Category Archives: japan

Karl Hyde: Fresh off the Olympics, Underworld’s frontman stabs out solo

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If nothing else, their iconic soundtrack for Trainspotting—and in Japan their sets at Fuji Rock and Rainbow 2000—assure Underworld a spot in music history. But from their design collective Tomato to their music for the London Olympics, the British duo of singer Karl Hyde and musician Rick Smith are feverish in their exploration of new opportunities. I spoke with Hyde about his solo debut Edgeland ahead of next month’s SonarSound Tokyo.

Metropolis, Mar 12, 2013

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Alabama Shakes: Brittany Howard’s post-racial rock

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Brittany Howard’s vocals are imbued with strains of strong soul divas from the black Marva Whitney to the white Janis Joplin. The singer—herself a blend of black and white—takes a post-racial view of music. “It could be black music or white music. Anything with a soul we’re interested in,” she affirms. “Elvis sang and played black music—that’s where rock came from. But I don’t know if our sound is a black-music thing, I think it’s just a music thing.”

Metropolis, Jan 17, 2013

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The Chieftains: 50 years of avoiding politics and religion

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In a career that overlapped with the worst of Ireland’s “Troubles,” the Chieftains were also uncompromising in their refusal to get drawn into Catholic-Protestant conflict. “I always kept away from politics and religion,” bandleader Paddy Moloney says. “As a result we were probably the only group of our kind to play a mixed audience in Belfast. One of the senior unionist guys was one of our biggest fans and when we did our 25 years celebration he came down and spoke. He said this and that, but that music is music.”

Metropolis, Nov 5, 2012

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Song of the Rightwing Soundtruck: Tunes the Uyoku Use to Shatter Our Calm

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Military songs from the ’30s and ’40s played to ear-rending levels, or even the occasional enka or anime theme song the rightwingers use to spice up their playlists, are probably not most modern-day Japanese people’s cup of tea. Yet their popularity on YouTube speaks volumes. Japan’s war songs might just hold a greater appeal to many Japanese people than you might imagine.

Metropolis, Oct 26, 2012