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erik neuteboom View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: July 27 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 7659

Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:40

Well, Micky, you also should check out Social Tension, perhaps the most ELP inspired band in Japan!

micky

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46833

Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:30

spend last evening pouring over the artists listed here.. needless to say as a HUGE ELP fan my first purchase will be Ars Nova - The Goddess of Destruction. Loved the sample and very interested to hear the rest.

The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

timothy leary View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: December 29 2005
Location: Lilliwaup, Wa.
Status: Offline
Points: 5319

Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:24

Vermillion Sands Water blue
Ain Soph Mysterious Forest

erik neuteboom View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: July 27 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 7659

Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:53

Hello Reverie: check out Kenso and Far Corner (see my review on this site).

Hello Honganji: thanks for the addition, that is also my goal with this thread that progheads react and give their opinion and recommendations instead of summing up all the Japanese progrock bands I know!

honganji

Forum Senior Member

Joined: September 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 571

Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:48

There are many masterpieces unlisted on Prog Archives. My favorite bands/artists are:

*Yoninbayashi - The most famous band. Usually Japanese choose this band as the most popular progressive rock band. ALBUM: Isshoku Sokuhatsu

*Cosmos Factory - As well as Yoninbayashi, Cosmos Factory is one of the most popular band in Japan. All the four albums are attractive. But if I select one album, I agree with erik neuteboom. ALBUM: Transylvania no Kojo

*Gerard - I prefer Fujimura's vocal era. ALBUM: Irony Of Fate

*Ars Nova - All female trio. Ars Nova is influenced by Il Balletto Di Bronzo and ELP. ALBUM: Android Domina

*Bi Kyo Ran - One of the most King Crimson like band in the world. When I listend first time in early 1980s, I was astonished because Bi Kyo Ran played like Crimson. ALBUM: Parallax

*Far East Family Band - Kitaro joined in this group. But the band leader is Miyash*ta. ALBUM: Parallel World

*Ain Soph - Ain Soph was tremendously suffered by earthquake in Kobe. So they stopped around 10 years after the disaster. ALBUM: A Story OF Mysterious Forest

*After Dinner - RIO avant garde pop. After Dinner was one of the outstanding group in 1980s. ALBUM: Glass Tube

*Wha-ha-ha - Avant gard music and comedy ! If you can speak Japanese, you can laugh this strange world. ALBUM: Getahaitekonakucha

*Marge Litch - Progressive hard rock band. They are still active today. ALBUM: Higeki no Izumi

*Novela - One of the most important progressive hard rock band. Many Japanese bands have been iinfluenced by Novela. ALBUM: Paradise Lost

*Love Live Life - Important band of first generation of Japanese progressive rock movement. Best album is Love Will Make A Better You. This album is released by Love Live Life + One. Because Love Live Life invited a guest singer Fuse Akira and he was added as One.

*Magical Power Mako - The most important avant garde musician. He has been released more than 20 albums since middle of 1970s. ALBUM: Magical Power

*Vienna - Super band by famous progressive rock musicians. ALBUM: Step Into ...

*Outer Limits - Tsukamoto's band. I remember they were acclaimed in France in 1980s. ALBUM: A Boy Playing The Magical Bugle Horn

*Shingetsu - Japanesque Genesis ? Shingetsu was gem of late 1970s' Japanese scene. ALBUM: Shinbetsu

I have to go job !

May continue next post ???

Reverie

Forum Senior Member

Joined: May 14 2005
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 626

Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:37

Well i just purchased Koenjihyakkei's latest "Angherr Shisspa" having already heard it and being very impressed, and i like what i've heard from Ain Soph. That's about where my knowledge of Japanese prog extends to though

I am quite interested in exploring it more though, so thanks for those recommendations. Do you (or anybody else) know of any, more experimental Japanese prog bands?

erik neuteboom View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: July 27 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 7659

Posted: March 07 2006 at 03:50

Hello fellow progheads. &n bsp; &n bsp; &n bsp;

A good reason to start a thread about Japanese prog is that one can read so few reviews about Japanese bands on this site while this scene is so prolific and fascinating! For me the discovery of it started in the late Eighties when I visited a SI Music Progrock Meeting on a boat in Rotterdam, the famous Dutch harbor city. At the end of the evening a reviewer played two albums by Japanese progrock band Gerard, I was blown away and determined to get this music! A few years later I finally succeeded to purchase their fist two albums, each US $ 30,-, special import prices but I didn’t care at all because my quest for Japanese progrock had started from that moment. In the forthcoming years I ordered Japanese progrock from labels like Made In Japan and Nexus and also noticed that Japan has a vivid progrock scene, many great LP’s from non-Japanese progrock bands (from Argentine Crusis and Dutch Earth &Fire to Spanish Crack) were exclusively released in Japan.

