Lead, Follow, Or Get The Fuck Out Of The Way
Imagine if you will… Lester Bangs, the legendary rock critic who championed The Stooges and their other proto-punk brethren in the likes of Creem and Rolling Stone, suddenly turning around and dissing those same bands in favor of championing the acoustic soft-rockers like James Taylor that he once loathed with a passion.
While the case I am about to discuss is not as extreme as that, it is a proper parallel to the situation at hand.
The pseudonymous blogger “Radicalpatriot”, who up until recently championed Morning Musume and Hello! Project just as much as this writer did, if not more, went from visiting rakuen to see our heroines and came back from the States having decided to no longer promote the matter of bringing Morning Musume and Hello! Project to a non-Japanese audience wider than their current (and growing) cult status.
He claims in a recent board posting at American Wota (some weird internet glitch at wherever he was posting from kept him from accessing his normal posting URLs) that the live MoMusu/H!P experience was more about the fans than the singers onstage, or in his words, “The crowd is the show”. What gave him this clue, or at least what led him to such a rather ridiculous conclusion, is unclear. “The crowd” is not and never will be the show. The crowd is not why MoMusu/H!P music is finding its way to American homes - it, contrary to Rad’s sudden claim is, is all about those young ladies and their music. That’s why that crowd is there in the first place.
I don’t know whether it was some weird culture shock, or Rad’s once-well-meaning habit of hyperbole and overanalysis going more overboard than sanity should allow, but his recent statement simply smacks of betrayal, period.
If Radicalpatriot (or more appropriately at this point, Radicalquisling) wants to deal with rebellious Morning Musume fans, he needs to look no further than his home country and see the growing legion of American music fans who have chosen the high quality songs, albums, recordings, and performances of Morning Musume and other J-pop acts (not just ones from Hello! Project) as an alternative to the old-guard music industry trying to forcefeed watered down and unmemorable pop acts like Hannah Montana and whatever else is clogging 90% of your average Top 40 radio hour at any time in any part of this country.
If he’s not willing to continue to champion the cause of bringing Morning Musume and other great J-Pop to the United States on a mainstream basis, I am. It was part of my game plan for this blog for 2008 long before he went to Japan, and I’m more than determined to fire up that campaign now.
It’s on, motherfuckers. Who’s with me?
February 1st, 2008 at 8:04 pm
[...] Lead, Follow, Or Get The Fuck Out Of The Way [...]
February 1st, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Hey, I’m with you! I was also stunned by Rad’s turnaround, and felt betrayed by loosing one of our own. I’m still converting my friends to H!P and will continue to do so.
Very nice post btw.
February 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
obviously I’m with you..YODC sticks together and besides..we all know Rad has a very skewed view of..uh..EVERYTHING
February 1st, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Much as I respect Rad, I have to say I agree on the base level. It’s perplexing.
Once I move later this year, into a “college town”, I aim to start off on a project much like the ones being launched by other fans…the “experiment” of introducing H!P and other J-Pop acts to more mainstream listeners/viewers.
I was floored when I hosted the J-Pop Panel at Anime South and realized how much effort I’d put into preparation for…a panel that just went on about the basics. Even at an ANIME convention, most people didn’t know the Big Names of J-Pop, even though they petitioned for me to show my montage video twice and a particular Namie Amuro video more than that. They love it!! They just need someone to show them - someone cool?
That’s why I think musical curmudgeons like we need to lead the charge. XD XD Our contemporaries may find our tastes a little odd, but there’s no denying that we like what we like, period, and no one’s going to change our musical tastes. So there!
/tangent
February 1st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
He’s actually been to their concert. You’ve sat home and watched the DVDs. I wonder who has the better idea of what the concerts are like?!
And “betrayal”? Wow. Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little? :/
Sad.
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:15 am
overreacting?…read all of Rad’s write-ups..now THATS overreacting!!…I kid I kid
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:35 am
Ahaha, definitely. He usually annoys the crap out of me, but really, come on. He hasn’t OMFG BETRAYED anyone by having his own opinion. This kind of post is honestly even worse to me.
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:06 am
I sort of love it how people like you feel as though they’re going to lead this marvelous revolution in American pop music by bringing Asians who sing in a foreign language (and quite a number of them aren’t even good at singing) over here and expecting them to achieve some international success beyond China and Korea.
I’m glad Radicalpatriot finally wised up a little, even if he’s still the full-of-shit type who praises literally every new thing he comes across that is of Asian origin.
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Well, I have to say that both of you have yoru points, and I’m not American, which probably narrows my view even more (I’ve never met a single person in my country who likes J-pop, and I’ve lived in at least 6 different cities) but I agree with what Yoshimi says. Sure, Morning Musume in a niche culture like Anime fans or Japanophiles could work (but it most likely wouldn’t, because like Yoshimi pointed out, most of them don’t even SING well by technical standards) but I’m all for them getting commercial succes in America, mostly for the selfish purpose of being able to buy their CDs here
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Let me start by saying I would love to see these groups play in the west. It is very expensive to go all the way to Japan just to see them. But after seeing a show in person (I went to the shows last weekend with Rad), I can’t see it happening anytime soon. I agree that it is about the music, but the concert is very much about the fans. There is no way they would have the fan support and participation that is such an integral part of the show. Where in the west could that possibly happen? Personally, I like the Japan-only mystique and will be there again Winter 2009, on the floor (the only place to see the show, awesome!)
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 am
When you actually go to Japan in person and attend one of these epic events (they’re not really concerts, they are multidimensional warps), your head gets twisted around in about five different directions.
And, Chris, thanks for getting me on the floor. I’ll never forget this, and I’m already planning to go back next year if my heart is still beating.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 am
I’m all for Japanese artists coming to the US and becoming mainstream here, but I will have to agree with Rad here and say that a lot of MoMusu/H!P is about the fans, as well as the idol persona. Sure, the music is good, but a lot of what defines idols are the fans and fan culture. Without the fans, I don’t think idols would exist, as they are mainly creating music to make fans happy, where as an “artist” is trying to create music for the love of music. Not that idols don’t love to sing, and that “artists” don’t love their fans, it;s just that idols rely on their fanbase more than an “artist” would, who would be more likely to create beautiful pieces of music with or without fans because it is their way of expressing themselves.
I’d love to see J-pop come to the US. I don’t understand why Namie Amuro hasn’t tries her hand at the US market, as her music is so influenced by the hip-hop music that is popular over here. And I’d love to see MoMusu play concerts at anime conventions, where they are more likely to have an established fanbase. But for a mainstream release of MoMusu? I don’t see it working well. They’d probably be treated as a novelty act, like the girl you referenced, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. (PS- Couldn’t you have used Beyonce or Fergie or something? At least Miley has a personality and a few good songs! :D)
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Okay Hanachan, don’t even bring Fergie down to Hannah Montana’s level, that’s not even cool.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I think the only hope is to reach out to H!P on some kind of spiritual level since they for themselves a kind of magical realm which isn’t really like Japan @ all and then H!P could descend upon the states in much the same way as Disney Land descended upon other places…
February 5th, 2008 at 12:39 am
bob ba ba bob da dang da dang diggy diggy
I feel it could be done, I’ve laid in my bed at night trying to think of a way …
February 5th, 2008 at 12:54 am
uh oh I hope Rad doesn’t keep bringing the fact that he’s actually attended a concert up at every argument
haha, I love HP & a whole shit load of other types of Japanese music but sometimes I feel that my US greenbacks aren’t good enough for dem dare Japanese companies.
They should slap a “No Gaijin or Pets Allowed” sticker on those cds & dvds & all the other shit just like the landlords do in Japan do on real estate office brochures when foreigners try to rent apartments.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:25 am
“uh oh I hope Rad doesn’t keep bringing the fact that he’s actually attended a concert up at every argument”
ASDFK;ALSFJ;ASLKFJA;S!!
February 5th, 2008 at 4:00 am
@Tsuji: Glad you mentioned that. In fact, I faced plenty of anti-gaijin prejudice while trying to plan this trip — and when I finally got over there. Three times I was rejected getting into the Shin-Yokohama Prince Hotel, with confirmed reservations abruptly canceled. I needed that hotel because it was closest to Yokohama Arena and I didn’t want to take the chance of getting lost in the train system, and wasn’t yet convinced that the Akihabara Capsule Inn would be a viable option (I later found out the Capsule Inn was outstanding and the owners wonderful).
On the fourth try, through Airfare.com, I did get a reservation to the Prince. But three days after the reservation was confirmed (and the cash actually withdrawn from my bank account), I got e-mails saying “there was a problem with the reservation.” I called Airfare.com, and they said: “No, you’re all right. You’re set. Don’t worry.” The voice sounded Japanese.
So what happened when I went to check in at the Prince on Jan. 25, a day before the concerts? I was told the reservation was not confirmed. Thinking this might happen, I had the presence of mind to bring with me the confirmation document — and the bank statement that showed when and where Airfare.com withdrew the cash for the Prince rooms.
Even then, the Prince tried to charge me a second time for the room. I was very calm and polite through all this. Eventually, they dug into their own records and discovered that Airfare.com did book the room, and the vouchers that I brought with me were proof enough of payment. Had I now brought along my back statement, I would have been stranded.
Now during my stay at the Capsule Inn, many European and Australian nationals told me how tough it was to rent anything in Tokyo. They even got to the point of having a Japanese agent act on their behalf to try and get any kind of shelter for a long-term stay. Yes, foreigners have a tough time of it in Japan.
But while any concerted efforts to dissuade foreigners might appear an affront to Western sensibilities, I actually have no problems with it. Japan has every right to protect, preserve and sustain its centuries of amazing culture, including its language, art, music and, yes, even J-pop and Morning Musume. Outsiders can unwittingly screw everything up, especially Americans, who have become apt at interfering with a lot of other cultures these days.
So that’s why I now think it mightg be inappropriate to think Morning Musume can and even should attempt to perform on American soil any time soon.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
@Radicalquisling: You had an allegedly bad experience in Japan? Judging by accounts from other people I’ve known who’ve gone to Japan, you seem to be a minority of one. Sounds like it’s not so much a problem of Japanese not liking gaijin as it is Japanese not liking arrogant people. I mean, you tried to bumrush Hello! Project’s and Sony Music’s offices, for Christ’s sake. I’m sorry, but at this present time I don’t believe much of what has been coming out of your mouth of late. Just because you apparently acted like an ugly American doesn’t mean Morning Musume shouldn’t come to this country to perform.
February 5th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
OH SNAP!!!
February 6th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I’ve personally seen gaijin taking shorts but being an asshole has alot to do with it.
February 6th, 2008 at 12:15 am
@Tsuji: Exactly! That’s just common sense, bro - when you go to a foreign country, the idea is to be too handsome to come off as an ugly American.
February 6th, 2008 at 3:11 am
@CJ: All I really attempted to do vis-a-vis H!P and Sony is to pay a courtesy visit. That it failed is all on me. And I did not have a bad experience in Japan. It was the best experience of my life, despite obstacles placed in my way.
And, no, I did not wear shorts. It was too goddamn cold.
And, yes, if you must know, I was quite handsome the entire time. All the ladies were taking close looks. Should have been there.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:47 am
@Radicalquisling: I haven’t seen so many 180’s since the last time I happened to watch the Summer X-Games.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I don’t think anyone mentioned wearing shorts Rad