THE EARLY HANADENSHA

PERSONNEL
Hira : vocal
Noma Yasumichi : guitar
Tatekawa Yojiro : drums
Kikuko : bass ( [1] 2-4, 7-10 ),
Aoyagi : bass ( [1] 1, [2] 1-6)
with special guest appearance
Yamamoto Seiiichi : guitar ([1] 10)
The EarlyHANADENSHA:
LIVE at nowhere 1987-1989
Alchemy Records ARCD236/237 (2CD) ¥3,000 (w/o tax)
DISC1
  • 1. Woo, Baby * 8’43”
    Feb 26, 1989 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-cho, Osaka.
  • 2. Hakuchi Mawashi * 6’45”
    May 10, 1987 at CBGB, Kita-Shirakawa, Kyoto.
  • 3. Mississippi Hippie * 3’18”
    Feb 15, 1988 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-Cho, Osaka.
  • 4. Love of A Thief * 9’11”
    Feb 15, 1988 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-Cho, Osaka.
  • 5. Firestorm * 1’35”
    May 10, 1987 at CBGB, Kita-Shirakawa, Kyoto.
  • 6. Dead Bangin’ * 4’39”
    May 27, 1987 at Donzoko House, Karasuma-
    Marutamachi, Kyoto.
  • 7. Dog Fight * 5’54”
    Jan 30, 1988 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-Cho, Osaka.
  • 8. Space Rocket * 5’21”
    Aug 5, 1987 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-Cho, Osaka.
  • 9. Young Dog * 10’08”
    Aug 28, 1988. venue unknown
  • 10. Mary Mary Mary 16’33”
    Oct 31, 1987 at Sunhall, Shinsaibashi, Osaka.
DISC2
  • 1. Future Deadlock 5’43”
    Nov 11, 1988 at La.mama, Shibuya, Tokyo.
  • 2. Bad Tube 10’11”
    Nov 11, 1988 at La.mama, Shibuya, Tokyo.
  • 3. Hot Cake 5’12”
    Nov 11, 1988 at La.mama, Shibuya, Tokyo.
  • 4. Blossom Body 5’34”
    Nov 11, 1988 at La.mama, Shibuya, Tokyo.
  • 5. Blood Star 15’37”
    Nov 11, 1988 at La.mama, Shibuya, Tokyo.
  • 6. Heavensucker 7’04”
    Feb 26, 1989 at Egg Plant, Hanazo
    no-cho, Osaka.
  • 7. Godspeed * 10’29”
    Jul 11, 1987 at Egg Plant, Hanazono-cho, Osaka.
  • * PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
THIS IS HANADENSHA, DO NOT PANIC.
Matsuyama Shinya, Music Journalist

“The Early Hanadensha: Live at Nowhere 1987-1989” is a collection of tracks recorded live before their first album “The Golden Age of Heavy Blood”, which contains 10 previously unreleased songs out of whole 17 tracks. The rest are tracks that later appeared on the first LP, except ‘Heavensucker’ (which was added to the CD version of the first album alongside ‘Headspinningdizzyblues’ as bonus tracks).

The performances here range from May 10th, 1987 to Februay 26th, 1989. So both bassists, Kikuko and Aoyagi can be heard. All songs were recorded by audiences using portable cassette recorders, mainly Sony Walkmans, but the sound is astonishingly clear. I don’t know if it is by virtue of modern mastering technique or Sony’s superb technology for the time.

All 17 songs are entirely heavy. Storming fuzz guitar from beginning to end, fat and ebony bass gurging, high-skilled groovy drum beats driving forward the whole ensemble, and madly screaming voices… there is not a single moment for a rest. This is likely… no, is absolutely a hell that is totally merciless from which there is no way out.

Each performance here is heavy to death but has an accelerating feeling, one that is so rude it’s as if all four players are kicking each other’s butts. In comparison with those typical neo-psychedelic-rock elements, full of distortions and fuzzes, for instance on My Bloody Valentine and others, it was a noise completely different in character, full of heaviness and acceleration. It was this heat coming out of a harmonious combination that characterises the very nature of Kansai’s ‘savviness’.(excerpt from linernotes)