Loudness Returns to America
Friday, March 18, 2011 at 12:01AM It's been one week since the horrific Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The country is still battling a terrifying nuclear crisis, and on top of the shortage of food and gas...are freezing temperatures and snow impacting all the recovery and clean-up efforts.
The other day, I wrote a post on Noisecreep about one of the guys in X Japan auctioning his piano for the relief efforts. Our own Metalboy! suggested I write a post about Japanese musicians...in an effort to bring attention to the relief efforts and all the need in the area.
Of course, when you talk Japanese rock, you immediately think of Loudness. Can you believe that Loudness are coming back to the states for live shows?! The band will start an American tour in May, hitting cities like Seattle, San Diego, Las Vegas, Nashville, Cleveland and many more.
Here are the dates:
05/06/11 ORANGEVALE, CA THE BOARDWALK
05/07/11 PORTLAND, OR DANTE’S
05/08/11 SEATTLE, WA STUDIO SEVEN
05/10/11 SANTA CLARA, CA THE AVALON
05/11/11 WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA KEY CLUB
05/12/11 TEMPE, AZ CLUB RED
05/13/11 SANTA ANA, CA GALAXY THEATRE
05/14/11 SAN DIEGO, CA 4TH & B
05/15/11 LAS VEGAS, NV THE CHEYENNE SALOON
05/17/11 DENVER, CO SUMMIT MUSIC HALL
05/20/11 WESTLAND, MI TOKEN LOUNGE
05/21/11 CHICAGO, IL REGGIE’S ROCK CLUB
05/22/11 CLEVELAND, OH BEACHLAND BALLROOM
05/23/11 NASHVILLE, TN MERCY LOUNGE
05/26/11 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK SAMURAI’S
05/27/11 DALLAS, TX TREES
05/28/11 SAN ANTONIO, TX BACKSTAGE LIVE
05/29/11 HOUSTON, TX WAREHOUSE LIVE
06/01/11 NEW YORK CITY, NY B.B. KING BLUES CLUB
06/03/11 SPRINGFIELD, VA JAXX
06/05/11 FARMINGDALE, LONG ISLAND, NY CRAZY DONKEY
So, in the spirit of X Japan wanting to help their homeland and in celebration of Loudness returning to America for some live shows this summer...why not make a rocking donation to the Red Cross to help the poor Japanese victims? I donated a few days ago. Alone, my little gift won't do much...but together, we have more buying power. I've learned that metal fans are a generous and caring bunch. Let's do what we can.
Reader Comments (9)
Al! Thanks so much for posting about the horrific tragedy and the subsequent chain of events in the aftermath unfolding before us every minute.
It effects all of us as we are ALL connected. We must all donate anything we can, no matter how small, because as Al has stated, every little bit helps and it all adds up.
I think about this beautiful people and culture of that nation and there are just not words that express the sadness of what has happened.
Beyond the overall magnitude of the catastrophe, I also think of Japan's love for our culture and particularly the passion the legions of Metal fans have for our music there.
I can't tell you how many CDs and LP's I own that I've bought from wonderful people over there. I pray they are alright. I have quite a few of them on my "Saved Sellers" list on Ebay and I pray for those people and all of their countrymen.
I know worldly possessions are nothing compared to the horror of the tragedy and loss the Japanese people are dealing with right now, but I can't help but I also can't help but ponder the loss of valuable art and other cultural treasures destroyed and lost forever -- including the many collectable CDs and Vinyl that once existed there.
Let's not forget all of the incredible 80's/90's recording artists the Japanese have brought us:
LOUDNESS
X JAPAN (Al, you've done it again! New to me. Thanks!)
EZO
WIRED
SCUARY HUARY
EARTHSHAKER
VAN VEEN
BAD LOSER
BIG DEAL
JUSTY NASTY
LADIES ROOM
... too name but a few... I'm still gettin' into the stuff. Please list more, folks, if there's something I should hear!
Something else to consider is how the Japanese kept Glam Metal going all through The Grunge Years allowing many of our L.A. Strip Veterans to survive by recording and performing in Japan.
Hollywood Underground was a project from 1996 that was basically WARRANT with special guests including one track with Jani Lane that was released as a Japanese import only.
Atsushi Yokozeki Project's "Raid" album was a 1993 project album by monster ace-guitarist Atsushi Yokozeki where he flew in hired gun singers like Cherie Currie -- ex-lead singer of The Runaways, Ray Gillen from Badlands, Black Sabbath and Blue Murder, Kelly Hansen from Hurricane and David Glenn Eisley from Giuffria.
There's a lot more but that's off the top of my head. Once again, please add, if you all know something I should listen to.
And then there's the bands who's albums were only released in Japan as they couldn't get deals here.
LANCIA is a prime example. Get this album! Awesome Glam Metal from 1992 and there are many more. Again, please feel free to offer any others here, as well.
So, please let us all keep Japan in our Metal Hearts and donate! And pray for the missing and those who perished, as well as all of the people in Japan who need the world's help as they rebuild.