YMO

Two great YMO performances from the early 80s. Analog synth heaven.

YMO Technopolis Live


YMO Day Tripper Live


Update (reworded and prompted from the comments below, thanks CM!):
I heard about YMO in the 80s, but never followed up until recently. They were somewhat known. However, the guy in the yellow suit playing the majority of leads and getting a fair amount of camera action is Ryuichi Sakamoto. Do a search for him and you will find a LOT of stuff he has done including the soundtrack to The Last Emperor. He worked with David Sylvian of Japan fame, Iggy Pop, Thomas Dolby, David Byrne (whom he co wrote the score for The Last Emperor), Bootsy Collins, and Tony Williams. He is an artist's artist, so to speak. He has an amazing body of work. See http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-262586-bio--Ryuichi-Sakamoto for more.

Another bio: http://www.sonyclassical.com/artists/sakamoto/adbio.html
Official Ryuichi Sakamoto Website: http://www.sitesakamoto.com/
Wikipedia on Ryuichi Sakamoto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryuichi_Sakamoto
Wikipedia on YMO: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMO

Update (via comments. Thanks Ron!):
"I've been a fan of YMO for some time now. If you want to see what the other two are up to (Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono), do a search for band called Sketch Show. The are on Mr. Hosono's label, Daisyworld. The have 3-4 disks out, and a DVD of a live performance. Excellent stuff -- highly recommended."

KORG monotribe X8 - FIRECRACKER / BakaOscillator

Published on Feb 24, 2013

"Composed by Martin Denny.
Use, KORG monotribe 8, SDD-1000, Doepfer Schaltwerk.
Full CV/Gate controlled."

monotribes on eBay

CLICK FOR MORE »

YMO Live

YMO - Behind The Mask (Live 1979)
Re-Uploaded on Sep 11, 2009 YMO**

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YMO - The Making of Rydeen

YMO - Rydeen (Live 1979)

YouTube via VickySakamoto.

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Yellow Magic Orchestra in the studio

YouTube Uploaded by MisterNormanDog on Mar 16, 2009

"YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra) in the studio, discussing electronic music, in an undated early 80's clip. From "Sukiyaki & Chips - The Japanese Sounds Of Music'"

YMO - Recording

Uploaded by softbank9984 on Dec 7, 2006

"YMO - 1979.11.19"

YMO-A&M STUDIO 1980

Uploaded by tambo3960 on Jan 31, 2009

"YMO interview"

YMO Prophet 5 rev3.3 Synthesizer Tributes by Superfunk Synths

YMO Behind the Mask Prophet 5 rev3.3 Synthesizer Tribute

Published on Oct 10, 2016 Superfunk Synths

"YMO Behind the Mask Prophet 5 rev3.3 Synthesizer Tribute

All parts palyed with a Prophet 5, Drum Dmx"

YMO Ryden with Prophet 5 rev3 3 Synthesizer Tribute

Published on Oct 9, 2016

"YMO Ryden with Prophet 5 rev3.3 Synthesizer Tribute

played on Sequential CIrcuits Prophet 5 and Oberheim DMX drum machine."

Eric Clapton and Phil Collins - Behind the Mask

YouTube via MeanAuntie

OK, I'm stretching it with this one, but this is truly bizarre. YMO's Behind the Mask with Eric Clapton and others. For reference see these posts. Spot the synths.
"Prince's Trust circa '87 - Clapton, Collins, Midge Ure, various others... Behind the Mask"

Update via tim in the comments:
"Clapton's cover came about because of Greg Philliganes being his keyboardist at the time. He did a version on his 1984 album Pulse, with uncredited backing vocals and added lyrics by Michael Jackson. And I think Jackson had considered doing it on Thriller after Quincy Jones pointed out the original to him."

And some fascinating info from the AH list:
"I don't think anyone's spoken up about lyricist or how that song got to Clapton;-)

Okay. First off Yellow Magic Orchestra was meant to be a more or less one-off concept project in Japan (1978) it was meant to be as if Martin Denny's music was played by Kraftwerk. In other words taking the West's notion of inauthentic but cool "Oriental" music and give it the edge of modern technology (the impression Westerners had of Japan).

A&M Records liked what they heard, moderately remixed it to their tastes and YMO were ready to tour and promote the album. They did a lot of promotion in LA, then swung by NYC, London and Paris. The year was 1979. Back in Japan they were doing well though not chart topping. They eventually did gain real chart success in Japan. Their success was more moderate in the US though their use of video games and electronic beats was influential. They took 1982 off for Sakamoto to work on "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and then reformed in 1983 with the understanding that they'd disband at the end of the year. They really did want to go their own ways but it was a great marketing tool to really make them iconic in Japan. They reformed 10 years later for a one-off album and concert.

