Tokyo Jihen::The Milking of Incidents.
How much do you love your favorite band? Earlier in 2012 we featured a piece on the break up of Tokyo Jihen. You'd think that the talk wold have ended by now but voices are being raised online as another compilation DVD makes it's appearance in the pre- order lists and a box set of all the bands albums plus a disc of rare tracks is announced.
There's a saying that the successful musician makes more money from retiring than from performing. Tokyo Jihen announced their disbanding in late 2011, with the final album proper and tour end marking the dissolution of the band formed in 2004. But nostalgia overload has been predicted here at 'Culture Zine with the announcement of Golden Time, a compilation DVD and Blu Ray of their 'best' promotional videos and the box set Hard Drive, containing the bands seven albums plus some special morsels to tempt the buyers.
Of course, Tokyo Jihen is a band well worthy of celebration and with many albums of listenable and iconic material, but the number of one star ratings on Amazon Japan before the releases even come out, all accompanied by comments along the lines of 'do they really need money that much?' are not good signs. if you're a new fan with the need to purchase all the albums for the handy price of 20,000円 then it's all good times but when you're a fan with no way to get hold of those enticing bonus tracks other than to fork out once more you might not see the good side.
Japan's music industry is in a comparatively unusual situation where physical sales and downloads are both high so such fan loyalty is not unusual here but it begs the question at what point is nostalgia just a marketing ploy and at what point is it deserved? Think of all those Greatest Hits albums out there, some of them are essential listens even with the original albums next to them in your library for the sheer option to enjoy everything in one shot but when they are cash-ins can they ruin your enjoyment?
Whatever the answer, count us as one of the many who thinks too much of something is occasionally a bad thing.
Words by Sebastian Gahan.
Of course, Tokyo Jihen is a band well worthy of celebration and with many albums of listenable and iconic material, but the number of one star ratings on Amazon Japan before the releases even come out, all accompanied by comments along the lines of 'do they really need money that much?' are not good signs. if you're a new fan with the need to purchase all the albums for the handy price of 20,000円 then it's all good times but when you're a fan with no way to get hold of those enticing bonus tracks other than to fork out once more you might not see the good side.
Japan's music industry is in a comparatively unusual situation where physical sales and downloads are both high so such fan loyalty is not unusual here but it begs the question at what point is nostalgia just a marketing ploy and at what point is it deserved? Think of all those Greatest Hits albums out there, some of them are essential listens even with the original albums next to them in your library for the sheer option to enjoy everything in one shot but when they are cash-ins can they ruin your enjoyment?
Whatever the answer, count us as one of the many who thinks too much of something is occasionally a bad thing.
Words by Sebastian Gahan.
