X Japan Discography Download

[Elwanda Menhennett]

TheJapanese LPs also came with a thin obi strip wrapped around the cover, which were often discarded by teenagers keen to hear the music as soon as possible. As such, the rarity offers collectors a challenge, as does the variety of different obi strips for individual pressings of each release.

First Records was one of many Taiwanese counterfeit-labels in the late 60s/early 70s, releaseing western pop/rock illegally for the huge contingent of American GIs stationed on the island. Not very interesting for collectors. However, big artists like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones may fetch prices in the region of $20-40 among collectors.

I have a japanese white album with red vinyl records instead of black. The number on the front of the album is. No A041365 with the words THE BEATLES embossed in the cover. The records are numbers AP-8570 and 8571 and on the back of the cover there is some Japanese lettering. The poster with the words to the songs is included and it also has some Japanese lettering. The photographs of each one of the Beatles is also there. I bought it years ago from the original owner who was in japan during the Vietnam conflict. It was made by Toshiba musical industries in Tokyo.

On March 11, 2011 a large earthquake struck off of the coast of Japan, creating a tsunami which flooded the coast, and creating a number of nuclear accidents. The earthquake and after affects were responsible for the death of over 15,000 people, and another 10,000 injured or missing. This release, is a collaborative effort by the big four labels including Sony, EMI, Universal and Warner. The album was released digitally on March 25, 2011 through iTunes, and a physical release came on April 3/4, 2011, less than a month after the disaster.

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This wasrecorded live in studio December 17 2001. We get two tracks from UK, two tracks from KING CRIMSON and one fromELP and that might be the best one. That would be "Knife Edge" and this Japanese keyboardist can play! We get"Danger Money" and "Alaska-Time To Kill" from UK and "Larks Tongues In Aspic Part Two" and "21st Century SchizoidMan" from KC to round out the five song album. An enjoyable record for the most part and only 37 minutes longbut man check out the first one if you can, there's some amazing instrumental music on it. social review comments Review Permalink

Posted Thursday, July 6, 2023 Review this album Report (Review #2937937)

I feel like over a ten to twelve year period I was the ultimate explorer of music leaving no stoneunturned resulting in a lot of stories. ARS NOVA obviously believed that sex sells by their skimpy outfits andprovocative poses so it's hard to take the seriously until you hear them play. Both bands generate a lot of power onthese tunes, I'm just so impressed and it made me think again of the RARE BIRD leader who had no guitarist in hisband because he believed his keyboards could provide much nastier sounds bordering on evil. Yes this recording hereis a keyboardist's dream with an array of them from these three talented ladies. The mellotron is sampled but adds alot. GERARD is up first with of course an ELP cover "Toccata"opening with loud synths and booming drums beforeit settles in to an uptempo barn burner. Oh my! The organ is screaming at one point. Bombast is the word. They areon fire 3 minutes in but a calm follows quickly. We start to get some punchy and intricate sounds before 5 minutes.Organ is back at 6 1/2 minutes then it's a free for all once again. ARS NOVA covers some TRACE tunes in this medleyfrom their "Birds" record including "Bourree" and "King Bird". There is a guest bass player on this song from a bandcalled TRITON. Same player would guest on one track on ARS NOVA's next studio album after this. Fast paced keys andlots of depth as the bass throbs. The keyboards make me dizzy. The organ is ripping it up before 2 minutes then it allturns classical sounding. Man it becomes so uplifting just before 5 minutes. A powerful ending follows. GERARDfollows with a BANCO cover from "Darwin!" called "La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta". So powerful and dramatic tostart and that calm later with mellotron is emotional. A killer track! ARS NOVA not to be outdone covers Italians ILBALLETTO DI BRONZO's "Epilogo" from "YS". Yeah they do! Man I love this track. Keyboards galore and check out thatsinister calm after 2 minutes. So good and mellotron! GERARD covers Rick Wakeman's "Catherine Parr" and this is abetter version in my opinion. It's actually one of my favourites on here. Active drums, powerful organ and upfront bassto get us started. It kicks into a higher gear rather quickly then we get some beautiful mellotron sounds just before 3minutes. "Tarkus" by ELP of course is covered by ARS NOVA and check out the mellotron choirs to start. Gulp. There'sa great change in direction at 3 minutes but they do shift a lot on this one. An array of keyboards dominate. Heyanother RPI tune in "Four Holes In The Ground" by PFM of course and GERARD sounds just like them to start but afterthat they really have fun with this song. I have to go 4 stars despite this being an album of cover tunes. It's justunique and a great example of keyboard led bombast. social review comments Review Permalink

Posted Sunday, January 16, 2022 Review this album Report (Review #2673020)