But back to the Japanese progrock, it is a very varied scene featuring very crafted musicians who often play more than one instrument. Many bands are strongly influenced by ELP, King Crimson and UK but the Japanese progrock also delivers classical overtones.But you have to be up to the often high pitched Japanese vocals, these will not be everybody’s cup of tea.

Here are my favorite bands/recommendations:

* Gerard-Gerard and Empty Dream: compelling prog with great keyboards and fiery

electric guitar, akind of harder edged mid-Genesis

* Ars Nova-The Goddess Of Darkness: virtuosic ELP inspired instrumental prog

* Outer Limits-The Scene Of Pale Blue: excellent blend of classic and symphonic with

echoes from King Crimson, beautiful violin and splendid Mellotron waves

* Providence-And I’ll Recite Of An Old Mythe .. : dynamic and powerful prog featuring

wonderful Mellotron eruptions in the vein of early King Crimson

* Cosmos Factory-An Old Castle Of Transylvania: lots of Hammond and Mellotron and

psychedelic climates

* Pageant-La Mosaique De la Reverie: beautiful melodic prog with hints from Genesis,

Camel and Renaissance, the work on guitar, flute and keyboards is very moving

* Novela-Symphonic World: compilation that contains most of their long compositions

delivering lots of Mellotron waves

* Keyboards Triangle- a thrilling compilation with tracks from ELP, Trace, Il Balletto Di

Bronzo, Banco, Rick Wakeman and PFM, played by Gerard and Ars Nova, you can’t

beg for more keyboard pyrotechnics!

* Interpose+-Interpose+-stunning new band that plays very dynamic prog with lots of

shifting moods and great soli on keyboards and guitar. The music alternates between

symphonic and jazzrock, highly recommended!

I am very curious to your opinion about the Japanese progressive rock, which bands you like or what recommendations you have!

A BIG HAND FOR THE NIPPON PROG !

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:40
	Well, Micky, you also should check out Social Tension, perhaps the most ELP inspired band in Japan!

micky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46833	Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:30
	spend last evening pouring over the artists listed here.. needless to say as a HUGE ELP fan my first purchase will be Ars Nova - The Goddess of Destruction. Loved the sample and very interested to hear the rest.
	The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

timothy leary Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 29 2005 Location: Lilliwaup, Wa. Status: Offline Points: 5319	Posted: March 07 2006 at 07:24
	Vermillion Sands Water blue Ain Soph Mysterious Forest

erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:53
	Hello Reverie: check out Kenso and Far Corner (see my review on this site). Hello Honganji: thanks for the addition, that is also my goal with this thread that progheads react and give their opinion and recommendations instead of summing up all the Japanese progrock bands I know!

honganji Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 21 2005 Status: Offline Points: 571	Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:48
	There are many masterpieces unlisted on Prog Archives. My favorite bands/artists are: Yoninbayashi - The most famous band. Usually Japanese choose this band as the most popular progressive rock band. ALBUM: Isshoku Sokuhatsu Cosmos Factory - As well as Yoninbayashi, Cosmos Factory is one of the most popular band in Japan. All the four albums are attractive. But if I select one album, I agree with erik neuteboom. ALBUM: Transylvania no Kojo Gerard - I prefer Fujimura's vocal era. ALBUM: Irony Of Fate Ars Nova - All female trio. Ars Nova is influenced by Il Balletto Di Bronzo and ELP. ALBUM: Android Domina Bi Kyo Ran - One of the most King Crimson like band in the world. When I listend first time in early 1980s, I was astonished because Bi Kyo Ran played like Crimson. ALBUM: Parallax Far East Family Band - Kitaro joined in this group. But the band leader is Miyashta. ALBUM: Parallel World Ain Soph - Ain Soph was tremendously suffered by earthquake in Kobe. So they stopped around 10 years after the disaster. ALBUM: A Story OF Mysterious Forest After Dinner - RIO avant garde pop. After Dinner was one of the outstanding group in 1980s. ALBUM: Glass Tube Wha-ha-ha - Avant gard music and comedy ! If you can speak Japanese, you can laugh this strange world. ALBUM: Getahaitekonakucha Marge Litch - Progressive hard rock band. They are still active today. ALBUM: Higeki no Izumi Novela - One of the most important progressive hard rock band. Many Japanese bands have been iinfluenced by Novela. ALBUM: Paradise Lost Love Live Life - Important band of first generation of Japanese progressive rock movement. Best album is Love Will Make A Better You. This album is released by Love Live Life + One. Because Love Live Life invited a guest singer Fuse Akira and he was added as One. Magical Power Mako - The most important avant garde musician. He has been released more than 20 albums since middle of 1970s. ALBUM: Magical Power Vienna - Super band by famous progressive rock musicians. ALBUM: Step Into ... Outer Limits - Tsukamoto's band. I remember they were acclaimed in France in 1980s. ALBUM: A Boy Playing The Magical Bugle Horn *Shingetsu - Japanesque Genesis ? Shingetsu was gem of late 1970s' Japanese scene. ALBUM: Shinbetsu I have to go job ! May continue next post ???

