets

 

I also don't remember if I've really heard anything by Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Maybe a looong time ago, but I hardly remember. 

 

Other:

- The Grateful Dead

- The Smiths

- The Cure

- David Bowie

- The White Stripes

- Marina & the Diamonds

- Lana Del Rey 

- Bring Me the Horizon

- Black Flag

- Slayer (and a good 90% of most legendary/popular metal bands)

[DeithX252 1266]

This is the list of the band that never listened to them or just listen a few song, but I am not interested to grab the album

 

- GLAY

- Buck Tick

- Tokyo Jihen

- 9mm parabellum bullet

- Ikimonogakari

- Base Ball Bear

- Luna Sea

- Uverworld

- LAST ALLIANCE (but their latest album is very good, want to try other album)

- JAM Project

- ALI PROJECT

 

this is all I can remember

[Zeus 7997]

Not to impose but I think a good idea to go along with this thread is to give to those that are interested the best release to check out from the list of bands they listed. Of course, if you don't want it that's all cool too. I just find myself that bands I haven't gotten into I didn't get into because they have so much to go through and I don't have a good starting point.

[GazeRockSnob 34]

Glay, D'erlanger, Sex Machineguns, Kuroyume, After Image.

[JukaForever 758]

all the bands are like alien to me, I only like X and Anthem out of all the legendary bands

[Number Girl 48]

Okay, Zess.

@Cat5: For X Japan, I recommend blue blood. It probably is one of their best albums to start from - its mostly 80's hair/speed metal and a couple of power ballads in between. At least it was the album that got me hooked on them. As for BJC, I recommend trying to see if you can find their two best of CD's "1991-1995" and "1997-2000." Pretty much that should be most of the BJC you'll ever need.

For everyone who asked about Luna Sea, I highly recommend the Mother album as it seems to be very popular among new listeners from my experience. This album was somewhat their transition between being an exclusive visual kei band to completely losing the visual image. This was also the period when their music kinda changed from having the standard 80's/90's visual sound to a more mainstream/progressive sound.
It also has some of their best, well-known songs such as "Genesis of Mind."

@Gazerocksnob: As for Kuroyume, I recommend the Feminism album. It is more accessible than anything they did earlier in their indie days or their later punk-ish sounding music. I also personally think it's better than their new stuff which I think is boring and awful.

[fitear1590 2414]

Not to impose but I think a good idea to go along with this thread is to give to those that are interested the best release to check out from the list of bands they listed. Of course, if you don't want it that's all cool too. I just find myself that bands I haven't gotten into I didn't get into because they have so much to go through and I don't have a good starting point.

I definitely also have this problem.  

 

In fact, *dusts off the old thread* perhaps it's time for the "Where should I start listening?" thread to make a comeback.  It can be a nice companion to this thread.

[CAT5 9075]

I have never heard from Japan: 

- Tokyo Jihen 

- Cornelius

j/k lol...But nah, cornelius is cool if you like bright, quirky and playful electronic music. Tokyo Jihen...I guess it depends on how much you like Shiina Ringo. You're either gonna love her or hate her tbh. But if you can dig the vocals, I think you'll be able to dig TJ's eccentric amalgam of jazz, rock, and pop. It's too bad they've disbanded because they were one of the best mainstream bands in Japan if you ask me. If the spirit ever moves you, check out "point" by cornelius and the first 2 albums by TJ (yes, both of them!).

 

Other:

- The Grateful Dead

- The Smiths

- The Cure

- David Bowie

- The White Stripes

- Marina & the Diamonds

- Lana Del Rey 

- Bring Me the Horizon

- Black Flag

- Slayer (and a good 90% of most legendary/popular metal bands)

I think if you just want to be more musically knowledgeable, then you should check out The cure, Bowie, Black Flag, Slayer, TGD, and even The White Stripes to an extent....but personally, I don't think BMTH, marina, and lana have made any kind of significant impact musically. I don't even get the hype around Lana to be honest lol...

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Ging Nang Boyz are the shit, though they are just one of those crazy, noisy garage/punk bands not really anything particularly profound or special. Same with Blankey Jet City and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, minus some of the crazy noisiness. Honestly, I like 'em but I don't love 'em. 

 

I have never heard from Japan: 

- Flower Travellin Band 

- Mono

- Animetal or JAM Project (surprise, surprise)

- Tokyo Yankees

- Sex Machineguns

- Tomoyasu Hotei

- Tokyo Jihen 

- Cornelius 

- Mr. Children 

- Keiji Haino 

- The Mad Capsule Markets

 

I also don't remember if I've really heard anything by Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Maybe a looong time ago, but I hardly remember. 

