We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for July 25, 2016! And today, as usual, we have some bizarre and cool videos that are way “over the top” so if you have a twisted sense of humor, like me, you’re gonna like these!
First up is The Lonely Island who appear on Saturday Night Live. In fact, this was a SNL skit like the sensational Eddie Murphy doing James Browns’ Hot Tub that we featured here: (http://robot55.jp/blog/cool-and-strange-music-countdown-dec-29-2015-eddie-murphy-messer-chups-vladimir-putin/) Lonely Island are also a gasser! It’s hilarious.
At #1 is a song that I just stumbled over in the last day or so. This is another laffer. It’s the Arrogant Worms. The Arrogant Worms are a Canadian musical comedy trio that parody many musical genres. They are well-known for their humorous on-stage banter in addition to their music. Today they are at #1 doing The Assumption Song. This appeared in Oney Cartoons
It’s time once again for the Top 3 Videos! The best of the Top 3 Indies Band videos for July 19, 2016! First off, I have to apologize for the two week gap; I had two PCs die on me within 3 days! It was terrible. But now we’re back. Thanks for your patience!
First up, The Coathangers! The Coathangers are a Punk Rock band from Atlanta. On April 15, 2016 the band released their fifth studio full-length entitled Nosebleed Weekend.
Next up is a band from Brighton, England called Black Honey. NME says, “Like the idea of Lana Del Rey singing girl-group pop accompanied by indie shoegazers? Try this Brighton four-piece.”
At #1? The Mirror Trap! The Mirror Trap are an alternative indie rock band from Dundee, Scotland. They are gonna be huge!
And now the BIG NEWS! Both this week’s #2 band, Black Honey and this week’s #1 band, The Mirror Trap are coming to Japan! And they are playing at a small club in Harajuku!!!! See them before they become big!
The Mirror Trap with Black Honey club show will be @ the Astro Hall in Harajuku Tokyo on Friday August 19th.
If you like this kind of music, then you can hear it worldwide on live radio from Japan! The show is called, “Rakuten Power Morning!” Every Monday ~ Friday 6 am – 10 am Japan time. Want to listen? 「Crimson FM」Go here PC: http://rakuten.fm/station/crimsonfm?l-id=crimsonfm_TOP_panel (Click the red arrow! 赤い矢印をクイック！） #RPMRPM
Well that’s it for today. See you next week – Mike in Tokyo Rogers
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
It’s time once again for the Top 3 Videos! The best of the Top 3 Indies Band videos for July 2, 2016!
First up is a guy from Essex, England who calls himself “Rat Boy.” This sounds like an updated Beastie Boys and I dig it! He’s got a great webpage. Go check it out and click on stuff. This is how a webpage for an artist should be. Go check out their FB page, they just played Glastonbury and have some hot videos from that show! https://www.facebook.com/RatBoyRatBoy
#3) RAT BOY – MOVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rVcxZoKrJA
At #2 is another hot new band from Scotland! Wow! Recently we’ve had The Mirror Trap, The Creeping Ivies
and now the Van T’s – all from Scotland! There’s something going on over there! We’ve been playing the Van T’s a lot on my FM radio show (that’s me on the far right) and the reaction is great. Here’s their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/TheVanTs/?fref=ts
And speaking of horror movies, at #1 is Kill My Coquette. Kill My Coquette is Natalie Denise Sperl. Her webpage states that, “She made her way to Hollywood, clawing her way to starring roles in cult horror flicks, studio films, and hit TV shows. This is her band!” This is hot. Go be the first on your block to “Like” their FB page! https://www.facebook.com/KillMyCoquette/?fref=ts
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST!Today’s Spotlight Artist is THE LET’S GO’s. The LET’S GO’s are a Japanese trio (a girls band) formed in Tokyo. They’ve just released (What I think is) their 3rd album entitled: “I Hate the Let’s Gos.” It’s cool. Go check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/the0252/?fref=ts
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for June 28, 2016! And today we have some bizarre and cool videos that are sure to make you laugh, or, at least go, “Wow!” Today’s video are all “over the top” so if you have a twisted sense of humor, you’re gonna like these!
