JapanSugoi

SKULL CANDY are a 5 person band from Osaka who play energetic upbeat Jpop/ska music.  Consisting of vocalist Mari, guitarist Tatsuya, bassist George, Saxophonist Ayaka, Trombonist Usshi and 36 ミム on drums, the group was formed in 2006.

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Yumi Shizukusa 滴草由実 is a talented and pretty Jpop singer from Kagoshima Japan. The 26 year old who also goes by Shizuku (しずく).   Shizukusa Yumi won the “SUPER STARLIGHT CONTEST” audition organized by GIZA studio on April 2002 and since then has released 5 albums and 10 singles. Her last mini-album released in 2009 was Endless Summer which features a really nice music video.

Read more about Yumi  Shizukusa at her blog here

Yumi Shizukusa 滴草由実 Music Video for single Endless Summer

Nihon Madonna (or Madonna Japan) 日本マドンナ are Japanese 3 piece all girl teenage punk band formed in March 2009 comprising of  So あんな on bass,  Marina 19, まりな (gutiar and vocals)  and Satoko 17, さとこ (drums).

“ Physiology 生理 ” is the new single for Ninon Madonna’s new mini-album appropriately titled 月経前症候群～PMS～ released earlier this January.

Check out Ninon Madonna’s  official website and myspace page.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without someone covering Wham’s Last Christmas.   Jpop group Exile did a cover in 2008.  In our opinion their live version is much better than the studio version.

Last Christmas by Exile

Exile Perfect Live 2008 (with dancing santa girls!)

sing it karaoke version

Hifana ハイファナ are an amazing break beat duo who have added to the diversity of Japan’s music scene.   See the full write up of Hifana here.

Kumiko Takeda 武田 久美子 is a 40 year old actress, singer and gravure idol from Aichi prefecture.  Kumiko-chan  started her showbiz career back in primary school when she appeared in a TV commercial with her brother for children’s clothes. She began being an idol in high school and also had a Jpop singing career from 1983-1985.

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Funky Japanese techno house dance label LBT (Love Beer Trax) is a music label that was founded by three producers: DJ io, Paricco (Yuta Suzuki) and Petank. The label started as a source for releasing funky music to be enjoyed alongside drinking and hot springs in Japan. The label also creates remixes and plays live gigs (the label itself holds a monthly party).

LBT released a 2006 compilation album called Drinkers High featuring on its album cover, a busty Japanese gravure idol in bikini drinking beer (and enjoying techno music).

One of the best Japanese rock bands today is the three piece band GO!GO!7188 (Gogo) which has a range of diverse styles spanning from rock, punk, ska, 60s and enka. The band was formed in summer 1998 by Shoyo High School friends Yumi Nakashima 中島 優美 (nicknamed Yuu ユウ) and Akiko Noma 野間 亜紀子 (nicknamed Akko アッコ) in Kagoshima, with the band’s drummer, Turkey, joining in 1999.

The band has released 15 singles since 2000 and 8 albums including last year’s Go!!GO!GO!Go!! (June 2, 2010) and one thing listeners immediately recognize is Yuma  Nakashima’s breathtaking voice.  Read more...

British pop group Bananara’s songs are quite popular in Japan.  Here is the Japanese version of Love in the first degree (Koi no Guilty) performed by kids on a Japanese kids show on NHK.  The singers are  Jasmine Allen, Nobuko Sakuma & Monique Rose.  Kawaii

The C.C. girls (Cool and Classy) C.C.ガールズ were an idol unit from that first formed in the early 1990s as a pop group.  They were also known as the D.D.GAPS.  In the mid 90s they became more of a gravure idol group and went through 2 line up changes.

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