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April 30, 2024
 

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Shawn Despres

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Shawn Despres
Shawn Despres has been contributing to the Japan Times’ music page since 2005, and he has a passion for writing about the independent music scene in East Asia. He spent several years living in Yokohama and currently resides in Seoul.
For Shawn Despres's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 21, 2011
Watusi Zombie "N×A×R×A"
Nara-bred rock 'n' roll trio Watusi Zombie have played at Fuji Rock and toured in the United States. Their gigs are highly charged, chaotic affairs. Vocalist/guitarist Jugem Tanimura has been known to incoherently scream lyrics into a microphone decorated with a Buddha mask, and it's not unusual to find all three sweat-drenched members abandoning the stage to thrash around on their guitars and drums (there's no bass here, folks) in the middle of the audience.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 14, 2011
Shonen Knife "Osaka Ramones"
Shonen Knife, Japan's best-known alternative-rock band, are celebrating their 30th birthday. In honor of this occasion, the influential Osaka trio have a number of anniversary releases planned, the first being "Osaka Ramones," a tribute disc to the iconic American punk group the Ramones.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 30, 2011
Lite "For All the Innocence"
One of Japan's top instrumental rock acts, Tokyo's Lite have performed at festivals such as Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic, and gigged throughout Asia, Europe and North America. They've also toured with such U.S. indie-music luminaries as Mike Watt and Lou Barlow, and have recorded with John McEntire from Tortoise/The Sea and Cake fame.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 9, 2011
Cinema Staff "Cinema Staff"
Now based in Tokyo, Gifu Prefecture-bred Cinema Staff played at the 2009 editions of both the Summer Sonic and Rock in Japan festivals. Formed in 2003, the indie-rock quartet issued three EPs prior to the release of their eponymous full-length debut.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 2, 2011
Festival season kicks into gear with Taico Club
This weekend's Taico Club in Nagano Prefecture will be the first of four summer-festival appearances for Tokyo synth-pop/postpunk act Kimonos. Formed only last year, the duo of Leo Imai and Zazen Boys' Shutoku Mukai will also play at Fuji Rock (July 30), World Happiness (Aug. 7) and the Rising Sun Rock Festival (Aug. 12, 13).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 26, 2011
Boris "Heavy Rocks"/"Attention Please"
Being a Boris completist is a daunting task. One of the country's most prolific underground acts, this year the Tokyo three-piece have already issued their "New Album" full-length and "Klatter," a vinyl-only collaboration with Japanese noise-artist Merzbow. They are back again with their two latest releases, "Heavy Rocks" and "Attention Please."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 19, 2011
8otto lively up themselves again
Osaka's 8otto have a new album, a new label and a new mindset.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 12, 2011
The Cherry Coke$
Fuji Rock 2005 was a very memorable weekend for Celtic-punk-inspired act The Cherry Coke$. The Tokyo septet were invited to the popular summer outing to showcase cuts from their 2004 "Beer My Friends" debut on the festival's Rookie A Go-Go stage. While there, they also had the opportunity to watch and meet The Pogues.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 22, 2011
Ringo Deathstarr
Mashing together Ringo Starr and the Death Star from "Star Wars" to create their name, noise-pop group Ringo Deathstarr were one the "buzz" bands at last month's South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas. With 2,000 acts performing over the heralded bash's five days, this was no small feat for the hometown three-piece. Pre-fest accolades came from the likes of CNN, and Wired featured Ringo Deathstarr in their "10 Must-Hear Bands Ready to Shake Up SXSW" preview.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 15, 2011
Meet a smoking new rock band
Formed in Fukuoka in 2005, The Cigavettes knew it would only be a matter of time before they relocated to Japan's capital. After years of discussing it, the melodic rockers finally packed up their instruments, along with their Beatles- and Rolling Stones-inspired catalogue of catchy, radio-friendly pop-rock, and made the move in February 2010.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 8, 2011
The world awakens to Japan's 'brutal orchestra'
Creating a wonderfully bizarre avant-garde hybrid of classical music, heavy rock and punk, Osaka's 11-member-strong Vampillia have been described by their record label as "a hardcore version of Arcade Fire."
CULTURE / Music
Mar 23, 2011
Japan to the fore at SXSW despite disaster at home
AUSTIN, Texas — Minutes after arriving in downtown Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival, I ran into a Japanese friend from Tokyo. While we were catching up, an American woman passing by overheard him mention Japan and instantly stopped to shake his hand. "I'm so incredibly sorry for what's happened to your country," she said before continuing on her way.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 25, 2011
Uhnellys "To Too Two"
Dubbed by some as a more sonically adventurous Japanese version of the White Stripes, Tokyo malefemale duo Uhnellys have gigged in Europe and Australia, and participated in last autumn's Next Music from Tokyo Canadian tour with Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, Susquatch and Sgt. Their past albums have included collaborations with Mike Doughty from 1990s U.S. alt-rock act Soul Coughing and Canadian MC Shad. "To Too Two" is the third full-length effort from the band.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 18, 2011
Best Coast / Wavves
Early in his career, Wavves' Nathan Williams earned almost as much attention for his erratic behavior as he did for his lo-fi, noisy pop and punk songs. In 2009, the guitarist for the California trio infamously had an onstage meltdown during a performance at the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, mocking the crowd and fighting with his ex-drummer. Later that year, he got into a physical altercation with a member of garage rockers Black Lips at a New York club.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 11, 2011
Akihiro Namba
Last year's Fuji Rock was the place to be for fans of 1990s punk act Hi-Standard. The event boasted separate sets from former guitarist Ken Yokoyama and bassist Akihiro Namba. If ex-drummer Akira Tsuneoka had been on the bill, Naeba very well could have seen a one-off regrouping of the popular Japanese trio.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 21, 2011
Mogwai
Since making their first live appearances in Japan in 1999, Mogwai have returned to tour the country a dozen times. With this in mind, it is unsurprising that the Scottish postrock quintet played only two gigs last year, and one of them was in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 21, 2011
Okamoto's plot new album release before summer
After being courted by record labels while still in high school in Tokyo, inking a deal with Sony subsidiary Ariola Japan was an easy decision for Okamoto's.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 14, 2011
Deerhunter / Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Organized by concert promoter Contrarede, 4AD Evening will unite three of the more prominent acts from the renowned, long-running 4AD imprint's current roster — Blonde Redhead, Deerhunter and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti — for Osaka and Tokyo shows.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 14, 2011
Mo'some Tonebender
M o'some Tonebender released their 13th studio album, "Struggle," in December. Although their career has not been without its challenges, the disc's title is something the popular alt-rock trio have not had to do for some time.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 17, 2010
Countdown Japan 10/11
The eighth annual Countdown Japan festival will close out 2010 with performances by nearly 160 of the nation's top acts. While the event took place in both Chiba and Osaka from 2006-2008, like last year, the current edition of Countdown Japan will only be happening at Chiba's cavernous Makuhari Messe convention center.
When will Japan intervene to support the yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki has reiterated the government's readiness to take an appropriate action as the yen continues to slide against the U.S. dollar.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Raising kids in Japan as a single parent? It takes a village.
Making things work as a foreign, single mother in Japan isn't easy, but these tips and tricks can help you through the hardest parts.
Yen rebounds strongly after first slide past ¥160 since 1990
The yen dropped to ¥160.245 per dollar on Monday before heading into the other direction to ¥155.01 amid speculation of an intervention by Japanese currency authorities.
JAL cancels international flight after captain gets drunk at Dallas hotel
A Japan Airlines' flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled last week after its captain got drunk at a local hotel.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.

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