Dracula hates photoshoots? Of course he does! All those flashing lights and all. I hate photo shoots. Don’t you?
At #2 is a mashup. We featured my top favorite mashups a few weeks back and the reaction was great! Thanks to all who wrote in. My favorite mashups are ones that take two totally different types of music and mash them together into a shockingly amusing mix. Today’s mashup is sure to satisfy. It is LL Cool J versus the Dexy’s Midnight Runners. This is genius. I cracked up when Dexy’s Midnight Runners come in and sing in the middle.
Did someone say, “Today’s videos are all ‘over the top’?” I did? OK. Well, here’s a classic from the 80s. And one of the most deliciously over the top videos I think I’ve ever seen. If you ever went to high school in America (and you weren’t a cheerleader or captain of the football team), then you’ll dig this classic. The lyrics are hilarious, an entire 1950s movie plot in one short 3 minute video.
It’s time once again for the Top 3 Videos! The best of the Top 3 Indies Band videos for June 25, 2016!
First up today is a band I just stumbled upon this morning (it was early, I can’t remember how I found them!). This band is 3 guys and a hot girl from St. Petersburg, Russia! They describe themselves as, “Experimental, bedroom dream pop, female vocalist, garage rock, goth, lo-fi, Russian shoegaze.” Well, I guess that just about covers it! I like this a lot. Go be the first one on your block to go “Like” their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/angelicmilkofficial/
Next up is a band from Seattle, Washington that reminds me a tad bit of the girl’s group, “Hinds” from Spain. Today’s #2 are an all-girl 4-piece who self describe themselves as, “Barf-core/fart-core/vomit-garage.” Mmmm? This sounds tasty. Here is their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/mommymommylonglegs
At #1 this week is something BRAND NEW by Richie Ramone. Folks, seriously, I gave this tune its world-debut on my radio show when Richie was in Japan and I have to say this is a great tune. In fact, I think this is one of the greatest Ramones tunes (n)ever made. Thank God for Richie for cranking out this future classic. Best punk song of the year? Go Like Richie’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/RichieRamoneOfficial/?fref=ts
Oh, let me brag, while Richie Ramone was here, we went to have a beer and lunch with bassist Clare. It was fun! Thanks Richie and Clare!
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST! Today’s Spotlight Artist is a Japanese band from Hokkaido who was introduced to us by my friend Masao Nakagami. The band is a punk rock band trio called Rangsteen. They’ve just released their 3rd album entitled: Zero. It’s cool. Go check out their Facebook page: http://bit.ly/2976G9M
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST! RANGSTEEN / THE END https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-uBhhlEe8Q
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for April 12, 2016! And we have a special edition, the Horror Movie Trailers!
Here are some recent horror (humor?) movie trailers that have caught my eye. (And one that I made myself, so this could be construed as shameless self-promotion. So what? It’s my blog so, sue me!) These are some of my faves over the last couple of years that disgust me or make me laugh (mostly do both). These films are deliciously ridiculous and, if you have a twisted sense of humor, like me, you are going to crack up at these stories.
First up, at #4, is Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. Wiki says this about this classic: “Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl (吸血少女対少女フランケン, Kyūketsu Shōjo tai Shōjo Furanken) is a 2009 Japanese gore film. It was directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and Naoyuki Tomomatsu and premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival in June 2009. It is based on a manga of the same name by Shungiku Uchida.”
