IPPU-DO - Radio Japan promo video (1981)

Masami Tsuchiya: vocal, electric & acoustic guitars, bass, synthesizer, sitar, karimba, marimba, koto, percussion, chorus
Akira Mitake: synthesizer, sequencer, vocoder, AC.Pf, Hammond organ, violin, chorus
Shoji Fujii: drums, percussion, chorus

Multi-instrumentalist Tsuchiya broke through into the UK/European scene through his associations with Yellow Magic Orchestra plus UK band Japan and its members, especially as a live guitarist. He made a handful of solo albums, beginning with Rice Music in 1982 and ending with Forest People in 1998, but never reached the heights of commercial success.

Before then he was in cult Japanese outfit Ippu-Do, who never did either. After two Japanese album releases - Normal and Real, both in 1980 - the band came to some prominence with the internationally-distributed Radio Fantasy (1981), from which this beautiful track is taken.

Their pioneering video work, with its lavish (for the time) effects and surreal visual flair, formed another part of their appeal. I still remember vividly being blown away by Magic Vox when I saw it on UK TV in 1981, my first taste of Ippu-Do's extravagant music.

in 2006 Sony Japan released a limited 7cd/1 dvd box set of Ippu-Do's back catalogue, Magic Vox Era 1979-1984, which now commands hundreds of pounds/dollars. There is also a normal price single cd of 20 tracks available, Essence: The Best of Ippu-Do, available from farsidemusic.