Back to 1984, in the year that Yes conquers the world with the smooth progressive pop single Owner Of ALonely Heart, Marillion rules with the Neo-prog from Fugazi, Rush embraces electronics on Grace Under Pressureand Dutch keyboard hero Ton Scherpenzeel shines on Stationary Traveller by Camel. On the other side of the worldJapanese formation Gerard is scouting the borders between harder-edged symphonic rock and Heavy Prog, in apretty exciting way on their eponymous debut album.Their story started when keyboard player Toshio Egawa (his mother was a piano teacher) decided to leave thepopular Japanese Heavy Prog band Novela and found his own formation Gerard, including guitarist/singer YukihiroFujimura. The name is derived from a clothes store in Tokyo. After their highy acclaimed eponymous debut CD(1984) and successor Empty Lie, Empty Dream (1985) Yukihiro Fujimura left Gerard in order to found his own bandVienna. These first two Gerard albums are pretty original Heavy Prog, but then the music gradually turned intomore and more ELP and UK influenced. During the years Gerard suffered from multiple line-up changes, with onlyprime mover Toshio Gerard as the constant factor. Between 1991 and 2011 Gerard has released 11 studio albums,the CD Live In Marseille (1999), the live DVD Chaos Live (2000) and the limited edition compilation box Meridian(1998). Their latest effort is entitled Visionary Dream, from 2011, according to Toshio Egawa (August 2018) the bandGerard is no longer active and nowadays he plays in other bands. During the years Toshio Egawa has been a veryprolific musician and also joined Earthshaker (once Don Airey was a member ), Sheherazade and Fromage. And hecontributed to the Bohemian Symphony Project (with former fellow Novela musician Terutsugu Hirayama) andKeyboard's Triangle I and II (the first edition with Ars Nova).Listening to the first Gerard album is an overwhelming musical experience: what an awesome blend of hardrockguitar and 'symphonic rock keyboards', what a tension between the mellow and bombastic parts, and what adynamic interplay between the musicians! Prime mover Toshio Egawa turns out to be a Japanese answer to thelegendary keyboard wizards from the UK: he has the the elegant virtuosity from Rick Wakeman, the ultra-bombasticapproach from Keith Emerson and the androgyn looks from Eddie Jobson, 1. Meridian (2:57) : An intro with church bells, then an increasing sound of a powerful guitar riff, followed bycheerful synthesizer flights and a bombastic eruption with dazzling synthesizer runs. Then a slow rhythm featuringhowling electric guitar leads and finally again those sensational 'presto and vivace' synthesizer runs, supported by apowerhouse rhythm-section. This instrumental track clocks only 3 minutes but so much happens, a very excitingstart.2. Orpheus: (8:51) I) I cry for help II) Decision III) Elysium : This long composition delivers lots of changing climates:from dreamy with strong interplay between piano and guitar to a mid-tempo with pleasant native vocals andbombastic outbursts with lush Hammond and fat synthesizer flights. Halfway a captivating break featuring anominous climate, led by powerful guitar runs, first slow and then fiery. Strong points are also the variety, interplayand tension between the mellow and bombastis part. Like in final part, with first a bombastic eruption, then anaccellaration and finally dreamy piano and vocals, Gerard takes you to every mood in the galaxy.3. Incantation (9.09) : This other long composition contains a cascade of shifting moods and again a huge tensionbetween the mellow and bombastic parts. Toshio Egawa shines with his fat synthesizer flights and majesticMellotron violins. Halfway a strong build-up with powerful electric guitar and sparkling piano and a very dynamicrhythm-section. This culminates in a compelling and sumptuous grand finale with lush synthesizers, mightyMellotron, Moog Taurus bass pedals and fiery electric guitar, it sounds like a heavy version of W&W Genesis, goosebumps!4.Lasting Memory (5:13) : After a beautiful intro with classical piano arpeggio's the music alternates betweendreamy and bombastic. The one moment a buzzing fretless bass and mellow piano work, the other momentsumptuous outbursts with Mellotron and bass pedals. The final part features glorious Mellotron violins, slowlyfading away, again goose bumps.5. Revenge (3:35) : This track is mostly inspired by Toshio Egawa his former band Novela, with an un-tempo beatand dazzling synthesizer flights, then a short part with propulsive drum beats and Mellotron violins. In the secondpart a spectucular duel between a biting electric guitar and flashy synthesizer work, Gerard their version of Lordand Blackmore, but made in Japan.6. Melting Time (9:37) : This is one of the highlights on this album, what a varied and elaborate composition. It startsdreamy with wonderful native vocals, topped with subtle strings and piano. Then a slow rhythm, gradually themusic turns into more lush, culminating in a spectacular break with powerful organ waves, sensational synthesizerflights and biting electric guitar runs.To me it sounds like 'Steve Vai meets UK', very exciting. The final part isbreathtaking, after sumptuous eruptions the music slowly fades away, but then a crescendo and a final outburstwith heavy guitar, bombastic keyboards and an excellent rhythm-section. Like a long and intense, extended'eargasm', wow!7. Visionary Dream (4:24) : A strongly build-up ballad with lots of delicate musical ideas. First dreamy with warmnative vocals and piano, then a slow rhythm with passionate vocals, gradually turning into a mid-tempo with fieryelectric guitar, flashy synthesizers and powerful drums. The final part sounds very subtle with soft twanging electricguitar, a wonderful conclusion.8. Midnight dreamer (4.27) : This final track is a blend of melodic ' and symphonic rock featuring mainly nativevocals but the title is sung in English. The structure is pretty simple but the colouring adds an extra dimension: aheavy guitar solo and bombastic eruptions with fat synthesizer flights and deep Moog Taurus bass pedals. A craftedsong but to me it sounds a bit commercial, like an attempt to make a single. I had rather seen one of the othercompositions as the final track.What a debut, it's so exciting, varied, dynamic and elaborate. And Egawa delivers floods of virtuosic keyboard work,topped with Fujimura his excellent powerful guitar play, in perfect balance.The pleasant Japanese vocals are aspecial flavour. Highly recommended to the fans of Heavy Prog (like Journey and Angel in their early years), harder-edged symphonic rock(like Kansas and Eighties Eloy) or keyboard extravaganza like ELP, Trace and UK. social review comments Review Permalink

Posted Sunday, August 12, 2018 Review this album Report (Review #1977349)

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