After twenty years of rock-n-roll, Japanese band Yura Yura Teikoku has decided to call it quits. This is really upsetting news, as they were one of, if not the best band I have ever seen live. I caught the group at Maxwell’s in September of 2008, and at Bowery Ballroom a year later. The Bowery Ballroom set wasn’t as energetic and raw powered as the one in Hoboken, but nevertheless, it was a great show from a truly versatile band.
I had first heard about Yura Yura Teikoku (or “Unstable Government” in English) from a Fader article about Japanese psychedelic rock. I checked out the band on YouTube, and was immediately transfixed by their style, both in music and in fashion. Dressed always in a black shirt and red pants, shaved eyebrows and long hair, lead singer and guitarist Shintaro Sakamoto just pours out the essence of cool. His shouting/singing/speaking was transcending… despite the difference in language I still felt I could sing along with him… and I did when I saw them, twice (it doesn’t take much bilinguality to scream along with “yeahyeahyeah yeaaaahh yeahhh yeahyeahyeahyeah”). Sakamoto always played a Gibson SG, and I ended up buying one myself after seeing him jam out at Maxwell’s. He really made the music come alive.
The rest of the band is not to be ignored. Chiyo Kamekawa stood like a statue, his bass playing evoking John Enwistle with his “thunderfingers” and solid stance, but he looked like some sort of character from Ridley Scott’s Legend. Ichiro Shibata, the band’s drummer, is the Japanese Charlie Watts, busting away on the band’s maniacal grooves.
Yura Yura Teikoku III is my favorite album by the band. “No Question Mark” is the greatest album opener of all time. Busting straight ahead into a two chord riff, which grooves on and off for over seven minutes, they were the kind of band that gave you what you wanted immediately, but let the music jam itself out, never getting boring.
I found out about this via ToykoGraph. The story of the break-up was pretty miniscule on American shores, understandable because they were a solely Japanese band… but I wish that the news could have been a bit more widespread. As sad as it is, retirements and death of artists are some of the ways that people are exposed to them.
It stinks that the band won’t be performing anymore… I was anxiously awaiting their performance in New York this fall, (thinking they’d be there because they were for the past two years)… but I understand it’s something the band wants to do. According to the TokyoGraph, Sakamoto said “[The band] felt that they had accomplished everything they could with the band, and continuing would feel like “routine work.” As a result, they chose to disband, with the three of them planning to pursue different musical projects.”
I, for one, am excited to see what’s planned for the future!
Check out a 2005 Fader article on the band here.
The mention of the band I read was in the July 2008 issue of Fader, written by Justin Simon. I copied and pasted the review of 3x3x3 below.
“Led by an alien-esque man with no eyebrows and an emaciated, more feminine Haino Keiji doppelganger, the craziest looking band on this list might also be the best. [Full disclosure: I license some of their records for release in the US on my label, though not this one.] YYT have spent the last twenty years releasing one flawless album after the next, but this, the record that propelled the group into superstardom at home, is the best gateway drug into their catalog. Side two is particularly lethal. Barreling out the gates with opener “Hakkoutai,” bass player Kamekawa’s deathdefying walking bass spins circles around guitarist/singer Sakamoto’s scorching Hendrixy leads, only to up the intensity on the breakneck following track “Tsukinuketa.” On the other side of the spectrum, the gorgeous, nine-minute ballad “Yurayura Ugoku” will have you crying your face off. For what it’s worth, this is my desert island record.”
In case you don’t know the band, here are a few videos from YouTube.
“Rame No Pantalon”- from Yura Yura Teikoku III. The first song I’d heard from the band. This is a really fun jam with a great video!
“Evil Car” from 3x3x3 live at Fuji Rock!
“Tsumetai Gift” from Memai.
“Yura Yura Teikoku de kangaechu” from Yura Yura Teikoku III
Just found out today about their breakup. Its really sad, since I never got to see them live. I don’t think they wouldve managed to pull another album like their old ones again, but I think they did have more to give. It does make me sad
I am very late to the news but am equally bummed!!! Best band I have ever seen live (saw their first ever American show in Brooklyn in 2006 (I think) and their Boston show in 2009). Their best psychedelic songs drew you in, lifted you up, then blew your mind. Amazing artists who, sadly, never really got their due internationally. Long live YYT!!
Its my favorite band. And I’m aware that there are other good, authentic masters of music – but nothing is comparable with this 3-piece.