Do you listen to J-Pop music?

[Jack]

Having never lived in Japan, and so not knowing it, I am curious to find out if fucked gaijins who live there ever listen to Japanese pop music? I buy Japanese CDs from Chinese stores in Canada or online but I am wondering if it is common for foreigners to listen to Japanese music.

Shit.... I had to work hard to come up with a "non-sex" topic.

[Caustic Saint]

I don't own any Japanese music, but I do listen to an online station sometimes. I use iTunes and the url is here. (http://pri.kts-af.net/redir/index.pls?esid=2f16571344ca94feff03b49ae2a4bc85&url_no=1&client_id=7&uid=68efed4d03ec7e45fd3978262c107180&clicksrc=xml)

The descriptor they send out with the stream is "Japan-A-Radio - Anime Music & Japanese Pop (JPOP / Anime)." I don't listen to it that often, but it's an interesting change of pace from my usual stuff now and then.

[Big Booger]

I seldom listen to it because most of it is crap.
:D

I like a few, like Mongol 800., Southern Allstars, etc...

[AssKissinger]

My favorite is PUFFY (http://drs.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=puffy/v=2/SID=w/l=WS1/R=1/SS=95483033/H=0/*-http://www.puffyamiyumi.com/). http://drs.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=puffy/v=2/l=IVS/*-http://www.so-net.ne.jp/mc/news/02/1024/img/puffy.jpg That reminds me, I need to add them to the favorite sexy J-chicks thread.

Hey Caustic, ever hear of a K-Pop band called 'PiPi Band'? I got this one cd by them and it's totally avant-garde and weird and K-cheap fucking brilliant. Later they ditched their female vocalist and became another crappy generic band.

[Jack]

I seldom listen to it because most of it is crap.
:D

I like a few, like Mongol 800., Southern Allstars, etc...

BB,

I am kind of surprised you say this because a lot of the J-pop songs I hear are rather difficult to sing and many are written by the singers themselves.

Chihiro Onitsuka and Nakajima Miyuki are my favourite. I also like Hamasaki Ayumi songs but I would deny it if you quoted me on that one. Sorry, I can't stand Puffy though I would give my left nut to bang the two chicks. Ooooppss, sorry don't mean to turn this into a sex thread.

[Big Booger]

Jack,
I point you to some of the more annoying:

"The Peace" Morning Musume

Anything by SMAP...

Rakuen Baby.. RIP SLYME

and there are literally hundreds of songs that sound exactly like every other song produced in Japan..

But I can say this I am not a fan of American pop music as well..

Imagine NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and Otown.. same crap.. same sound, same style..

multiply that by 100 and you get Jpop.
:D

And Puffy does stink.. just like the Morning Musume whores.. wretched..

I'll give you Ayu, Utada Hikaru, etc..

But most are crap, and annoying. Some of the older groups are pretty good.. like Kiroro.

Kimura yumi is rather pleasant.. my wife likes that Itsumo nado demo... the one from Sen to chihiro kamikakushi, I have grown to like it.
:d

The two you picked out are more developed singers.. with something to sing about.. most J-pop is crap though IMHO.

[Kurofune]

Hell no I don't listen to J-pop. Many of my students ask if I do, and some of them seem offended when I apologetically say that I can't get into it. One Japanese guy said that he was moved the first time he heard The Carpenters, implying that I should feel the same way about J-pop. I asked him if he was comparing the Kinki Kids to The Carpenters. The juxtaposition made my point.

[tidbits]

Nakajima Miyuki, Southern All Star, Utada Hikaru, Kiroro, Chage & Aska & some old drama theme song.

[eidolon]

I don't listen to it at the moment, once I make the leap to Japan I'll probably end up hearing a good amount of it on the radio, if my listening habits remain intact anyway.

[kamome]

BB is right. Most mainstream J-Pop is pure crap. There are a few decent ones, but they are few and far between. However, Japan seems to have a vibrant underground music scene with some innovative musicians. I don't know a thing about them, but I've heard bits and pieces on TV.

[Caustic Saint]

Hey Caustic, ever hear of a K-Pop band called 'PiPi Band'? I got this one cd by them and it's totally avant-garde and weird and K-cheap fucking brilliant. Later they ditched their female vocalist and became another crappy generic band.
Never heard of 'em, but I'll look for some of their early stuff.

I forgot to mention earlier that my favorite Japanese artist is Dokaka. (http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/DOKAKA/) Think back to Bobby McFerrin style a'cappella mouth music and you'll get the idea. His two best tracks are "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Creeping Death." (Nirvana and Metallica, respectively)

[vvx]

I don't own any Japanese music, but I do listen to an online station sometimes. I use iTunes and the url is here. (http://pri.kts-af.net/redir/index.pls?esid=2f16571344ca94feff03b49ae2a4bc85&url_no=1&client_id=7&uid=68efed4d03ec7e45fd3978262c107180&clicksrc=xml)

The descriptor they send out with the stream is "Japan-A-Radio - Anime Music & Japanese Pop (JPOP / Anime)." I don't listen to it that often, but it's an interesting change of pace from my usual stuff now and then.