They started to work together again on and off in the 2000s. They have a show next weekend in London. Definitely a one off thing. I guess they were asked nicely by Massive Attack to do a show. They aren't promoting anything new or doing more shows. I sort of wish I could go.

As for gear, it's ironic that they played maybe 90% American synths. Early on - lots of Moog Modular. Later on lots of Prophet. Always: Arp Odyssey. They do sound very different in 1983 versus 1978.

Okay now for the weird part of the Clapton story -- Michael Jackson took an interest in high tech music in the early 80s. He was trying to get Kraftwerk to work with him but nothing came of it. What did happen was YMO's song "Behind the Mask" originally only had "chorus" vocals so he wrote new lead lyrics and kept the chorus. I assume he wrote the song for himself to sing, but he had lots of (all original) material then so it was offered to Clapton. It did quite well in terms of Clapton's career. Sakamoto, who wrote the melody (Chris Mosdel did the chorus lyrics) liked the new lyrics and the then prestige of Michael Jackson' additions. There is a mid 80s EP of Sakamoto's solo band doing it. He was trying to do a more contemporary R&B sound back then (not intended to be ironic). YMO's label commissioned Human League to do a remix version in the early 90s, instead (apparently) they did a cover version.

nick
http://technopop.info"

松武秀樹＆MMO on Stage1 @ Synth Festa Osaka 2013

Published on Nov 30, 2013 nicolai maruhama·94 videos

"We had a special stage on Synth Festa Osaka 2013.　（２３rd Nov. Dee Hall）
Our synth Master Hideki Matsutake joined this event and moog IIIc was operated.
Worth to see!

1. Behind the Mask / YMO
2. Technopolis / YMO

Applied JASRAC

nicolai maruhama

* The priest in the middle of the song Technopolis : Gotoh Showgen."

松武秀樹＆MMO on Stage2 @ Synth Festa Osaka 2013

Published on Dec 3, 2013 nicolai maruhama·95 videos

1.Tong Poo / YMO
2. Rydeen

---

Hideki Matsutake on Moog modular. Via Wikipedia:

"Hideki Matsutake (born August 12, 1951 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese composer, arranger, and computer programmer. He is known for his pioneering work in electronic music and particularly music programming, as the assistant of Isao Tomita during the early 1970s and as the "fourth member" of the band Yellow Magic Orchestra during the late 1970s to early 1980s.[1]

Through his participation in the session recording of Ryuichi Sakamoto's 1978 album Thousand Knives, he joined the recordings of Yellow Magic Orchestra during 1978-1982 as their sound programmer, to become known as "the fourth member" of the group. In 1981, he formed a unit of his own under the name Logic System, which released its latest album in 2008. He also continued to take part in solo activities by YMO members such as Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi beyond the group's breakup in 1983. He was also a member of the video game music group Akihabara Electric Circus in 1988[2] and composed music for the 1996 video game Guardian Heroes.[3] Today, Matsutake is also Chairman of Japan Synthesizer Programmers Association (JSPA)..."

色々なシンセで YO-KAI Disco シンセファンに捧ぐカバー

Harumio 1529

Note the Prophet-4.

"シンセファンに捧ぐYO-KAI Disco
たまにはYMO以外もやってみます。YMOファンの方もぜひ聞いてみてください。
機材紹介にCOCOA(東風の動画で使った自作シンセ)を入れ忘れました。シーケンス(Lchのピコピコ)担当です。
機材紹介パートは速読 or 一時停止推奨ですがそもそもたいしたこと書いてないので見逃してもらっても大丈夫です。"

Googlish: "YO-KAI Disco dedicated to synth fans
Sometimes I try other than YMO. If you are a YMO fan, please do not hesitate to ask.
I forgot to include COCOA (the self-made synth used in the Dongfeng video) in the equipment introduction. I am in charge of the sequence (Lch picopico).
The equipment introduction part is recommended for speed reading or pausing, but since it doesn't write much in the first place, it's okay if you miss it."

YMO Plays Live Earth

Update: Rydeen added (and War and Peace):
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Live Earth Kyoto - Rydeen 79/07


Yellow Magic Orchestra - Live Earth Kyoto - Ishindenshin


Yellow Magic Orchestra - Live Earth Kyoto - Rescue


YouTubes via MonkeyMechX.
"YMO/Yellow Magic Orchestra finally officially reunites on stage at Live Earth Kyoto, 07-07-2007. I had to purchase a program to get everything set up right video wise, but I know everyone deserves to see this. You'll have the entire concert as I get them up. I'd also like to point out that besides The Police with "Message in a Bottle", YMO was the only band I saw at LE that had songs that were appropriate to the Green message of Live Earth!"

Previous YMO posts

YMO Rydeen Covers on OPA Moog Modular Clone & Vintage Synths

ROLAND MC-4によるYMO RYDEEN(シーケンス）

Uploaded on Oct 29, 2011
Audio on left channel only.

