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Wanted: New K-Pop band, American style

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Didn't the whole American boy group fad disappear by early 2000s? There hasn't been a boy group in America since the time of Backstreet Boys, N*Sync, 98 Degrees, etc.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

AntiquesavingToday  01:16 pm JST

@egads man!

Yep even the powerhouse Menudo called it quits in 2009 after more than 30 years.

Now Japanese rock bands and heavy-metal bands are seeing a boost in popularity in the USA and Europe much of it fueled by online music and YouTube, Bands like Band Maid, Lovebites, Maximum the Hormone, one ok Rock, etc.

Cursed be Menudo and all its vile imitators like NKOTB and other stupid boy bands!

Yes 'J-rock' is making quite a sensation, isn't it? In 2019 I saw two Japanese rock bands live and they played to full houses - the lady punk trio Shonen Knife and the whacky psychedelic innovators Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso UFO. And then there's the psychedelic/metallic Boris.

And also from the Orient I saw the K-punk band 57 (pronounced 'oh chill') a few years ago and last year I went to a sold out show by the Mongolian hard rockers Hu.

Check all those bands out, they're great.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

In 2019 I saw two Japanese rock bands live and they played to full houses - the lady punk trio Shonen Knife and the whacky psychedelic innovators Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso UFO. And then there's the psychedelic/metallic Boris.

Both great bands, and both around for decades.

last year I went to a sold out show by the Mongolian hard rockers Hu. Check all those bands out, they're great.

Yes, Hu are great. I saw a similar band; Hanggai some 10 or 15 years back in that there London. But as good as all these bands are, neither one of us can proclaim that they are somehow "better" or more "worthy" than the band in the topic.

It's like going on YouTube and (ugh) wading through the comments, where every boomer and those that came after claims that music was better in their day and it's all commercial/sanitized/noisy crap now.

It's not. It's really not. Pop, rock, hip-hop... whatever, it's all constantly recycling and evolving at the same time. It's both disposable and essential, such is the duality of music. Actually, that's incorrect - music has many facets that goes beyond what we hear on first encounter.

I love to rediscover "old" music as well as new, and occasionally hit the back catalogues to listen to stuff I wouldn't have when I was young. But being older doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to the past, either. Discovering new artists, genres etc is hugely rewarding.

I was only half joking when I said this new band could be the next Beatles/Monkees/NKOTB.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

 I went to a sold out show by the Mongolian hard rockers Hu.

I am so so so so...... Jealous!

Live you saw them live!

Before I came to Japan over 30 years ago I drove from Canada to the USA with my brother to see Shonen Knife.

But then I was given backstage access during the farewell show of X Japan here in Tokyo. So I can be ok for now not seeing the Hu live.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

These factory groups K-pop are just polished up bad imitations of the original group Menudo that started this system back in the 1970s ( look up Ricky Martin if you don't know this).

I am no k-pop fan but you are so bias against K-pop.

I do not listen to hard rocks bands but I do not insult them. I would say their music is not my cup of tea. Music taste is very subjective.

The hottest girl group in the world now is the K-pop group called BLACKPINK. Its 2019 MV 'Kill this love' has 1.2 billion hits on YouTube. Its latest hit 'How you like that' released 7 months ago has 775 millions hits.

Not bad for an imitation.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@yoshisan88 well, bad for an imitation. teenagers are stupid.

Show some respect to others, mate. Insulting others does not make you better than them.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thanks @starpunk 2:20p JST . You took us down the ‘Red Rocker rabbit hole’ with “Marching To Mars” to -

here? Kpop?? Agreed, before all this ‘nonsense’ and ‘noise’ there were ‘Real bands’ who played music.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Toasted HereticFeb. 19  03:22 pm JST

*In 2019 I saw two Japanese rock bands live and they played to full houses - the lady punk trio Shonen Knife and the whacky psychedelic innovators Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso UFO. And then there's the psychedelic/metallic Boris.*

Both great bands, and both around for decades.

*last year I went to a sold out show by the Mongolian hard rockers Hu. Check all those bands out, they're great.*

Yes, Hu are great. I saw a similar band; Hanggai some 10 or 15 years back in that there London. But as good as all these bands are, neither one of us can proclaim that they are somehow "better" or more "worthy" than the band in the topic.

It's like going on YouTube and (ugh) wading through the comments, where every boomer and those that came after claims that music was better in their day and it's all commercial/sanitized/noisy crap now.

It's not. It's really not. Pop, rock, hip-hop... whatever, it's all constantly recycling and evolving at the same time. It's both disposable and essential, such is the duality of music. Actually, that's incorrect - music has many facets that goes beyond what we hear on first encounter.

I love to rediscover "old" music as well as new, and occasionally hit the back catalogues to listen to stuff I wouldn't have when I was young. But being older doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to the past, either. Discovering new artists, genres etc is hugely rewarding.

I was only half joking when I said this new band could be the next Beatles/Monkees/NKOTB.

When I was in the Navy and college I had posters on the wall of Duran Duran and U2 next to Paulina Porizkova in a swimsuit. DD were dressed in leather starship trooper outfits, I thought that they were stylish. I still do. I still love those bands too. U2 particularly writes more 'serious' stuff that gets more valid as you grow older. Rock'n'roll is not just a 'teen' thing, it never was meant to be. The Beach Boys, Beatles and even the Rolling Stones' music over time chronologically can show that.

