Kusanagi to make TV comeback May 28 after indecency arrest

Thursday 14th May, 06:45 AM JST

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Makkun70 at 12:20 PM JST - 14th May

Will he cook the guests some prison food on SMAP Bistro?
apecNetworks at 12:45 PM JST - 14th May

BTW, b/c of my work w/ grunge rock, I know the answer. He did tell me I was correct.
jonnyboy at 01:12 PM JST - 14th May

A country that uses two different sets of scales in its justice is doomed to collapse.

only if people refuse to accept it... but, to be honest, whilst being naked in public is a criminal offense of sorts it is not one that i imagine is worth enforcing strictly for a first-time offender. i imagine that the trip to the police station and a little time in a cell would be more than enough for most people to strike naturalism off their party list. with that in mind it would actually have been unfair to prosecute the man in this case. the real problem with this case is how it has been blown out of all proportion by the media
LFRAgain at 02:36 PM JST - 14th May

tkoind2,

There is real talent here. But sadly the corporate production line that is music in Japan persists in elevating the same old formulaic crap over and over again.

I hear you, but it's like this anywhere you go. Most of the music on the planet is selected, molded, and marketed by shadowy corporate entities who are in it to make money. Let's be honest, there's a reason it's called "pop music:" Because it appeals to the popular masses. If it didn't, it wouldn't be . . . err . . . popular.

A common misconception is that if more people had the opportunity to listen to indie bands and talented up-and-coming acts, then they'd suddenly just love it, and those artists would suddenly be elevated to super-celebrity status and all the world would be right. But the trick in that formula is that by becoming successful - translation: profitable - they would then become the standard by which imitators hoping to repeat their success aspire towards. And we're caught right back where we started with the current corporate music culture.

To be honest, I'm kind of glad most of the obscure bands I like aren't overly popular. Poverty keeps them - and the music - both honest and interesting. ;-)

Besides, I don't really like SMAP as much for their music as for their Bistro SMAP segment. Fun stuff, and they always seem to have a pretty good time with the guests. Which is fine. They are entertainers, after all.
jonnyboy at 02:49 PM JST - 14th May

Let's be honest, there's a reason it's called "pop music:" Because it appeals to the popular masses. If it didn't, it wouldn't be . . . err . . . popular.

there's a huge difference between "popular" music and "pop" music. popular music is called as such because it is a music of the common people, not of the elites. in the past you would have to be a wealthy member of society to hire a violin quartet to come and play the latest classical works, or go to the opera. folk music was the original popular music. "pop" music, on the other hand, is a tag for music produced in a commercial popular music industry, whereby companies and performers are looking to gain income from their music rather than merely playing for the hell of it

in the light of that, what you said is not true. many people who listen to "pop" music are invested in following a personality/fashion where the music is secondary, and a way of shifting a product. a true music fan is someone who wants the music first, everything else is valid, but secondary. anyone who, when asked what music they like, answers "anything" falls into the former category
dennis0bauer at 03:09 PM JST - 14th May

to be safe i suggest to record the first show on a nude beach (i hope the other smapsters make fun of him by wearing a naked suit the first time they are togethor on TV again :p)
jkoffman at 03:16 PM JST - 14th May

Be nice to see if he wears a orange jump-suit on the program.
gogogo at 04:01 PM JST - 14th May

boooooooooooooo get rid of this loser
natosucks at 04:03 PM JST - 14th May

i THink a reallity of SMAP in jail will be more interesting than see this Troll cooking again( why is not on jail as "normal" japanese who walk on teh street drunk and naked)...
LFRAgain at 05:43 PM JST - 14th May

Johnnyboy,

" . . .there's a huge difference between "popular" music and "pop" music."

Umm, only if you’re trying to present some sort of quasi-philosophical (and not a little bit pretentious) argument about the historical and socio-economic differences between folk music and music mass-produced for sale to the general population.

Which isn’t what I was talking about at all.

And I think you knew that when you posted.

" . . . many people who listen to "pop" music are invested in following a personality/fashion where the music is secondary, and a way of shifting a product. a true music fan is someone who wants the music first, everything else is valid, but secondary. anyone who, when asked what music they like, answers "anything" falls into the former category . . ." [emphasis added]

Sez you, laddie. Besides being wholly snobbish, that's a pretty generalized pigeon-holing of music enthusiasts the world over.

The most important thing to take away from your post is that it's one-hundred percent, purely speculative personal opinion – to which you're certainly entitled. And to which others are perfectly entitled to disagree with.

I've come to learn in my years that in addition to politics and religion, art is another category best left undiscussed among friends, because the following is so very true: Art is something you either love or hate, and no two people will see similarly. Which is how it should be.

SMAP is spiffy.

Moderator: All readers back on topic please. The subject is Kusanagi's comeback.
elbudamexicano at 02:12 PM JST - 15th May

I just hope and pray this guy is taken to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center before he goes bezerk again!
gogogo at 03:39 PM JST - 15th May

I vote no to Kusanagi comeback, screw him, he looks like a moron should be put back in the draw and filled under N for nerd.
temporaryVisa at 06:32 AM JST - 18th May

He's not a bad guy, and I'm sure a lot of people make their living of the Kusanagi brand which has undoubtedly helped to keep his suspension to an absolute minimum.
nurse13 at 04:19 PM JST - 18th May

tkoind2 and jonnyboy, care to list some “truly talented musicians” that you would recommend. I checked out Ryuichi Sakamoto on youtube and he seems a brilliant artist. Thanks in advance.

Moderator: No list will be necessary. The subject is Kusanagi's comeback. Please stay on topic.
DELTA440 at 10:46 PM JST - 18th May

gackt try him