V.A. Kaminari Volume 2: 19 More Japanese Garage Monsters!

It’s already two years since volume one of ‘Kaminari’? Wow! Time flies, but things changed. For the best. Since late 2005 there was a new door open for some of today’s most exciting Japanese rock n roll and garage bands to be able to showcase their music abroad. This buzz about the healthy Japanese scene even inspired other more established labels to step forward and try their luck in the Japanese camp.
What they miss is the inside knowledge of the Japanese underground scene and language domain. Luckily Groovie Records has Mr. Chris Jack of the mighty Routes onboard. Having a direct ear to ground , and speaking the language means he’s the best man to compile ‘Kaminari’. Two volumes under his belt and the results are ACE!
True to its original concept this new volume of ‘Kaminari’ brings you another batch of 19 exciting underground bands from all over Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Kobe…). While some names might sound familiar, others will sound new but all, and I mean ALL, of them deserve your full attention. Older bands together with the newbies ready to storm your Saturday night out. If garage rock, trash punk, 60’s beat, fuzz or surf is your thing then you’ll dig ‘Kaminari’ like candy.

The bar is set higher and I can’t wait for volume 3. Hope it doesn’t take another two years. One thing I’m pretty sure: In the near future we’ll hear more about these bands, hopefully with more releases in and especially out of Japan.
H. Mitsuhirato

SIDE A
1 Ed Woods - Space Chicken
2 Dance Cleopatra – Hearse
3 Mondo Diamond - Baby Please Don't Run Away
4 Fuzzist and the Voodoo Bones – Searching
5 Matsubokkuriman the Guinness - Enka Experience
6 The Fuzziyama Surfers - Fuzziyama Beat
7 Vivian Boys - Yokubô No Chi Ga Shitataru Toki (Another VB Mix)
8 The Yummys - Bang the Drum All Day
9 Swamps - Mary Ann

SIDE B
1 Samehada Shiriko and Dynamite – Samehada Stomp
2 Bobby’s Bar – Surfin’ Ghost
3 The Beat Girls - Wacky Races Theme
4 The Impacts - It's Too Late
5 Middle's – Alligator
6 Thee Mighty Fevers - Sex High School Weekend
7 The Paralyz – Exodus
8 Creepy Crawlers - Jack the Ripper
9 Bigmama Shockin' 3- A Legal Matter
10 Lulufin the Woo Hoo - Jungle Call

Sleeve art work by: Christophe Lopez Uici