apparently the Watering a Flower reissue is cassette only, kind of disappointing since I don't have a tape player but I guess that's its natural format
fully plan on getting Omni Sight Seeing & Medicine Comp at least. OSS has been a holy grail for a while, I missed the LTiA preorder and they sold out in like a day, now copies are ~$200 on discogs and eBay. fuck that. dunno about the others, Old Man Harry doing covers of WW2-era songs is not super appealing to me but I'll probably get Vu Ja De at least
― frogbs, Thursday, 20 August 2020 19:16 (three years ago) link
I missed the LTiA preorder and they sold out in like a day, now copies are ~$200 on discogs and eBay
i accidentally ordered 2 and was kicking myself for ages so that makes up for it a bit.
― stirmonster, Thursday, 20 August 2020 21:05 (three years ago) link
its official...LTiA are handling Omni Sight Seeing and Medicine Comp
https://lightintheattic.net/releases/7091-omni-sight-seeing
They are pricey but LTiA stuff is very high quality & I am positive these will only go up in value. unless the vinyl market crashes, but we all know that's not going to happen ha ha ha
― frogbs, Monday, 31 August 2020 17:35 (three years ago) link
$100 for 2 LPs, jfc
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 17:41 (three years ago) link
honestly -- UUUGH
i get it. i'm happy for the people who can hear the difference. for the rest of us, fuck man
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 17:42 (three years ago) link
love OSS but $50, yeah no way
My CD copy sounds fine
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 31 August 2020 17:48 (three years ago) link
It’s just like...don’t they want people to listen to and buy these Hosono records? Why are they doing this?
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 17:51 (three years ago) link
All I’m trying to do is give other people money to listen to their music, I don’t understand why they make that so difficult
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 17:52 (three years ago) link
CD copies are about that expensive too
and tbf Medicine Comp is a double
but yeah LTiA's pricing structure irritates me, a lot of new LPs are $20-22 but the stuff I want will randomly be way more. Cochin Moon was $22 but Paraiso was $45, idk why since the quality on both are similar. the YMO reissues (the 2x45 RPM ones with the pixelated covers) are $90 a pop. maybe this has something to do with the remastering...Paraiso does sound different from my MP3 copy in some noticeable ways, while CM sounds amazing to begin with
― frogbs, Monday, 31 August 2020 18:06 (three years ago) link
I believe LiTA is handling US distribution but these are produced and manufactured in Japan. A new single LP in Japan is priced at ¥3,700 or approximately ~$35 USD. So $50 for a new Japanese import LP, considering shipping, export costs, handling, etc. is not particularly exploitative.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Monday, 31 August 2020 18:07 (three years ago) link
$60 for Medecine Comp on 2 x vinyl will translate to around $100 to get it to the UK. :(
Probably much cheaper to buy direct from Japan.
― stirmonster, Monday, 31 August 2020 18:09 (three years ago) link
xp
that makes sense, but it makes me wonder how did managed to keep costs under $25 for Cochin Moon, the recent Yoshimura Green reissue, and other similar Japanese reissues
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 18:11 (three years ago) link
it's fine, i'm just bummed because i'm a big fan of all this stuff, i want to hear it and support the effort, and i can't even though i'm a grown assed half-man with a job
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 18:12 (three years ago) link
Japanese prices -
OMNI SIGHT SEEINGLP | ¥4,070 (US$38.6)
MEDICINE COMPILATION2LP | ¥5,500 (US$52.17)
― stirmonster, Monday, 31 August 2020 18:13 (three years ago) link
Those were in-house productions by LiTA, presumably for the ex-Japan / North America market. For instance, you can see the pricier / earlier Cochin Moon reissue for the Japan market here:https://www.discogs.com/Haruomi-Hosono-Tadanori-Yokoo-Cochin-Moon/release/8467190
The new ones being discussed are being produced in Japan by a subsidiary of Sony music - LiTA is not involved in the production / manufacturing, they are just providing distribution / promo.
Licensing and rights control is quite convoluted in Japan. It works both ways as well, for instance LiTA's blockbuster Japanese Environmental Music compilation is not available in Japan and only a handful of digital tracks for download were available with the vinyl reissue.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Monday, 31 August 2020 18:20 (three years ago) link
One of the reasons I heard that Japanese territory reissues are expensive (even in Japan) are that in the case of major label releases, instead of licensing the recordings, the major itself presses the records on behalf of the reissuer, and then 'sells' them to the reissue label. Maybe to retain some kind of quality control and ensure that the right quantity is being pressed.
The reissue label has to pay whatever the major wants in order to do the reissue = high prices for all..
― Stop the tape I got spittle all over my moustache. (Talcum Mucker), Monday, 31 August 2020 18:21 (three years ago) link
thanks for that info, MFB!
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 19:56 (three years ago) link
yeah it makes more sense now. being a fan of Japanese music can get crazy expensive if you're not just pirating stuff.
― frogbs, Monday, 31 August 2020 20:09 (three years ago) link
yeah...i guess i have to keep in mind it could be way, way worse. the terrible setback i've been dealt is that i'll have to continue listening to all this cool shit for free and never send money to the people who helped make it. but whatever, i help spread the YMO-family word whenever i can, and i purchase everything i can that's not intended for wealthy people
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 20:19 (three years ago) link
whereas in the olden times, i'd probably have to rob a liquor store just to hear any of this stuff in the first place
― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone), Monday, 31 August 2020 20:24 (three years ago) link
fuck can someone convince me not to pull the trigger on this
https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1079306315?format=Vinyl&text=Haruomi-Hosono-Coincidental-Music&utm_campaign=sell_email_new&utm_source=relationship&utm_medium=pm&ev=wh_new
― frogbs, Saturday, 3 October 2020 03:58 (three years ago) link
Absolutely not! :)
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 3 October 2020 18:36 (three years ago) link
The version of the Galactic Railroad theme on that is exquisite.
