Neal Weiss writes:
>Got me thinking, anyone know who the most popular Japanese artist in
>US history might be? I can't think of anyone beyond Cibo Matto, who, by
>virtue of being on a major label, might win this pony race.
Well, Pink Lady actually had a bona-fide top 40 hit circa 1979 with
"Kiss Me In the Dark" (I think that was the name of it). They somehow
managed to land a short-lived variety series called "Pink Lady and Jeff"
(Jeff Altman spoke English. They didn't.) that was absolutely
mind-numbing in its banality, even by the lofty standards of the day. I
think I only watched it once; to catch an appearance by Alice Cooper (who
showed the video for his foray into new wave, "Clones").
Other than that, yeah, Loudness comes to mind. They put out about
three or four records on Atco in the '80s. Shonen Knife was on Capitol
for a while. There was a terrific Japanese girl-punk band called
Supersnazz on Sub Pop at one point, but they didn't sell too well and I
don't think the album is even in print anymore. Too bad. I could never
figure out why they didn't tap into a bigger audience.
--Jon Johnson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Wollaston, Massachusetts