It gets better….The plot will crack you up! Continued: “In a typical Tokyo high school a perpetually teenage vampire named Monami (played by Yukie Kawamura – she’s hot!) falls for her classmate, Mizushima, who happens to already be the reluctant boyfriend to the vice principal/science professor’s daughter, Keiko, a leader of a Sweet Lolita gang. The ensuing love triangle leads Keiko to seek the assistance of her father who, unbeknown to his daughter, moonlights as a Kabuki-clad mad scientist with the school nurse as his assistant. (Bwa! Ha! Ha! – Me) The pair experiment on students in the school basement hoping to discover the secret of reanimating corpses (akin to the work of Victor Frankenstein). Their hopes are answered when they discover a solution of Monami’s blood holds the properties to bring life to dead body parts and inanimate objects.”
This film was made into a German and a French version, but, alas, no English version… But watch this trailer and you’ll get the picture. The theme song that comes in at 1:30 is great and a dead ringer for a song by the first foreigner who ever sang a song in Japanese and had a #1 hit in Japan in 1967 (I think it was). That was a singer from France named France Gall and the song was “Yume no Naka no Chanson Doll” (The Chanson Doll in my Dreams). Watch France Gall singing that hit in Japanese here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyevT4j34A4
At #3 is a brand new movie that has yet to be released in Japan. It has an incredibly original title called, “Ghostroads – A Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story.” It’s about a Japanese rock n roller who buys an antique amp formerly owned by a famous (now dead – duh!) musician who promises to help him become famous by writing the perfect song… in exchange for a few favors. The film stars three of Japan’s best underground rock bands (The Neatbeats, the Privates, and the 50 Kaitenz), one of Japan’s most famous actresses, as well as a team of bizarre (and sexy) people. Watch for it being released later this year. Go “Like” the FB page for: “Ghostroads – A Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story” here: https://www.facebook.com/Japaneserocknrollghost/
The Japanese have the most bizarre sense for weird ideas for movies. Of course!…. This is Japan, right? The most bizarre place in the entire universe! So at #2 is one of the most absurd Japanese films of modern times (I think). It is called, “Alien vs Ninja” from 2010. This particular movie was also released in English, so you don’t need too much of an explanation for the trailer, but here’s and edit by me of the basic plot from Wikipedia:
“Four hundred years ago, a band of ninja warriors are assigned to investigate the crash of a mysterious object from the sky. Upon arriving at the crash site, they discover the remains of other ninjas that have been brutally torn apart. Shortly after they encounter a boy whose village was massacred by an unknown assailant. Before they can get any further explanation from the boy, the ninjas are attacked by aliens from another planet. After a grueling battle that takes the lives of several ninjas, they manage to kill three of the aliens, but one of the aliens retreats while kidnapping one of the ninjas. The kidnapped ninja wakes up, hanging upside down at a temple, only to discover an organism lurking within his throat, but before he can react, it takes over his body.
The other ninjas make it to the temple to rescue their friend, only to be surrounded by dead ninjas, who are being manipulated by small organisms secreted from the alien’s nostrils. After discovering a pair of eyes peeking from a dead ninja’s mouth, the good ninjas target the dead ninjas’ throats. After a long struggle, the good ninjas release their formerly captive friend from the alien’s control. They finally square off against the last alien in a cave. Finally, they destroy the alien and all are happy… But, unbeknownst to the ninjas, the boy who survived the village attack, has hidden one of the alien organisms in his bag.”
At #1 is a film from Hollywood (Hollyweird?) called “BC Butcher.” This film gets the nod for #1 because it is successful and was made by a 17-year-old girl! WTF? A 17-year-old girl? WTF? How did she do that? Amazing for sure! This brilliant young lady is named Kansas Bowling! This young lady is going places. I’m duly impressed. The ingenuity and perspicacity of this prodigy is an inspiration to everyone! All I can say is, “Kansas Bowling! You go, girl!”
Wikipedia says, “B.C. Butcher is a 2016 American horror film and comedy directed by 17-year-old Kansas Bowling. It is about a tribe of cavewomen being stalked by a prehistoric monster. It has been dubbed as “the first prehistoric slasher film”. It was released in January of 2016 by Troma Entertainment.”
