News > Music > Yellow Magic Orchestra Resurrects the Magic

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THURSDAY JUNE 21 2007 7:00 PM

Yellow Magic Orchestra Resurrects the Magic

Tags: Yellow Magic Orchestra, YMO, Live Earth, electronic music, reunion

Exciting synth-pop news comes our way today thanks to Pitchfork which reports that the long-gone Japanese collective Yellow Magic Orchestra is planning to reunite for a Live Earth performance in Japan. (And, yes, this is the same Live Earth of which Roger Daltrey does not approve.)

YMO arent well known here in the States, but theyre well worth discovering. As described by All Music Guide:

The trailblazing force behind the emergence of the Japanese techno-pop sound of the late '70s, Yellow Magic Orchestra remains a seminal influence on contemporary electronic music -- hugely popular both at home and abroad, their pioneering use of synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines places them second only to Kraftwerk as innovators of today's electronic culture.

My initial exposure came through some of keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamotos collaborations with David Sylvian (the former singer of glammy synth-poppers Japan). Having recently dug into the Yellow Magic Orchestra back catalog, I can attest to the quality of the early records.

Having disbanded by 1984, the group enjoyed a brief reunion in '93, but have not played live under the YMO moniker since. The upcoming reunion will take place as part of the ambitious environmental themed Live Earth event.

Live Earth is a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series taking place on 7/7/07 that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.

Live Earth will reach this worldwide audience through an unprecedented global media architecture covering all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels.

Tickets to the intercontinental show can be purchased online, or performances can be streamed via MSN.com. Heres YMO playing "Technopolis" live in 1980:

Comments

luckybestwash

Valley Village, CA

OLD SKOOL

JUN 21, 2007 07:09 PM

Hey Aaron, it's Eddie. Congrats on the gig. I'm really digging your writing thus far. Talk to you later bro.

machfive

Minneapolis, MN

August 2003

JUN 22, 2007 02:21 PM

Fucking awesome - and an amazing video, too! Sakamoto is a genius, and it'll be great to see him back with his old bandmates again!

Nimbusfool

Moscow, ID

August 2006

JUN 22, 2007 03:14 PM

Brings back some great memories, you get the best looks from people when you cruise around blaring YMO

Aaron_Lariviere

Los Angeles, CA

May 2007

JUN 23, 2007 03:48 AM

So long as this article reached the precious few who are excited to see that YMO are finally back, I am a happy boy.

snidebot

Berkeley, CA

October 2005

JUN 23, 2007 04:47 AM

i have never heard of this band until now. and i think i them.

Postblank

New Brunswick, NJ

June 2004

JUN 24, 2007 12:03 AM

HELL

YES

(Also, fuck off with the yellow Waldorf keyboard photo. Their niche was all-analog subtractive synthesis and you slap up a picture of a virtual analog.)