Reverie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: May 14 2005 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 626	Posted: March 07 2006 at 05:37
	Well i just purchased Koenjihyakkei's latest "Angherr Shisspa" having already heard it and being very impressed, and i like what i've heard from Ain Soph. That's about where my knowledge of Japanese prog extends to though I am quite interested in exploring it more though, so thanks for those recommendations. Do you (or anybody else) know of any, more experimental Japanese prog bands?

erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: March 07 2006 at 03:50
	Hello fellow progheads. &n bsp; &n bsp; &n bsp; A good reason to start a thread about Japanese prog is that one can read so few reviews about Japanese bands on this site while this scene is so prolific and fascinating! For me the discovery of it started in the late Eighties when I visited a SI Music Progrock Meeting on a boat in Rotterdam, the famous Dutch harbor city. At the end of the evening a reviewer played two albums by Japanese progrock band Gerard, I was blown away and determined to get this music! A few years later I finally succeeded to purchase their fist two albums, each US $ 30,-, special import prices but I didn’t care at all because my quest for Japanese progrock had started from that moment. In the forthcoming years I ordered Japanese progrock from labels like Made In Japan and Nexus and also noticed that Japan has a vivid progrock scene, many great LP’s from non-Japanese progrock bands (from Argentine Crusis and Dutch Earth &Fire to Spanish Crack) were exclusively released in Japan. But back to the Japanese progrock, it is a very varied scene featuring very crafted musicians who often play more than one instrument. Many bands are strongly influenced by ELP, King Crimson and UK but the Japanese progrock also delivers classical overtones.But you have to be up to the often high pitched Japanese vocals, these will not be everybody’s cup of tea. Here are my favorite bands/recommendations: * Gerard-Gerard and Empty Dream: compelling prog with great keyboards and fiery electric guitar, akind of harder edged mid-Genesis * Ars Nova-The Goddess Of Darkness: virtuosic ELP inspired instrumental prog * Outer Limits-The Scene Of Pale Blue: excellent blend of classic and symphonic with echoes from King Crimson, beautiful violin and splendid Mellotron waves * Providence-And I’ll Recite Of An Old Mythe .. : dynamic and powerful prog featuring wonderful Mellotron eruptions in the vein of early King Crimson * Cosmos Factory-An Old Castle Of Transylvania: lots of Hammond and Mellotron and psychedelic climates * Pageant-La Mosaique De la Reverie: beautiful melodic prog with hints from Genesis, Camel and Renaissance, the work on guitar, flute and keyboards is very moving * Novela-Symphonic World: compilation that contains most of their long compositions delivering lots of Mellotron waves * Keyboards Triangle- a thrilling compilation with tracks from ELP, Trace, Il Balletto Di Bronzo, Banco, Rick Wakeman and PFM, played by Gerard and Ars Nova, you can’t beg for more keyboard pyrotechnics! * Interpose+-Interpose+-stunning new band that plays very dynamic prog with lots of shifting moods and great soli on keyboards and guitar. The music alternates between symphonic and jazzrock, highly recommended! I am very curious to your opinion about the Japanese progressive rock, which bands you like or what recommendations you have! A BIG HAND FOR THE NIPPON PROG !