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How to Start Your Japanese Rock Band · 6 October 04

Tsurunaga on the mic.

If you want to thrive in a foreign country, you need goals. One of my major goals in moving to Japan: join a Japanese rock band.

Two months in, and it’s on. I introduce to you “The English Speaking Society”.

Above is a photo of one of our lead singers. Regular readers will be familiar with his exploits, for he is The Bee-Killing Manchild.

His vocal style tends toward screaming. When we practice, much of our time is spent practicing leaping off of amps.

Our support staff includes, I kid you not, a young female karate expert.

Me, I’m just the drummer. Before coming to Japan, my net drum experience consisted of: 1) being scared out of the marching band in middle school, 2) a habit of banging beats on things and 3) a single drum lesson from the former associate art director of a certain world famous teen magazine.

Since coming to Japan, I have received drum lessons in the early a.m. from a kind bartender in downtown Kumamoto and practiced in our school’s music room.

Our bandleader is a guitarist with particularly impressive amp-leaping ability.

At our first real rehearsal, he looked at me and said, “Count”.

I paused, unsure how to start a Japanese rock band. And then for the first time in my life, I clapped my drumsticks together four times, high in the air, like I’d seen people do on MTV.

Rock commenced. And that, my friends, is how you start your Japanese rock band.
——
DISCLAIMER: Okay, so we are only performing a one-day show. And we’re only doing covers of American top-40 pop-rock songs. At my high school’s talent show. But still.

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  1. * I am so glad this is starting, Saleem. It’s about time. :)
    — jane    2677 days ago    #

  2. “When we practice, much of our time is spent practicing leaping off of amps.” You guys are my hero….
    — ayman    2677 days ago    #

  3. It is very important for me to know what American top 40 songs you’re covering.
    Also, do you want suggestions?
    — andy    2657 days ago    #

  4. Right now the list is:

    Avril Lavigne: My Happy Ending

    Blink 182: Dammit.

    Linkin Park: Numb.

    Linkin Park: In the End.

    Not exactly keepin’ it real for the streets.

    Your friend,
    — saleem    2654 days ago    #

  5. want to join band
    — matt    2518 days ago    #

  6. cool
    — ly    2201 days ago    #

  7. I play the
    — Raymond Cropper    2170 days ago    #

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