 

Other:

- The Grateful Dead

- The Smiths

- The Cure

- David Bowie

- The White Stripes

- Marina & the Diamonds

- Lana Del Rey 

- Bring Me the Horizon

- Black Flag

- Slayer (and a good 90% of most legendary/popular metal bands)

I just got into Marina, actually. I saw her in concert with my boyfriend and hoards of teenaged girls / gays.

 

is one of my favorites by her. And I'm fairly certain

was written about my life.

 

I've also recently been getting into The Cure. These are some places you could start: Just Like Heaven ,

, Close to Me, and probably their most recognizable song:

[Biopanda 2675]

Dir en grey

[CAT5 9075]

Dir en grey

 

 

[Tokage 5930]

For people trying to get into The Cure, please listen to their Pornography or Disintegration albums, those 2 are arguably their best.

As for Supercar, I think their OOKeah!! and OOYeah albums sort of offers a good depiction of their older, more shoegaze-inspired style and their later, more electronic style. The majority of Eastern Youth's discography is good, though their really early stuff (which is more standard hardcore punk) doesn't quite do it for me. They incorporate more occasional softer elements as their career progresses, but it doesn't really harm them IMO. My favorite out of TMGE's stuff is the album Gear Blues

Also for The Smiths just listen to their first album because basically their entire discog is similar and if you like it you'll like it all.

 

Now, I haven't really listened toooooo...

- D'erlanger (other than that 1 LVER song)

- Dead End

- Baseball Bear

- Shiina Ringo's solo stuff (ooooooops)

- Ging Nang Boys

- Nirvana

- basically any of the 'big' western metal bands, mostly because I don't really like metal

[Augie1995 325]

Hahaha I love CAT5's gif for Biopanda's post xD

 

 

I think for me, it would have to be: X JAPAN, Luna Sea, 9mm Parabellum bullet, and MAXIMUM THE HORMONE. I think that's all the main big ones I can think of. 

[ryoustyle 0]

Since there seem to be so many fans of them it feels bad to admit I can't remember hearing a single song by Buck-Tick. Same goes for Luna Sea, Kuroyume, Glay and another bunch I can't remember, shame on me. D:

 

Someone high above me mentioned Ali Project, I personally recommend their album Kinsho.

[Number Girl 48]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! When I get a better internet connection, I'll definitely check out some videos.

 

@Tokage: Older Dead End is better than more recent Dead End imho, so I would try to look through their 80's albums before jumping forward post-reunion. The only album I have of them is the compilation "All in One" which has most of their "essential" tracks so that may be a good place to start. 

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Oh, I guess I should add more Japanese bands I've never actually tried:

 

Glay, Acid Black Cherry, Psycho Le Cemu, Dead End, Base Ball Bear, Kagerou, Kagrra,, Vasalla (although, I don't think they were all that big), Hide's anything but X, Buck-Tick, After Image, Janne da Arc, Siam Shade, NoGod (aside from their Kakusei single), ....does Sel'm count?

 

Also, for those not having tried 9mm Parabellum Bullet, try here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1YshUij5iA

 

This was the song Cat5 showed me while bitching about their change of style, so naturally I really liked it

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

I actually can't think of any that I have skipped... perhaps MR CHILDREN.

And GLAY, but I downloaded their first album today and I totally dig it.

 

 

Also, if you haven't tried LUNA SEA, I recommend EDEN or MOTHER. (All their albums are marvelous but I guess those 2 are pretty vkish).

[Zeus 7997]

NoGoD

Mugenkyo + Gokusaishiki definitely. I would also check out their INDIES BEST COMPILATION because it has a smattering of tracks from those two albums and then tracks from earlier releases.

I would stay away from their newer stuff IMHO.

[Augie1995 325]

Mugenkyo + Gokusaishiki definitely. I would also check out their INDIES BEST COMPILATION because it has a smattering of tracks from those two albums and then tracks from earlier releases.

I would stay away from their newer stuff IMHO.

Their old stuff was great IMO but I find myself having more favorite songs coming from their most recent stuff from Kakera and after. Those are my two cents, so I think Peace Heavy mk II should definitely try the old stuff, but tread lightly on their newer stuff rather than avoid it.

 

I guess I forgot to add Buck-Tick, Kaggra, and Kuroyume

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

Kuroyume

The first two albums are essential. From what I know of your taste, the first may not be your thing, but the second is so good that anyone who likes VK should appreciate it... Or at least experience if you somehow end up not liking it. The first too has so many good VK riffs ( clarification: Tasteful riffage, no deluhibearsights crap ) that I wouldn't skip it either, however it may take a while to grow on ye as it did for me. I used to hate Kiyoharu's vocals as well, but later on I realized that he used to be one of the best vocalists in the scene ( made obvious by the legions that were influenced by him ) and the voice gets a little less grating each time if that's a problem.