THE TOMBOYS – exclusive London show: 25 March 2016

Event Name: JAPAN UNDERGROUND presents THE TOMBOYS
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/558339214341814/
Support Bands: The Johns, The Picaresque, DJ: JPU Tom
Date: Friday 25 March 2016
Location: The Pipeline (basement), 94 Middlesex Street, London E1 7DA [map]
Nearest Tube/Train: London Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Shoreditch High Street
Entry: £5

Japan’s all-girl rock squad THE TOMBOYS are currently recording their debut EP in London. To celebrate, they will perform a one off show in London on 25 March, before jetting back to Japan.

THE TOMBOYS started life in 2011 as a cover band of SCANDAL, one of Japan’s most successful all-girl pop rock artists. Called NoName, they entered SCANDAL’s annual cover band competition and got to the finals, where their drummer picked up the RINA Award from SCANDAL’s drummer.

Since then, NoName started recording their own original songs and touring Japan with their cute and fun response to punk and rock music. They also continue to enter SCANDAL’s annual cover band competition, and have so far picked up the HARUNA award too (gotta collect ’em all).

Now the band has changed their name and working on their first EP under the new moniker. Don’t miss this rare chance to see the band in their one and only overseas show, before they head back to Japan.

THE TOMBOYS: (previously known as NoName)
http://noname-band-official.tumblr.com/

 

PLUS! Make sure you get down early to catch indie rockers The Johns and Japanese pop punk locals The Picaresque perform live! Plus the latest Japanese hit courtesy of JPU Tom from JPU Records, Europe’s hottest label for music from Japan.

The Johns

The Picaresque

Japan’s Otaku Idols Dempagumi.inc to Release First International Album and Perform at HYPER JAPAN at The O2 This Weekend

Japan’s alternative idol group Dempagumi.inc has confirmed the international release of their album W.W.D.D. through London’s JPU Records, following their first UK performances at HYPER JAPAN at The O2 on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July 2015.

Described as “pop… played at hardcore punk speed” by Complete Music Update and “an insane mish-mash of styles… an explosion of joy and creativity” by MTV Iggy. Dempagumi.inc are already turning heads overseas, and now the otaku superstars break out of Tokyo’s Akihabara district to bring their music to an international audience for the first time.

When originally released, W.W.D.D. reached number three in Japan’s Oricon Album Charts, where the six all-girl unit has held huge headline arena shows, including the Nippon Budokan, National Yoyogi Stadium’s First Gymnasium, as well as appearances at Japan’s major rock festivals, despite their pop aesthetics.

A number of tracks on the album have been written by prominent figures in the Japanese rock industry, including Tamaya 2060% of punk group Wienners, NAOTO from popular hip-hop rock act ORANGE RANGE, and anime theme composer and video game music remixer Kenichi Maeyamada amongst many more.

W.W.D.D. on CD will include a 28-page full colour photo and lyric booklet and will be available first at HYPER JAPAN, ahead of its official retail release from 7 August 2015. Digitally, the album is out now on iTunes and will be made available from other digital download and streaming services shortly.

W.W.D.D. TRACKLIST:
01. Dempa na Sekai ~ It’s a dempa world ~
02. Dempari Night [video]
03. Dance Dance Dance
04. NEO JAPONISM
05. FD2 ~Raison d’etre Daibouken~
06. Chururi Chururira [video]
07. Mamonaku, Dempagumi.inc ga Ririku Itashimasu
08. Dear Stage e Youkoso
09. Bari3 Republic [video]
10. Fancy Hoppe U FU FU [video]
11. Lemon Iro [video]
12. Brandnew World
13. Irodori Sekai
14. Sakura Apparation [video]

Pre-order now directly from JPU Records, or purchase in advance at HYPER JAPAN.

Dempagumi.inc online:
http://dempagumi.dearstage.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dempagumi.inc
https://twitter.com/dempagumi
https://www.youtube.com/dempagumiinc

JPU Records Online:
http://jpurecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/JPUrecords
https://twitter.com/JPUrecords

SCANDAL Becomes First Band to be on the Cover of British Magazine NEO

SCANDAL, one of Japan’s most powerful all-girl rock bands, will feature on the cover of issue 138 of NEO Magazine in the UK from 12 June 2015, following the successful conclusion of their first world tour, their latest music video Image passing one million views, and the release of two international albums in the last six months through London’s JPU Records.

It’s the first time a band has featured on the cover of the British anime, manga and Asian pop-culture publication since beginning ten years ago under publisher Uncooked Media. Fittingly, SCANDAL has also has their music used in hugely popular anime as Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist and the latest Pokémon film.

