Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

KRAFTWERK’s rendition of their 1975 song “Radio-Activity” at NO NUKES 2012 was sung with a new set of Japanese lyrics including the line “Ima sugu yamero” (Stop it now), proved to be the climax of the Saturday night show, which attracted thousands of Japanese to Makuhari Messe events center, and a cumulative total of more than 216,000 online viewers for the live feed on Ustream. Proceeds from the event will go to the Goodbye to Nuclear Power Plants movement, spearheaded by Nobel prize-winning author Kenzaburo Oe, Academy Award-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, whistleblowing journalist Satoshi Kamata and other prominent figures. The event was also aimed at increasing signatures for a large-scale antinuclear-power petition. The movement has currently gathered 7.5 million signatures. Listen to the iconic German electro-pop band show how relevant they still are in this SoundCloud audio capture Jean-Philippe Demoulin, a French expatriate musician living in Japan.        
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A concert took place at the Hollywood Bowl with headliners Yellow Magic Orchestra or YMO. Much of the crowd were into Japanese culture, but surely had no idea who they were. Granted, openers like Cibo Matto or Towa Tei at the DJ tables, or even Buffalo Daughter may have clued people in, but did they know that YMO is a huge part of music history in Japan? Ryuichi Sakamoto was the front man of the band, Cornelius was an unnamed session guitar player, Haruomi Hosono, another legend, also in the band. Guessing that most probably didn’t know this. The show still went off well, people liked the music, and Yoko Ono did her best to ruin the evening.     Yet Ryuichi Sakamoto, known for his electronics and bending sound is now going on an acoustic tour including piano, violin and a cello. His reasoning has more to do with getting back to the basics after 311. He ties the simplicity to the post and pre 311 problems to people’s isolation in Japan, including Hikikomori, a large group who never leave their homes. (Telegraph UK – Ryuichi Sakamoto)
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