YMO

compiled by Nicholas D. Kent
email: ndkent "at" optonline.net

Last updated 00.1.2

(*) means I don't own this album

(@) means I've listened to it, but don't own a copy

info on several obscure releases: Takeyasu Sasagawa

remixes

best ofs

promo releases

videos

Remixes

YMO Mega Mix

1986 Alfa ep: ARL-18002 , cd: ALCA-20

by Hiroshi Fujiwara, Gota Yashiki, Kudo, Akitsugu Doi

This was the first of the remix albums. A good effort, fun, better than many others, though not exactly necessary. The vinyl version has secret messages on the spine and some sound effects on a secret track on side B. Side one is a medley, like the In the 90s series. Side 2 has stand alone pieces.

YMO in the '90s The Pete Lorimer Remix

(@) 1990 alca-81 Joke corner: Mega Mix could have easily sufficed as "YMO in the '90s" had it not been mixed in the 80s.

This one has a nothing special beat and some added sax for no real reason.

In the early 90s Alfa commissioned a remix ep for just about every artist they once had signed. The format was always the same. A name, international remix artist puts together a medley of samples of old songs with new beats. Then a much shorter edit is presented. They are all out of print. This YMO remix can still be found in it's full length version on the Best of album Kyoretsu na Rhythm, which came out in the U.S.

YMO vs The Human League

1993 Alfa ALCA-475 Human League sings the Michael Jackson lyrics to Behind the Mask. Then they write their own English lyrics to Kimi ni mune kyun. The final track is filler.

Fans on the YMO mailing list detested this. I approached it, not as YMO but as a Human League single and was amused by it. While it probably has a couple samples, "cover version" is a much better discription. Out of print. Probably quite collectable.

Remix "Crime"

Alfa paid a bunch of British remixers/techno bands to remix old YMO material. I think all remixes came out in Japan, but only some of the tracks came out in the US or UK.

Hi-Tech/No Crime The YMO Remix Album

1992 Alfa ALCA-323
  1. Camouflage Mark Gamble Micro-Mix(I)
  2. Firecracker The Shamen Remix
  3. Multiplies The Altern 8 Remix
  4. Light In The Darkness The 808 State Remix
  5. Behind The Mask The Orbital Remix
  6. Loom Mark Gamble Micro-Mix(II)
  7. Technopolis The Rythmatic Remix
  8. La Femme Chinoise The LFO Remix
  9. Castalia Mark Gamble Micro-Mix(III)
  10. Tighten Up(Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please! The Robert Gordon Remix
  11. Shadows On The Ground The Sweet Exorcist Remix
  12. Rydeen The Graham Massey Remix

this is the original Japanese release

hi-tech / no crime / Yellow Magic Orchestra Reconstructed

1993 Moonshine Music (U.S.) M50088-2
  1. Camouflage Mark Gamble Micro-Mix I
  2. Light In Darkness The 808 Stete Remix
  3. Behind The Mask The Orbital Remix
  4. Multiplies The Altern 8 Syncopated Mix
  5. Loom Mark Gamble micro-Mix II
  6. La Femme Chinois The LFO Remix
  7. Firecracker Zero B Mix
  8. Tighten Up The Robert Gordon Remix (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please)
  9. Rydeen The Grahm Massey Remix
  10. Firecracker Additional Production and remix by The Shamen
  11. Tong Poo The Orb Remix
  12. Castalia Mark Gamble Micro-Mix III
  13. Tong Poo The Other Orb Remix II
  14. Light In Darkness(...Spark) The 808 State Ambient Reprise

The Sweet Exorcist Remix is listed on the U.S. front cover but is not on the disc! Firecracker-Tong Poo Remixed by Mark Gamble is on the Japanese issue, but not the U.S. version. Out of print.

hi-tech/u.s. crime

(*)1993 (Japan version)
  1. Camouflage Mark Gamble Micro-Mix I
  2. Light In Darkness The 808 Stete Remix
  3. Behind The Mask The orbital Remix
  4. Multiplies The Altern 8 Syncopated Remix
  5. Loom Mark Gamble micro-Mix II
  6. La Femme Chinoise The LFO Remix
  7. Tighten Up The Robert Gordon Remix (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please)
  8. Firecracker Zero B Mix
  9. Castalia Mark Gamble Micro-Mix III
  10. Shadows On The Groudnd The Sweet Exorcit Remix
  11. Rydeen The Grahm Massey Remix
  12. Firecracker Additional Production, Reconstruction and Mix by The Shamen
  13. Firecracker-Tong Poo Remixed by Mark Gamble
  14. Tong Poo The Orb Remix
  15. Tong Poo The Other Orb Remix II
  16. Light In Darkness(...Spark) The 808 State Ambient Reprise

this is a Japanese release incorporating previously US only tracks, but isn't identical

Hi-Tech/No Crime (single)

(*) 1992

Tighten Up

(*) 1992 single

Technopolis

(*) 1992 single

Reconstructions

(* ) Internal (UK) 7", 12", CD-S

YMO VS The Orb

The Tong Poo Remixes

1993 ALCA-506
  • 1 Tong Poo (Green Herbage Mix)
  • 2 Tong Poo (Planet Of The Crossing mix)
  • 3 Tong Poo (House Of Blight Colors Mix)
Out of print.

All three are somewhat similar. but not on the album length CDs

 

Techno Bible contained the following remixes in this series:

The Something Wonderful remix is more creative than most and only heard here it seems

now another round of remixes:

TECHNOPOLIS 2000-01

(@)99.11.3 cd: VICL-60483, 2LP: VIJL-60045/46
(*) and 2? 12" singles

This is the one with the Kraftwerk-ish male toy dolls on the cover. Remixes/Covers by TOWA TEI, Y. KONISHI, H. TOKIWA, Y. SUNAHARA, KEN ISHII, F.P.M., SUGIZO, DRAGON ASH, DJ HASEBE, etc. As usual there are addl tracks on the vinyl for collectors, the vinyl is limited edition as the majority of vinyl (called "analog" in Japan) releases are these days. There are at least two 12" singles. I listened to most of the CD and didn't find it interesting enough to buy. The Sugizo track was memorable as it favorably exceeded my expectations while most other artists I had higer expectations for dissapointed. Its interesting this and the followup are on JVC which hasn't been associated with YMO before.

TECHNOPOLIS 2000-00

00.11.22 Victor CD: VICL-606532, LP: VIJL-60073-4

This is the one with the female dolls on top of the pinball machine and even though it has a lower number in the name, it came out a year later.

Got no idea what that reference with the girl dolls on the cover art is supposed to mean other than just to be opposite of the above. The female dolls wear cloths based seemingly on Takahashi's band costume designs and stand on a pinball game (not a video game). This one has Matsutake which certainly adds credibility and except for Denki Groove the artists in general are much less known than the earlier "remix". I'm a friend of Sunao Inami (ENML) and he turned in an excellent cover version using some very modern German synth gear.

1.Opening from the Past - Hideki Matsutake
2.Technopolis (Denki's Techtropolis-RMX) [remixed by Denki Groove]
3.La femme Chinoise (Groove That Soul Mix) [remixed by Satoshi Hidaka (from GTS)]
4.Tong poo (DJ Celory Remix) [remixed by DJ Celory (from Soul Scream)]
5.Insomnia (Dry & Heavy Remix) [remixed by Dry & Heavy]
6.Jiseiki - Hirake Kokoro (Good-Bye Bus Mix) [remixed by Hiroyuki Hayashi (from Polysics)]
7.Rydeen (Yamada Man Remix) [remixed by Yamada Man (from Rappagariya)]
8.Cosmic Surfin' (Merry-Go-Round Mix) [remixed by Eye (from Boredoms)]
9.Behind the Mask (Farewell, Mr. S3000 Remix) [remixed by Taku (from m-flo)]
10.Key (Forest 808 Mix) [remixed by ENML] [swapped with the non-CD 'Hard Coincidental Mix' on the LP(*)]
11.You've Got To Help Yourself (Pop'LasT-c'mix) [remixed by Pop]
12.Closing for the Future - Hideki Matsutake (CD: VICL-60653)
  

Bonus LP(*) tracks
13.Absolute Ego Dance (Denki's Eisa-RMX) [remixed by Denki Groove]
14.Rydeen (Instrumental) [remixed by Yamada Man (from Rappagariya)]
15.You've Got To Help Yourself (Pop's banana trap Mix) (2-LP: VIJL-60073-4)

  There's a new "the best" album that combines some of both of these releases along with some though not all of the vinyl only material.
 

cover version album

East meets East-

Y.M.O by THE BALANESCU QUARTET

(*)COCD-9221

co-produced by Yukihiro Takahashi.. This is an album of string quartet cover versions by the Balanescu Quartet. They had previously done a popular album with Kraftwerk covers. In this case they had the cooperation and production from an original member of YMO

remixed by YMO members:

Coldcut

Let Us Replay

98.10.21 toys factory CD: TFCK-87963-4

Coldcut is a U.K. electronica act on the Ninja Tune label. Why they are here is this version of their remix album, different from the one sold outside Japan has a very impressive lineup of remixers, most notably Yukihiro Takahashi, Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto each remix a track, something I believe has never happened all on the same album before. While I'm not bowled over by the remixes of music material, it does make pretty good listening and both Hosono and Sakamoto remix the same track so its a good comparison opportunity to compare the 2.

Best Ofs, Collections and Compilations

Sealed

1984.12.21 Alfa/YEN lp:YLR-80001-4, Alfa cassette: YLC-80001-4, numbered edition, Alfa cd: 50XA-221/222 , ALCA-9053-4

I assume the cassette box is the same as the LP box. 4 cassetes or LPs with a total of 36 tracks. The main non-album singles, nothing rare in terms of tracks. Comes in a box with booklet of notes and drawings by members, lyric sheets and a publicity photo. The 2 CD versionis not a limited edition, has only 31 tracks. This set did help me to decern the composing styles of the individual members because it is arranged so as to listen to a whole album's worth of each member at a time.

Hosono disk

  1. Simoon
  2. Absolute Ego Dance
  3. Insomnia
  4. Mass
  5. Gradated Grey (not on the CD version)
  6. Chaos Panic
  7. Lotus Love
  8. The Madmen
 Takahashi disk
  1. La Femme Chinoise
  2. Rydeen
  3. Solid State Survivor
  4. Ballet
  5. Pure Jam
  6. Camouflage
  7. Expected Way
  8. Chinese Whispers
 Sakamoto disk
  1. Tong Poo
  2. Technopolis
  3. Behind The Mask
  4. Citizens Of Science
  5. Music Plans
  6. Prologue (not on CD)
  7. Epilogue (not on CD)
  8. Ongaku
  9. Kai-Koh
  10. Perspective
 YMO disk
  1. Nice Age
  2. Multiplies
  3. Cue
  4. Taiso
  5. Key
  6. Kimi ni mune kyun
  7. Focus (not on CD version)
  8. Kageki na shukujo
  9. Shadows On The Ground (not on CD version)
  10. You've Got To Help Yourself

Y.M.O. Best One

198? cassette: Alfa ALC-32003.

Side A

  1. Rydeen
  2. Solid State Survivor
  3. Behind The Mask
  4. Tong Poo
  5. La Femme Chinoise (edited, segued with next track, but no "Bridge")
  6. Mad Pierrot (edited)
  7. Firecracker (as on disc one of "Techno Bible" or US promo 12")
  8. Nice Age (fade version)
 Side B
  1. Technopolis
  2. Day Tripper
  3. Castalia
  4. The End Of Asia (from Public Pressure)
  5. Cosmic Surfin (Greek Theatre, as on b-side of Rydeen)
  6. Radio Junk (from Public Pressure)
  7. Citizens Of Science
  8. Multiplies

 

  Paul Rymer: I'm not sure when this came out. I bought it in London in 1987, but it must have come out long before that. Seems to be a special edition. There's a coupon on the lyric sheet with a tear-off token and a list of several products including a "Best One" compilation video (various artists) and some tennis shoes (they are illustrated alongside a picture of Jimmy Connors, bet you never thought his name would appear in connection with Y.M.O.)! The tape has an outer slipcase with all the titles in Japanese only, a still from the "Firecracker" video on the front and a colour group shot (from 1980) on the spine. There is also a Y.M.O. Family "Best One" tape (Alfa ALC-32004), which has a colour photo of Sandii on the front, wearing an "exotic" outfit made from gold lame and tinfoil. It includes a couple of the rarer singles tracks (e.g. Lexington Queen) but very annoyingly omits the best "Family" tracks ("Drip Dry Eyes" etc). All the material is from 1979-80 and there are no solo YT or HH numbers.

YMO History

(*)1987

Disc 1

  • 1 Tong Poo
  • 2 La Femme Chinoise
  • 3 Technopolis
  • 4 Rydeen
  • 5 Nice Age
  • 6 Multiplies
  • 7 Tighten Up
  • 8 Cue
  • 9 Mass
  • 10 Ballet

  Disc 2

  • 1 Taiso
  • 2 Pure Jam
  • 3 Neue Tanz
  • 4 Kimi ni mune kyun
  • 5 Chaos Panic
  • 6 Kageki na shukujo
  • 7 Chinese Whispers
  • 8 You've Got To Help Yourself
  • 9 Firecracker (Megamix Version)
  • 10 Behind The Mask (Megamix Version)

 

YMO Best Selection

(*)1990 Still more previously released tracks on YMO Family Best Selection and YEN Records History

Kyoretsu na Rhythm

1991 Restless (US) 7 72574-2, 1992 Alfa

  • 1 Lotus Love
  • 2 Chaos Panic
  • 3 Key
  • 4 Cue
  • 5 Computer Games
  • 6 Fiercracker
  • 7 Pure Jam
  • 8 Jingle"YMO"
  • 9 Nice Age
  • 10 Snakeman Show
  • 11 Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up please!)
  • 12 Snakeman Show
  • 13 Rydeen
  • 14 MegaMix YMO in the '90s
  • 15 Nice Age The TF Production Remix *

(U.S. Version)

 
* The Restless (USA) version omits The TF Production Remix

YMO Techno Bible

1992 Alfa Records 5 CDs (ALCA-371~374, H12-19)

Out of Print

Includes a CD size hardcover book with : track info and lyrics, Discography, Biographies, Interview with Hosono, Quotes from other bands, photos. Tachibana design.

Disk 1/The Early

  1. Rydeen
  2. Absolute Ego Dance
  3. Mad Pierrot (from the A&M Remix of Yellow Magic Orchestra )
  4. Tong Poo
  5. Behind The Mask
  6. Nice Age
  7. Citizens of Science
  8. Technopolis
  9. Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!)
  10. La Femme Chinoise (from the A&M Remix of Yellow Magic Orchestra )
  11. Imsomnia
  12. Simoon (from the A&M Remix of Yellow Magic Orchestra )
  13. Firecracker (from the A&M Remix of Yellow Magic Orchestra )

Disk2/The Middle

  1. Jiseiki -Hirake Kokoro- (from the Snakeman Show's Album, Isoide Kuchi De Sue!)
  2. Cue
  3. Key
  4. Neue Tanz
  5. Seoul Music
  6. Camouflage
  7. Rap Phenomena
  8. Taiso
  9. U.T.
  10. Light in Darkness
  11. Music Plans
  12. Mass
  13. 100 Knives
  14. Pure Jam

Disk 3/The Later

  1. Wild Ambitions
  2. Lotus Love
  3. Ongaku
  4. The Madmen
  5. Kimi Ni Mune Kyun
  6. See Through
  7. Kai-Koh
  8. Limbo
  9. Shadows On The Ground
  10. Chaos Panic (non album single with vocals)
  11. Kageki Na Shukujo (non album single)
  12. Perspective
  13. You've Got To Help Yourself

Disk 4/The Live

  1. Propaganda
  2. Tong Poo
  3. Solid State Survivor
  4. Ballet
  5. Cosmic Surfin'
  6. Rocket Factory
  7. Day Tripper
  8. Radio Junk
  9. Zai Kung Tong Shonen
  10. Behind The Mask
  11. Technopolis
  12. 100 Knives
  13. The End Of Asia
  14. Firecracker

Disk 5/Remixes and Rare Tracks

  1. Remixes
    1. Tong Poo - The Orb Remix
    2. Computer Games - Mark Gamble Micro Mix (IV)
    3. Multiplies - The Altern 8 Remix 12 Inch Version
    4. Pure Jam - The Sideways Remix
    5. Rydeen - The Graham Massey Remix Long Version
    6. Neue Tanz - The Something Wonderful Remix
    7. Light In Darkness - The 808 States Remix Ambient Reprise
  2. Rare Tracks
    1. Tong Poo - Special D.J. Copy 1978
    2. Firecracker - Special D.J. Copy 1978
    3. Technolopolis - Single Mix Version 1979
    4. Tighten Up - A&M Mix 1980 (The Jeff Ayeroff and John Beverly Jones Remix)
  3. After Service Out Takes
    1. The Madmen
    2. Chinese Whispers
    3. Shadows On The Ground
    4. Perspective
  

 

Some collectable stuff here. Out of print

Cubic YMO Single Box

(*)1993 (7")(CD)
  1. Technopolis/Solid State Survivor
  2. Rydeen/Cosmic Surfin'
  3. Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please)/Nice Age
  4. Cue/U.T.
  5. Mass/Camouflage
  6. Taiso/Key
  7. Kimi ni mune kyun/Chaos Panic
  8. Kageki na shukujyo/See-Through
  9. You've Got To Help Yourself/Expecting Rivers
  10. See-Through (Remixed By Brian Eno)(CD Box Only)
Box of 10 individual singles, the last of which is unavailable elsewhere except for YEN Box vol2. Out of Print.

YMO LP Box

(*) 1993 13 LPs
  1. Yellow Magic Orchestra
  2. Yellow Magic Orchestra (remix)
  3. Solid State Survivor
  4. Public Pressure
  5. X Zousyoku Multiplies (10")
  6. X oo Multiplies (lp)
  7. BGM
  8. Technodelic
  9. Naughty Boys
  10. Naughty Boys (Instrumental)
  11. Service
  12. After Service
  13. Bonus LP: Haruomi Hosono Interview

Over Seas Collection / YMO

(*)Alfa ALCA 5056/7 Released on 12/13/95

Produced by Haruomi Hosono

The are foreign singles edits. For completists. Out of print.

Disc 1

  1. COMPUTER GAME/FIRECRACKER UK7"
  2. YELLOW MAGIC (TONG POO) UK7"
  3. COSMIC SURFIN' UK7"
  4. MAD PIEROT UK7"
  5. LA FEMME CHINOISE UK7"
  6. TECHNOPOLIS UK7"
  7. BEHIND THE MASK ITALY7"
  8. DAY TRIPPER ARGENTINA 7"
  9. JINGLE YMO/NICE AGE DUTCH 7"
  10. MULTIPLIES PORTUGUESE 7"
  11. TIGHTEN UP US12"
  12. CITIZENS OF SCIENCE US7"
  13. CUE PROMOTIONAL12"
  14. 1000 KNIVES PROMOTIONAL12"
 Disc 2
  1. RYDEEN UK7"
  2. ABSOLLUTE EGO DANCE UK7"
  3. PURE JAM SPANISH7"
  4. LIGHT IN DARKNESS UK7"
  5. TAISO AUSTRALIAN7"
  6. EPILOGUE AUSTRALIAN7"
  7. THE MADMEN EVERYTIME LOOK AROUND (I HEAR THE MADMEN CALL) GERMENY7"(sic)
  8. YOU'VE GOT TO HELP YOURSELF GERMANY7"
  

  BONUS TRACKS

  1. FIRECRACKER [COMPUTER GAME] US7"
  2. COSMIC SURFIN' US7"
  3. TIGHTEN UP US MONAURAL7"
  4. YELLOW MAGIC (TONG POO) US7"

Originally typed by Takeyasu "Ambie" Sasagawa

Super Best of YMO (also known as "Twins")

(*)1996 2 CD: ALCA 5105-06

Nothing rare. This series is 2 discs for the price of 1.

Super Best of YMO Solo

(@) 1996 2-CD ALCA-5107,5108

  • 1. Fujiyama Mama (from Paraiso)
  • 2. Shimendoka (from Paraiso)
  • 3. Worry Beads (from Paraiso)
  • 4. Paraiso (from Paraiso)
  • 5. Differencia (from B2 unit)
  • 6. Thatness and Thereness (from B2 unit)
  • 7. War Head (RS single)
  • 8. iconic Storage (from B2 unit)
  • 9. Riot in Lagos (from B2 unit)
  • 10. Front Line (RS single)
  • 11. Happy End (RS single)
  • 12. Extra Ordinary (from Neuromantic)
  • 13. Drip Dry Eyes (from Neuromantic)
  • 1. L.D.K. (from Philharmony)
  • 2. Funiculi Funicula (from Philharmony)
  • 3. Platonic (from Philharmony)
  • 4. Sports Men (from Philharmony)
  • 5. Flashback (from What me worry?)
  • 6. Disposable Love (from What me worry?)
  • 7. Sayonara (from What me worry?)
  • 8. All you've got to do (from What me worry?)
  • 9. Kagerou (from Tomorrow is just another day)
  • 10. my bright tomorrow (from Tomorrow is just another day)
  • 11. Are you recieving me? (from Tomorrow is just another day)
  • 12. Stranger things have happened (from Wlid & moody)
  • 13. Walking to the beat (from Wlid & moody)

info from Hiroshi MURATA

YMO GO HOME

(*) 99.9.22 TOCT-24231/2

Remastered by H. Hosono. 2 unreleased "unplugged" acoustic version of songs. Won't exactly satisfy anyone looking for new tracks.

This seems to be the last release of Toshiba's (semi)control of YMO's catalogue. In 2003 YMO reissues start from Sony

Here goes One More YMO collection. As the name implies it won't be the last. I think they throw in some acoustic non-album versions.  

Hosono Box 1969-2000

00.3.22 daisyworld 4 cds: RWCL-20003-6

See my best of Hosono page. Includes an acoustic cover by YMO, some representative YMO tracks and an interesting unreleased live non-electronic version of Firecrackers with Sakamoto on piano. Out of Print

    The UC premium version comes with a Takashi designer shirt that's too small for the average Westerner. These tracks were apparently re-remastered and there is a separate non-compatible SACD release.  

Taiwan releases:

info from Paul Rymer (PR:)

Y.M.O. Singles Collection

Taiwan CD: Xu Sheng SJ-142. Released 15/7/93.
  1. Technopolis (Japanese 7" mix)
  2. Solid State Survivor
  3. Rydeen
  4. Cosmic Surfin' Live at the Greek Theater
  5. Tighten Up Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!
  6. Nice Age (longer fade out, as on Japanese 7")
  7. Cue
  8. U.T.
  9. Mass
  10. Camouflage
  11. Taiso
  12. Key
  13. Kimi Ni Mune Kyun
  14. Chaos Panic (vocal)
  15. Kageki Na Shukujo
  16. See-Through
  17. You've Got To Help Yourself
  18. Expecting Rivers
PR: Cover design etc: The Japanese singles covers on a black background. All the covers have had the original catalogue numbers and "yen" prices removed. There is a fold-out lyric sheet with chart positions and lyrics.

Y.M.O. Albums Best

Taiwan CD: Xu Sheng SJ-149. Released 15/7/93.
  1. Tong Poo (fades out, as on Sealed)
  2. Behind The Mask
  3. Citizens Of Science
  4. Music Plans
  5. Ongaku
  6. Kai Koh
  7. Perspective
  8. Multiplies
  9. Simoon
  10. Absolute Ego Dance
  11. Insomnia
  12. Lotus Love
  13. The Madmen
  14. La Femme Chinoise (sudden start, as on Sealed)
  15. Ballet
  16. Pure Jam
PR: As you can see, they have picked tracks in the same order as Sealed but missed out the numbers included on the "Singles" compilation. Incredible cover; a black & white photo of Sakamoto (from 1993, with quite long hair) against a red background. He's wearing a polo neck jumper. There's a similar shot of Hosono (wearing sunglasses, black polo neck, smiling) on the inside and one of Takahashi (which looks a little airbrushed!) on the back. This CD also has an OBI listing Y.M.O.'s achievements in Chinese. There's also a fold-out lyric and info sheet, which rather bizarrely has more singles chart statistics than the "Singles" CD. I'm going to include the cover on my site soon because it's rather good. I suspect though it may have been adapted from a Technodon souvenir book or something (if there was one sold at the concerts).

Promo CDs

(all *)

YMO Special Sampler 1983

Alfa Record Sales promotion sampler 1983

the above may be the same as the 1983 promo 7" The Spirit of Techno YMO-2

Toshiba EMI (Pocketful of Rainbows)

Sales promotion sampler Technodon live/1993 Toshiba EMI (Same as the album "Technodon Live")

Tong Poo special D.J. copy/1978 Alfa Record(12")

Alfa Record '80/1980 Alfa Record(12")

Cue/1981 Alfa Record(7")

YMO in the '90s/1991 Alfa Record(12")

Hi-Tech/No Crime/1992 Alfa Record(12")

YMO remixes/1993 Toshiba EMI(12")(be a superman,waterford)

Promotional single overseas (Not for sale)

YMO Micro sampler/1980 A&M(6")

September 90 Mixes 1/1990 DMC(12")(Firecracker House Remix etc)

Gift Item

YMO Omnibus/1981 Alfa (LP)

Radio Use

BBC Transcription Services/1980 BBC U.K (Live in London)

Space Invaders Chapter one (Same as BBC Transcription Services - bootleg CD made circa 1991)

Books with CDs

Supplement M-16/1983 (Single CD) Special supplement for a YMO photograph collection with "Tong Poo Live at A&M studio L.A.1980" "M-16" is the end theme of the YMO film "Propaganda". Published in 1991.

