Takeshi Terauchi Let's Go Terry! & Show # 497

Takeshi Terauchi is an Instrumental/Surf guitarist from Japan that has earned a legendary status overseas, but is fairly unknown in North America.  His guitar playing style is frequently described as wild and frantic and he is also often listed as being a contemporary in regards to his guitar playing ability alongside artists such as Davie Allan & The Arrows, Link Wray and The Ventures.  Takeshi or Terry as he goes by, started playing guitar in Jimmy Tokita & The Playboys who played Country and Western styled music.  In 1962, Terry formed Takeshi Terauchi & The Blue Jeans, an instrumental group that performed instrumental Surf music.  The band played what was called “eleki” music, which was a new thing at the time, but basically meant electric guitar music.  The “eleki boom” was spearheaded by The Ventures visit to Japan in 1962, which resulted in thousands of young aspiring Japanese musicians to create electric guitar music.  Takeshi played with The Blue Jeans until 1966, right around the time of the British invasion when bands such as the The Beatles and others of that time made their mark in the US and around the world.  Being influenced by British Invasion styled sounds at the time or as what was commonly referred to as GS (Group Sounds), Terry formed Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys who also incorporated vocal numbers into their sound.  This was done in addition to the Instrumental Rock and Surf stylings that were first explored in The Blue Jeans.  

The first album released by The Bunnys was the album Let’s Go Terry!, which was prefaced by the December 1966 single “Terry’s Theme” and was backed with the energetic and frenzied “Test Driver”.  Both these songs would make it on the Let’g Go Terry! album, which also goes by the name Bunnys Tanjou.  Let’s Go Terry! brought forth a dirty Garage and Punk styled sound at times, blended with 60s Pop Group Sounds influenced by the British Invasion sound and also traditional Japanese Folk songs, which would be incorporated and adapted to Terry’s “eleki” guitar sound in more detail on The Bunny’s second full length album entitled Seico Tera Uchi Bushi.  Let’s Go Terry! featured many fuzzed out Garage riffs blended with a Punk attitude songs such as “Black Carnation” that also features prominent and haunting organ parts, “The Glamour Of The Sun” which is an organ fuelled song that sounds like an amped version of the early Kinks sound.  “Terry’s Theme” which was first released as a single, features a more mid tempo pace, but an extremely catchy melodic guitar line, while “Test Driver” begins with a hectic drum pattern, followed by a building organ part before the guitar kicks in with a frantic western twang.  

The vocal tracks on this album are also worth mentioning.  Despite begin sung in Japanese it is difficult to ignore “Irrevocable Vow”, a slower paced Pop song that sounds influenced by fifties Rock ballads, “Burning, Burning” that seems to blend a sixties Garage sound with Minyo, Japanese Folk elements.  The middle section of this song slows down as shouting is heard.  The song then launches into a solo that sounds influenced by Dave Davies.  “Dream In The Ocean” sounds like it could have been influenced by the early sounds of The Beach Boys, while “I Believe” ends the album in a slower fashion with its flamenco styled guitar parts.  

Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys did not remain together too long, they disbanded in 1968.  It was rumoured that he reformed The Blue Jeans to focus on his guitar playing and get away from the Group Sounds that were prevalent in The Bunnys.  Throughout this period with The Bunnys, there was however a plethora of material released.  The Bunnys released sixteen singles and six albums.  In 1969, Terry reformed The Blue Jeans and has continued to play with the band ever since.  1966’s Let’s Go Terry! still stands as a testament to the wild Rock and Roll sound that Takeshi Terauchi could produce and balance with slower vocal based, Group Sound material.  Songs such as “Burning, Burning”, “Test Driver”, “Black Carnation” and “The Flying Guitar” all serve as examples of the Garage and Punk aesthetic that was displayed by Takeshi Terauchi that he blended with his Ventures and instrumental Surf Rock sounds.  Although Takeshi Terauchi has played a variety musical genres, Let’s Go Terry! is one of the examples of him branching out.  The song “Irrevocable Vow” is perhaps a good metaphor for not only this album, but Takeshi Terauchi’s time with The Bunnys.  Irrevocable means in essence something that cannot be reversed or changed.  With Let’s Go Terry! and his work with The Bunnys, Takeshi Terauchi incorporated Group Sounds into his music and after a short period of time and a wealth of music that was produced during that time frame, it was over and he moved on to something else.  Takeshi Terauchi did not go back or change or continue with the music he once created with The Bunnys, but the music remains for us to discover.  

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This year's Revolution Surf program once again featured a guest segment from Derk Brigante of the Surfphony of Derstruction 2000 podcast. Derk previously had his program Surfphony of Derstruction on CJAM FM, but it now continues a podcast online.  His podcasts are highly recommended, which draw from a well of new and old Surf music.  Derk also first introduced me to Takeshi Terauchi many years ago, his selections for this years Revolution Surf were both interesting and diverse.  You can hear his podcasts over at his Surfphony of Derstruction blog and also like his page on Facebook.  

Surf Rock Play List:

1. Os Morgans - Opus (Portuguese Nuggets Vol 1: A Trip To 60's Portuguese Beat Surf And Garage Rock - 2006)
2. The Future Primitives - Everybody Up (Fender IV Cover) (Songs We Taught Ourselves - 2013)
3. Wes Dakus & The Rebels - Cavalier Twist (Wes Dakus & The Rebels Vol 1 - 2006)
4. The Mel-Tones - Kung Fu Saturdays (Surf Sensation - 2004)
5. Jon & The Nightriders - Hit Man (Charge Of The Nightriders - 1984)
6. The Surfites - Surf Reveille (It Came From The Hideout - The Best Of The GaragePunk Hideout Vol 1 - 2011)
7. Les Skyliners - Entre Nous Il Est Fou (Les Introuvables - Volume 2 - 2007)
8. Les Devalons - The Lonely One (instrumental) (Les Introuvables - Volume 7 - 2007)
9. Polaris! - Hypnovista (Polaris - 1997)
10 Eddie Angel - Kawanga (Eddie Angel's Guitar Party - 1997)
11. The Panasonics - Penepede (Introducing The Inscrutable Panasonics (Featuring Eddie Angel On Guitar) - 1995)

DERK BRIGANTE OF SURFPHONY OF DERSTRUCTION 2000 SEGMENT:

12. Takeshi Terauchi - Moanin’ (The World Is Waiting For Terry - 1967)
13. The El Caminos - Hornets Nest (Reverb Explosion - 1997)
14. Yuzo Kayama - Crazy Drivin’ (The Exciting Sounds of Yuzo Kayama And The Launchers - 1966)
15. The Surf Coasters - Redzone Deadzone (The Surf Coasters - 1999)
16. Goggle-A - Reverb Chase (Dendeke Rock Combo - 2003)

17. Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys - Terry’s Theme (Let's Go Terry! - 1966)
18. Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys - Black Carnation (Let's Go Terry! - 1966)
19. Martin Schiller - The Innocuous Pastiche meets Professor Adventure (The Innocuous Pastiche meets Professor Adventure - 2011)
20. The Vy-Dels - Unknown (New Wave Surf Party! - 1981)
21. The Junior Raymen -I’m Branded (Rumble '66 - 1966)
22. Dead Ghosts - Commanche (That Old Feeling Single - 2010)
23. Pow Wows - The Horse Thief (Live) (Bent Out Of Shape - 2013)
24. Davie Allan & The Arrows - High Rise (Cycle Breed - 2008)
25. The Vondells - Dill Pickles (The Vondells (Unreleased - 2003))
26. Progressives - Man Of Mystery (Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar Vol III - 2003)
27. The Bell Peppers - Salt Shaker (Sizzling Hot Bell Peppers - 2013)
28. Dick Dale And His Del-Tones - Tidal Wave (Summer Surf - 1964)
29. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - The Case Of The Missing Lady Fingers (Dim The Lights, Chill The Ham - 1991)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 25. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Coming Up on Revolution Rock in February 2014!

February is theme month once again for Revolution Rock. I will be doing a different themed program for each of the four weeks in February. Each program will air on a Tuesday from 10:30-Noon and can be streamed/listened to online via www.cjam.ca or on the FM dial at 99.1 FM in the Windsor/Detroit area.

The programs will be as follows:

 Og Records Radio Feature
February 4th, 2014
10:30 AM – Noon
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

In 1983, Gerard Van Herk and Tony Dewald of the two piece sludegabilly duo Deja Voodoo formed the record label Og Records. This independent Canadian, Montreal, Quebec based label initially started releasing primarily cassettes, but quickly gravitated toward vinyl releases. This highly influential label would not only release material by Deja Voodoo, but also artists such as The Gruesomes, Terminal Sunglasses, and Jerry Jerry And The Sons of Rhythm Orchestra. Og Records is also notable for their highly sought after compilation series It Came From Canada. There were five volumes and the compilations were responsible for exposing bands such as Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet and Cowboy Junkies, who would later go on to achieve more mainstream successes. Og Records only ever had 29 releases and ceased operations as a label in 1990. This program will features a selection of music from this short lived label and an exclusive interview with co-founder of Og Records and Deja Voodoo Gerard Van Herk.

City Slang – Music From Detroit
February 11th, 2014
10:30 AM – Noon
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

Detroit, Michigan and its surrounding areas have often delivered a variety of highly influential music in a variety of differing genres. This program will focus on some of the music to have come from Detroit, Michigan, and the surrounding areas. The program will focus primarily on Garage Rock and related sub genres, but will also feature some of the differing genres and styles of music to come from the surrounding cultural hub of artistic diversity that is commonly referred to as Detroit. Expect to hear music from MC5, The Stooges, White Stripes, John Lee Hooker and more!

Revolution Rock Celebrates Black History Month – Grant Greens’ Solid
February 18th, 2014
10:30 AM – Noon
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

Grant Green is often viewed as an unsung hero of Jazz guitar and was very underrated during his lifetime. Green has been on a multitude of recordings both as a sideman and solo artist, which were primarily released through the Blue Note label. Solid was one of two albums recorded in 1964 (the other album being Matador), yet they remained unreleased during Green’s lifetime. The musicians on Solid were pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones, both of which made up two thirds of John Coltrane's rhythm section. Some felt that this album contains some of his Green’s finest work, but it remained unreleased for fifteen years before getting a proper release in 1979. This episode of Revolution Rock will feature a selection of tracks from this album, as well as a mixture of other genres in celebration of Black History Month.

Revolution Surf (The 8th Edition)
February 25th, 2014
10:30 AM – Noon
CJAM 99.1 FM (www.cjam.ca)

Tuesday, February 25th, will mark my 8th annual Surf Rock program on CJAM 99.1 FM. The yearly program was initially started as a reason to incorporate a collection of Surf music that I had into the Revolution Rock radio program, which initially just featured 70s Punk and New Wave music only. I have since incorporated Garage Rock, Alternative, Indie, Surf and a variety of other sub related genres into the program on a weekly basis. The annual Surf program entitled Revolution Surf has however stuck, each year at the end of February I have one program devoted to this musical genre. This year’s program will also feature, as have past programs a special guest segment from Derk Brigante formerly of CJAM’s Surfphony of Derstruction, which now continues as a podcast online. This year’s program will feature a mini spotlight on Surf Rock from Japan with a focus on Japanese Instrumental Surf guitarist Takeshi Terauchi and his 1966 album with The Bunnys, Let’s Go Terry.