A Japanese blues band. The roots music of contemporary pop.

Live Spot LugHirata Hiroyasu
I’m Hiroyasu Hirata from Live Spot RAG. When I was 15, I was blown away by how cool music—especially rock—was, and I started playing guitar and formed a band. I’m from Kochi Prefecture, where there weren’t many live houses or concert venues, so there were few opportunities to experience live music. Back then, our sources of information were magazines, CDs, and even VHS tapes (!?). Still, I was captivated by the sparkle of music, and I spent my days enjoying guitar and music, mostly neglecting my studies. I moved to Kyoto for university and “graduated” from the light music club, so to speak (laugh). Until then, I mainly listened to Japanese rock and Western hard rock, but thanks to seniors and peers I learned there was so much more music in the world. Now I listen to anything that strikes me as good, regardless of genre. After graduating, I joined RAG. After about six years in the office and about ten years in the music studio, I now work at the long-established Live Spot RAG, which has been around for 39 years, mainly handling promotions. Being exposed to the “real music” performed by Japan’s top musicians and delivering it to our audience lets me feel the brilliance of music anew every day. I still play guitar and keep a band going casually, and in recent years I’ve even started singing—better late than never. I’ve fully become an old guy by now, but I hope we can continue to chase “what lies beyond the dreams I painted with music back then” together.
POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

One of the roots musics, the blues, was born among African peoples who immigrated to America and was brought to Japan via the UK.

The prototype of the blues evolved into jazz and rock, and it has had a major impact on popular music as well.

Its emotionally charged singing is captivating, and in a band setting it comes across even more passionately—especially with the guitar’s wailing, crying phrases!

Given the cultural background, many of Japan’s leading blues bands include members from the Kansai region.

Please enjoy this wellspring of soulful sound—the source that also gave rise to the familiar music we listen to every day.

Japanese blues bands. Roots music of contemporary pop (21–30)

Seoul SubwaySOOO BAAD REVUE

Sooo Baad Revue / Seoul Subway (1976–2012 SOOO BAAD REVUE)

Seoul SubwaySOOO BAAD REVUE

A bona fide blues band formed in 1975 around guitarist Nagao Ishida, with Junshi Yamagishi, Ichi Peking, Charles Shimizu, Tadashi Nagamoto, Masakazu Doi, Baker Doi, Masakazu Sunagawa, and Teruyuki Kokubu.

Among the Kansai blues acts that emerged in the ’70s, they leaned especially toward a Western-style sound, and recorded their studio album in Los Angeles, USA.

Their performances brim with soul, funk, and R&B feeling and are undeniably cool, and their lyrics—Kansai dialect set to the blues—are another draw.

Later on, Nagao Ishida also found success as half of the duo BAHO with Char.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Lonely HeartCREATION

Creation [Lonely Heart] 1981

Lonely HeartCREATION

Creation is a band formed in 1972, centered around guitarist Kazuo Takeda.

They were active from the mid-1970s until disbanding in 1984.

The band later resumed activities as Creation in 2005, and they continue to perform live as Creation today.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Japanese blues bands. Roots music of contemporary pop (31–40)

budgerigarJIGHEAD

JIGHEAD “Budgerigar” PV

budgerigarJIGHEAD

A band formed in 1995, led primarily by Mr.

Ogawara, who had been a member of THE POGO.

They have continued to be highly active up to the present.

As a three-piece band without a bassist, the new release they put out in 2013, featuring a guest bassist, is a unique work for JIGHEAD.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

I’M GETTIN’ BLUEZIGGY

ZIGGY「I’M GETTIN’ BLUE」

I’M GETTIN’ BLUEZIGGY

ZIGGY is a rock band formed in Tokyo in 1984, centered around Jiki Morishige, focusing mainly on blues rock and hard rock.

After making their major debut in 1987, they were highly active until going on hiatus in 2008.

In 2017, after ten years, they released a new song and held a nationwide tour.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

drink-and-wet dollSon House

Milk-Only Doll Sun House

drink-and-wet dollSon House

Sunhouse is a blues band formed in 1970 by university students in Fukuoka.

They made their record debut in 1975 with Teichiku Records, released their major-label debut album Uchoten, and toured nationwide, actively performing until they disbanded in 1978.

They have since reunited intermittently and are still active today.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Hakata rock started here.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Song For My LadyTOO MUCH

TOO MUCH-Song For My Lady (1971)

Song For My LadyTOO MUCH

TOO MUCH was a band that existed around 1970.

They began performing in 1969 and remained active until they disbanded in 1971 after releasing the album “TOO MUCH.” Coincidentally, they were active in the Kansai region during the same period as Murahachibu.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

DEKU NO BOYthe band apart

the band apart / DEKU NO BOY 【MV】

DEKU NO BOYthe band apart

A four-piece rock band from Tokyo formed in 1998, consisting of guitarist-vocalist Takeshi Arai, guitarist Koichi Kawasaki, bassist Masakazu Hara, and drummer Sakae Kogure.

Hara, Kawasaki, and Kogure were classmates in junior high school, and the band’s origins lie in a metal cover band.

Their sound prominently reflects not only blues elements but also strong influences from soul.

Metal-style guitar techniques such as tapping are frequently employed.

They have many songs with English lyrics, and they successfully completed a U.S.

tour in 2007.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem