VA - Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 2 [2006]

Ah, number two. This was some time after the first (around two years) and had a different focus than the previous one. Although the theme of Impulse Records' Here Comes the Bottom Line... seems to really just be about getting great Japanese bands together, each one seems to have a stylistic focus too. The first was a sort of melodic hardcore/screamo/emo mash-up. This one is more about noisy bands and emo bands. You've got the expansive and sneaky Bright and Dark Side next to the wild and chaotic Fountain of Rich Aroma. There's even a solid noise track with 斜陽 (sorry, won't bother translating it). The tying thread, like the first, is that this is the Japanese underground. Aki doesn't collect every band in this series. He would be almost to the hundreds by now. What he does try to capture is the spirit, the ethics of what makes the underground unique. Sometimes its just personal. Most, if not all of these bands have played shows with all the others. They probably know most of the members by name. Styles aside, this is a cohesive scene. And maybe that's the theme of each, he looks at one scene. I'm not sure if many of these bands have played shows with Mule or Minoritybluesband, from the first compilation, so maybe that's it. 


I can see this as also a sort of level setting, to define what makes these bands different. As an outsider to Japan, I don't normally play the scene card. I tend to evaluate bands based purely on their sound, not caring who they play with or what label they're on. And not that those things matter, necessarily, but I think they're indicative of the character and ethics of said band. There's a specific scenario that outlines this point perfectly. Zankyo Records is a slightly prolific label in Japan that releases music in the emo, and sometimes screamo, genres. If you listened to folio and, say, 3nd or The Cabs, you can see a lot of similarities. But, those bands would rarely, if ever, play together in Japan. The reason being, I can only ascertain from what I can see, is that folio is an indie or DIY band, and The Cabs are hoping to "make it big." After the success of 9mm Parabellum Bullet, who were on Zankyo before signing to Sony, it seems that becoming popular while playing indie music with screaming is a real possibility. This is really about the sound of music separated from the reasons that sound was developed. In some ways, that is also the problem with the internet spreading DIY music. Most of the time only the music is communicated, separated from the context that music was created in.


So, these compilations, while not explicitly communicating a message in their packaging, are about the DIY culture and what it means. If so, then it's really some sort of allegorical biography of Aki himself, because the dude embodies what is great about this culture. Playing in about 10 bands, being a focal point and supporter of the DIY scene. His most recent Impulse Fest is a perfect example of his commitment to the scene outside of a specific genre. Do yourself a favor and get into Impulse Records.


This compilation is still available a few places, but hey(!), you can pick it up in the States from me, so DO IT!
http://www.meatcube.com/product_info.php?products_id=293 
And listen at the link below.


For comparison. Folio:

and The Cabs:

Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 2 Compilation

1. Shoutmoskva - Missing? or Nothing?

2. Fountain of Rich Aroma - A View

3. Bright And Dark Side - Mirror

4. Same Place Empty - Consciousness That Was Let Loose

5. Paluka - 荒唐無稽

6. デラシネ - Business For Your Music 10,000,000

7. 斜陽 - 無題

8. Alan Smithee - Stalker

9. 33/45 - 連鎖、共鳴シ続ケル鐘

10. Test Mustard Disco - Irresponsibility

11. R3-N7 - クソッタレ

After Forever / 3cm Tour split [2004]

After the 3cm Tour show I attended in 2003, I was headed back to Bomber's apartment (drummer from Gauge Means Nothing who I was staying with). I was chatting with 3cm Tour as we walked to the train station. One of their friends was from the band Anthropic Disease, and passed me one of their CDs. It was super late and my destination was on the other side of Tokyo, so Hirotatsu invited me to hang out at his apartment until the trains started running. We hung out, listened to records, talked about various things. He mentioned that they would be releasing a split CD with After Forever some time the following year. I was super into both bands, so I asked if I could release it in America and he agreed.

Months later, I'm back in the States, back in college, and I have no money. I'm trying to put out the Dip Leg CD, and end up have to put it all on a credit card. Discussions around the release of this CD in America break down and eventually the project is cancelled. Ah... I still regret it now.

These are two bands at their prime, two of the best Japanese bands there ever were. After Forever keeps doing their vicious, metallic screamo thing, and 3cm tour keeps doing their pensive, screamy emo thing. You've probably already heard these tracks, or at least heard the bands, so you'll know what to expect.

Also, Ryuzaki-san (from Bright and Dark Side) did the art for this, and it is so amazingly good. This might have been one of the last things he designed, but if it isn't, it's the latest that I own. So, so good.

After Forever / 3cm Tour split

1. After Forever - A Scar Motivated

2. After Forever - Depressed Days

3. 3cm Tour - 桜散る

4. 3cm Tour - どかない女

[Youtube] Bright And Dark Side live [2003]

BADS

Bright and Dark Side, man... these guys are great. I saw them at a New Years Show in 2003. It was on the 6th or 7th floor in this tall building. Supposedly it was a Community Center, it just seemed an odd place. The floor was like a large, open air office with a beautiful view out the windows and cubicles randomly placed around. Before the show we lounged on couches in the area, and I think there was even a kid's playspace somewhere. The show was in a large room with doors separating the hallway to it. At the end of the hallway were double door opening into another space, also being used to have a show. The overall space was weird, but super comfortable and spacious.

I met Ryuzaki (bass) when we stopped by his place before the Malaysia tour. I was with Yuichi (and maybe Ponchi?) and we went to his flat to pick up some patches. He had this small crafty contraption that was a weird screenprinting thing. Using one of his design, he'd screenprinted a pile of patches, and that's what we picked up. I don't remember much about his space except it was really clean and cool looking (kind of like his design). Later, as Gauge Means Nothing traded out members during 2004 and 2005, Kenchan (guitar) would play drums until the band disbanded. I think his only recorded contribution was on GMN's last song.

As for the sound, BADS plays this really percussive, jazzy emo. The songs can get really long (6-10 minutes), but just feel so right at that length that you can't complain. The vocals are no bullshit, screamed and yelled, just like they should be. It's just perfect, it's just right. Most bands have those embarrassing parts that just don't sound right, like they forgot what they were trying to do in the song, but each BADS track is perfectly crafted and everything just flows so smoothly together.

There isn't much in the way of recordings from BADS. I have a split cassette tape and they have one song on the second volume of the "Here Comes the Bottom Line" compilation series from Impulse records (buy it from me here), but that's all that I know of, unfortunately. There's been talk about a full-length or EP coming out from them sometime. It's still listed as a pending release from Endless/Nameless Collective. I hope it sees the light of day eventually, because there are some great songs they've created that deserve a good recording.

Hope you like these videos!