Category: News In Translation

Cocco makes another appearance

Source: Bounce.com

Cocco made an impromptu performance at a rock festival in Kobe on Aug. 31.

During an intermission, Cocco jumped onstage and accompanied herself on two songs. The singer wore a red, one-piece dress and performed in her usual barefoot.

Cocco had already performed at a Honshuu middle school, premiering a new song in English titled “Heaven’s Hell”.

On Sept. 5, News23 will broadcast a feature on Cocco.

ACO hits the road

Source: Bounce.com

ACO will embark on a tour behind her latest album starting in November. In June, the singer released, irony, her first album of new work in two years. This tour will be noteworthy in how ACO reproduces her electronica sound. Dates on the tour include:

Friday, Nov. 14 — Osaka Big Cat

Saturday, Nov. 15 — Club Quattro

Wednesday, Nov. 19 — Shinjuku Liquid Room

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant disbands

Source: Bounce.com

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant will disband at the end of its current tour, reports the band’s fan club web site.

The band’s final performance will happen on Oct. 11 in Makuhari, on the same day as the release of its final single, “Electric Circus”. A formal announcement on the band’s official site will be posted on Sept. 1.

Supercar releases live DVD, new single

Source: Bounce.com

Supercar is expected to release a live DVD and new single on Nov. 11.

The DVD, tenatively titled High Booster + Ukawa Naohiro Visual Works, was recorded last year at the band’s “High Booster” event. The DVD will also include videos directed by artist Ukawa Naohiro.

On the same day, Supercar follows up its previous single “Recreation” with a new song produced by Sunahara Yoshinori.

hyde to release new single in November

Source: Bounce.com

L’Arc~en~Ciel vocalist hyde will release a new single, “Horizon”, on Nov. 6. The song will be coupled with a cover of the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, which hyde sang to open his secret performance at the Rock in Japan Festival this year. Is a new album not far behind?

m-flo announces second round of featured vocalists

Source: Bounce.com

For it’s next single, m-flo is colalborating with two new singers.

The R&B duo announced melody and Yamamoto Ryouhei will be its newest guest singers. Earlier this year, Crystal Kay became the first singer to collaborate with m-flo since the departure of the band’s in-house vocalist Lisa.

melody, who debuted in February 2003, has been described as having a “platinum voice”, clear and brimming with emotion. Yamamoto, on the other hand, collaborated with Fantastic Plastic Machine on last year’s Why not?. Described as having an original style, Yamamoto’s June 2003 debut was also highly anticipated.

A coupling track will also feature pop duo Chemistry and will be released on Oct. 22, 2003.

Mukai Shuutoku announces dates, records new band

Source: Bounce.com, Mukai Shuutoku official site

Mukai Shuutoku will be performing throughout September and October, according to his official web site.

Dates on the “Mukai Shuutoku Acoustic & Electric” tour include the Shinjuku Liquid Room on Sept. 17 (which is already sold out), 13 Fandango on Oct. 29 and a Sept. 22 show at Osaka Big Cat with his new band, Zazen Boys.

Mukai’s web site also includes a diary in which he shares his set list at the Rising Sun Rock Festival and reports about a new song he wrote about the outbreak of war.

The site also reports Mukai will be taking Zazen Boys into his self-made Matsuri Studio.

Cocco performs at Honshuu middle school

Source: Bounce.com

Retired artist Cocco performed for the first time in two years at a

Honshuu middle school. Her 10-minute set included a new song, “Heaven’s

Hell”, which reportedly concludes with a rousing chorus.

Cocco appeared at Naha Middle School’s “GOMI-ZERO Taisaku Ikusa” (“The War

for Zero Trash”), an event to encourage trash pick-up along Honshuu’s

coastal areas. Cocco has previously rallied for efforts to clean up

Honshuu’s beaches.

Although the short set was Cocco’s first official performance in years, it

raises speculation whether the reclusive artist is ready to resume her

career.

Buffalo Daughter signs to new label, release new EP

Source: Bounce.com

Buffalo Daughter will be releasing its a new EP titled Pshychic on Sept. 18. The recording is the first to be released under a worldwide label deal with V2 Records, which will release the EP in the States in September, then in Europe in January 2004. Although details of the album were not announced, early reports state Pshychic combines Krautrock, alternative rock, new wave and electronica and may well be one of the band’s best works.

Blankey Jet City reunites? Sort of …

Source: Bounce.com

Former Blankey Jet City member Nakamura Tatsuya’s instrumental band

LOSALIOS is scheduled to release its third album, “the end of the

beauty”, on a new label on Sept. 3. In addition to regular members

TOKIE (RIZE, AJICO), Katou Takashi (Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra) and

Takeda Shinji, the new album also includes guest performances by Mick Kahn, Tsuchiya Masami, Oki Yuichi (also from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra) and saigenji. The album also includes individual contributions by

Nakamura’s Blankey Jet City bandmates Asai Kenichi and Terai Toshiyuki.