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Tetuzi Akiyama

Don’t Forget To Boogie! (LP)

Label: IDEA

Format: LP

Genre: Experimental

Out of stock

20th anniversary Edition, made in japan, super deluxe. "If you know guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama, it's probably as one of the forefront players in modern Japanese improvisation. Along with Taku Sugimoto, Toshimaru Nakamura and Otomo Yoshihide, Akiyama has helped shaped the sound of Onkyo with his guitar-- in a scene largely heralded for its use of electronics, these musicians' use of a much more traditionally "rock" instrument shouldn't go unnoticed. Furthermore, along with Nakamura, Akiyama organizes a monthly "meeting" at the Off Site venue in Tokyo wherein many of the world's most interesting improvisers collaborate in a series of electro-acoustic performances. The third CD compilation of these performances was recently released, and will be of interest to anyone into modern improv and experimental electronic music.

Now, all of that said, don't forget to boogie!!! Sorry, I just had to spit that out. Despite a CV that might lead you to believe Akiyama wouldn't be caught dead listening to a classic rock station, he sees fit to issue his third solo album as something of a tribute to the electric blooze of acts like Canned Heat, Led Zeppelin and John Lee Hooker. Don't Forget to Boogie! is a straight solo performance of riffs, licks and grease that would make Billy Gibbons jealous and European festival organizers scratch their heads in bewilderment. Where other infamous Japanese guitarists like Keiji Haino or Makoto Kawabata use their infatuation with hard rock to inform apocalyptic freakouts, Akiyama is content to play the kind of music that you might hear in a Louisiana dive late at night, after all the drunk cowboys have gone home and only the drunker barflies are left to give their respects to the blues. In some way, Akiyama's record (vinyl only, of course) is a very clichéd notion of preserving an outdated model of authentic rock expression. In another way, it's a stone, hypnotic jam.

Opener "It's a Boogie Thing" will have the hardline improv-geeks running for the hills, but all you closet ZZ Top fans need to go ahead and surrender now. Akiyama's devil-come-runnin' blues shuffle is practically an archetypical soundtrack to cruising Texas two-lane highways in an old pick-up as the sun burns your arm and bugs splatter against the windshield. The minimal, repetitive groove carries on without a care in the world, as if simply sitting back and reveling in the glory of a groove and a $35 amp is the height of sophistication. Tunes like "Doll House Shakin'" and "Dead Or..." proceed similarly, emphasizing an almost intimidating willingness to do absolutely nothing for minutes at a time other than worship a riff.

Akiyama describes Don't Forget to Boogie as his "ego trip," and it's certainly an album that requires some compromise from listeners. For most people, perhaps an album consisting of only solo electric guitar blues-rock wouldn't sound like a must-have, and I'll own up to having been fairly skeptical before hearing it. However, I shouldn't have been surprised to know that good musicians tend to make interesting whatever they try, even when they might trip over their own enthusiasm along the way. Akiyama's ego trip is, at worst, a guilty pleasure, and at best, a carefree cruise into the rock and roll sunset. Smoke 'em if you got 'em, boys." - Pitchfork

Details
Cat. number: IDEA 08
Year: 2023
Notes:
Tetuzi Akiyama: Electric Guitar Produced by Tetuzi Akiyama Executive Producer: Yoshio Nakayama All Titles Composed by Tetuzi Akiyama Recorded at Phonic Aim Road House, 5th July 2002 by Yoshio Nakayama and Tetuzi Akiyama Editing by Toshimaru Nakamura at Setreset Remastering by Toshimaru Nakamura, 15th April 2011 Water Paintings by Yuji Matsuno Typography & Design: Tom Recchion Thanks to: Michel Henritzi, Troy Curry, Oren Ambarchi,  Heather Northam, Alan Licht, Simpoh Yanagawa, Taku Unami, Yuichi Yoshida, B-girl, Stories and Uncle Harry. This is an idealistic album.    It is an album created by the electric guitar,  for the electric  guitar, the greatest invention of the twentieth  century.   I’ve been thinking for a long time that  someone should make something like this, because the true savage sound and the rough-hewn beats  made from this instrument can no longer be  found.   Though the times are a-changin’, the spirit of the wild shall never fade away.        So man, don’t forget to boogie!  —Tetuzi Akiyama

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