They have an irc channel on irc.d00mnet.com #japan-a-radio full of anime and japan otakus (who of course idealize the country to impossible heights.) Naturally, very few have ever been to Japan.

[Caustic Saint]

They have an irc channel on irc.d00mnet.com #japan-a-radio full of anime and japan otakus (who of course idealize the country to impossible heights.) Naturally, very few have ever been to Japan.
I have a friend like that. He owns a few thousand dollars worth of anime DVDs, put huge decals of different anime things all over his car...and he's got a friend who's even worse about it than he is. At least friend #1 is taking Japanese this fall and plans on coming to Japan at some point.

The anime "freaks" with their "more Japanese than thou" attitude are pretty weird. They need to understand that they're white and that's not going to change, no matter how much of a Japonky they become. I wonder if they realize that Japan would never accept them....?

[Steve Bildermann]

Japonky

Huh? :?

[Caustic Saint]

Japonky
Huh? :?
A "wigger" is a white guy who acts black.

A "japonky" is a white guy who acts Japanese.

[AssKissinger]

A "japonky" is a white guy who acts Japanese.
The funny thing is those guys are the only gaijin who can't get laid! If they ever even make it to Japan to become a gaijin.

[kamome]

A "wigger" is a white guy who acts black.

A "japonky" is a white guy who acts Japanese.

Given that these words derive from "nigger" and "honky", they probably shouldn't be used at all. What is a "white guy who acts Japanese", anyway? The otakus definitely aren't "acting Japanese".

[Caustic Saint]

A "wigger" is a white guy who acts black.

A "japonky" is a white guy who acts Japanese.
Given that these words derive from "nigger" and "honky", they probably shouldn't be used at all. What is a "white guy who acts Japanese", anyway? The otakus definitely aren't "acting Japanese".
Wether or not you agree with using those words as the root for these terms, they (the new terms) are out there and in use.

Perhaps instead of "acting black or Japanese," it would be more accurate to say "obessed with a particular culture other than their own."

"Rice-boy" is already used for guys who tweak out cheap imports with mods that cost more than the car itself (examples here (http://www.riceboypage.com/)), so that can't really be applied to somebody with an Asian culture fetish.

If you can think of a better word for either of those cases, I'm willing to spread it around.

[GomiGirl]

I have heard the term "Banana" used quite a few times.. that is a japanese person who is culturally more like a "westerner".

still not very nice but then some people I know, wear the badge with pride.

[kamome]

I've been called "egg", because I've always had Asian friends and studied Japanese for so long. It's the opposite of "banana" - egg is white on the outside and yellow on the inside; banana is yellow on the outside, etc. There also was Oreo (as in the cookie): black on the outside and white on the inside. Now that I think of it, it's all pretty racist stuff. Most of these terms, including Wigger, were popular back in middle school. I'm surprised that adults even use them anymore.

[Jack]

99% of my friends are Asians, mostly Chinese, and they call me "egg". They claim that I am more Chinese than they are while being white on the outside. I personally think my skin colour is not really white as it is a mixture of orange, pink, and brown. Where did this "white" description come from anyway? The only white creatures I have ever seen at swans and Polar Bears.

[Caustic Saint]

99% of my friends are Asians, mostly Chinese, and they call me "egg". They claim that I am more Chinese than they are while being white on the outside. I personally think my skin colour is not really white as it is a mixture of orange, pink, and brown. Where did this "white" description come from anyway? The only white creatures I have ever seen at swans and Polar Bears.
What about bunnies and doves and mice and arctic foxes....

I guess I don't see "wigger" and "japonky" as racist. I see them as being used to ridicule a person for trying to adopt a culture not their own, and being very unsuccesful at it. White guys flashing gang signs, dressing like thugs or calling themselves "otaku" have reached the heights of loserdom, and need to be razzed for it.

"Egg" and "banana" on the other hand, are a little different. I can't say exactly how, but when I read them they came across as being intended to hurt the person they're used on, instead of just poking fun and teasing.

[kamome]

I guess I don't see "wigger" and "japonky" as racist. I see them as being used to ridicule a person for trying to adopt a culture not their own, and being very unsuccesful at it. White guys flashing gang signs, dressing like thugs or calling themselves "otaku" have reached the heights of loserdom, and need to be razzed for it.

"Egg" and "banana" on the other hand, are a little different. I can't say exactly how, but when I read them they came across as being intended to hurt the person they're used on, instead of just poking fun and teasing.

I'm surprised you would see it that way. Egg and banana don't incorporate racist words like "nigger" in them. But I guess you're right in that any of those words are probably designed to hurt or tease.

