Marty Friedman!?

[prydogga]

I've seen the videos of Marty Friedman on the Japanese tv show Rock Fujiyama, and other shows and it makes me wonder; How did he end up in almost every tv show in japan?

[mi2tom]

They worship him over there

[prydogga]

I know it's great to watch him, I can't understand it but the music and feel is still awesome.

[william1993]

he should start playing some brute metalz again ..

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by mi2tom

They worship him over there

Well I hate to be a party pooper but they don't actually worship him over here. To be honest Rock Fujiyama was on at 2am and it's been cancelled for a year or so. That7s usually the case for him. Most of the youtube clips range through many years of his time in Japan, so he isn't on many shows at once he's been on a few. Now that means he is on TV, but more for the fact that he is a forigner that speaks Japanese so well than because he is a great guitarist. The average person who watches TV doesn't know who he is, and if they do they don't know he is a guitarist.

He does most of his work over here in the studio. I know the idea of him and Paul gibert making it big over here is entrenched on peoples minds but I saw a PG concert last week, the venue was small only about 400 people so it's not all Budokan and huge shows. Compare that to a Japanese pop group who sell out a 50,000 seat arena every time they come to town.

I hate to say it because I don't like it, but the most popular music in Japan is J-Pop and then J-Rock and then Enka. After that it's western Pop/R&B and hip hop and then alternative and eventually rock and metal.

Most of the rock/metal/prog/guitar shred groups/artists who are "bigger in Japan" than over in North America/Europe are actually just groups with a cult following like they are where you live.

[mi2tom]

Originally Posted by kotornut

Well I hate to be a party pooper but they don't actually worship him over here. To be honest Rock Fujiyama was on at 2am and it's been cancelled for a year or so. That7s usually the case for him. Most of the youtube clips range through many years of his time in Japan, so he isn't on many shows at once he's been on a few. Now that means he is on TV, but more for the fact that he is a forigner that speaks Japanese so well than because he is a great guitarist. The average person who watches TV doesn't know who he is, and if they do they don't know he is a guitarist.

He does most of his work over here in the studio. I know the idea of him and Paul gibert making it big over here is entrenched on peoples minds but I saw a PG concert last week, the venue was small only about 400 people so it's not all Budokan and huge shows. Compare that to a Japanese pop group who sell out a 50,000 seat arena every time they come to town.

I hate to say it because I don't like it, but the most popular music in Japan is J-Pop and then J-Rock and then Enka. After that it's western Pop/R&B and hip hop and then alternative and eventually rock and metal.

Most of the rock/metal/prog/guitar shred groups/artists who are "bigger in Japan" than over in North America/Europe are actually just groups with a cult following like they are where you live.

Seeing that your location is in japan, definitely you know more, but I always thought that paul and marty is worship over there

[GuitarGuru]

What's Enka?

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by mi2tom

Seeing that your location is in japan, definitely you know more, but I always thought that paul and marty is worship over there

Guitar players love them. And in the 90s Mr. Big ws huge and a lot of chicks in their 30-40s like those types of bands but "worship," nope I've met very few people that know them, and I'm a language teacher not for kids mind you I teach about 100-200 adults a week. It7s my job to have conversation with them.

Originally Posted by GuitarGuru

What's Enka?

Japanese folk music. Just look up Kiyoshi Hikawa on youtube and you'll get the idea.

[C.Thep]

I think alot of trends seem to be over exaggerated in popularity because of the masses their cult followers. There are so many pop culture scenes in Japan. Like all that Ganguro girls and Harajuku girls...I wonder how popular that stuff is and if other Japanese think they are as crazy as we do.

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by C.Thep

I think alot of trends seem to be over exaggerated in popularity because of the masses their cult followers. There are so many pop culture scenes in Japan. Like all that Ganguro girls and Harajuku girls...I wonder how popular that stuff is and if other Japanese think they are as crazy as we do.

It's like you say. There is a cult following but it7s not everyone or even half of everyone.


It's really hard to not stereotype when looking from somewhere so far away. Japanese people do it for example:

"No Americans know what soccer is (The US men's national team is not only higher ranked in the world standing than Japan it also has more players who play in top leagues and is perennial champions of their conference, even usually over Mexico)."

"All Americans carry a gun and draw it out when there is danger."

"Western people are all fat (yes there are more weight problems in western countries but there are also different bdy types)."

"The president can just do whatever he wants like a king (They have no concept of the legislative and judicial branches of government r checks and balances)."

"California is all beaches and movie stars (I'm from California and not the beach and I've never seen a movie star)."

"All Americans love baseball (I detest baseball)."

They sound kind of rediculous, but that's how rediculous the ones we make about them sound to them. You know like Harajuku girls things or "Everyone knows matial arts." Silly stuff like that. In fact I use these as examples when they mke strange assumptions based on movies or silly ideas about our cultures.

[C.Thep]

May I ask, what are you doing in Japan?

[kotornut]

I'm an English teacher.


The way you ask makes me feel like I'm in trouble.

[jim777]

Yes, get back here now I would love to visit Japan, and just walk around looking at the women

[mi2tom]

Originally Posted by jim777

Yes, get back here now I would love to visit Japan, and just walk around looking at the women

I don't like japanese chick

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by jim777

Yes, get back here now I would love to visit Japan, and just walk around looking at the women

There is nothing stopping you from coming. I understand about the girls I'm married to one.