"Living the Dream"

[yanpa]

(a certain freelance reporter must be livid about someone else reporting on the Tokyo live house scene)

Living the Dream

by Julian Ryall

Expat bands from all over Britain enjoy firm following here

In bars, live houses and recording studios around Tokyo, musicians from across the UK are demonstrating that Britons really do have talent.

Expat musicians have banded together to perform their own songs in genres that range from country and rock to folk, reggae, bluegrass and more. Many are building up a dedicated following, regularly releasing CDs and even finding commercial success with their music being featured on television.

One of the biggest names on the live circuit here are The Watanabes, so named because it is a common surname in the wilds of Ehime Prefecture, where brothers Selwyn and Duncan Walsh originally taught on the JET programme.

“We chose The Watanabes because we wanted to ingratiate ourselves with the locals, while alluding to one of our favourite bands, The Smiths”, Duncan Walsh told BCCJ ACUMEN.

Originally from Norfolk, the brothers have teamed up with bassist Ayumi Sato and drummer Yoko Osawa on stage, and work with Glaswegian music producer David Naughton.

Walsh describes the band’s sound as British-influenced pop rock “with lyrics often inspired by our experiences in Japan”.

“[The music] is pretty mellow, and a bit folky at times”, Walsh said. “We grew up listening to Brit-pop and bands such as Belle & Sebastian and The Smiths, but when our parents weren’t listening to Radio 4, they had 60s legends on the stereo: The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel. I think it rubbed off on us”.

The Watanabes play two or three times a month at various Tokyo venues and have also gone on tour to cities around the country, but admit it’s tough to make a living out of live music.

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