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MAY 1998
From Daily
Yomiuri Shinbun (Tuesday):
In Your Ear by Glenn Kardy Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer Yomiuri
SPEED
- Rise. Toy's Factory. 3,059 yen -
Ring Process. Sony Records. 1,020 yen
"Bring on the Nubiles."
That was the title of a naughty little number recorded by seminal Brit-punk
band the Stranglers back in 1977, but it could just as well be the rallying
cry of the Japanese music industry circa 1998. For as long as anyone cares
to remember, it has been more important for Japanese pop vocalists--especially
the female ones--to look good than to sing well (or to be able to sing at all).
And the younger and more innocent a so-called idol artist appears, the more
likely it is she will sell a few million records and end up married to a thirtysomething
member of TRF. Lately, though, things have gotten out of hand. Idols
nowadays don't just look innocent--they are innocent. And the record companies--and
record buyers--can't seem to get enough of them. It's a situation that smacks
of exploitation. SPEED, currently one of the country's hottest acts, consists
of a quartet of Lolitas who collectively are about the same age as Seiko Matsuda.
Well, sort of. When they released their first single, the hip-hoppy "Body
and Soul," in 1996, the youngest member of the group was 12, and the oldest
only 15. Today, Hiroko Shimabukuro and Eriko Imai are both 14, Takako Uehara
is 15 and Hitoe Arakaki just turned the ripe old age of 17. On their sophomore
album, Rise (due out Wednesday), they rap and screech about stuff little girls
should know nothing about: unfaithful boyfriends, lost weekends and--if you
read between the lyrics--presidential pastimes. This wouldn't be so horribly
wrong if the SPEED kiddies had some musical talent. They don't. I listened
to Rise two times. Twice it gave me a headache. It's that dangerous. The
titles of the songs are also troublesome. "Wake Me Up," "White
Love," "Another Sweet Field" and "My Graduation" are
sexual innuendos that the singers probably don't even understand. Producer-songwriter
Hiromasu Ijichi does earn points for telling it like it is, though, with the
song "Too Young." On that number, the girls holler in English: "We
are!/Too young to know/Too young!/Too young to get/Too young!" Indeed.
Not to be outdone, superproducer
Tetsuya Komuro, who has been master of a whole harem of come-hither pop stars
(Namie Amuro, Tomomi Kahala, Yuki Uchida), has brought his own child into the
fold. Well, it's not really his own child, but she's young enough to be. Komuro
calls her Ring (probably because he has her wrapped around his little finger),
but her real name is Lin Yu-han. She's from Taiwan, and she's a mere 13 years
old. Ring, who won the right to record for Komuro by finishing tops in
a Southeast Asia talent search, doesn't have a bad voice, but neither is it
particularly dynamic. On her debut single, "Process," she competently
performs the song both in Japanese and Chinese. The production is pure Komuro:
blippy and blurpy keyboards, frenzied guitars and programmed drums that maintain
a quick but danceable beat. It must be music to Komuro's ears: A bilingual
singer that he can sell both to Japanese audiences and those in the expanding
pop markets of Taiwan and China. But there's something unsettling about
the way Ring has been packaged by her handlers. Flip open the cover of the CD
single holder and you can check out the sweet young thing perched on the saddle
of a bicycle, her schoolgirl's skirt riding precariously high. The photo, of
course, was shot from groundlevel looking up. Music be damned. In the
era of the J-pop nubile, a picture is worth a thousand lyrics.
X-JAPAN
MEMBER - HIDE, COMMITS SUICIDE!!!
On the morning
of May 2, X-Japan guitarist, Hide was found dead. He was found hanging
and it is a suicide. More news coming soon...
From
today's Daily Yomiuri: X Japan member's funeral draws 25,000 grieving fans -
Yomiuri Shimbun
About 25,000 people gathered
Thursday at the funeral of a former member of the defunct popular rock group
X Japan, at Tsukiji Honganji temple in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, police reported. Hideto
Matsumoto, 33, whose stage name was "hide," was found hanging in a
room in his third-floor condominium in Minami Azabu in Minato Ward, Tokyo, at
7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Matsumoto was the band's lead guitarist. His fans,
mostly women in their late teens and 20s, began to line up in front of the temple
from Wednesday night with white lilies and roses in their arms to pay tribute
to the memory of the rock star. The line eventually stretched for two kilometers.