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 3 October 2020 18:37 (three years ago) link
And Bio Philosophy which is a stunning version of the first track from that Muji BGM tape
― frogbs, Saturday, 3 October 2020 19:03 (three years ago) link
oh damn no way? light em up already, frogbs!
― brimstead, Saturday, 3 October 2020 21:51 (three years ago) link
okay fine that price does seem pretty great for an NM copy, I mean fuck it we save that much every week in gas thanks to the pandemic is how I see it
― frogbs, Saturday, 3 October 2020 23:21 (three years ago) link
ahhhh god damn it
https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/1180310337?format=Vinyl&text=Haruomi-Hosono-Philharmony
maybe a good indication that the LTiA copies are coming down in price, never seen one under 85
― frogbs, Sunday, 4 October 2020 02:14 (three years ago) link
oh wow someone grabbed it
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 October 2020 02:36 (three years ago) link
Remembered the other day that I travelled to Japan at the height of the Kubik craze and nabbed a YMO set, so technically I have a Haroumi Hosono action figure.
― Daniel_Rf, Wednesday, 7 October 2020 10:17 (three years ago) link
Hana ni Mizu (Watering a Flower) tape reissue -
https://lightintheattic.net/releases/7302-hana-ni-mizu-watering-a-flower?mc_cid=6d1cd6c03d&mc_eid=982f43dfd8
― stirmonster, Wednesday, 28 October 2020 02:00 (three years ago) link
first time I've ever wanted a goddamn cassette tape
iirc their Kankyo Ongaku set has the full version of the first track, imo the better of the two...might spring for that instead
― frogbs, Wednesday, 28 October 2020 02:03 (three years ago) link
Kankyo Ongaku has Original BGM, but nothing from the tape.
i bought it for my good friend, so at least i know i'll be able to reliably listen to it every once in a while
― just another 3-pinnochio post by (Karl Malone), Wednesday, 28 October 2020 03:07 (three years ago) link
oh! I guess I did not, in fact, rc
― frogbs, Wednesday, 28 October 2020 03:10 (three years ago) link
Dang, missed it. It's available now on streaming.Interesting the LITA page says there's a translation of the book on the web, accessible via a QR code that comes with the tape. Hope to see that sometime.
― maf you one two (maffew12), Friday, 6 November 2020 13:33 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nehPFjX87l4
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 1 December 2020 20:42 (three years ago) link
niiiice
― the serious avant-garde universalist right now (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 1 December 2020 21:23 (three years ago) link
awesome. is that Akiko Yano on piano? she must've been like 20. I wonder how many cigarettes got smoked through those sessions?
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 December 2020 15:06 (three years ago) link
yes, that is akiko. thanks for this... digging through hosono's career is endlessly rewarding.
― visiting, Thursday, 3 December 2020 15:27 (three years ago) link
Is indeed Akiko, I think she might have been as young as 17/18
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 3 December 2020 17:34 (three years ago) link
I remember reading that it's traditional in Japan for girls to learn piano at a very young age to entertain the family at gatherings and that's why were so many female technopop artists there in the 80's
― frogbs, Thursday, 3 December 2020 17:41 (three years ago) link
Watching those clips made me realise how I don't really care for Shigeru Suzuki, at least not what he was doing back then. His playing style and voice are really weak, I know HH's singing voice is a bit limited and Kermit The Frog but I've always enjoyed listening to him.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 3 December 2020 18:34 (three years ago) link
yeah I kinda love his voice. it makes me laugh a lot.
― frogbs, Friday, 4 December 2020 17:31 (three years ago) link
I've dropped his cover of "Funiculi Funicula" into several playlists and let me tell you it gets a very odd reaction from people every time
― frogbs, Friday, 4 December 2020 17:34 (three years ago) link
and while I'm on the subject of Philharmony can I just say I find it weird that "Sports Men" is so universally celebrated while "Living-Dining-Kitchen" remains sort of an obscurity. I think it might be one of the best technopop songs ever written.
― frogbs, Friday, 4 December 2020 17:50 (three years ago) link
'Living-Dining-Kitchen' slaps, it's true.
― emil.y, Friday, 4 December 2020 18:01 (three years ago) link
interesting tidbit from the Coincidental Music sleeve - "Sayokoskatti" and "Memphis, Milano" (two of my favorite Hosono tracks) were both recorded at LDK studios in 1982, which I think means they were both part of the sessions for Philharmony. now I wanna make an alternate version of that album...
― frogbs, Tuesday, 8 December 2020 17:53 (three years ago) link
Found those translated notes for Watering a Flower.. neathttp://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/HaruomiHosono_lyrics/hananimizu_english.pdf
― maf you one two (maffew12), Monday, 21 December 2020 15:59 (three years ago) link
many thanks! my tape arrived last week and i've been enjoying walking about listening to it immensely. it seems very fitting reading these notes that i have been 'moving around' lots while listening.
― stirmonster, Monday, 21 December 2020 16:12 (three years ago) link
have really loved reading these interviews & notes in the reissues, it's the first time I've been able to get a sense of what he's like as a person
amusingly the new issue of Sakamoto's Left Handed Dream mentions that their differences had to do mostly with the use of electronics and synthesizers, I guess Sakamoto felt that HH's electronic stuff was too inhuman & weird and would not date well. which is amusing now because arguably Hosono's sound has held up incredibly well with a host of imitators, while albums like Left Handed Dream are the ones that sound stuck in their time
― frogbs, Monday, 21 December 2020 17:06 (three years ago) link