Cool & Strange Japanese Music: If the Beatles Were From Okinawa & Sandii and the Sunsetz

Saturday morning... I'm spending the day relaxing but, since so many people like Akiko Kanazawa's version of Yellow Submarine, or the traditional Japanese music styled version of Smoke on the Water from Cool and Strange music Vol. 5...I thought you'd like this too.

Sandii of Sandii and the Sunsetz

Stop it right now! Take your eyes off that beautiful woman's, er, ummm, gloves. First up, Shang Shang Typhoon - Let it Be

I generally dislike cover songs (especially Beatles songs) as I find it is extremely rare to make them better than the original. But I do enjoy when an artist can do so and add originality and charm that makes the original, not better, but fresh again.

From Wikipedia:

Shang Shang Typhoon (上々颱風 Shan shan taifūn) is a Japanese band of the 1980s and 1990s. Led by Kōryū, the band also features female singers Satoko Nishikawa and Emi Shirasaki. The SST sound is a blend of Okinawan music, min'yo singing and other Japanese elements, with some rock, pop and reggae thrown in. The unique sound of the group is largely due to an original instrument devised by Kōryū that he calls "sangen"; a banjo strung with shamisen strings.

In 1990 Shang Shang Typhoon signed with the Epic/Sony label, but more recently they have recorded on independent labels.

Next a record I bought in Los Angeles at a used record store in 1982 or so. Didn't know who this was but I thought the jacket was cool. Then I listened to it and thought THIS IS A FRICKING GREAT RECORD!!!!!

Sandii and the Sunsetz - Battery (seems to me the 7 inch single had a title, "Love Battery")

Sandii is HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! I like the Devoesque scenes at the start.

I'm in love with Sandii! Here's more info about Sandii and the Sunsetz:

Though they garnered the most attention in the early 1980s under the name Sandii and The Sunsetz, this Japanese Pop band had already been recording together with similar lineups and under similar monikers for nearly a decade prior. Backed by band leader and guitarist Makoto Kubota, guitarist Kenichi Inoue, bassist King Champ Onzo and percussionist Hideo Inoura, and fronted by lead singer Sandii, born Sandy O'Neale, the band found moderate success throughout the 1980s

And finally, I leave you with this (as Toby Turner would say) "Epicousity!"

Cool & Strange Music - Vol. Four: Akiko Kanazawa "Yellow Submarine" and Kazuo Umezu "Snake Girl"

Hot on the heels of the very successful Cool and Strange Music post about Yo Yo Hashi, here's today's version that is guaranteed to crack you up! 

Matsuchiyo - A true geisha

Our feature song today is by a very well known Japanese artists by the name of Akiko Kanazawa. Akiko is probably best known for singing the "Pokemon Counting Song." In this 1982 released version of the Beatles 1966 hit, "Yellow Submarine" Akiko Kanazawa gives it the royal "Japanese" work over for a delightfully different take on a rock standard. Enjoy!

Akiko Kanazawa - Yellow Submarine Ondo

The next song is called "Snake Girl" by Kazuo Umezu. Kazuo Umezu is a Science Fiction/Horror writer and also is well known for drawing manga (comics). You've just got to check out his Wikipedia page. He LOOKS like a nutty manga artist!


Here's Kazuo Umezu and Snake Girl

Also, once again, if you are interested in geisha, here is the trailer for Matsuchiyo - Life of a Geisha that was recently created by Ken Nishikawa: