Set Everything On Fire: Ron Mael of Spark's Favourite Albums | Page 14 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

13. Atarashii Gakko!AG! Calling

We travel a lot and we spend a lot of time in Japan, and I’m always trying to find something within the pop world that I can grab a hold of. So many things now just seem so manufactured and tame, and the recordings by Atarashii Gakko! are not especially extraordinary, but in a live context, I’ve seen a couple of their shows on television in Japan, and they’re really, really powerful. They’re an interesting band because, when you look at them, you kind of assume: ‘Oh, it’s just another one of those cutesy Japanese J-pop girl things where they’re dressed in school girl outfits’, but it’s not. They’re almost taking that and twisting it in a different direction, and they’re kind of nasty in a certain sense and really funny too. Their live shows are really, really strong and relentless. Their records are maybe more tame than what they are in a live setting – it’s true of a lot of people – but even more extreme with them. So anyway, I became a big fan of their work. I have a passion for Japan in general and they’re a good example of contemporary Japanese pop culture that isn’t just manufactured J-Pop – it really seems like it’s coming from them and I like their independent spirit.

Previous

Don’t Miss The Quietus Digest

Start each weekend with our free email newsletter.

Help Support The Quietus in 2025

If you’ve read something you love on our site today, please consider becoming a tQ subscriber – our journalism is mostly funded this way. We’ve got some bonus perks waiting for you too.

Subscribe Now