Eastern Youth Yoshino Hisashi Ninomiya Tomokazu Tamori Atsuya Guitar/Vocal Bass Drum Profile Japan's elder statesmen of punk, eastern youth have proven to be the rare exception to the rule of bands running out of ideas after 3 or 4 albums. In fact, quite the contrary, with almost every album, eastern youth have matured their sound, adding new levels of musical complexity with every release. Epic guitar buildups are followed by sudden drops. Guitar and bass interplay with totally unrelated melodies that somehow fit together. All of this is the perfect compliment for Guitar/Vocal Yoshino Hisashi's vocals. At times a scream, at times a whisper, he speaks through metaphor of his uncertainty and anger of growing up in modern Japan. His performance is so personal and convincing that even those who can't understand his words can feel the emotions that he conveys. Originally from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Yoshino and drummer Tamori Atsuya became friends in the fourth grade and decided to make a band after they both dropped out of high school. They formed a band in 1986 under the name "Scanners", but changed the name to "eastern youth" when they switched bassists to Mitsuhashi Tooru in 1988. For the following four years, the band built a name for themselves in the Sapporo Oi! punk scene. Their first 12" LP was released in 1989 and titled East End Land, followed by their first CD release in 1990, Time Is Running. In 1992, Yoshino and Tamori decided to move to Tokyo to further their careers as musicians, but Mitsuhashi decided to stay behind in Sapporo. He was replaced by current bassist Ninomiya Tomokazu, who had also dropped out of high school at age 17 and came directly to Tokyo to pursue his dream as a musician. In addition, the 1992 move marked the beginning of the band's evolution from straightforward Oi! punk to more melodic and complex song structure. Upon arriving in Tokyo, eastern youth created their own label "Sakamoto Shouten". The two other bands on the label are fOUL, friends from eastern youth's early days in Tokyo and Hyoutan, bassist Ninomiya's side project. They also created a concert series of their own named Kyokutou Saizensen (Far-East Frontline) which features eastern youth and 1-3 other bands. The first concert was performed in 1994 and they continue to today, with the total number of performances adding up to over 50. Other notable bands to appear in the series include the bloodthirsty butchers, Number Girl, and Cursive. As a result of these concerts and the release of several records on Sakamoto Shouten, eastern youth eventually caught the attention of Toys Factory, and released their first major label single, Aosugiru Sora in 1997. Since then they've released albums at a steady pace, numbering to a total of 9, including self releases and major label releases. Notably, one of their albums, What Can You See From Your Place, (Japanese: Soko kara Nani ga Mieruka) was released in the US by Five One Inc., including a full translation of the lyrics and song titles. In 2002, eastern youth recorded for a split single with Cursive, 8 Teeth to Eat You, in which each band contributed 4 tracks. A tour of both the US and Japan followed, featuring both bands. Unfortunately, the tour had to be cut short because Tim Kasher, the lead singer of Cursive, suffered a collapsed lung. Currently, eastern youth is in the studio recording for their 10th album, and is playing concerts in Tokyo occasionally for Kyokutou Saizensen. Their 10th album is scheduled to be released next spring. - Graham (published 2005.11.16, updated 2005.12.29) Links Artist homepage Sakamoto Shouten Samples Keikaku Content Review - Don Quijote Discography list Albums BSP-002 East End Land BSP-006 Time Is Running Sakasho-1 Eastern Youth Sakasho-3 Kuchibue, Yofuke ni Hibiku Sakasho-6 Koritsumuen no Hana TFCC-88119 Tabiji ni Kisetsu ga Moeochiru TFCC-88147 Kumo Inuke Koe TFC-88182 Kanjusei Outouseyo Unknown 8 Teeth To Eat You KICS-1000 Soko kara Nani ga Mieruka Unknown What Can You See From Your Place KICS-1097 Don Quijote Singles Unknown Noboru Asahi Abite Sakash-5 Hadashi de Ikazaru wo Enai TFCC-88115 Aosugiru Sora TFCC-87023 Kaze no Naka TFCC-87039 Amazarashi nara Nureru ga Ii sa TFCC-87086 Kakatonaru KICM-1061 Sekai ha Warehibiku Miminari no you da KICM-1109 Kyousei Shiryoku 0.6 Compilations CAP-0091 Straight Ahead II Unknown Come Alone To The Holy Night, Skinheads Unknown Street Justice Sakasho-2 Ookami no Utage Unknown Cinderella V.A. I HATE DANCE....Why? DVDs TFBQ-18003 Sono Zanshou to Zankyouon TFBQ-18048 Archives 1997-2001		Hadashi de Ikazaru wo Enai (Single) Released: 1996.08.10 (Sakash-5) Label: Sakamoto Shouten Tracklist 1. Hadashi de Ikazaru wo Enai 2. Michibata 3. Furusato Cinderella V.A. I HATE DANCE....Why? (Compilation) Released: 1996.04.01 Label: PAW Tracklist 10. Tobira Kuchibue, Yofuke ni Hibiku (Album) Released: 1995.06.01 (Sakasho-3) Label: Sakamoto Shouten Tracklist 1. Tsukikage 2. Tagirase, Ikinuke 3. Tatoeba Boku ga Shindara 4. Koko ha Doko nan Darou 5. Madobe ni Yureru 6. Tada, Nemureru Tamashii 7. Ishi no you ni Soko ni Aru 8. Ame 9. Sasayakana Negai 10. Machi no Okite 11. Fuyu no Zanshou Ookami no Utage (Compilation) Released: 1994.01.01 (Sakasho-2) Label: Sakamoto Shouten Tracklist 1. Seikatsu Mujou Eastern Youth (Album) Released: 1993.12.10 (Sakasho-1) Label: Sakamoto Shoten Tracklist 1. Mamoru Beki Mono ha Nani ka 2. Tenazukerareta Inu 3. Moemoru Daichi 4. Machi ha Youen no Naka ni Atta 5. Kainushi wo Kamikorose 6. Chiriyuku Hana 7. Ima, Keihou wo Narase 8. Noboru Asahi Abite 9. Furusato 10. Na mo Naki Otoko 11. Shikeidai ni Okurikome Street Justice (Compilation) Released: 1991.09.21 Label: Sun Grab+Paranoiz Records Tracklist 16. Aojiroki Hikaru Tsuki yo Noboru Asahi Abite (Single) Released: 1991.02.01 Tracklist 1. Noboru Asahi Abite Come Alone To The Holy Night, Skinheads (Compilation) Released: 1990.12.15 Label: Sun Grab Records Tracklist 1. Get Out My Way 2. Small Towns Youth 3. White Christmas « 1 2 3 4 » Organise Select type All Album Single EP Compilation Demo DVD Order by release date title type back to profiles
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