Happy Birthday Meiko Kaji aka "Lady Snowblood"

Meiko Kaji's 1973 album Yadokari is being reissued with a bonus 7" featuring Kill Bill fave "Shura No Hana" (Flower of Carnage).

Meiko Kaji's Yadokari album reissued by WeWantSounds  

Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program – in partnership with Teichiku Records and Kaji herself – with the release of Yadokari, her third album from 1973. This marks the first time the album has been reissued on vinyl, featuring its original artwork and newly remastered audio. Renowned for her iconic 1970s films (Lady Snowblood, the Stray Cat Rock series) and admired by Quentin Tarantino, Meiko Kaji also released a string of outstanding albums on Teichiku, blending Japanese pop with cinematic grooves. Yadokari, is being reissued with its original deluxe gatefold sleeve and OBI plus a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. As a special bonus, this edition includes a 7" EP single featuring the haunting "Shura No Hana," famously featured on the Kill Bill soundtrack.

Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, born in Tokyo, has become a worldwide cult icon, partly thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who heavily based his Kill Bill films on the 1973 revenge classic Lady Snowblood (which TCM is screening on Monday, March 31 at 2:00 am), one of Kaji's most famous roles. Renowned for her performances in the acclaimed Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, Kaji was one of Japan’s most iconic film actresses of the early 1970s.

Beyond acting, she was invited by film studios to perform theme songs for many of her films leading to revered music career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five albums for Teichiku, which have since become highly sought after.

Yadokari (“hermit crab”), released in 1973, was Kaji’s third album for the lable. Like its predecessors Gincho Wataridori and Hajiki Uta, it offers a rich mix of kayōkyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka, psychedelic rock, and cinematic ’70s funk. The album includes two tracks, “Hagure Bushi” and “Kiba no Ballad,” from the cult 1973 TV series Sengoku Rock Hagure Kiba, in which Kaji starred.

“Hagure Bushi” stands out as one of the album’s funkiest tracks. Like “Kiba no Ballad,” it was composed and arranged by the legendary producer Yuji Ohno (best known for his work on Lupin the III). The album as a whole is a superb blend of atmospheric songs, from the haunting, slow-burning title track “Yadokari” to “Ah...,” which features groovy guitar licks, harmonica, and sleek string arrangements, evoking a subtle Morricone influence.

To complete this reissue, Wewantsounds has included the rare 1973 7” EP featuring "Shura No Hana" b/w "Hō Yare Ho" as a bonus (also included on the CD version of the album). Only released as a single, “Shura No Hana” (Flower of Carnage”) is a cult classic, famously featured on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack. Reflecting on its use in the film, Kaji told Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha in an interview for this release: “I couldn’t fathom how an enka song like ‘Shura No Hana’ would work in a Hollywood film. But when I saw the screening, it felt very natural, which I couldn’t believe.”

A key release in Meiko Kaji’s 1972–1974 Teichiku Records catalog, Yadokari is a testament to her singular talent as a singer. Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue the album in its full glory, remastered from the original master tapes and presented in its Japanese-style gatefold sleeve. Get a black vinyl copy of Meiko Kaji's Yadokari reissue via Bandcamp right here. Listen to a few tracks below. 

Meiko Kaji's sought-after 1972 debut Gincho Wataridori being reissued

Wewantsounds is reissuing Meiko Kaji's album Gincho Wataridori – remastered from the original tapes – on February 23. 

Here's the scoop...

Wewantsounds continue its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of "Gincho Wataridori," her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued since release and it comes with its original Japanese artwork and newly remastered audio. Famous as an actress for her 70s exploitation movies ('Lady Snowblood', the 'Female Prisoner Scorpion' and 'Stray Cat Rock' series) revered by Quentin Tarantino and currently in the spotlight with the brand new Netflix adaptation of the manga "Yu Yu Hakucho," Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese Pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue comes with deluxe Gatefold sleeve LP, OBI strip and a 2-p insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. 

Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, who was born in Tokyo, has become a worldwide cult icon thanks to Quentin Tarantino when he heavily based his Kill Bill films on the 1973 revenge genre film 'Lady Snowblood,' one of Kaji's most famous films. Renowned for her roles in the highly acclaimed 'Stray Cat Rock' and 'Female Prisoner Scorpion' film series, Kaji became one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan in the early 70s. Invited by film studios to sing the theme for many of her films, she ended up recording five albums for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, which have become increasingly sought-after over the years. 

