Shang Shang Typhoon burst onto the Japanese music scene in the early '90s when anything "ethnic" was considered cool. Amid the renewed global interest in world music, many Japanese were finding that they had their own version(s) of world music right in their own backyard. Okinawan music was especially in vogue. Shang Shang Typhoon got started in the early '80s, when the band's leader, Koryu (which means "red dragon"), decided to created a band that would use traditional Japanese rhythms and melodies... read more

Shang Shang Typhoon burst onto the Japanese music scene in the early '90s when anything "ethnic" was considered cool. Amid the renewed global interest in world music, many Japanese were finding that they had their own version(s) of world music right in their own backyard. Okinawan music was especially in vogue. Shang Shang Typhoon got started in the early '80s, when the band's leader, Koryu (which means "red dragon"), decided to created a band that would use traditional Japanese rhythms and melodies in a pop setting. Others have tried the same sort of thing, but no one has brought it off with quite the same aplomb as Koryu and co. Koryu's recipe for musical success was to blend elements such as Okinawan music, "minyo" vocal styles and other traditional Japanese music styles with reggae, rock and pop, as well as to write very cool original songs. For example, in his song "Sanma" (swordfish), Koryu describes how the smell of frying sanma - a seasonal autumn treat - reminds a woman of a love affair she had the previous fall. Also key to the band's appeal is the twin vocal attack of female singers Satoko Nishikawa and Emi Shirosaki, who with their lively stage presence make SST one of Japan's best live musical acts. Until 1990 the band was an underground sensation, playing at local events such as festivals and distributing their own recordings. But in 1990 SST signed with major label Epic/Sony, and the next few years saw their popularity increase, although they never made it into the upper reaches of J-pop superstardom - which they probably wouldn't have wanted anyway. SST are now back on an independent label, but the best way to enjoy the band's music is to go to one of their festival-like concerts and get caught up in the fun. collapse