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Is it ironic that the one band that seems to keep coming up with major achievements in America is none other than the B'z? I don't think so, but many Americans seem to find it that way. Perhaps it's because American culture latched onto Visual Kei and JPop primarily. Latching onto bands like Dir en Grey, X-Japan, and even pop artists like Utada Hikaru and Puffy [Ami Yumi].

Today, Tak Matsumoto won the Grammy award. A first if I am not mistaken to anyone in Asia. He won it for his work with Larry Carlton on the album "Take Your Pick." (If you have not listened to it yet, you really should.)

So to recap... B'z were put on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame by nomination of Steve Vai. (The only Japanese Artist to be put on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame)
Tak Matsumoto won a Grammy with Larry Carlton. (The only Japanese artist to win a Grammy)


What is next? I hope is a B'z Japanese tour. They are gaining more ground in America now more than ever. I hope with this turn of events Japanese artists will be taken to be more serious in the world, and thus real artists can be brought over to America. (Read: Not visual kei and not overly hyper and cute JPop, as those things already have strong presence here in America.)

yes, America desperately needs real artists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5nS5L1vuZc

Link to the song. Quite enjoyable, and definitely not what America latches onto and labels Japanese artists as.

Freyr wrote: Link to the song. Quite enjoyable, and definitely not what America latches onto and labels Japanese artists as.

For very obvious and legitimate reasons (one being that Tak is one of a kind), to be fair.

Congrats to both Tak & Larry. The Take Your Pick album as a whole is great.

That's quite an achievement

Jd- wrote:

Freyr wrote: Link to the song. Quite enjoyable, and definitely not what America latches onto and labels Japanese artists as.

For very obvious and legitimate reasons (one being that Tak is one of a kind), to be fair.

Congrats to both Tak & Larry. The Take Your Pick album as a whole is great.

Point. Contend that most Americans wouldn't consider him a Japanese artist because he doesn't fit that nice little cubby hole we have for them.

And yet when he said his "speech" (which I still contend he only said because Larry prompted him to) he said he was a Japanese guitarist and even said thank you in Japanese. So if Americans don't consider him a Japanese artist then they are just stupid.