Sindhoor GKFeb. 19  06:18 pm JST

@yoshisan88 well, bad for an imitation. teenagers are stupid.

I don't think so. When I was a teenager I noticed already then the mature lyrical themes RUSH had in their songs, they didn't write about the 'usual topics'. Same for the earliest grunge bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden.

Being across the continent and in different cities and places also exposed me to different bands (and genres) that Top 40 in my hometown was too chicken to play. Expanding your horizons is good for you. You get to see how things are for others, or at least a 'taste' of it. And as you get older some music (and other things) ain't so valid and you outgrow it.

Teenagers are some of the biggest consumers of pop/rock & roll, etc.

They have been for generations.

And have always been demonized, insulted, patronized.

My dad always has a sassymouth about my generation, lipping off about heavy metal, punk rock, glam, and you should've heard the racist crap from him the day Prince died. Who's really grown up here?

And I remember when RUSH and (Jeff Lynne's) ELO and Phil Collins took a lotta slagging from critics, now the're getting the respect they deserve. Why? Their songs stand up to time, that's why. That's what counts.

>

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There are 2 kinds of music lovers; Those who seek it for enjoyment, and those who see it as an art form. I'm in the latter. Does this make me a music snob? No doubt, and proud of it.

Yes, teens are most interested in pop music. Watched "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis last night out of curiosity. Mostly singing and dancing and bad writing. Most of the teens probably ate it up, at least the teens that hadn't already moved on to the next pop stars in 1964, the Beatles.

K-pop, J-pop, US-pop, it's mostly corporate junk, the "teenagers are stupid" is correct, though a bit harsh.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Mainstream music is no longer where many are going to listen, the independent music scene is booming.

As happens every generation, music tastes ebb and flow. Personally, if I like a tune, I don't really care if it's mass market or specialist.

Just as happy listening to J-Pop in the background, as I would be TV Priest or For Those I Love.

It's all subjective, isn't it.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Yo! @yoshisan88. Your 7:42 JST post looks like You’re admonishing Yourself!?!? : ))

Joking aside... Everybody! What’s with all the insults and hate for each other: “Boomers,...teenagers,..”.

J-POP, K-POP, Hard Rock, HipHop: - To some, it’s noise. To all, it’s music! Just remember,..

Our ‘neighbors’ are telling their people what they can listen to. To everybody here in the ‘free world’: Peace!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

teenagers are stupid.

Teenagers are some of the biggest consumers of pop/rock & roll, etc.

They have been for generations.

And have always been demonized, insulted, patronized.

We were all teens, once. Have you forgotten what it was like, the thrill of your band on Top of the Pops or MTV? The posters on your wall? Getting your latest copy of Smash Hits or NME?

Or best, seeing them live?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Toasted HereticFeb. 20  02:33 pm JST

teenagers are stupid.

And have always been demonized, insulted, patronized.

We were all teens, once. Have you forgotten what it was like, the thrill of your band on Top of the Pops or MTV? The posters on your wall? Getting your latest copy of Smash Hits or NME?

Or best, seeing them live?

It's always a thrill. And it shouldn't stop when you become an adult either. There's plenty of good and innovative stuff to listen to as you mature and grow older. Some of the stuff you dug as a teen ain't relevant anymore but you must by any means necessary avoid the soulless 'adult contemporary' no-fun formats. That's a load of vapid prefab garbage that programmers shove down your throat after you reach the age of 25. It's inspid unimaginative trash made for 'soccer mommies', PTA den mothers and such. Rubbish!

But at the same time, if your musical tastes don't evolve from your teen years then you've really haven't progressed much at all as a person.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Didn't the whole American boy group fad disappear by early 2000s? There hasn't been a boy group in America since the time of Backstreet Boys, N*Sync, 98 Degrees, etc.

It's a relief to hear that the Jonas Brothers never existed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@egads man!

Yep even the powerhouse Menudo called it quits in 2009 after more than 30 years.

Now Japanese rock bands and heavy-metal bands are seeing a boost in popularity in the USA and Europe much of it fueled by online music and YouTube, Bands like Band Maid, Lovebites, Maximum the Hormone, one ok Rock, etc... Because many people are tired of groups that cannot play a single instrument don't write any of their music and cannot sing live or in general without autotune.

Mainstream music is no longer where many are going to listen, the independent music scene is booming.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

But as good as all these bands are, neither one of us can proclaim that they are somehow "better" or more "worthy" than the band in the topic.

Yes we can!

If they were actually musicians, if they wrote their songs, if they could at least sing without autotune then like their music or not I would give them credit for doing that and say they are a band and musicians.

But they don't and can't, they are actors, dancers with backing tracks and computer manipulated voices.

Basically living human forms of Hatsune Miku not much more.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

they can try all they want, but no one is beating.........

You are........My fire........The one.........Desire..............

Believe..........when I say..............

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Band, band????

They cannot play a single instruments, most cannot hold a tune without autotune.

Now want real music, real musicians.

Look inside Japan, Band Maid, even lovebites ( not my style not crazy about the vocalist) plenty more.

Don't let the costumes fool you these women are top musicians.

These factory groups K-pop are just polished up bad imitations of the original group Menudo that started this system back in the 1970s ( look up Ricky Martin if you don't know this).

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Wishing them the very best of luck. They could be the next Beatles or Monkees, or even the legendary NKOTB.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

@yoshisan88 well, bad for an imitation. teenagers are stupid.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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