Monday, May 9, 2011

Pizzicato Five

No, not pizza.  Pizz-i-ca-to.  5ive.

Pizzicato Five actually started as far back as 1979.  At a local music society meeting, two university students - Yasuharu Konishi and Keitaro Takanami, met and agreed to form a band.  They recruited fellow member Ryo Kamimiya, but would not find a suitable lead vocalist until 1984, when the band settled on Mamiko Sasaki.

(Sorry, no official video.)  Their first single, "Audrey Hepburn Complex" set the tone for their impending popularity, and after their 1990 single "Lover's Rock", they became one of the most popular acts in Japan.

Unfortunately, after establishing a legacy, the band announced their separation in 2001.  They are known throughout Japan as the "Godfathers of the Shibuya-kei scene, Tokyo kitsch-pop deconstructionists." 

Pizzicato Five features jazzy, electronica dance beats with hard rock roots.  Their songs are uptempo, with major tonality, danceable grooves and a subtle use of vocal harmony.
Posted by ThirtySeven at 10:23 PM
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15 comments:

  1. BobMay 9, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    I think this is my favorite one so far. Keep the jams coming.

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  2. sp3nnyMay 10, 2011 at 7:53 AM

    didn't know them till now...cool band

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  3. VegaXMay 10, 2011 at 7:54 AM

    thanks for this nice band!

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  4. BluRayBoyMay 10, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    Nice song, not what I am used to but pretty cool nonetheless.

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  5. AnonymousMay 10, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Awesome post.

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  6. mMay 10, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    Oh nice band!

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  7. SynthRockEngineMay 10, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Oh, I've definitely heard this before! Great song, and great band. Too bad they broke up, though.

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  8. KamatacciMay 10, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    This is the best music blog I've seen. But man are her eyes creepy.

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  9. FortissimoMay 10, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Puts me in mind of DeeLite for some reason.

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  10. Fresh GardenMay 10, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    Yeah! Yeah! I love Pizzicato Five!!
    I'm their No.1 fan.

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  11. Elliot MacLeod-MichaelMay 10, 2011 at 8:18 PM

    This takes me to a happy place.
    +followed

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  12. rubberbandMay 11, 2011 at 6:27 AM

    I really enjoy the mix of the different elements, this song has in it. And the voice and the electro beats just somehow fit so good together, it's stunning.

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  13. **Hype.Planet**May 11, 2011 at 7:00 AM

    Not bad ..
    +followed

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  14. mindphMay 12, 2011 at 5:02 AM

    Yeah still remember them from my younger days

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  15. AlphabetaMay 12, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    Very pleasant sounding stuff.

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