Here is the plot: “A tribe of cave women sacrifice one of their members after it is revealed she is having an affair with the tribe leader’s man (Kato Kaelin). They leave her body in the wilderness and it is discovered by a prehistoric beast who falls in love with the dead cave woman and vows to avenge her death. The monster, know as “The Butcher,” hunts down the cave women responsible for her murder.”
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for May 28, 2016! And we have a special edition! Today we are featuring 3 of my very favorite Mash-up videos of all time!
For us oldsters, “What is a Mash up?” Wikipedia has the answer: “A video mash-up combines multiple pre-existing video sources with no discernible relation with each other into a unified video. These are derivative works as defined by the United States Copyright Act 17 U.S.C. § 101, and as such, may find protection from copyright claims under the doctrine of fair use.”
Ha! Ha! Ha! So try to sue me and the creators of these videos!
First up is a mash-up sent to me by alert reader Christopher Jack who just so happens to be the lead singer and guitarist for the Routes! You can see some Routes videos here in last week’s Top 3 Video Countdown! Here, at #3, is Black Sabbath as envisioned by some beatniks and jazz fans. This is hilarious!
Next is an classic mash-up, it’s the Pre-fab four (The Beatles who were actually the first pre-fabricated rock band – NOT the Monkees!) It’s the Monkees versus the Beatles with Paperback Believer!
Finally at this week’s #1 is James Brown. This is a special track for my friend George who recently has gone James Brown crazy but was a long time Led Zeppelin fan!
Well that’s it for Cool & Strange Music for this week. Hope you enjoyed today’s tracks as much as we enjoyed presenting them to you! Have a great weekend! – Mike in Tokyo Rogers
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for April 12, 2016! And we have a special edition! And we have a world debut!
At #3 is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo named, The Privates. These guys have been rocking for over 30 years! April 16 is “Record Store Day” and they’re going to release their cover version of the 1966 hit by the American band, “The Litter.” Here’s the Privates FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrivates/?fref=ts
At #2 is a regular on the Cool & Strange Music Countdown. It’s Messer Chups. They are one of my favorite acts of the year! They are a Surf Rock trio, Oleg Gitaracula, Zombierella and Dr Boris, from St. Petersburg Russia. Do they surf in Russia? Sounds like a Ramones record. They are hot! Here is their FB page, check it out: https://www.facebook.com/messerchups/
At #1 is another twisted tune like the Tom Lehrer song from a few weeks ago, “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.” This song, too is hilarious. It is by comedian and music composer, Stan Freberg. What makes this tune incredible is that it is only Stan in the studio and he is doing both voices of a couple named John and Marsha. He goes all through the trials and tribulations of a relationship, and he does it by only saying “John” and “Marsha.” It’s hilarious. The engineers for this recording must have been shocked when Stan walked in and started recording this treasure!
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for April 5, 2016! Here is this week’s chart of the most out of this world musical wackiness and bizarreness! You have good timing! Today’s line up has a definite Rock N Roll groove to the tunes…. Imagine the Rock N Roll bands that would be playing with the ghosts at the Haunted Mansion in Disney.
Next up is some bizarreness I stumbled upon whilst searching for Cool & Strange tunes. This is very strange and has a fab video. Their name is Sloth Baby & the Land Pirates and they describe themselves as a “Psychedelic death science” band (what does THAT mean?) and they are from Morristown, New Jersey… I think. Here’s their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/SlothBabyLandPirates/?fref=ts
NOW TIME FOR AN INTERLUDE! Well, after that Sloth Baby & the Land Pirates video, you should be ready for anything. Next up is a band who is legendary in Cool & Strange music circles, the Residents. This band is amazing. Here’s what Wikipedia says:
“The Residents are an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, Meet the Residents (1974), the group has released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects, and ten DVDs. They have undertaken seven major world tours and scored multiple films. Pioneers in exploring the potential of CD-ROM and similar technologies, the Residents have won several awards for their multimedia projects. Ralph Records, a record label focusing on avant-garde music, was started by the band. Throughout the group’s existence, the individual members have ostensibly attempted to operate under anonymity, preferring instead to have attention focused on their art output. Much outside speculation and rumor has focused on this aspect of the group. In public, the group appears silent and costumed, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats and tuxedos—a long-lasting costume now recognized as its signature iconography. Its albums generally fall into two categories: deconstructions of Western popular music; and complex conceptual pieces, composed around a theme, theory or plot.”