The issue of NEO boasts an extensive six-page interview with the band, including exclusive photos from their sold out show at the O2 Academy Islington, as well as the group’s first time sight-seeing in London, including their homage to musical heroes The Beatles whilst visiting Abbey Road Studios, and rock legends Oasis in recreating the cover of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?. Two full-A4 posters are additionally included.

Editor Gemma Cox comments; ”NEO 138 is truly an issue dear to our hearts, as it’s the first time in our decade-long history that we’ve featured a Japanese band on the front cover. Asian music is one of our passions at NEO, and we could not think of a better band to celebrate this with than SCANDAL, the all-girl group currently taking the world by storm! Powering through the charts with their latest album releases, HELLO WORLD and UK-and-Europe-exclusive GREATEST HITS, there was never a better time for us to speak to the girls than during their brief stop in London as part of their tour. We hope SCANDAL-fans and music lovers enjoy our extensive coverage in NEO 138.”

SCANDAL’s latest studio album HELLO WORLD is their eighth to be released, and reached number three in Japan’s Oricon Album Chart when it was originally released in Japan from Epic Records, owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It was SCANDAL’s first album to be released in the UK through independent label JPU Records Ltd. at the start of 2015, and was followed up by an exclusive compilation from the British label entitled GREATEST HITS, which sold out of initial print before release date in May 2015.

Issue 138 of NEO Magazine is available from magazine stockists from 12 June 2015, as well as its homepage www.neomag.co.uk/magazine.

NEO 138 is also available digitally from Google Play, Amazon, Pocket Mags, the iOS App Store and from www.neomag.co.uk/digitalmag/issue/138.

www.scandal-4.com/

www.facebook.com/scandalofficial

www.jpurecords.com/

Win Tickets to See J-pop Boyband GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE This Saturday!

London has had plenty of J-pop acts grace stages across the city throughout the years, from all girl-trio Perfume, to Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, but when it comes to all male pop talent, things have been rather lacking.

All that’s about to change with GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE, the seven-strong Japanese boy band set to hit London’s O2 Academy Islington this Saturday (15 June 2015). The group is related to EXILE TRIBE, a supergroup of talent who collectively had the 9th best-selling single of 2014 in Japan with The Revolution, and the 8th biggest selling album of the year.

JPU Records is proud to give you a chance to win tickets for you and a friend to see GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE live in London, simply take a screen shot of you sharing this story on social media, along with the full name of you and your friend, and email info@jpurecords.com with the Subject Title “GENERATIONS Competition”

We’ll pick winners at 9am on Friday 12 June, so better hurry!

Here’s the latest music video from the group:

moumoon and PASSEPIED, Two of Japan’s Rising Talents, Announce Special One-off London Show

Event Name: JAPAN UNDERGROUND presents moumoon x PASSEPIED – JAPAN RISING Warm Up
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/454371931382680/
Date: Wednesday 13 May 2015 (from 7pm)
Location: The Pipeline (basement), 94 Middlesex Street, London E1 7DA [map]
Nearest Tube/Train: London Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Shoreditch High Street
Entry: £5

Schedule:
7-8pm: Japanese music DJ session
8pm: PASSEPIED
9pm: moumoon
10pm-close: Japanese music DJ session

Two of Japan’s hottest rising talents, moumoon and PASSEPIED have already been selected to represent the best in new talents from Japan at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton between 14-16 May 2015, and now they have announce a very special one-off show in London to warm up for the festival appearance, accompanies by DJ sessions from UK-based Japanese music label JPU Records.

PASSEPIED (www.passepied.info)

Named after French composer Claude Debussy, PASSEPIED have became a sensation in the Japanese music scene since forming in 2009. With their unique music style crafted by keyboardist and founder Narita Haneda, who graduated the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music with a degree in classical music, and illustrations, artwork and music clip animation created by the band’s own vocalist, Natsuki Ogoda. This will be PASSEPIED’s very first performance outside of Japan.

moumoon (www.moumoon.com)

moumoon is a Japanese group formed by YUKA (Vo.) and MASAKI (Gt./Composer). They both grow up with classical music with Masaki playing piano and YUKA playing violin. Their present musical style covers various types of music such as pop, alternative rock, electronica, folk and indie rock with YUKA’s lyrics and vocal adding scenery and a story to Masaki’s sensitive but dynamic melodies. After moumoon was formed, their songs were power played on radio and used in many TV commercials earning them name recognition. Their latest single is also currently being used in hit new anime series Assassination Classroom as its closing theme.

moumoon and PASSEPIED are in the UK to take part in the JAPAN RISING showcase at The Great Escape on Saturday 16 May, where they will be joined by Yosi Horikawa. The showcase is supported by The Foundation for Promotion of Music Industry and Culture (PROMIC) and Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), and coordinated by Japan Underground. It is part of a remit to create overseas showcase opportunities for performers at Tokyo International Music Market; further showcases will follow.