Takeshi Terauchi was one of Japan's first guitar heroes and "Eleki Bushi" is an ideal primer, collecting the best moments from his most enduring period, when he crossed US and UK garage rock with traditional Japanese folk.
Rock 'n roll was unfathomably popular in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, to the point where it inspired a generation of teenagers to develop a sound that became known as "eleki". Using electric guitars to emulate surf rock and working without vocals, bands like The Vultures caused a rush of excitement around this new sound, and young guitarist Terauchi would become one of the country's first axe wielding superstars. In 1962 he founded Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans and achieved massive popularity, but between 1966 and 1974 he concentrated his efforts on a fusion of surf rock and Japanese folk that still sounds completely novel.
Terauchi's mother had been a music teacher and shamisen player, and while Terauchi started playing the guitar when he was just five years old, he took on some of his mother's techniques. Opening track 'Rashoumon' begins with evocative flutes and crashing drums, and when Terauchi's guitar finally enters the picture it takes on the role of the shamisen before speeding into a Doors-inspired organ duet and Shadows-esque instrumental buzz. 'Tsugaru Jongara Bushi' is harder to place but no less bizarre; here Terauchi plays his guitar against a wiry monosynth lead, pushing the tempo in-and-out of traditional and contemporary templates.
The jagged fusion might be confusing to some ears but like the library records emerging from Italy, France and the UK in the same era, it's remarkably funky. It wouldn't be completely unexpected if you heard any of these riffs or broken rhythms on some Madlib tape or other - diggers take note.
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Takeshi Terauchi was one of Japan's first guitar heroes and "Eleki Bushi" is an ideal primer, collecting the best moments from his most enduring period, when he crossed US and UK garage rock with traditional Japanese folk.
Rock 'n roll was unfathomably popular in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, to the point where it inspired a generation of teenagers to develop a sound that became known as "eleki". Using electric guitars to emulate surf rock and working without vocals, bands like The Vultures caused a rush of excitement around this new sound, and young guitarist Terauchi would become one of the country's first axe wielding superstars. In 1962 he founded Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans and achieved massive popularity, but between 1966 and 1974 he concentrated his efforts on a fusion of surf rock and Japanese folk that still sounds completely novel.
Terauchi's mother had been a music teacher and shamisen player, and while Terauchi started playing the guitar when he was just five years old, he took on some of his mother's techniques. Opening track 'Rashoumon' begins with evocative flutes and crashing drums, and when Terauchi's guitar finally enters the picture it takes on the role of the shamisen before speeding into a Doors-inspired organ duet and Shadows-esque instrumental buzz. 'Tsugaru Jongara Bushi' is harder to place but no less bizarre; here Terauchi plays his guitar against a wiry monosynth lead, pushing the tempo in-and-out of traditional and contemporary templates.
The jagged fusion might be confusing to some ears but like the library records emerging from Italy, France and the UK in the same era, it's remarkably funky. It wouldn't be completely unexpected if you heard any of these riffs or broken rhythms on some Madlib tape or other - diggers take note.
Takeshi Terauchi was one of Japan's first guitar heroes and "Eleki Bushi" is an ideal primer, collecting the best moments from his most enduring period, when he crossed US and UK garage rock with traditional Japanese folk.
Rock 'n roll was unfathomably popular in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, to the point where it inspired a generation of teenagers to develop a sound that became known as "eleki". Using electric guitars to emulate surf rock and working without vocals, bands like The Vultures caused a rush of excitement around this new sound, and young guitarist Terauchi would become one of the country's first axe wielding superstars. In 1962 he founded Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans and achieved massive popularity, but between 1966 and 1974 he concentrated his efforts on a fusion of surf rock and Japanese folk that still sounds completely novel.
Terauchi's mother had been a music teacher and shamisen player, and while Terauchi started playing the guitar when he was just five years old, he took on some of his mother's techniques. Opening track 'Rashoumon' begins with evocative flutes and crashing drums, and when Terauchi's guitar finally enters the picture it takes on the role of the shamisen before speeding into a Doors-inspired organ duet and Shadows-esque instrumental buzz. 'Tsugaru Jongara Bushi' is harder to place but no less bizarre; here Terauchi plays his guitar against a wiry monosynth lead, pushing the tempo in-and-out of traditional and contemporary templates.
The jagged fusion might be confusing to some ears but like the library records emerging from Italy, France and the UK in the same era, it's remarkably funky. It wouldn't be completely unexpected if you heard any of these riffs or broken rhythms on some Madlib tape or other - diggers take note.
Takeshi Terauchi was one of Japan's first guitar heroes and "Eleki Bushi" is an ideal primer, collecting the best moments from his most enduring period, when he crossed US and UK garage rock with traditional Japanese folk.
Rock 'n roll was unfathomably popular in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, to the point where it inspired a generation of teenagers to develop a sound that became known as "eleki". Using electric guitars to emulate surf rock and working without vocals, bands like The Vultures caused a rush of excitement around this new sound, and young guitarist Terauchi would become one of the country's first axe wielding superstars. In 1962 he founded Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans and achieved massive popularity, but between 1966 and 1974 he concentrated his efforts on a fusion of surf rock and Japanese folk that still sounds completely novel.
Terauchi's mother had been a music teacher and shamisen player, and while Terauchi started playing the guitar when he was just five years old, he took on some of his mother's techniques. Opening track 'Rashoumon' begins with evocative flutes and crashing drums, and when Terauchi's guitar finally enters the picture it takes on the role of the shamisen before speeding into a Doors-inspired organ duet and Shadows-esque instrumental buzz. 'Tsugaru Jongara Bushi' is harder to place but no less bizarre; here Terauchi plays his guitar against a wiry monosynth lead, pushing the tempo in-and-out of traditional and contemporary templates.
The jagged fusion might be confusing to some ears but like the library records emerging from Italy, France and the UK in the same era, it's remarkably funky. It wouldn't be completely unexpected if you heard any of these riffs or broken rhythms on some Madlib tape or other - diggers take note.
Gatefold 180g heavy vinyl LP, reverse board print. Comes with extensive liner notes.
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Takeshi Terauchi was one of Japan's first guitar heroes and "Eleki Bushi" is an ideal primer, collecting the best moments from his most enduring period, when he crossed US and UK garage rock with traditional Japanese folk.
Rock 'n roll was unfathomably popular in Japan in the aftermath of World War II, to the point where it inspired a generation of teenagers to develop a sound that became known as "eleki". Using electric guitars to emulate surf rock and working without vocals, bands like The Vultures caused a rush of excitement around this new sound, and young guitarist Terauchi would become one of the country's first axe wielding superstars. In 1962 he founded Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans and achieved massive popularity, but between 1966 and 1974 he concentrated his efforts on a fusion of surf rock and Japanese folk that still sounds completely novel.
Terauchi's mother had been a music teacher and shamisen player, and while Terauchi started playing the guitar when he was just five years old, he took on some of his mother's techniques. Opening track 'Rashoumon' begins with evocative flutes and crashing drums, and when Terauchi's guitar finally enters the picture it takes on the role of the shamisen before speeding into a Doors-inspired organ duet and Shadows-esque instrumental buzz. 'Tsugaru Jongara Bushi' is harder to place but no less bizarre; here Terauchi plays his guitar against a wiry monosynth lead, pushing the tempo in-and-out of traditional and contemporary templates.
The jagged fusion might be confusing to some ears but like the library records emerging from Italy, France and the UK in the same era, it's remarkably funky. It wouldn't be completely unexpected if you heard any of these riffs or broken rhythms on some Madlib tape or other - diggers take note.