Episode 2: Beginnings. Johnny Kitagawa and the Tigers

Overview of 60s and 70s J-pop. The rise of Johnny Kitagawa; the Johnny's sound; Group Sounds; the Tigers; the Four Leaves; and the idol scene in Japan.

In this episode I give a quick history of origins of male idol groups in Japan in the 1960s and their evolution in the 1970s with a big focus on Johnny's & Associates.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE FIRST EPISODE TO LISTEN TO THIS ONE (if you don't want to).

And I have to apologize for crying at the end. I tried for like 10 minutes to make it through talking about Saijou Hideki without crying and every time as soon as I'd read the one line I'd just start tearing up. I couldn't not talk about Hideki, you know?

Here is the list of songs played:

1. "Happy People" by the Four Leaves

2. "Ringo Oiwake" by Misora Hibari

3. "Boku no Tebukuro Yaburiteru" by the Johnnys

4. "Makkana Jacket" by the Tigers

5. "Hito wa" by the Tigers

6. "Namida no Orufe" by the Four Leaves

7. "Otoko no ko Onna no ko" by Go Hiromi

8. "Honoo" by Saijou Hideki

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Filmi Girl

I’ve been a fan of Asian pop culture for over 20 years and want to help bridge the gap between East and West. There is a lot of informal (and formal) gatekeeping that goes on and I’d like to help new fans break through the gates.

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Episode 3: The 1980s, Tanokin Trio, Checkers, and more.