Ryuichi Sakamoto

When they’re not saving the world, Yellow Magic Orchestra, find time to play synths in caveman outfits and throw back a few Kirin beers.

Pioneering synthpop band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) members Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto have re-formed to help the Live Earth cause to raise awareness of global warming, with a special performance from Kyoto, Japan on 7.7.07.

Live Earth will begin in Sydney, Australia on July 7, 2007 and continue across all 7 continents with official concerts in Japan; Shanghai, China; Johannesburg, South Africa; London, United Kingdom; Hamburg, Germany; Istanbul, Turkey; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before concluding in New Jersey, United States.

Live Earth Tokyo will feature the following acts live on stage: AI, Ai Otsuka, Ayaka  Cocco, Genki Rockets, Kumi Koda, Linkin Park, Rihanna Rize, and others to be announced at a later date.

In addition to Yellow Magic Orchestra, the special Kyoto event will also feature Michael Nyman, Rip Slyme, and others to be announced at a later date. Read more…

Kraftwerk have joined in to support Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Stop-Rokkasho project by offering a free download of their track “RADIOACTIVITY” recorded live at Warszawa Sala Kongresowa.

The Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture opened for testing on March 31st, 2006. Less than two weeks later, radioactive water containing plutonium and uranium spilled inside the plant.

In response to the opening of the Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant and the associated dangers that go along with the plant’s operation, on May 16th, electronic musician Ryuichi Sakamoto launched an international campaign to raise awareness of the risks of nuclear energy and to raise awareness of renewable alternatives.

The stop-rokkasho message is even more crucial now that the Japan Times has reported that Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd., whose spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, has a design flaw, a miscalculation for earthquake resistance, that its maker, a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., allegedly kept secret for 11 years until it was reported last Thursday.

Visitors to www.stop-rokkasho.org can stream the full-length version of “RADIOACTIVITY,” and a special edit mp3 is also available. You can preview it below, or get it as part of the stop-rokkasho podcast.

 

 Radioactivity [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

March 04: It’s free electronic music month at Synthtopia. All month long, we’re going to help you kick the RIAA habit by highlighting great electronic music that’s available for free on the Internet.

Today we’re highlighting YMO’s Ryuichi Sakamoto and his Stop Rokkasho project.

The Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture opened for testing on March 31st, 2006. Less than two weeks later, radioactive water containing plutonium and uranium spilled inside the plant.

In response to the opening of the Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant and the associated dangers that go along with the plant’s operation, on May 16th, electronic musician Ryuichi Sakamoto launched an international campaign to raise awareness of the risks of nuclear energy and to raise awareness of renewable alternatives.

Sakamoto has created free tracks for the site and solicited new tracks, remixes and music videos from other electronic musicians, including DJ Krush (preview his track below), Ton, Ryddan, Atom and Thomas Dolby (preview below).

Best of all, the music is Creative Commons licensed, so you can download, share and remix it. There are dozens of free downloads at the site.

 

 Thomas Dolby Windpower [5:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 DJ Krush - Time To Melt [5:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ryuichi Sakamoto sends word about a YMO update, his podcast and a new score he’s working on.

YMO Reunion

The original members of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) were back together in Japan recently to celebrate the launch of the group’s first ever song being available for sale by download. Many obstacles have kept the group’s music off download sites for years, but they were recently able to record a new version of Rydeen, retitled Rydeen 79/07, available for sale in Japan from the commons/Avex label.

YMO teamed up with Kirin Beer to celebrate the occasion with the Kirin Lager meets YMO ad campaign. Since the site is in Japanese, we’ll save you a few hapless clicks by telling you to click on the yellow circle on the bottom right corner of the page.

Silk Soundtrack

Ryuichi Sakamoto is currently in production on the original motion picture score for director Francois Girard’s (The Red Violin), Silk. Based on a novel by Alessandro Baricco, Silk tells the story of a married silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler in 19th century France traveling to Japan for his town’s supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply. During his stay in Japan, he becomes obsessed with the concubine of a local baron. Starring Keira Knightley and Michael Pitt, Silk is currently slated for a fall, 2007 theatrical release. Read more…