The Pier: Japan Sampler (May 22

THE PIER: JAPAN SAMPLER (FREE)
Available May 22nd – July 17th, 2012

>>THIS DOWNLOAD HAS EXPIRED (07-17-12)<<

Let your friends know it’s a Japan Reggae-Rock Celebration at The Pier this summer from May 22nd to July 17th! There are 14 songs by 14 different groups, all from the Japan Region of the world. This sampler is 100% FREE & in one click, you can download a digital zip file comprised of the MP3s & Album Artwork. You can download by clicking the link above. As a bonus, the album features Long Beach heroes with TOKO TASI and PHILIEANO. ENJOY!

In years past we’ve released Spring & Summer Samplers, a Pacific Northwest as well as a Pacific Island Sampler. A lot of those samplers included music from groups you may not have heard of at the time. Some of the groups you were probably already familiar with which may have drawn your interest to subscribe to those FREE releases.

But between our MP3 Massive section of FREE MP3s as well as our Sunday MP3 Leak of the Week, we’re constantly finding ways to introduce you to new music, for FREE. After feeling like we’ve covered a good majority of the regions & groups in the US on a daily basis, we wanted to put our spotlight on a region that has not yet be shined on. We’re confident this is music you have not yet heard, from bands you probably never heard of.

What’s unique about hearing a sampler from the Japan region are the influences of their culture & environment that make up the content & poetry of their Reggae-Rock contribution. A lot of them idolize the “West Coast” style of Reggae-Rock, with the likes of Sublime & the whole Skunk family.

Become familiar with Japan’s Reggae-Rock Community as we’re excited to introduce you to the 14 groups & artists that are featured in our FREE Japan Regional Sampler! Huge Thanks to One Big Family Records & Surfrock International for even making this sampler a possibility, more to come on them in the coming weeks! Enjoy the sampler!

~The Pier Fam

The Japan Sampler Line Up

Check out the killer line up of groups featured on this sampler!

Hakaihayabusa
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

A 4 piece Punk Rock-Reggae band from Tokyo. They’ve been on tour & shared the stage with such groups as Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, Authority Zero, Pepper, Opie Ortiz (of LBDAS), & The Bfoundation. They’ve recently added a new band member with much anticipated new music on the way as a result.

Sunset Bus
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Blending Punk, Ska & Reggae, Sunset Bus’s LIVE show is a big element of their music. Their new album is set to be released on June 6th 2012 via One Big Family (owned by Sato of Sunset Bus) along with their label friends, Caffeine Bomb.

Pampas Field Ass Kickers
Hometown: Sapporo City, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Based in Sapporo City, Japan, These guys started out in 2002 and have been recently taking a break from touring & playing. They will start working on their new single that is expected to be released sometime summer of 2012

Seven Beach Dubtaste
Hometown: Fukushima, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Formed in Iwaki City in Fukushima during the summer of 2004. The band name came from their hometown where there are 7 beaches. They book much of their own events and host the groups they respect. They love to party and the theme of their events are turning their hometown into a West Coast Style party.

Roulette
Hometown: Gifu, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Huge fans of Sublime, Roulette are based in Gifu, Japan. As lovers of Sublime, they call themselves “Sublime Children”.

FunkyMic
Hometown: Okayama, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

FunkMic was strongly influenced by this late 90’s movie called “Krush Groove” and started beat boxing before he became a rapper. He started his music career as a solo MC and has teamed up with a session band called “Saturdays Rism”. His original style rap and beat box was rare in Japan and he was chosen as opening act for The Roots & The Pharcyde. He’s opened for The Pharcyde 4 times. He’s signed by Galactico Records and is currently working on his 2nd solo album as a follow up to his 2011 Freshman EP.

THAMII
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

THAMII writes all of his music and lyrics, plays all the instruments and records his songs on his own.
His 1st album “Beach Sound” was recorded all DIY. In 2008, THAMII started touring and playing shows across Japan. He recorded Beach Sound 1 through 4. That’s 4 full albums in the last 4 years. His songs were used for action sports DVDs which led to a great deal of attention from the surf & beach crowd. He supports domestic brands and collaborates with those brands to create a new local culture. In Summer of 2011, his 4th album “Beach Sound 4” was released. To support the album release, he did a Japan tour, visiting over 40 cities. He continues to tour all over Japan extensively and play over 100 shows a year.

Yonvulcan
Hometown:Osaka, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

This is a growing Reggae Punk Rock group out of Osaka, Japan who have been supporting a lot of bands from overseas and receiving a lot of attention as a result. Look out for them playing with your favorite reggae-rock group while in Japan.

AxTxS (Attack The Supreme)
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Free & Easy is their style and their music is inspired by surfing, skating & art. They blend different genres of music such as rock, punk, hardcore, hip hop & of course reggae to maximize their own original sound. Rebel Music!

Dub 4 Reason
Hometown: Gifu, Japan
Artist Link:: Official Site

This 3 piece instrumental hard core dub band is often called the Japanese “Bad Brains”. The original members of the group are in a Hardcore punk band called Stab 4 Reason, but started Dub 4 Reason as an instrumental in 2008.

Golden Whiskey Jam Sound
Hometown: Aichi, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

Referred to as the Japanese G. Love, the band was created in LA by 2 main of the members in 2007.After they came back from their trip to LA, they remodeled their house into a studio with a feel good, hippie style of music making sure to incorporate what they refer to as that West Coast Groove into their sound.

Sipmoc
Hometown: Chiba, Japan
Artist Link:: Official Site

These sound killas refer to their music as Raggadelic Skankin Surf Punk from Cheeba. The Route 357 Sound Machine!

Sublimity
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
Artist Link:: Official Site

This 3 piece band creates feel good music with a blend of Dub, Reggae, Funk & Rock. Their music is sometimes very sensitive and sometimes experimental.

Life’s a Slow Beach
Hometown: Nagoya, Japan
Artist Link: Official Site

A reggae band based out of Nagoya, Japan, they maintain their band life as slow and at their own pace. A 6 member band, they create music of paradise and ride the sound waves.

JAPAN SAMPLER VIDEOS!

Here’s a collections of misc videos from the Japan Sampler Artists. They include official music videos, Glimpses of a live Reggae-Rock show in Japan or something as simple as an acoustic performance in front of the cam. Enjoy some of the visuals that is Japan reggae-rock!

Here’s AxTxS’s video for the song “One Life”