Shibuya-kei and then some

17 November:

 

A whatsapp discussion earlier tonight had me reminiscing about the Japanese music I was crazy about in my younger days. It led me to revisit on YouTube some bands that I had liked back then. My faves are mainly Shibuya-kei. 

 

Also brought back days of my travels to Tokyo with always a must-stop at the mega HMV store and buying 20 to 30 CDs at a time. I remembered that after such a purchase, I was given a reward card with many stamp chops and I looked around and saw two schoolgirls and I told them that I was a tourist from Singapore and would like to pass on the card to them. They were so happy that they kept saying “すごい” repeatedly. 

 

Another unforgettable experience was walking along the HMV store at night, where a DJ was spinning songs at a street-level or underground glass booth (if my memory serves me right). I stopped, wrote down a request on paper and pressed it against the window, hoping that he would play the song. He did. I think I requested a Beatles song. 

 

Posting videos of the songs I used to listen to, rather than their more recent ones. Among them, Pizzicato 5 is my no. 1 because they are wonderfully irreverent. Enjoy. 

 

Bonnie Pink – You Are Blue, So Am I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IE0uB6o3sA

The Brilliant Green - There will be love there -愛のある場所 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4SyplrrQcU

 

Buffalo Daughter – New Rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MeIA-Pte6I

 

Chara「Swallowtail Butterfly～あいのうた～ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZdys-IOoQc

 

Cibo Matto - Full Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_TbZa0e-Dk

 

Cornelius - Star Fruits Surf Rider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roN_oxg8hJc

 

Cornelius - Chapter 8 ~Seashore and Horizon~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaMKaoSv3fQ

 

Do As Infinity / 陽のあたる坂道 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpDK-gN_85c

 

Dreams Come True -　たくさんの応援と優しさを力に変えて前へ　熊本!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgHT9kc_uO0&list=PLhxWY4Tz3bOX8CUFmpDjMh6MIm0RFzork

 

Fantastic Plastic Machine - Fantastic Plastic World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHBsn17CI-0

Flipper's Guitar - 恋とマシンガン (Young, Alive, In love) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FIk8nPybw

 

GACKT「Last Song」 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewYLd1Q3ra8

 

L'Arc~en~Ciel - Driver's High ROCK ODYSSEY 2004 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws7bMCcoZqM

 

Love Psychedelico – Your Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcsH0Ug52Tw

 

Mr.Children「抱きしめたい https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BeGx1hiEWo

 

Pizzicato Five - It's a Beautiful Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saHMRnVgEhM&list=RDEMRNz9CvtmyarcpWPZNEf_xQ

 

Pizzicato 5 - Twiggy Twiggy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z22nzBVLCto

 

Pizzicato Five-Baby Love Child https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFV1JNgJA7s

 

Shonen Knife - Daydream believer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqWgcQZd8HI

 

Sunny Day Service (サニーデイ)・サービス - サマーソルジャー https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUIyBtgEugg

 

The Yellow Monkey - 人生の終わり(For Grandmother) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFkfwX19M-A

 

The Yellow Monkey - Tengoku Ryokou 「天国旅行」歌詞ページ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJkRAuHRX4g

 

thee michelle gun elephant – 世界の終わり https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZC...

 

宇多田ヒカル - First Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1sUaVJUeB0 This was the first ever Japanese song that made me very determined to sing it in Japanese.