Get that? The simple answer to who these folks are is much more convoluted. Here’s their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialResidents/?fref=ts
At #1 this week is a great band that does a fab cover of the Ramones’ “Judy is a Punk.” The band’s name is the New Piccadillys. The New Piccadillys are a four piece beat group from Glasgow, Scotland combining a 1960s sound with a 1970s punk rock. Twanging guitars and pounding drums provide the backing for their tight harmony beat versions of classics such as The Ramones’ Judy is a Punk and many other Rock ‘n’ Roll treasures from various eras all given The New Piccadillys infectiously fresh treatment. Here is their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/The-New-Piccadillys-144760422258122/?fref=ts
We’re back to Cool & Strange Music for March 29, 2016! This is THEE Cool and Strange Music chart! The only one that matters (probably the only one that exists, actually…) Here is this week’s chart of the most out of this world musical bizarreness!
On last week’s Cool and Strange Music Countdown I got thousands and thousands of emails from folks who just went crazy over the Hexstatic version of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking.” People wrote that they want to see more! (Okay, well, maybe “thousands” is a bit of a stretch! This is Coldcut and Hexstatic. Awesome!
It’s Springtime in Japan! And what song always reminds me of Spring? It’s Tom Lehrer! Thomas Lehrer is an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, and mathematician. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater. He is best known for the pithy, humorous songs he recorded in the 1950s and ’60s.
This song is hilarious! Check out the lyrics of Tom Lehrer’s “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”:
Spring is here, spring is here,
Life is skittles and life is beer,
I think the loveliest time of the year
Is the spring, I do, don’t you? Course you do
But there’s one thing that makes spring complete for me
And makes every Sunday a treat for me
All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon
When we’re poisoning pigeons in the park
Every Sunday you’ll see my sweetheart and me
As we poison the pigeons in the park
When they see us coming
The birdies all try and hide
But they still go for peanuts
When coated with cyanide
The sun’s shining bright
Everything seems all right
When we’re poisoning pigeons in the park
We’ve gained notoriety
And caused much anxiety
In the Audobon Society
With our games
They call it impiety
And lack of propriety
And quite a variety of unpleasant names
But it’s not against any religion
To want to dispose of a pigeon
So if Sunday you’re free
Why don’t you come with me
And we’ll poison the pigeons in the park
And maybe we’ll do in a squirrel or two
While we’re poisoning pigeons in the park
We’ll murder them amid laughter and merriment
Except for the few we take home to experiment
My pulse will be quickenin’
With each drop of strychnine
We feed to a pigeon
It just takes a smidgin
To poison a pigeon in the park
At #1 is something that is very Cool and Strange. It’s Sweden Heaven and Hell, Here’s what Wikipedia says: “Sweden: Heaven and Hell (Italian: Svezia, inferno e paradiso) is an Italian mondo film from 1968 directed by Luigi Scattini. The film which is made up of nine segments that focus on different aspects of sexuality in Sweden such as lesbian nightclubs, porn films, swinging lifestyle of married couples and sex education of teenagers (“…lesbian nightclubs, porn films, swinging lifestyle of married couples and sex education of teenagers”!? I’m in!- Mike). The film also examines drug addiction, alcoholism and suicides in Sweden (Been there. Done that. – Mike) The film also featured the debut of the song “Mah Nà Mah Nà” by Piero Umiliani.
