What Goes On... in Japan!

Japanese fans are among the biggest Beatle fans in the world! Every year at Convention we get the opportunity to hear from the bands who are entertaining our friends in the East. Shuji Tohyama is a tour guide for the fantastic Live@pool Beatle tours. Along with Jackie Spencer, he shows fans all the famous sites in the Birthplace of The Beatles, travelling in the comfort of the Magical Mystery Bus!! We caught up with the 'Japanese Scouser' to find out more about some of the many Japanese Tribute Bands!

The first ever Japanese Beatle-Band to play at the Liverpool Beatles Convention were The Parrots in 1994. They paved the way for an influx of Japanese bands at Beatleweek including Wishing, The Beetles, The Bad Boys, The Meatles and The Roots.

There are over 200 Beatle bands (professional and semi-professional) in Japan. The Parrots and The Bad Boys are probably the most popular bands at present. The Parrots have a residency at the Abbey Road Club in Roppongi, Tokyo, which has been going since 1996, and the Bad Boys are resident at the nearby Tokyo Cavern Club, which opened in 1982.

The Parrots The Parrots formed in 1990. Their line-up changes regularly although Mamoru Yoshii (John) and Teruyuki Matsuzaki (Ringo) - the founders of the band, are permanent members. They play five nights a week at The Abbey Road Club in Tokyo. Their rendition of Mr Moonlight is always one of the highlights of their Convention shows.

Bad Boys Tatsumi Kida (Paul), Masaki Koizumi (George), Hiroyuki Konno (Ringo), Masahiko Oguma (John). They play over 160 Beatle songs in the original key. Tatsumi says, "If we find it difficult to sing any Beatles songs in the original key - we don't do them!! Also we don't want to play with an extra player - we like to attempt playing all The Beatles songs as a four piece!" They have been together since 1990. Bad Boys are the main residential band at Tokyo Cavern Club in Roppongi Tokyo, playing 5 nights a week. They also have a lot of original material and will record a few songs at Abbey Road Studios in London this year! They are Shuji's favourite Japanese band!

Wishing Tadaaki Naganuma (Paul), Mitsuru Adachi (John), Katsumi Ozawa (George), Masahiro Shiroma (Ringo) and Tsuyoshi Tsuchiya (Keyboard). Support residential band at Tokyo Cavern Club playing once or twice a week. They formed in 1992 and have played Liverpool Beatleweek twice. They took part in the 'From Tokyo to Liverpool' Concert at the Cavern in 1997, and played one half of the White Album in 1998.

The Beetles Shinichi Nakamoto (John), Hiroshi Sumiyoshi (Paul), Ryoji Akichika (George) and Hiroyuki Konishi (Ringo). They are the only band based outside of Tokyo - they are from Kurayoshi. They formed in 1994. They play excellent renditions of the Beatles songs and are very popular. The Beetles even have a fan club in Liverpool!! Shuji recommends that you catch their Hamburg set if you get the chance. They have played at many historical venues e.g. The Cavern, The Jacaranda, the Casbah, Quarry Bank School, The Mean Fiddler. The band looks like being the main band in the next generation of Japanese Beatles Tribute Bands!!

Nina Douglas and Shuji Tohyama
TWIL Issue Three January 2001