I mean, there could be rock with a Japanese influence in the actual music, but definitely not the pillows. [i]Maybe[/i] some Sparta Locals melodies and probably some Zazen Boys stuff.

[quote="Son Goshin"][quote]And no, nothing the pillows have ever done has had a uniquely "Japanese" feel. Their influences are largely foreign groups.[/quote]

That's what I was about to say. Rock and roll originated from America. You wouldn't say something has a French feel to it or a Brazillian feel to it. Rock is rock. There's different genres of it, but ethnicity doesn't come into it at all.[/quote]

This isn't just my opinion. I went to a music college everyone I showed the pillows to never heard melody lines quite like that. The only other musician they pointed to were Micheal Schenker, Paul Gilbert(Who graduated from my school) I am talking about musical geniuses giving me there opinion on the pillows. My teacher, school mates told me they would have never thought to make a lead, or bass line like that for a chord progression like the pillows make.

And all my friends from Japan tell me the same thing. "Its Japanese style"

[quote="GoldenRhino"]Yeah seriously. TJXN56 is making me get to the point where I just flip the chessboard over in his face.[/quote]

You should calm down GR.

I've noticed a tendency in Americans to describe anything that comes from Japan as having a "Japanese feel." I gave one of my Murakami books to this English major I know from another school, and despite the fact that Murakami's influences are almost all American writers and most critics describe him as having a very American style of writing, the guy came back to me saying that, "It felt very Japanese."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the Japanese names that threw him off.

[quote="Jomei"]I've noticed a tendency in Americans to describe anything that comes from Japan as having a "Japanese feel." I gave one of my Murakami books to this English major I know from another school, and despite the fact that Murakami's influences are almost all American writers and most critics describe him as having a very American style of writing, the guy came back to me saying that, "It felt very Japanese."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the Japanese names that threw him off.[/quote]

I'm not talking just about Americans. My school was extremely international, I'm talking about people from Japan itself which they know their own culture better than we do. Taiwanese, Mexican, Swedish, Scottish, all sorts of people that all gave me pretty much the same answers.

I have several friends from Japan that have told me the pillows are very Japanese sounding.

Who would you go by, some American saying pillows don't sound Japanese.
Or professional musicians, from around the world, And just straight out Japanese(Who know what the hell they are talking about) That the pillows indeed do sound very Japanese.

This is just my, and several others opinion. You have your own.

Just heard the album again, really kool!

Jomei, you should try to have him read more, if you can. The more you read/study/whatever things from japan, especially pop culture or literature, you start to see similarities. Most, if not all of these, are in pop culture. I've noticed this myself. Give more examples if you can think of them.

Anyways, when it comes to rock, I've never thought of anything from Japan being "Japanese style." Pop is really the only thing that I see in a different light when it comes to Japanese music, with the way they market their popstars and the style of music that those artists play. Rock, which IS an American creation like Goshin said, is all "foreign." The vast majority of artists in Japan are imitating other artists stylistically, most of which are from outside the country.

And you know what? The new album is finally starting to grow on me. Just put the majority of the songs on my iPod. We'll see if it lasts

TJWX5, sorry, but I don't really buy it. I've lived in Tokyo and played in bands with Japanese musicians, and none of them thought the pillows sounded uniquely Japanese. Sawao's biggest influences are American bands, and his music reflects that. You can dismiss this as my opinion, but given that you have nothing but anecdotal evidence about [i]other[/i] people's opinions, I'd say you don't know what you're talking about.

[quote="Jomei"]TJWX5, sorry, but I don't really buy it. I've lived in Tokyo and played in bands with Japanese musicians, and none of them thought the pillows sounded uniquely Japanese. Sawao's biggest influences are American bands, and his music reflects that. You can dismiss this as my opinion, but given that you have nothing but anecdotal evidence about [i]other[/i] people's opinions, I'd say you don't know what you're talking about.[/quote]

Anecdotal evidence is a bit ridiculous to call others observations. Also seems quite hypocritical, since all your statements could be construed as Anecdotal evidence. Even more so than than mine, since I could actually present to you the evidence. But why would we go so far for a discussion on the INTERNET.

Anyways I am talking more about recent albums, and some of the first ones. Alot of the middle section does have strong American/English sound, but still pillows.

Anyways enough about that, let us just agree to disagree.

As to Sawao's influences the only American bands I can think of is Simon & Garfunkel, breeders, Nirvana. MSG is German(His first rock experience), Beatles are English. They covered a Prince song but is he an influence? Any other you can mention?

[quote="TJWX5"]stuff[/quote]

i would kill to go to MI! i basically just spend 8 hours a day playing paul gilbert riffs as it is.

Every band is unique. You can't point out something and say, "I would have never thought to do that! Therefore, it's Japanese! Fucking Q.E.D., bitches!" Furthermore, anyone who thinks that the pillows are reminiscent of Michael Schenker or Paul Gilbert is either mildly retarded, or perhaps possesses borderline intellectual functioning. I'm not making fun of them, I'm just saying - there are governmental agencies that they should seek help from. That said, I don't think that intelligence has ever been a primary factor in music school admissions.