Bouquets of flowers covered tables set up behind Matsumoto's picture
at the foot of the stairs leading to the main temple building. "Wake up
hide," one woman cried. Many distraught mourners collapsed and 56 people
were taken to hospital after fainting or suffering from hyperventilation. Fifteen
of them were hospitalized. "I cannot believe it," said 19-year-old
Seiko Saijo from Sendai, her eyes bright red from crying. "I cannot accept
that he is no longer alive." The five-member group, which was popular
in the late 1980s and early 1990s, disbanded late last year.
From
today's Asahi Shimbun: Dead rock guitarist's fans inundate Tsukiji By
KAORUKO SUNAZAWA / Asahi Evening News
The streets near Tokyo's
central Tsukiji market were thronged this morning with young people dressed
in black and sporting hair dyed in hues of red, orange, purple and green.
Some were crying, many were carrying bouquets of white flowers and many more
were standing disconsolately in long lines to pay their last respects to Hide,
a member of the now-disbanded rock group X Japan. The guitarist's funeral was
scheduled for this afternoon at Tsukiji Honganji Temple. Five people were hospitalized
this morning after collapsing in the crowd, bring the total hospitalized since
the observances began Wednesday to 12, according to the Tokyo Fire Agency. Hideto
Matsumoto, 33, played guitar in the band, known for its wild hair, heavy makeup
and dedication to social causes. Matsumoto's girlfriend found him hanging on
a doorknob in the bedroom of his Tokyo apartment last Saturday morning.
Authorities have said the death was a suicide. Matsumoto's suicide apparently
prompted two young female fans to attempt suicide themselves in separate instances
this week, authorities said. Both girls are still hospitalized in critical condition.
Many of the fans gathered around the temple expressed their devotion to the
group and sadness at Matsumoto's death. "I read in newspapers that
X Japan will hold a concert in memory of Hide, so I came all the way from Osaka,"
said a 17-year-old girl who wished to be anonymous. Authorities said
any memorial concert would probably not be held in Tsukiji Honganji Temple.
The temple grounds and surrounding neighborhood have been packed with young
fans--mostly young girls--since the family announced the musician's funeral
and wake would be held there. Thousands of bouquets of white flowers are stacked
on the stairs at the entrance of the temple. The hugely popular X Japan
broke up last year after a final concert at the Tokyo Dome on New Year's Eve.
In addition to its flamboyant stage image, the band was known for promoting
charitable causes such as the Japan Marrow Donor Foundation, which donates bone
marrow for transplants to cancer patients. Some fans of the group tried to help
control crowds around the temple, which reached dangerous levels of density
in Wednesday's heat. One nursery school teacher from Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
Prefecture, said she has hardly slept in the past few days. She was trying desperately
to control dozens of people who wished to buy memorial flowers from a street
vendor. Many of the Tsukiji market's older vendors expressed annoyance at the
crowds of strangely dressed teens blocking sidewalks and shop entrances. One
middle-aged newspaper vendor said she had sold most of the morning tabloid newspapers
before 7 a.m. to young fans seeking funeral details.
J-ENT
NEWS IN MAY
5/15-Today
in Japan the discussion was continuing on the death of the father of Yamada
Kumiko (Comedian). For those who were wondering why would anyone care? In Japan,
if someones parents usually die of someone popular, they will print it. I see
it as there was nothing else newsworthy that day. Also, Kitano Shoko's promotional
video with father Takeshi (in which he dies in the end). Also, they discuss
how daughter also has a dirty mouth like her otosan. Also in the news for the
hardcore anime otakus in Japan that have cable, "Sky Perfect TV" (24
hours of anime [Japanese Animation]).
5/14-The
discussion was about Kaneshiro Takeshi who will be in a drama next season titled,
"Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake" in which he plays a music producer in
love with a girl who has AIDS. Also starring, Tanaka Yoshiko (remember the 70's
group, Candies) and the theme song is by Luna Sea titled "I For You".
This will be on Fuji TV. More on Hide's life (this week, 6 people have committed
suicide, his guitars have sold out, spotlight on his drinking habit, how X-Japan
will return in the year 2000 without Toshi and a popular anime writer kills
himself the same way but there is no relation with Hide's death). Last, about
Nakata Hidetoshi who is Japan's latest male sex symbol. He's a professional
soccer player but his popularity continues to grow. He's releasing a big photo
book and also the other article was about his life. [A few months ago, I had
to go for the "Nakata hair-do"...had my long hair cut and the Nakata
do is pretty cool...For the guys who want to try a new hairstyle, usually Hot
Dog (a J-ENT magazine that you can get at your local Kinokuniya or Asahiya)
has articles on how to make your hair like the J-Celeb's..take the magazine
to your professional hairdresser and if you want the color, ask for "golden"
[it's hard to describe]. If you have black hair, they will have to bleach it
completely blonde and then apply the color].
5/12-Yoshikawa
Hinano...you know the brain dead actress and singer who is going out with IZAM
of SHAZNA. Well, the spotlight is on that beautiful diamond ring he got for
her. Ooooooh. Also, a spotlight on another brain dead singer, Kahala Tomomi
who will have her drama debut in the drama titled "Boy Hunt" with
Seto Asaka, Mizuki Arisa, Ishida Issei and Sakai Miki. Kahala will play a beach
girl and most likely she will play someone with no brains but since she lacks
that...she's quite perfect for the role.
5/11-I
guess they bring this up every month since their server is responsible for SPEED's
main homepage but a constant reminder that SPEED's debut movie, "Andromeda"
will be out on July 11th.
TOP
TAKA-SAN
#1
Taka-aki Ishibashi,
a member of the popular comedy (and music) duo, Tunnels is now the richest performer
in Japan. He surpasses past greats such as Downtown's Matsumoto
and Hamada and Sanma. It is said his rise to #1 is due to his appearance
in the American made film, "Major League" with Charlie Sheen which
has done well.
TOP
CONGRATULATIONS
TO SAM & NAMIE
On May 19, Namie delivered a baby
around 1:00 a.m. of May 19 (Japan Standard Time) at SAM's hospital Maruyama
Kinen Sogo Byoin. The gender is a male! SAM says he's going to announce
the delivery officially in a few hours (May 19). If you want to send a telegram
or flowers to this happy couple, use next address freely:
Maruyama Kinen Sogo Byoin
address: Honcho 2-10-5, Iwatsuki city, Saitama, Japan
tel: 048-757-3511 (international call: 81-48-757-3511)
[Thanks for Ken-Chan for the information]
TOP
J-ENT
NEWS MAY 19-25, 1998
MAY 22, 1998:
* Model, actress, singer-Hinagata
Akiko (20) and Yamamoto Kazuma (31), a CM director are married. They worked
together in a cosmetic project and live close to each other. In March, Yamamoto
proposed to Hinagata-san.
* TM Revolution (Nishikawa) [27]
and Yoshimura Yumi (23) of PUFFY are dating. Actually, they have been dating
since February. Nishikawa bought Yoshimura a ring. Yumi said that since she
is busy, marriage is not a plan right now. The sneaky photo magazine, Friday
exposed their relationship with photos of the two walking together hand-in-hand.
*hide (deceased member of X-Japan)
[30] always liked Southern California and his favorite place was Los Angeles.
So, his ashes were spread in the ocean next to Santa Monica by his brother on
February 19. Hide had a band in Los Angeles called ZILCH.
MAY 21, 1998:
*Emiko Amuro (47) mother of Namie
prepared her for taking care of a baby. Also, the new parents to be visited
baby shops and also, Amuro chooses to use breast milk. Aren't we all happy about
that. Also, Amuro wants to have another baby.
*IZAM of SHAZNA [22] had an affair
with the company president's wife before SHAZNA was popular. The president wanted
to produce SHAZNA without IZAM because of this but without IZAM, the president
knew the group would not be as popular. What a bad boy!
MAY 20, 1998:
*ETSU of TRF [33], a dancer and choreographer
got married to her hair stylist, Nishioka Tatsuya [32]. They have been dating
for four years.
*In MAX's radio show, "MEGA
MAX", MAX expressed their happiness for Amuro's delivery and they bought
presents for the new baby boy in London.
MAY 19, 1998:
*Amuro delivers baby boy (you all
know that!!!)
*GLAY's Hisashi [26] breaks his bone
in his left ankle while trying to jump towards the audience.
*Ootsuka Nene [29] wants to break
away from her agency. Ootsuka dissappeared for awhile and when she returned
she wanted to be separated from her talent agency. Their is a battle between
her and the agency.
TOP
MATSUDA
SEIKO GETS MARRIED!!!
About three hours ago, Matsuda Seiko
[36] married her daughter's 30-year old dentist. The two have been together
for only one month and Matsuda's agency sent a press release to the media regarding
her marriage. The only thing she said was that when she first met him, she was
inspired. Other reports on the papers were basically regarding how the dentist
never charged Seiko for services and also Seiko saying this is the final marriage
for her.
TOP
