King of Show
One of the few pop genres that has been almost totally unrepresented at Fuji Rock over the years is "visual-kei," that brand of pop metal peculiar to Japan that tends to favor androgynous style over anything having to do with music. So the inclusion of the popular 90s band Kinniku Shojotai (literally, "Muscle Girl Belt")--or Show King as they are commonly referred to by their fans--in the White Stage roster on Saturday might be met with puzzled expressions. But one has to take into consideration leader Kenji Otsuki's role in Japanese pop culture, which, despite that odd facial tattoo and the hair, is fairly didactic.
When Show King was in their prime, Otsuki was a ubiquitous TV talent, appearing on countless variety-talk shows, but rather than representing disaffected youth he was mostly talking to them, giveing advice, urging them to be nice to their elders, telling the guys to treat their girlfriends well, and making sure the girls weren't being sluts. Of course, his music was something else entirely--facetious, self-deprecating, totally absurd, and sometimes beside the point. I once saw him at Nakano Sun Plaza in the mid-90s and he was on stage for two hours and probably played only ten songs. The rest of the time he talked. He's written books and anchored magazine columns, but once Show King called it quits in 1999 (at least one member of the group, apparently, got tired of Otsuki's moonlighting) Otsuki virtually vanished.
Since reforming in 2006, the band has been Otsuki's main gig, and apparently they haven't lost their touch for the grand, ridiculous musical statement. They sold out Budokan last year. We're hoping that Otsuki will keep his mouth shut during their White Stage performance. The band is funny enough without all his jabbering, and they rock like monsters when given half a chance.
-Phil