"Gincho Wataridori" was the very first album released by Meiko Kaji in 1972 and is a great mix of kayokyoku (Japanese Pop), traditional Enka Music, psych rock and 70s cinematic groove. The album features the song "Gincho Wataridori" a theme song for the eponymous gangster film released by Toei Films in 1972 (and known outside of Japan as "Wandering Ginza Butterfly"). On the cover of the album, Meiko actually wears the kimono she wears in the film. The song showcases Kaji's distinctive singing over a funky backbeat and fuzz guitar. It was recorded straight after the shooting of the film and Kaji remembers the recording process, as told to Hashim Bharoocha for the liner notes: "After two weeks of filming, mentally I’m still in my character, so I would go to the studio to record the song in that mindset. So when I’m recording my vocals, I’m still acting.”

"Ginchou Wataridori" was produced by two seasoned Teichiku producers, Yorifumi Ito and Kenji Nakajima and features a superb mix of pop songs ("Hakodate Monogatari"), funky ones ("Koini Inochio," "Shitto") and atmospheric ones ("Jingi Komoriuta") making the perfect setting for Meiko Kaji's unique singing, reflecting the cool, dangerous atmosphere of the films she would star in. 

The first of a series of five LPs produced for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, "Gincho Wataridori" marks the beginning of Meiko Kaji's fruitful career as a recording artist and is a unique testament of her singing talent which Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue in its full glory with gatefold sleeve, remastered from the original master tapes. Pre-order a copy via Bandcamp right here. Listen to a couple of songs following the track list below. 

 

Meiko Kaji - Gincho Wataridori

Side 1

1. Ginchou Wataridori  3.10

2. Jingi Komoriuta  3.19

3. Koini Inochio  3.17

4. Ginchou Buruusu  2.50

5. Hakodate Monogatari  3.40

6. Inochino Namida 3.30

Side 2

7. Hamabeno Meruhen  3.06

8. Yogirino Sukina Anata  3.32

9. Kanashii Egao  3.42

10. Kokoro Nokori  3.01

11. Shitto  3.10

12. Aieno Kitai  2.23 

Happy Birthday Christophe!

Remembering singer/composer Christophe whose "Sunny Road To Salina" was used by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, Vol. 2

It's official, Quentin Tarantino is now a novelist

Quentin Taranatino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood novelization was inspired by other pulpy film cash-ins he grew up loving. 

LINKS

L.A. Times Quentin Tarantino flips the script with 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' novel

Open Culture Quentin Tarantino releases his first novel

Variety Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time  in Hollywood' novel is a Cineaste-baiting blast

Texas R&B dynamo Roy Head gets Quentin Tarantino bump

A re-cut version of Roy Head's 1965 classic "Treat Her Right" feat. Radio Birdman's Deniz Tek is used in the Once Upon A Time in Hollywood

Says Deniz Tek about the updated version of Roy Head's "Treat Her Right"
"A few years ago, I was asked to go to Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas and record a new version of the 1965 hit “Treat Her Right” with Roy Head. The version was true to the original in many ways. Andy “Mort” Bradley engineered and produced the session. The original bass player and songwriter, Gene Kurtz was on hand to play on the track and make sure that we did it right, including specifying the exact tempo. Roy has often said that it was his favorite version of the song."

Watch the trailer for Once Upon A Time in Hollywood below followed by the 2011 version of "Treat Her Right" and a vintage clip of Roy on Hollywood A-Go-Go.

Danko Jones vs. The Karate Kid

With the release of the brilliant clip for Danko Jones' I Think Bad Thoughts, the Diamond Brothers have completed the star-studded Below The Belt video trilogy which has the look and feel of a big screen Tarantino-esque crime thriller. The cameo appearances of bass-bashing music legends Lemmy from Motörhead and Mike Watt (Minutemen, Stooges) certainly raise the cool factor but the real masterstroke is the inspired against-type casting of Elijah Wood and Dancing With The Stars leaderboard topper Ralph "Karate Kid" Macchio in key roles alongside the exceedingly versatile Selma Blair, Frank Drank and rising star Jenna Malone in addition to the group members themselves. There's actually more intrigue, clever character development and cinematic excitement in these three short promotional videos for Danko Jones' Below The Belt (Aquarius/Bad Taste) album than most mega-budget motion pictures coming out of Hollywood. In fact, the Diamond Brothers should consider turning it into a full-length feature film before Guy Ritchie swipes the idea.  

  

Danko Jones on the "Below The Belt" trilogy

  

Full of Regret by Danko Jones



Had Enough by Danko Jones



I Think Bad Thoughts by Danko Jones