I spotted Taketora san coming out of Record Union in Shinjuku in full head-to-toe punk regalia, holding not only a black and red Union bag but also a bright yellow Record Store Base bag. Such an intriguing character, I had to chat him up and see if he’d pose for a Tokyo Record Style portrait. He instantly obliged me and showed me the records he scored, two hardcore records I was seeing and hearing of for the first time. I’ve since gone home and looked both of them up, finding neither of the albums nor artists on Spotify, proving the point again, as it already has been illustrated through this project, that if you want to explore the full breadth of music out there, you have to look beyond streaming.
Taketora told me he was visiting Tokyo from Sapporo, Hokkaido where he said there are few record stores and none that really keep the music that he loves, hence his visit to Record Store Base in Koenji prior to visiting Record Union. I have never been to Base but I read that it is one of, if not THE best punk, hardcore, and underground record shop in Japan and possibly beyond. Even though I spotted Taketora san in Shinjuku, I will link the post to Base so you can check it out in case you are interested. My knowledge of hardcore punk is limited but I have been to shows back in the day and genuinely appreciate and respect the artform. It’s so energetic and expressive and no doubt requires intense dedication and talent to do it well.
I have to admit that I found my way to some hardcore artists (Napalm Death and others) adjacent to the ones Taketora scored here, and I listened to them all afternoon and felt like I expanded my musical appreciation horizons, so thanks, Taketora for that! Hope you enjoy your albums and have a safe trip back to Sapporo! See you the next time around. More Tokyo Record Style to come…
Gauze – 言いたかねえけど目糞鼻糞
Label: XXX Records (2) – XXX-12-47
Format: Vinyl, LP, 45 RPM, Album
Country: Japan
Released: Feb 16, 2022
Genre: Rock
Style: Hardcore, Punk
https://www.discogs.com/release/22161451-Gauze-%E8%A8%80%E3%81%84%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AD%E3%81%88%E3%81%91%E3%81%A9%E7%9B%AE%E7%B3%9E%E9%BC%BB%E7%B3%9E
Instinct Of Survival – In Conspiracy With Crust, The Stenchcore Sessions
Label: Doomed To Extinction Records – DTE43
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: Nov 25, 2022
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk, Crust
https://www.discogs.com/release/25302688-Instinct-Of-Survival-In-Conspiracy-With-CrustStenchcore-Sessions
Try Best Offer Score
On Instagram