Tokyo:Tokuma Shoten. This book comes with a mini-CD. It includes Tong Poo (Live at LA in 1980) and M-16 (original in the video Propaganda).

videos(in progress)

Note: while unconfirmed it's near certain any YMO DVDs manufactured in Taiwan are pirate and or bootleg.

YMO CLIPS

(Toshiba TOVP-1329, VHS only) 3,800 yen released 1999.11.10 47 min. mono & stereo

Toshiba collects all of the 'proper' YMO music video clips together in one place - at last! (probably out of print)

  1. Tong Poo (earliest clip, never before released!)
  2. Fire Cracker
  3. (YMO World tour footage)
  4. Technopolis
  5. Rydeen
  6. ("BGM" TV commercial)
  7. Taiso (previously only on "Hi Tech Video Crime")
  8. Kimi Ni Mune Kyun (previously only on "Yen Family History")
  9. (out-takes from "Taiso")
  10. (out-takes from "Kimi Ni Mune Kyun")

by Ron Kane

Complete Hurrah

(@) (Toshiba TOLF-1320, LD) 4,800 yen, released 1999.09.22 MONO 73 min

Ron Kane writes:

The 'complete' concert from November 1, 1979 @ Hurrah's in NYC. Previously 'unreleased' live cuts are "Castalia", "Radio Junk", "Tong Poo" and "1000 Knives" (which is over 10 minutes long!). Probably out of print.

  1. Castalia
  2. Rydeen
  3. Behind The Mask
  4. Radio Junk
  5. Solid State Survivor
  6. Zai Kung Tong Shonen
  7. Tong Poo
  8. Day Tripper
  9. 1000 Knives
  10. Rocket Factory
  11. La Femme Chinoise
  12. Firecracker
  13. Cosmic Surfin'
  14. Technopolis

NDK writes: I recall there is a regular Hurrah that's not so complete. It is kind of lengthy.

Winter Live '81

(@) Sony DVD SRBL-1033

Ivar de Vries writes:
Simple but effective is how one can describe this 1981 concert plus movie directed by Tsuneo Matsuzaki. The concert took place in a hall in Tokyo, although the 'Prologue' clip suggests it did inside some enormous chemical factory. This intro nicely sets up the feel for the whole thing: the clips and drawings that intersect images from the concert mix retro space-age modernism with 1920s megalomania, all slightly Soviet Union in character. The concert-stage has the three YMO members standing behind large blocks of furniture in front of a three-coloured wall with some large neon lights on it. Green is associated with Sakamoto, blue goes with Takahashi, red with Hosono and somewhere to the side Hideki Matsutake can occasionally be glimpsed. The cameramen and audience had to do a lot of glimpsing, because for most of the show the three remain hidden in the shadows, wearing big headphones. Only during the first live track 'Pure Jam' do we see some clear shots of the musicians and their instruments. Most other tracks from then-current Technodelic album are also played plus 5 earlier tracks. Live they have a bit more "bite" than they do on the albums. The Technodelic music is quite sparse and industrial sounding, images like from ocean liner shipyards and skyscrapers in progress enforce this idea. Only very occasionally this mood is broken: the little romantic piano solo in 'Stairs', the encore 'Cosmic Surfin'. Deviations from the studio-material are small, Sakamoto plays some frankly awful electric guitar during 'Neue Tanz' and 'Happy End' is a cross between his solo 'Frontline' single flipside and its abstract distillation on YMO's BGM. After Takahashi's showpiece 'Cue' (with Sakamoto taking over the drums) the lights come on for the grand and hilarious finale that is 'Taiso'. A bunch of gymnasts plus instructor with megaphone do their act, the lyrics seem to come straight from some Soviet factory worker's manual on how to keep fit. This great 1-hour movie predictably closes out with the nostalgic 'Epilogue' over the end-titles.

NDK adds-

Between songs illustration by early 1930s Soviet architect Iakov Chernikov appear. They were reprinted around the time of the show in a Japanese architecture magazine. Because of the Stalin Era becoming more and more repressive he created architectural fantasies that were never built and were published in rare books and for the most part forgotten until scholars about 2 decades ago began reprinting them. YMO used a no longer published special issue of Process Architecture magazine.

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