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CD
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WWSCD 094CD
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Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program -- in partnership with Teichiku Records and Kaji herself -- with the release of Yadokari, her third album from 1973. This marks the first time the album has been reissued on vinyl, featuring its original artwork and newly remastered audio. Renowned for her iconic 1970s films (Lady Snowblood, the Stray Cat Rock series) and admired by Quentin Tarantino, Meiko Kaji also released a string of outstanding albums on Teichiku, blending Japanese pop with cinematic grooves. Yadokari is reissued here with its original deluxe gatefold sleeve and OBI plus a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. As a special bonus, this edition includes an EP single featuring "Shura No Hana," famously featured on the Kill Bill soundtrack. Kaji was one of Japan's most iconic exploitation film actresses of the early 1970s. Beyond acting, she was invited by film studios to perform theme songs for many of her films leading to revered music career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five albums for Teichiku, which have since become highly sought after. Yadokari ("hermit crab"), released in 1973, was Kaji's third album for the label. Like its predecessors Gincho Wataridori and Hajiki Uta, it offers a rich mix of kayōkyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka, psychedelic rock, and cinematic '70s funk. The album includes two tracks, "Hagure Bushi" and "Kiba no Ballad," from the cult 1973 TV series Sengoku Rock Hagure Kiba, in which Kaji starred. "Hagure Bushi" stands out as one of the album's funkiest tracks. Like "Kiba no Ballad," it was composed and arranged by the legendary producer Yuji Ohno (best known for his work on Lupin the III). The album as a whole is a superb blend of atmospheric songs, from the haunting, slow-burning title track "Yadokari" to "Ah," which features groovy guitar licks, harmonica, and sleek string arrangements, evoking a subtle Morricone influence. To complete this reissue, Wewantsounds has included the rare 1973 7" EP "Shura No Hana/Hō Yare Ho" as a bonus. Only released as a single, "Shura No Hana" (Flower of Carnage") is a cult classic, famously featured on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack. A key release in Meiko Kaji's 1972 - 1974 Teichiku Records catalog, Yadokari is a testament to her singular talent as a singer.
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LP + 7"
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WWSLP 094LP
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$36.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/2/2025
LP version. Includes bonus 7". Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program -- in partnership with Teichiku Records and Kaji herself -- with the release of Yadokari, her third album from 1973. This marks the first time the album has been reissued on vinyl, featuring its original artwork and newly remastered audio. Renowned for her iconic 1970s films (Lady Snowblood, the Stray Cat Rock series) and admired by Quentin Tarantino, Meiko Kaji also released a string of outstanding albums on Teichiku, blending Japanese pop with cinematic grooves. Yadokari is reissued here with its original deluxe gatefold sleeve and OBI plus a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. As a special bonus, this edition includes an EP single featuring "Shura No Hana," famously featured on the Kill Bill soundtrack. Kaji was one of Japan's most iconic exploitation film actresses of the early 1970s. Beyond acting, she was invited by film studios to perform theme songs for many of her films leading to revered music career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five albums for Teichiku, which have since become highly sought after. Yadokari ("hermit crab"), released in 1973, was Kaji's third album for the label. Like its predecessors Gincho Wataridori and Hajiki Uta, it offers a rich mix of kayōkyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka, psychedelic rock, and cinematic '70s funk. The album includes two tracks, "Hagure Bushi" and "Kiba no Ballad," from the cult 1973 TV series Sengoku Rock Hagure Kiba, in which Kaji starred. "Hagure Bushi" stands out as one of the album's funkiest tracks. Like "Kiba no Ballad," it was composed and arranged by the legendary producer Yuji Ohno (best known for his work on Lupin the III). The album as a whole is a superb blend of atmospheric songs, from the haunting, slow-burning title track "Yadokari" to "Ah," which features groovy guitar licks, harmonica, and sleek string arrangements, evoking a subtle Morricone influence. To complete this reissue, Wewantsounds has included the rare 1973 7" EP "Shura No Hana/Hō Yare Ho" as a bonus. Only released as a single, "Shura No Hana" (Flower of Carnage") is a cult classic, famously featured on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack. A key release in Meiko Kaji's 1972 - 1974 Teichiku Records catalog, Yadokari is a testament to her singular talent as a singer.
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CD
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WWSCD 083CD
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Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of Gincho Wataridori, her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued since release and it comes with its original Japanese artwork and newly remastered audio. Famous for her '70s exploitation movies, Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue comes with deluxe gatefold sleeve LP, OBI strip and a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. Renowned for her roles in the highly acclaimed Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, Kaji became one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan in the early '70s. Invited by film studios to sing the theme for many of her films, she ended up recording five albums for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, which have become increasingly sought-after over the years. Gincho Wataridori was the very first album released by Meiko Kaji in 1972 and is a great mix of kayokyoku (Japanese Pop), traditional Enka Music, psych rock and '70s cinematic groove. The album features the song "Gincho Wataridori" a theme song for the eponymous gangster film released by Toei Films in 1972 (and known outside of Japan as "Wandering Ginza Butterfly"). On the cover of the album, Meiko actually wears the kimono she wears in the film. The song showcases Kaji's distinctive singing over a funky backbeat and fuzz guitar. Ginchou Wataridori was produced by two seasoned Teichiku producers, Yorifumi Ito and Kenji Nakajima and features a superb mix of pop songs ("Hakodate Monogatari"), funky ones ("Koini Inochio," "Shitto") and atmospheric ones ("Jingi Komoriuta") making the perfect setting for Meiko Kaji's unique singing, reflecting the cool, dangerous atmosphere of the films she would star in. The first of a series of five LPs produced for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, Gincho Wataridori marks the beginning of Meiko Kaji's fruitful career as a recording artist and is a unique testament of her singing talent which Wewantsounds reissues in its full glory with gatefold sleeve, remastered from the original master tapes.
