Shawn Despres - The Japan Times

November 24, 2024

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Shawn Despres

Shawn Despres has been contributing to the Japan Times’ music page since 2005, and he has a passion for writing about the independent music scene in East Asia. He spent several years living in Yokohama and currently resides in Seoul.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Apr 2, 2010

The fifth Punkspring music festival takes place at the beginning of April. Usually held alongside its urban music cousin Springroove, this year only Punkspring has been scheduled and, in an interesting twist, despite selling out its last three editions in Tokyo, tickets prices for the high energy, fist-pumping...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Mar 26, 2010

Japanese bands go big in Texas at SXSW festival

AUSTIN, Texas — 'We want to conquer the world," says Okamoto's vocalist Shou Okamoto after their well-received gig at the 24th annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Mar 19, 2010

Mudy on the Sakuban "Pavilion"

Mudy on the Sakuban turned out an awesome showcase of their energetic instrumental rock during their 2008 appearance on Fuji Rock's newcomer stage, Rookie A Go-Go. And while that year's "Voi" EP was a good disc, it paled in comparison to how powerful the Nagoya quintet sounded in a live setting.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Mar 5, 2010

Moools "Weather Sketch Modified"

Much has been made of the strong ties Tokyo's Moools have forged with U.S. indie imprint K Records. And while the relationship has helped the underground rock trio tour overseas and earn slots supporting the seminal label's visiting bands and other acclaimed U.S. acts such as Modest Mouse and recently...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Feb 12, 2010

Kinoco Hotel "Marianne No Yuutsu"

With their first album proper, "Marianne No Yuutsu," Tokyo's Kinoco Hotel join the continuously growing legion of entertaining Japanese revivalist pop acts. Showcasing a similar fashion sense as Sendai throwback band The Captains, the attractive all-gal 1960s Group Sounds-inspired quartet sport matching...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 29, 2010

Math rockers Toe take it slow

Toe have their own record label, Machupicchu Industrias. It's not so much to flaunt a punklike DIY ethic, they're basically just slow.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 22, 2010

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Pegged by a handful of blogs as a "band to watch" after their 2007 eponymous EP, there was a small buzz circulating at the start of 2009 about New York's The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and their pending self-titled full-length. Three days after its February release, the disc was branded with a "best...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 15, 2010

Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro "Uhuru Peak"

A mere few weeks old, 2010 is already shaping up to be a hell of a year for Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro. To get primed for the release of their new "Uhuru Peak" sophomore full-length, the Saitama sextet started off January with a three-week live jaunt of Australian clubs and summer festivals. Familiar...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 8, 2010

Ghent's Das Pop goes overground

His upbringing pretty much ensured that the thought of being in a band was the farthest thing from Bent Van Looy's young mind.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 25, 2009

BBQ Chickens "Good Bye To Your Punk Rock"

I was new to the country and eager to experience some Japanese bands back in 2002. Following an entertainment rag's recommendation, I went to see BBQ Chickens at Shinjuku ACB. After four hours of searching I finally found the punk dive, but disappointingly discovered the gig was sold-out.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 11, 2009

Considered one of Asia's top postrock acts since their 2001 "Under the Pipal Tree" debut and now a decade into their career, Tokyo's Mono are listed alongside the global leaders in their genre. Taking full advantage of their continually growing stature, the instrumental quartet invited a 28-member chamber...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 4, 2009

PanicSmile "A Girl Supernova"

Girl Supernova" is the seventh full-length studio effort from Tokyo-based underground stalwarts PanicSmile. Founded in Fukuoka in the early 1990s, the seminal quartet share 14 new tracks filled with the off-kilter art punk that has established them a small global following and earned them opening slots...

CULTURE / Music

Nov 20, 2009

Dubbed the 19th best single of the 1990s by American mainstream rock rag Spin, the fuzzed-out, power pop anthem "Slack Motherf*cker" from Superchunk's 1990 eponymous debut helped push them to the forefront of the U.S. underground music scene. With A&R reps scrambling to unearth alt-rock superstars to...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Nov 20, 2009

Dubbed the 19th best single of the 1990s by American mainstream rock rag Spin, the fuzzed-out, power pop anthem "Slack Motherf*cker" from Superchunk's 1990 eponymous debut helped push them to the forefront of the U.S. underground music scene. With A&R reps scrambling to unearth alt-rock superstars to...

CULTURE / Music

Nov 13, 2009

An active player in Japan's underground rock scene from his teens (he performed alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra's Ryuichi Sakamoto on TV while in high school), Tokyo-born guitarist Yukie Sato began to tire of his beloved genre in his 30s. His passion was renewed in 1995 after discovering Korean classic...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Nov 13, 2009

An active player in Japan's underground rock scene from his teens (he performed alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra's Ryuichi Sakamoto on TV while in high school), Tokyo-born guitarist Yukie Sato began to tire of his beloved genre in his 30s. His passion was renewed in 1995 after discovering Korean classic...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Nov 6, 2009

The Shapeshifters

One of the world's premier house-music labels, the U.K.-based Defected Records, brings its famed global "Defected In The House" shindig to Tokyo on Nov. 6. Headlining the event are The Shapeshifters.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Oct 30, 2009

Ling Tosite Sigure

After selling out seven of their 11 "Just a Moment" CD release gigs in May and June, it came as little surprise that posthardcore act Ling Tosite Sigure's upcoming "Tornado Z" solo trek would be an anticipated affair. Performing at Japan's six Zepp music halls in November, all 2,700 Tokyo tickets and...

CULTURE / Music

Oct 23, 2009

Formed in February 2008, in the short span of eight months Tokyo trio Parms penned their debut eponymous effort and traveled to Louisville, Ky., to record its 13 tracks with producer Kevin Ratterman, the ex-drummer for American emo act Elliot. The album was issued earlier this year in the United States...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Oct 16, 2009

Ogre embrace their inner nerds

"I'm not sure. I guess it is because of our name."

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.

A boom for business tourism in Japan?

By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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