Are "honorable pushers" still necessary or even present in the mass-transit stations of Japan's major cities? it's something I remember learning about all the way back in junior high (I am 36 now), and I wondered if they hadn't been either made obsolete by flights to the suburbs or by technology.

Also, as a Yank with some foreign-pop-listening experience (mainly German, French, Irish and the like), I find the more Japanese pop I listen to, the more I'm impressed by the melodies and innovative use of synth and guitar. I should hate to think that western artists will all of a sudden find JPop a treasure trove of melodies to steal, so I have a suggestion for artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki, Morning Musume and the AmiYumi duo. Pick a Western artist or two who you think could "handle" an English (or French or German) translation of one of your hits -- or even a throwaway song from any of your albums -- and have your managers, producers/label people or publicity agents licence the song(s) to them as covers, at terms your folks deem reasonable. Either that or get some untapped talented middleman (or -woman) to translate one of _their hits into Japanese and cover _it.

Hoping this thread turns into something.

Silversleeves

Good idea!

I think due the drying up of the Western pop scene since the 90's with the quality of music slipping to an alarming extent...it is just a matter of time before we see badly-done covers/translations of Asian hits.

If the Asian music producers foresee such an action, they could have it handled well and maybe open up a new market of interest in the West.

J-Pop and K-Pop in particular is producing the freshest, most original popular music in the world at the moment and if the language barrier could be crossed, I'm sure it would be well-received in the Western music scene.

Very good topic, it gave me something to think about.

BTW, which "Irish pop" do you listen to exactly?

Thanks for asking...

A lot of somewhat older stuff. I'm particlarly big on the Pogues, less so with Black 47 and That Petrol Emotion (the "End of the Milennium Psychosis Blues" album deserved a lot more US airplay than it got -- most here in the Northeast are still trying to get past "Big Decision"), and I could say that as soon as Adam and Larry secured their "techno chops", I lost all interest in U2. I've played around with In Tua Nua, and ever given the Wolfe Tones, Chieftains and the Mayor (Van Morrison) a spin on occasion.


That pretty much summarizes it.

Silversleeves

> BTW, which "Irish pop" do you listen to exactly?

A thought occurred to me earlier that seems right in line with the sense of this topic.

Perhaps, as a way to show the Western pop world how much it has fallen behind (fallen into a coma, more like), a J-Pop artist could resurrect a classic 80s tune in, of course, Japanese. Off the top of my head, "Love Plus One" by Haircut 100 and "Why Can't I Be You" by The Cure could be just the kick in the pants the Occidentals in charge of A&R and promotion at the major labels need.


As I say, it's just a thought.

Silversleeves

Actually, your second thought was even better than your first!

I just gave myself goosebumps by thinking of Hikaru Utada doing a cover of The Smiths' "How soon is now?"

Oh and Irish pop that I would listen to includes older stuff like the Pogues and U2 (Anything before the "pop" album really), also modern stuff like The Corrs and Ronan Keating (I know they're not perceived to be cool or anything, I just find Irish songwriting to be alot more catchy and memorable than that produced by England/America).

Thanks for stirring up some names in the South Quay side of my brain *G*

The Corrs are very good. Being as I'm on an OS X Mac, I was able to demux a downloaded mpeg of a live performance by them of their cover of "Dreams" with Mick Fleetwood announced by Andrea as playing drums. Burned it to a mini-CD and my Mom borrowed it and played it quite nearly every day for a month (longtime Stevie Nicks fan that she is). I believe it was St Pat's week, 2003 that the concert actually wen't off.

Also, and there's another angle to this I will get into right away, what do you think of Dolores Riordan and the Cranberries? My ex found Dot's voice a bit too grating, but me and my Mum love em and even my brother, whos guitaring tends to the punk, finds their musicianship more than admirable. As I live in Massachusetts, aka Yankee Ireland, it often surprises people I know that anyone in Ireland should think to name a daughter "Dolores," until I tell them that the 'folks back home' don't shy away from any name that sounds good, and most are tired to death of scurrying back to the New Testament and/or the Lives of the Saints everytime a new baby comes along.

For me, the cutoff point w re U2 is "Rattle and Hum". Saw the movie in cinema, got the soundtrack on CD, then found the Pogues and TPE and it was "Merry part, Bono ya bastard!"


Silversleeves.

I know Ayumi Hamasaki writes all her own stuff, but wouldn't the melodies of the Corrs' "Breathless"
or "Independent Love Song" by Scarlet, or "Toy Soldiers" by Martika (or even, dare I say it with them still together and more nuke plants and WTO protests to play out at, Alphaville's "A Victory of Love?") be great for her to cop?!

Silversleeves

I think my mum would agree with you about the cut-off for U2. She was a much more hardcore fan than I was in the early days and got disappointed when she felt they were forgetting their roots. I was alot more tolerant for a little bit longer anyway.

Ah yes, I can't believe I forgot about the Cranberries though. How can anyone find her voice grating? Even though I wasn't a huge fan at their peak, I would still find myself singing their songs YEARS later just due to the majesty of her voice!

My parents were huge Fleetwood Mac fans too and were pleasantly surprised with the Corr's "Dreams" cover as was I! I have to say from the FM I've heard, I could have seen myself being a fan too...

In response to your second post, I love Ayumi's voice and think that vocally she is Japan's best singer but I also think she would strangle "Breathless: 2 as it is such a subtle, soft song and Ayu has the habit of taking a note and reverbing it excessively. A perfect Corrs song for Ayu IMO would be "Long Night" as it would give her a chance to show off her vocal range (although Long Night isn't as popular a Corrs song).

I doubt Ayu would trash the Cranberries' "Linger " -- she might even bring out a few new facets to the song Dot couldn't. After hearing (and seeing the MV for) "Carols", and considering most anyone knows of the Crans is "Dreams" anyway, I think "Linger" is a pretty safe bet.

Last night I thought of something else -- a clever JPop producer could make a short list of the most popular US, UK and Aussie bands ever to play the Budokan, and then pick a few of their signature songs for, who else, the most popular JPop girl groups and leads to cover. Can you imagine the AmiYumis doing the Beatles "Strawberry Fields Forever", or Morning Musume doing a down-tempo take on Cheap Trick's "Surrender"? You could call the CD, "Reclaiming the Temple of Rock" or "Think you own this place?"

These things just seem to be getting more and more peculiar. Charming but still peculiar.

Silversleeves

IN OUR CUNTRY "GUATEMALA" WE ARE TRYING TO PUT A PROGRAM IN RADIO. ISNOT EASY TOO MUCH PEOPLE HAVE A WRONG IDEA ABOUT JAPANESE MUSIC. WHEN WE SHOWTHEM MORNING MUSUME, AYUMI AMAZAKI, ETC, THEY SAY ¿DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT "CHINESSE" GIRLS?. PEOPLE COULD BE VERY STUPID BUT THE MUSIC IS GREAT, THE CHICKS ARE SEXY AND CUTE AND WE TRUST WHAT IN FEW MONTHS WE HAVE SUCCESS. SORRY OUR INGLISH IS BAD.