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HARUOMI HOSONO 50TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION: 1979 – 1983

東京の音楽 Music of Tokyo

Hosono discovered computer at the end of the 70’s, and became fascinated with it. It was mind-boggling for him to realize that music could now be produced by programming computer, instead of relying on your body. The idea that music could now be outsourced and become external to your existence excited him, although he had no idea how things would play out. Hosono invited Yukihiro Takahashi (Dr.) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (Key) to form Yellow Magic Orchestra. The idea was to re-imagine songs like Martin Denny’s (again!) “Firecracker” using computer/synthesizer, and create weird electric disco sound that could sell in global markets. As the music was rapidly becoming diverse, and cities, rather than countries, were emerging as music epicenters (Kraftwerk represented Düsseldorf while people also talked about “Munich sound,” movements in London or NYC.), Hosono saw potential in TOKIO (not 東京 or Tokyo), an emerging metropolis which was a chaotic mixture of different cultural aspects. Maybe the combination of TOKIO and techno pop were Hosono’s new “tropical.” Naturally or ironically, YMO was a huge success, and it unexpectedly became a large alter-ego for the members to eventually haunt them.

Artworks by graphic designer/artist Tadanori Yokoo. You can see the portrait of Hosono on the right hand side.
Hosono knew Yokoo (they went to India together), and invited him to join YMO as a non-musician member. It did not happen as Yokoo couldn’t make it the press conference to announce the formation of YMO, but it nonetheless fitted the band concept – a trail blazer to revolutionize Japanese music industry in many aspects.

Already in 1979, YMO played overseas through its “Trans Atlantic Tour,” as Hosono was certain that YMO’s techno music, which was influenced by bands like Kraftwerk or Devo, would find fans in Europe or US. Although it was a relatively small-scale tour, it left a strong impression among local music fans, and more importantly to YMO’s commercial success, the news of successful concerts overseas fueled intrigue among Japanese audience. They flocked to buy their records. By 1980, YMO was a sensation. I still vividly remember the first time I saw them on TV when I was a child. Three guys in Chinese tunic suits with weird hairdo, surrounded by walls of computers or synthesizers. Looking almost indifferent with what they were doing, they robotically kept playing music that sounded like it was coming from the outer space. I had no idea what it was and was in awe. My parents were confused.

Hosono later admitted that he never imagined that 10 year old kids would listen to YMO – as was the case with his previous activities, he thought only a small number of avid music fans would react – but in reality kids were enthused with the emergence of the completely new kind of culture. When you excite kids, you are mainstream. YMO quickly became a household name.