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LP
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WWSLP 083LP
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LP version. Wewantsounds continues its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of Gincho Wataridori, her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued since release and it comes with its original Japanese artwork and newly remastered audio. Famous for her '70s exploitation movies, Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue comes with deluxe gatefold sleeve LP, OBI strip and a two-page insert featuring new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha. Renowned for her roles in the highly acclaimed Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, Kaji became one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan in the early '70s. Invited by film studios to sing the theme for many of her films, she ended up recording five albums for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, which have become increasingly sought-after over the years. Gincho Wataridori was the very first album released by Meiko Kaji in 1972 and is a great mix of kayokyoku (Japanese Pop), traditional Enka Music, psych rock and '70s cinematic groove. The album features the song "Gincho Wataridori" a theme song for the eponymous gangster film released by Toei Films in 1972 (and known outside of Japan as "Wandering Ginza Butterfly"). On the cover of the album, Meiko actually wears the kimono she wears in the film. The song showcases Kaji's distinctive singing over a funky backbeat and fuzz guitar. Ginchou Wataridori was produced by two seasoned Teichiku producers, Yorifumi Ito and Kenji Nakajima and features a superb mix of pop songs ("Hakodate Monogatari"), funky ones ("Koini Inochio," "Shitto") and atmospheric ones ("Jingi Komoriuta") making the perfect setting for Meiko Kaji's unique singing, reflecting the cool, dangerous atmosphere of the films she would star in. The first of a series of five LPs produced for Teichiku between 1972 and 1974, Gincho Wataridori marks the beginning of Meiko Kaji's fruitful career as a recording artist and is a unique testament of her singing talent which Wewantsounds reissues in its full glory with gatefold sleeve, remastered from the original master tapes.
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CD
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WWSCD 074CD
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Wewantsounds announce an extensive reissue program of Meiko Kaji's first five albums released in Japan between 1972 and 1974 on Teichiku Records. The program, in partnership with Teichiku and Meiko Kaji, will see her first five albums reissued on vinyl for the first time ever in their original Japanese artwork and remastered audio. Famous for her early '70s exploitation movies (Lady Snowblood, the Female Prisoner Scorpion and Stray Cat Rock series) revered by Quentin Tarantino, Meiko Kaji was also a singer releasing albums to tie in with her movie career. These albums are a fascinating mix of Japanese pop and groove with superb funky cinematic orchestrations as displayed in Hajiki Uta. A cult icon on the international film scene, Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, born in Tokyo, has been put into the spotlight internationally by Quentin Tarantino when he heavily based his Kill Bill film on the 1973 revenge genre film Lady Snowblood. By the time she appeared in it, she had already made almost fifty feature films (she began her career in 1965) and she was one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan doubling as a sex symbol. This gave the studios the idea of getting her to start a singing career and release music closely associated with the films she starred in often singing the theme songs. Thus, she began releasing records at the dawn of the '70s, recording several 7" singles and five albums for Teichiku which have become sought-after and almost as cult as her films. Drawing on her film roles, the music on these albums were an uber-cool mix of kayokyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka music, acid folk, and funky beats arranged by the best producers of the time in a cinematic way that could sound like Ennio Morricone or Jean-Claude Vannier. The album featured two film songs, namely "Urami Bushi" used for Female Prisoner Scorpion, and "Onna No Jumon" featured in Female Prisoner Scorpion - Jailhouse 41, which have been composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi who also composed the score for these films. Reissued with original artwork. Features new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha who has interviewed Meiko for the occasion. LP version comes in gatefold sleeve; OBI strip and insert.
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LP
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WWSLP 074LP
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2024 restock; LP version. Wewantsounds announce an extensive reissue program of Meiko Kaji's first five albums released in Japan between 1972 and 1974 on Teichiku Records. The program, in partnership with Teichiku and Meiko Kaji, will see her first five albums reissued on vinyl for the first time ever in their original Japanese artwork and remastered audio. Famous for her early '70s exploitation movies (Lady Snowblood, the Female Prisoner Scorpion and Stray Cat Rock series) revered by Quentin Tarantino, Meiko Kaji was also a singer releasing albums to tie in with her movie career. These albums are a fascinating mix of Japanese pop and groove with superb funky cinematic orchestrations as displayed in Hajiki Uta. A cult icon on the international film scene, Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, born in Tokyo, has been put into the spotlight internationally by Quentin Tarantino when he heavily based his Kill Bill film on the 1973 revenge genre film Lady Snowblood. By the time she appeared in it, she had already made almost fifty feature films (she began her career in 1965) and she was one of the most famous exploitation actresses in Japan doubling as a sex symbol. This gave the studios the idea of getting her to start a singing career and release music closely associated with the films she starred in often singing the theme songs. Thus, she began releasing records at the dawn of the '70s, recording several 7" singles and five albums for Teichiku which have become sought-after and almost as cult as her films. Drawing on her film roles, the music on these albums were an uber-cool mix of kayokyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka music, acid folk, and funky beats arranged by the best producers of the time in a cinematic way that could sound like Ennio Morricone or Jean-Claude Vannier. The album featured two film songs, namely "Urami Bushi" used for Female Prisoner Scorpion, and "Onna No Jumon" featured in Female Prisoner Scorpion - Jailhouse 41, which have been composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi who also composed the score for these films. Reissued with original artwork. Features new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha who has interviewed Meiko for the occasion. LP version comes in gatefold sleeve; OBI strip and insert.
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