Quick links to Bounce.com news

Used to be, the moment I saw something interesting on Bounce.com, I’d write about it post-haste. My fascination with Japanese indie rock has cooled off considerably in the two past years, so there’s no onus on me to get that first scoop.

Still, it would be good exercise for my waning Japanese skills to pull out a translation now and then. So here are a few Bounce.com headlines that might interest long-time readers.

toddle drummer Yasuoka Hideki is leaving the Tabuchi Hisako-led side project. Yasuoka had been with toddle since Tabuchi formed it in 2003. He’ll be devoting his efforts full-time to his original band, niumun. One of Yasuoka’s last gigs with toddle is a Dec. 16 show at Shinjuku MARZ, which includes SLOTH LOVE CHUNKS and Vola & the Oriental Machine on the bill. Any chance ZAZEN BOYS might show up? That’s practically a Number Girl reunion right there.
Matsuda Seiko gets the tribute album treatment with Jewel Songs, which comes out Dec. 13 (tomorrow). Artists contributing to the album include Yuki, Chara, Nakamori Akina (a singer who’s been at it slightly longer than Seiko), Cocco, LISA, Puffy (as in Ami Yumi), Kojima Mayumi and Ga*Ga*Ga SP. I really wonder what kind of spin Ga*Ga*Ga SP has in store for Seiko.
There are already a lot of news stories floating around about Shiina Ringo’s new album, so it doesn’t bear repeating. Just note that the title of the album is Heisei Fuuzoku.
Straightener releases a new single, "Train" on Feb. 14, while Acidman releases a new album, green chord, on Feb. 7.