Straight outta
Tokyo come the
drum-n-bass-
techno-
metal-
pop-
electronica-
trip-hop-and-so-on-and-so-forth musical sensations known as the
Boom Boom Satellites.
BBS consists of vocalist/guitarist Michiyuki Kawashima and bassist/DJ Masayuki Nakano, who met as university students and decided to persue the wild life of the obscure musician together in 1990. They took the name of their band from a song by the group Sigue Sigue Sputnik, and were eventually signed to Belgian label R&S Records in 1997
The music of BBS is hard-driving and dark with complex drum beats and rhythms that at first seem disparate, but are subtly woven together to create a beautiful whole. Proof that there is more to Japanese popular music than idol-singer poppy glitz.
As of this writeup, BBS only have one album released in the US, Out Loud, which was released in 1999 by Epic Records. However, the song Fog Bound was featured in the PS2 racing game Ridge Racer V. BBS have performed in America, previously keeping to the West Coast until they signed on as an opening act for a Moby tour which took them across the country. Friends with better luck than I tell me they're actually quite good in concert. Out Loud was easily my favorite album of 1999. It was one of 15 CDs I brought with me for a six month trip to Japan, and I still love every track.
Their website, in English and Japanese, is located at www.bbs-net.com
Complete Discography
(as far as I can tell)
Dub Me Crazy (1997)
4 A Moment of Silence (1997)
7 Ignitions: Auto Rebirth (1998)
On the Painted Desert (1999)
On the Painted Desert EP (1999)
Out Loud LP (1999)
Joyride EP (2000)
Fog Bound (2000)
Sloughin Blue (2001)
Umbra LP (2001)
Soliloquy EP (2001)
Blink EP (2002)
Photon LP (2002)
Research and fact checking:
The official Boom Boom Satellites website (www.bbs-net.com)
The Ultimate Band List (www.ubl.com)
CDNow (www.cdnow.com)
ImportCD.com (www.importcd.com)
Out Loud (US) liner notes
Fog Bound (JP) liner notes
mkb