Japanese band Daiei Spray tours Korea

Japanese band Daiei Spray will perform in Seoul this Saturday. Courtesy of Daiei Spray

By Jon Dunbar

The Japanese hardcore punk band Daiei Spray is coming to Seoul this Saturday to play at the eighth installation of the “Behind the Tongue” concert series.

According to Kyo, the band's guitarist, he met Yoon Daemin, the guy behind “Behind the Tongue,” at a Daiei Spray show in Japan several years ago. Yoon told him about the Korean scene, and he eventually got to see Korean bands like Banran, Scumraid, Agari and Slant. He also came to Korea last year with his wife for sightseeing, and now is ready to bring his band over.

Daiei Spray is named after a Japanese brand of strong hairspray that is popular among punks there. The band formed in 2004 in Hirosaki, north of Tokyo, but the band relocated to the capital in 2008 when Kyo had to move for work.

Due to turnover of band members over the years, it took them until 2017 to release their first album, the seven-song 10-inch record “Isn't Brazing,” which Unite Asia called “a beautiful piece of wax that one needs to own. Right now.”

“Because there were several member changes, each time, we must make most of the songs,” Kyo said. “That's why we couldn't make enough songs for the album. After forming the current lineup, we released the first. And we will release our second album in early 2020. That is something to be glad about.”

The first album was released on Kyo's own DIY label Sakanade Records. “At first, we wanted to make the 1st album by DIY,” Kyo said. “As a result, we realized that it was really hard to do all the advertising and production by ourselves.”

For the second album, expected out in February, they have teamed up with the label Debauch Mood to make life easier for the band.

Their music is best characterized as punk rock influenced by the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene represented by bands such as Dag Nasty. The music is complex, emotional and easy to enjoy. Lyrically, the band touches on some pretty heavy domestic politics.

“In Japan today, the ruling and Liberal Democratic parties and Shinzo Abe administration have a particularly strong right of mind, and have adopted a revision of Article 9 of the Constitution. It is evident that the long-running Abe administration has brutalized politics and power, and has exercised corruption and interests,” bassist Onodera said.

“On the other hand, I don't think that Japan is in a good situation now, with hidden poverty and increasing inequality. However, among the people, there are many people who think that nothing will change if they work alone or in small numbers, and only a minority is interested in politics. I want to send a message through the band and tell as many people as possible about the current difficult situation.”

The band members are aware of the diplomatic tension between Korea and Japan, started after South Korean Supreme Court rulings ordering Japanese firms to compensate surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor. Japan emplaced export measures on Korea as a result, leading to Korean consumer boycotts of products from and travel to Japan. But so far all of this trouble has had no effect on the underground music scenes of the two countries, which have been close for decades.

“We are not worried about it. I am happy and very excited to be able to play the show in Korea. As a band, we don't have bad feelings for Korea. The nation instigates nationalism if the nation is not doing well, and really tries to redirect away from problems. At present, Japan is not in a good state, and there are many people who are worried about the future,” Onodera said.

“We think that nationality, race and language don't matter!”

The show is this Saturday at GBN Live House in Mullae-dong, southwestern Seoul. Other bands playing include the Kitsches, Martyrs, The 1234-Dah! and Korose. Entry costs 15,000 won. Visit fb.com/koreanpunkandhardcore for more information.