119: YMO Part 1: Those Naughty Boys (with Isobel from pet wife) (Patreon)

Isobel from the Brooklyn-based electronic group pet wife returns to the show for the first of a two-part series on the pioneering Japanese electronic music supergroup Yellow Magic Orchestra: keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto, bassist Haruomi Hosono and the drummer, Yukihiro Takahashi.

Part one of the series is about how YMO changed the world, with a discussion of highlights from their span of albums as a band from 1978 to 1993, music that provided the blueprints for many genres of modern music including hip hop, electronica, house, techno and video game soundtracks. We talk about the parallels between YMO and the Four Lads from Liverpool, their style, wit and technical innovations, and we mourn the stunning recent passing of Yukihiro Takahashi, a hero of ours.

A second episode, on the solo careers of those Naughty Boys, is coming soon!

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Undated video of YMO in the studio discussing electronic music, 1980s

YMO’s appearance on Soul Train, performing “Tighten Up” and “Firecracker” for a mystified Don Cornelius, 1980

YMO performing “Stairs” live at Shinjuku Koma Gekijo, 1981

YMO back together performing "Rydeen", 2007

Some YMO music videos

“Taiso”, 1982

“Ongaku”, 1983

“Kimi Ni Mune Kyun”, 1983