Japanese Record Stores

Since I was a kid, records have held more value to me than other music mediums. You have the larger artwork, some albums came with posters, stickers or other things. The sleeves made convenienct spaces to save flyers, ticket stubs and other band-related papers.

My collection consists mainly of late-70s / early-80s punk, but I have a wide range of tastes. Whenever I travel, I try to visit one or two record stores. Japan would end up a place that I truly wanted to shop for vinyl. Some Japanese releases differ from albums released in other markets. For example, some Japanese records from foreign artists would include the single b-side tracks, as 45s did not take off well in Japan. And, some would have different artwork, especially where conservative distributors would object to more provocative album covers.

Union Record

The first record store was in the busy Shibuya area of Tokyo, famous for the Shibuya Crossing. Considered the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, up to 3,000 people cross the road with every light cycle. A few streets over, I navigated my way to Union Record.

Union Record

Punk and Hardcore Records

Super Milk

In Kyoto, my good friend Gail pointed out Super Milk, a record store tucked away in a shopping zone not far from our hotel. While not known for the punk music I wanted to find, I did pick up a Japanese release of Public Image Limited’s unoffical live album, Profile. Recorded at Los Angeles’ Olympic Auditorium, in May 1980, many regard this double LP as their best live performance.

Revenge Records

On the third floor of an Osaka office building sits Revenge Records. When I came in, the sole customer, some grindcore metal played. I surveyed the store, then focused on the six bins of punk records. By the time I started flipping through the second bin, the proprietor switched things up, playing some early punk (some compilation, but I don’t know which bands). I pulled out a few, then asked the shopkeep for similar Japanese bands. I think things got lost in translation, as he just provided commentary on a few foreign punk albums, then went back behind the counter to change the music.

Revenge Records

My Haul

Funny to go all the way from Reno to Osaka, to purchase a record from a Reno punk band. Finding the Praise EP by 7 Seconds made me happy, as I have tried to collect all the band’s releases and did not have this one.

A fan of MDC, finding a copy of their rarest live album, recorded in 1990 in the then-Yugoslavia, ended up a treasure. The band okayed the release, but did nothing to help distribute it outside that area of Europe. Many people, even hardcore fans, wrongly consider this album a bootleg.

Other finds include the Belgian Bloodstains Across… compilation and the first release from the California punk band Neighborhood Brats, plus a few more.

Suicidal

The tunes from Californian punk-turned-metal band, Suicidal Tendencies’ first album still gets heavy rotation in my playlists. Tight musicianship and provocative lyrics, with songs I Shot The Devil, about assassinating then-president Ronald Reagan and I Saw Your Mommy, one kid taunting another after that kid’s mom’s death, caught my attention. The band’s more thought-provoking songs, like Memories Of Tomorrow, about the state of things after nuclear war, and Institutionalized, talking about the struggle of teens whose parents think are in need of therapy.

I do not listen to much of their music after they crossed over into metal, but 1990’s Lights…Camera…Revolution! contains the track You Can’t Bring Me Down, a rant against several things: Los Angeles had banned Suicidal Tendencies from playing live in the county, citing the possibility of violence. This included the debunked assertion that the band belonged to a gang. The Parents Music Resource Center had added the band to their ban list. The song contains the following lyric:

You wouldn’t know what crazy was if Charles Manson was eating fruit loops on your front porch.

Suicidal Tendencies Shirt

Hard Rock Cafe

I collect Hard Rock Cafe magnets and I picked up a few from Japan.

Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo

We had a driver take us around Tokyo. We got to visit this Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi.

Hard Rock Cafe Uyeno Eki

The Hard Rock Cafe Uyeno Eki was a surprise find. I had not yet tried to get directions when there it was.

Universal Citywalk Osaka

Osaka’s Universal Citywalk looks just like the one I used to visit in North Hollywood. I took the local train out to get a magnet from this Hard Rock Cafe location.

Namba

I also grabbed a magnet from the Namba location, but I do not have a photo.

Music Lounges

A few music lounges and bars use records in their advertisement and signage.