GODZILLARADIO'S TOP 5 HOTEI TOMOYASU TRACKS

So, a while back I was asked what my favourite Tomoyasu Hotei songs are by a follower of this blog.

I found some time to think about it, and write down the Top 5.

Actually, it's pretty hard to squeeze it to just five, as with most lists people make, but I after listening to the Hotei songs that I have, these are probably the tune that I enjoyed the most. At the time, at least.

I must say that it's quite similar to a previous list I wrote back in the past along with an introduction to Hotei Tomoyasu (here), although some have changed.

I sort of feel bad that half of this list are instrumentals (and there would have been more if the list was longer)
but that's the way it it. You can't deny that he's a better guitar player than a vocalist. Actually, many people would probably be turned off because of dog bark voice. Or motorbike-engine-starting-up voice.

You just have to get used to it before you're able to begin appreciating.
But that goes for just about anything in life....

There seems to have been a mass deletion of Hotei videos on youtube so unforunately I couldn't find most of this list...

If there are any other artists that you'd like to know my TOP 5 of, please let me know!
It can be anyone from super mainstream people like L'arc en Ciel or Gackt to other slightly less famous people like.......B-Dash!

GR'S HOTEI TOMOYASU TOP FIVE
(In no particular order)


HOWLING
From Album: Doberman

Howling was one of the first songs that I searched randomly on youtube when I didn't really know who Hotei Tomoyasu was. To be honest, I didn't really like it that much at the time. I suppose it just didn't suit my tastes back then, and also, in the video I saw, he was doing a lot of having-an-orgasm-while-playing faces that sort of made me laugh and see him as a joke. After hearing it again, (probably) a few years later, I could just hear how amazing and emotionally played this song is. His guitar makes noises just as the title describes, a howling sound. 

I finally understood why he was having those guitar-gasms.

Unfortunately there were only cover versions of this song now. The video I referred to is gone....
If you want to listen to this, I'll upload it somewhere or I can send it to you.

THRILL
From Album: King and Queen

This is one of the first songs I heard by him. The beginning guitar section is also used as the theme song for a crazy comedian called Egashira 2:00 (seriously, he's crazy) so it has been stuck in my head ever since seeing/ hearing that. You can't deny it's catchy.

 

GUITAR LOVES YOU
From Album: Guitarhythm II

This is a nice slow, and relatively peaceful song of his compared to the other fast paced tracks that dominate his work. It's one of those songs that take you to another place and just sort of makes you sit there silently and......think.  Or not think and leaves you in a trance. Although it's not particularly amazing technique-wise (it's a simple tune), Hotei has the ability to connect with his guitars on an emotional level and portray pictures with sound.

There was a live version on youtuve but it doesn't really start until 3:00 minutes in.
The start is some kind of outlandish improvisation (maybe)




GEKKOU PIERROT
From Monster Drive

This means "Moonlight Pierrot", and I believe pierrot means clown in Italian or French.
This track was also included in my previous list and it remains one of my favourite songs of his. I'm a sucker for exotic sounding tunes and I love how the electric guitar compliments it in this track. I also like how it sort of sounds like you're in the Wild West too.

There was only a video of someone covering it but the actual song in the background is louder than the guy playing so it might be okay.



IDENTITY
From Album: Monster Drive

This is a more typical sort of Hotei song. He sure knows how to create awesome riffs and exciting intros that make you listen right from the start. This time the gutiar's style resembles old surfer music like Dick Dale etc, but louder and slightly more modern.

In this video, you get to see him in his guitar prancing and rape face at the camera glory.
I hate the term "rape face" because ....well rape is horrible.... but that seems to be the trending way of saying it nowadays. Sigh




So that's the five.....I think. Some of them could easily be swapped with others but just for the sake of  making a list, this is it.

There's one more that I'd like to add, mainly because of the now deleted video of it that used to be on youtube. It's a song called "Karasu" meaning crow, played along with drummer, Nakamura Tatsuya, and bassist, Ju-ken. It was the definition of intense rock. Gaaaahh, I'm regretting not downloading it while I had the chance.....!! Damn it!

The song is still on the "Soul Sessions" album, but it's not as good as that live version......