Yellow Magic Orchestra

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…

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…