• Rock avengers: Envy's Nobukata Kawai (left), Mono's Takaakira 'Taka' Goto and Downy's Robin Aoki don't like the corporate vibe that they say permeates music festivals in Japan, so they created their own event called After Hours. The tag line that greets visitors to the festival's website reads: 'Standing Against Things That Ruin Art.' | DAN SZPARA
    Rock avengers: Envy's Nobukata Kawai (left), Mono's Takaakira "Taka" Goto and Downy's Robin Aoki don't like the corporate vibe that they say permeates music festivals in Japan, so they created their own event called After Hours. The tag line that greets visitors to the festival's website reads: "Standing Against Things That Ruin Art." | DAN SZPARA
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It’s no secret that the Japanese music industry has a hollowing-out problem; you are either a pop act on a major label with high levels of exposure or an obscure underground act for whom not losing money on a show is a major success. Guitarist Nobukata Kawai of hardcore band Envy knows the latter reality well.

“It’s a shame there’s no middle ground, because bands quit,” he tells The Japan Times. “They’re asked when they’re going to be on TV and if they don’t know they’re encouraged to give up. My friends and I aren’t reaching for TV.”

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