Book Project: The Japanese Jam Band Scene

Before I talk about any particulars in the Japanese jam band environment, it might be helpful to look at the jam band genre in general.  Just today while I was writing this, I received an email from a friend who wrote, “I’m never really sure what “jam band” is these days.  The genre seems to cover nearly every kind of music from bluegrass to blues to jazz.”  In this note my friend expressed a view that I have held for a long time.  “Jam bands” do not belong to any specific genre and can not be categorized simply by listing other types of music under the jam band umbrella.  Using the term “jam band” to refer to bands who built on the heritage of American rock bands such as the Grateful Dead and Phish ignores the fact that for example in the genre of World Music many bands are jamming.  Ignoring any philosophical discussion about what a jam band is, I wrote in an earlier blog that common elements for jam bands are fewer and often whimsical lyrics, more improvisation, continually changing set lists, and musicians who often bear a striking resemblance to Taliban soldiers.

Coming from Germany where the jam band scene is little more than non-existent it pleasing to find that the Japanese jam band music has gained more acceptance and popularity. There are a great number of jam bands in the Tokyo metropolitan area alone.  These bands range from internationally active artists such as Dachambo, Big Frog and Meltone, to bands like for example Freaky Machine, mgova, Majestic Circus, Razoku, Muff, Fly and Sardine Head who tour exclusively in Japan performing mainly in the Tokyo area.  The songs that accompany the music played by these bands will most times be sung in Japanese although it is not uncommon to hear an American cover song or originals sung in the English language.

The Japanese bands are intertwined through social online networks such as Mixi and Myspace where they can link to one another’s communities and thus help their fans to connect and find related music.   Further, one band’s official website will provide direct links to many other bands.

Leaving the cyber-world behind, these bands support each other by grouping together for multi-ticket shows or invite each other to serve as the opening performers in order to share the mutual fan base.  When talking to someone within this musical society it doesn’t take long to discover that everyone seems to know one another and also that they try to help each other.  While working on your tour you will quickly learn that your first contact within the Japanese jam band scene will likely open other doors for you and give you information that will help you to gain access to the people who can assist you.

Moving forward, it is now time to talk about the tour.  The following text will be split into three sections.  The preparation phase in which I will talk about many things that need to be attended to before leaving your country, the touring phase, in which I will share with you experiences from our tour both positive and negative plus advice that hopefully will help you in planning a successful tour.  The last section in this part of my paper will give you some ideas of how to capitalize on the tour experience to help advertise and promote your band.