Now, TJ, I'm not saying that you're necessarily wrong about your assertion that the pillows have a Japanese sound, I'm just saying that your argument is shit-fucking-terrible. If you want to make even a halfway decent argument, you should consider the following elements:

1) Unless your music school friends are majoring in "International Music Styles," then they are no better an authority on this than Jomei. It's like getting a cancer diagnosis from a podiatrist.

2) The most important element that you must prove is an evolution of this "Japanese style" that you are speaking of, and you must connect that evolution to the pillows. That is, you must point out the progression of Band A > Band B > Band C > the pillows, and draw connections between them.

3) Not only must you establish a pattern, but you must prove it to be unique, and particularly unique to Japan.

If you can do this, go ahead. But if you can't, then you're wrong - plain and simple.

[quote="AWPJudy"][quote="TJWX5"]stuff[/quote]

i would kill to go to MI! i basically just spend 8 hours a day playing paul gilbert riffs as it is.[/quote]

Something tells me that you've always wanted to do this, but you've never thought to apply.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]If you can do this, go ahead. But if you can't, then you're wrong - plain and simple.[/quote]

Yes. Thank you....all of their babbling is giving me a headache. (THUS PREVENTING MY IMPRESSION OF OOPARTS)
Man, seeing how everyone already reviewed it...I don't see the motivation.
I'll generalize later once my head is cleared.

[quote="TJWX5"][quote="Jomei"]TJWX5, sorry, but I don't really buy it. I've lived in Tokyo and played in bands with Japanese musicians, and none of them thought the pillows sounded uniquely Japanese. Sawao's biggest influences are American bands, and his music reflects that. You can dismiss this as my opinion, but given that you have nothing but anecdotal evidence about [i]other[/i] people's opinions, I'd say you don't know what you're talking about.[/quote]

Anecdotal evidence is a bit ridiculous to call others observations. Also seems quite hypocritical, since all your statements could be construed as Anecdotal evidence. Even more so than than mine, since I could actually present to you the evidence. But why would we go so far for a discussion on the INTERNET.

Anyways I am talking more about recent albums, and some of the first ones. Alot of the middle section does have strong American/English sound, but still pillows.

Anyways enough about that, let us just agree to disagree.

As to Sawao's influences the only American bands I can think of is Simon & Garfunkel, breeders, Nirvana. MSG is German(His first rock experience), Beatles are English. They covered a Prince song but is he an influence? Any other you can mention?[/quote]

You're leaving out the Pixies and Oasis for starters. I haven't played in a band with any Japanese musicians, but every single person I've showed or talked to about the pillows has NEVER said the pillows "have a Japanese feel". That goes for native and non-native Japanese persons. If somebody did come up and tell me the pillows music just "sounds Japanese", I'd say no, they don't. You know what you hear in the pillows early music? A lot of influence from The Beatles. It's very fast paced, but not uniquely Japanese. The more recent work, it's just quirky. It's the pillows own sound. Could it be that Sawao just writes a different kind of music?! Seriously, Sawao's just able to come up with some great original stuff based off of his American influences. Nothing more or less. The guy's just an awesome songwriter (most of the time).

Could it be that they're a Japanese band whose members have Japanese names whose songs featuring Japanese lyrics, or other lyrics with a Japanese accent?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that sums up the only reason why anyone would think their music is "Japanese style."

I'd suggest that the pillows' cult following in the US is largely due to the fact that they[b] don't have a "Japanese-feel".[/b] Yes, the element of them being Japanese plays into their popularity somewhat, but as for linking sound to Japan? No way. Anecdote: When I first heard the pillows in FLCL, I wasn't even really paying attention, so I didn't notice that the lyrics were in Japanese (unless I was listening to Little Busters). I decided to find out more about the band and download their music because it was good - not because I noticed an interesting Japanese vibe in it.

This has a Japanese-feel to it. Whiskey & Unubore by Zazen Boys. Num-Heavymetallic is an even better example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GaRfsCdCzE

Why? To me, both the modes of play and Mukai's vocals are very reminiscent of Buddhist zen sutras/chanting. And Noh theater. We also know that Mukai is heavily influenced by Buddhism. The track "Num-Ami-Dabutz," if I recall correctly, is a play off of the Buddhist invocation "Namu Amida Butsu."

That's a connection right there. I have not yet been presented with the evidence for a similar connection to the pillows.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]Could it be that they're a Japanese band whose members have Japanese names whose songs featuring Japanese lyrics, or other lyrics with a Japanese accent?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that sums up the only reason why anyone would think their music is "Japanese style."[/quote]

What Sheer says here is exactly the point I was trying to make, albeit in more roundabout manner, with my post about Murakami Haruki's literature in the eyes of slower western readers.