[cstaylor]

and need to be razzed for it.Oh my, are they disturbing the Wa? ;)

[Caustic Saint]

and need to be razzed for it.Oh my, are they disturbing the Wa? ;)
No, but they're fucking up my chi. :D

http://www.allabouthugh.com/photos/sf_golf_med.jpg

[f3likx]

Yoko Kanno > *

[katakori]

BB is right. Most mainstream J-Pop is pure crap.
most mainstream (fill this with any kind of money generating entertainment, as opposed to art) is pure crap. it is not only about "J-" nor "pop"

[kotatsuneko]

s#arp are a booty bumpin k pop band!

puffy btw do have some kick ass tunes...

shiina ringo is xcellent tho some recent singer i saw the other nite is a total rip off, i mean lock stock....

ftr i think listening to a broad mix of j pop/rock has improved my listening ability a hell of a lot..

[sideways_gaijin]

Anyone heard 8Ball? They're a kinda j-pop punk rock band. Think they're from Oki. I've been trying to get hold of their album but can't find any info on them anywhere. They're most popular song is called "Need for Speed"

It's hosted on my site somewhere....hang on

http://members.lycos.co.uk/driftaholic/needforspeed.mp3

James

[kamome]

BB is right. Most mainstream J-Pop is pure crap.
most mainstream (fill this with any kind of money generating entertainment, as opposed to art) is pure crap. it is not only about "J-" nor "pop"

Sure. But I think if you eliminate the word "mainstream" from my original post, the statement would still hold true.

[katakori]

Sure. But I think if you eliminate the word "mainstream" from my original post, the statement would still hold true.
i couldn't agree more... let me rephrase, then :
"most (pretend to be art) is pure crap." :) (but :()

[Andocrates]

The anime "freaks" with their "more Japanese than thou" attitude are pretty weird. They need to understand that they're white and that's not going to change, no matter how much of a Japonky they become. I wonder if they realize that Japan would never accept them....?


I know this is a bit late in the thread. But . . . I think those kind of people are lucky, they get the real world (USA) but also an imaginary world where all the girls are cute and want them, the people polite, everyone reads manga and anime, and life is perfect. It's sad to see someone who idolizes Japan go there and have their dreams dashed.

The happiest people in life are retarded people, they are always smiling and happy because they don't have to deal with the crap. A new pair of shoes keeps them in heaven for days. The unhappiest people are the intellects who can always see through the smoke and mirrors of life and realize there is no hope.

[katakori]

except, unlike retarded people who are "in their world" for ever, sometimes the anime fans manage to get to japan (lifelong dream) and suddenly face reality...

[Caustic Saint]

except, unlike retarded people who are "in their world" for ever, sometimes the anime fans manage to get to japan (lifelong dream) and suddenly face reality...
I have a friend back in the states who's a huge anime fan. He's also got some of the "culture obsession" (for lack of a better term), but I think he's into the anime more from a story and art angle than just sporting a woody for all things Japanese. He wants to come visit me in Korea, but I told him to just wait until I get to Japan, since he'd rather go there. Every now and then I have to remind him that it's not like the anime (no Gibson-esque sprawl, no megacity skyscrapers, etc.), just to keep him grounded.

Then sometimes it all goes wrong. When I was home this summer he brought some stuff over to watch and one of them had a scene that took place in Asakusa, not too far from where I stayed during my visit. Damn if it didn't look like the real thing. I was surprised (though I probably shouldn't be) at how well they captured the neighborhood, and told him so. Then I had to quickly point out that just because one anime is an accurate portrayal of Japan, not all of them are.

Fortunately he watches all kinds, and not just the super-glittery sci-fi ones. I wonder how most of these guys see Japan if they ever make the trip?

[Ptyx]

The last lp from Aco (Irony) is a really good piece of modern pop. Number Girl was an excellent j-rock band (until they split last year), Mo'some tonebender is an excellent garage band, and there are tons of other examples of good japanese "mainstream" bands that are great <namedropping>Tha Blue Herb, Dj Klock, Boat, Guitar Vader, Guitar Wolf, Buffalo Daughter, Seagull screaming kiss her kiss her...</namedropping>.

Ok these are not really "mainstream" bands like Puffy, Ayu or Hitomi (imho utter crap), but these are not really underground stuff either.

So, to make everyone happy, let's just say that middleground j-pop can be good sometimes.

[katakori]

Ok these are not really "mainstream" bands
in fact, the terms "mainstream" and "underground" don't apply in japan. they are used differently here, and a lot of people consume too much to stay within the boundaries of "mainstream" anymore.
beside, you can be listening to underground stuff and "mainstream" (yuki, southern all stars...) and still be "respectable", because mainstream is somehow impossible to escape, even if you really are not into it.

[EKen9]

I think Chemistry is pretty good. I like some Glay too

[kotatsuneko]

my bro who no doubt on first sight many posters here look like they would refer to as "retarded" (gee thanks nhs for using fcked drugs..) happens to be one of the best paid sysadmins in london..

he prefers juke and seikimatsu these days , i increasingly listen to more female singers like yaida hitomi and shiina ringo for some reason, maybe getting bored of the j rock scene for the mo..