"機材:MODULAR SYNTH MC-4 LINN LM-2 ULTSOUND DS-4"

Vintage ULT-SOUND DS-4 Analog Percussion on the stand, OPA Moog Modular Clone with a couple of RA Moog modules, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Polymoog, ARP Odyssey, Roland MC-4, LinnDrum and more. Note the REON sticker! See this post from December 2007 for a video of the OPA modular at the 2007 SynthFesta in OSAKA Japan.

CLICK FOR MORE »

YMO Live on YouTube

YMO Technopolis Live on YouTube


YMO - 1000 Knives (Live) via hardy2006us.


Two Live YMO videos. I previously posted Technopolis and Rydeen here. I managed to upload Technopolis to YouTube, but for Rydeen I imediately got the vilation of terms message after upload. Guessing it's on a blacklist? Anyway, here's Technopolis and 1000 Knives. I have one more coming sent my way via Pete; I'm waiting for his permission to put it up on YouTube. As soon as I do, I'll put up a post.

YMO's BTM w/ Prophet '08

"My band did a cover of YMO's Behind The Mask and I used a Prophet-5 and Multitrak on the recording. This evening I replaced the six Prophet-5 tracks entirely with the Prophet-08. The only remaining synth track that is not a Prophet'08 is the background arpeggiated sequence.

http://redmartian.com/BTM-Prophet08.mp3

And if you're curious, here is the version with the Prophet-5 which was actually mixed by Tom Ellard:

http://redmartian.com/btm.m4a

I think the P'08 does a pretty good job. What I'm doing now, and for the next 2 weeks, is only play it. Then I'll turn on a Prophet-5 and see how I react. :)"

You can see YMO's version here.

M-AUDIO VENOM

YouTube Uploaded by kaizokuhousou on Aug 18, 2011
YMO starts at 7:37.
"This is the Virtual Analog Synthesizer
M-AUDIO's Venom Synthesizer demonstration.
Yes, this has very interesting and powerful staff.
I wanna recommend for the SOLO performance keyboardist!

This time I tried to perform YMO medley. If you like or if you know YMO, I'm glad."

YMO in London

via ryk
"Here are a couple of very blurred pictures form last nights YMO gig
at the RFH in London. Sakamoto, Takahashi & Hosono, plus three backup members playing lapsteel guitar, flugal horn, guitar and macintosh laptops. Takahashi was playing very tight drums with a tiny MIDI controller with nice pink xylophone type sticks, and later very tight real drums. Hosono played mostly electric bass guitar, and some singing - nice voice ! Sakamoto played keyboards, a lot of Fender Rhodes type stuff, with distortions and delay.

The highlights were some of the classics such as "ongaku" & "sportsman" although they played a lot of Human Audio Spounge tracks, which were pretty good. They played a new arrangement of Rydeen, with syncopated drumming, and a messy version of Riot in Lagos, plus some urprisingly groovy jazz-funk numbers. Unfortunately no Firecracker, or Cosmic Surfin' Sound mix was a bit harsh, piercing mid-range, but solid bass, maybe too much laptop audio!"
That a Prophet-5 in the top shot? YMO on MATRIXSYNTH

The YMO Music Computer

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the revolutionary Roland MC-8 from 1977 which was one of the earliest microprocessor-controlled digital sequencers. Around 200 of these units were made and they were extremely expensive.

As I've covered the history of this unit several times, I thought it would be interesting to follow in the footsteps of a band that made significant use of the MC-8, which was Yellow Magic Orchestra.

In the video we look at how the MC-8 works and use it to compose a track in the style of YMO using the techniques and (where possible) instruments that they used in the late 70s.

Thank you to my Patrons for their support. The track, stems and MC-8 data are available there.
https://www.patreon.com/AlexBallMusic

You can buy the track on my Bandcamp: https://alexball.bandcamp.com

0:00 Intro
0:47 YMO, Hideki Matsutake and the MC-8
2:25 The MC-8 Interface
5:12 Programming the MC-8
10:43 Transport and Saving
12:20 Overdub and Sync
13:15 MPX Programming
15:10 Summary
15:50 The Feature Track - Lovers in Tokyo"

YMO TECHNOPOLIS & RYDEEN Covers by MIOSUKE1

自宅でＹＭＯ/TECHNOPOLIS　Synth編
Uploaded on May 1, 2010 MIOSUKE1·11 videos

坂本教授に憧れてシンセサイザーやってます。
ドラムばかりやっているのでたまには「ＶＯＣＯ」らないと。
当時を振り返り教授も言ってますが、音色チェンジがとにかく忙しいです。
プログラムチェンジをあらかじめ打ち込みすれば楽なのですが、
当時の教授に倣ってそれはしません。
ミスタッチはご愛嬌(^^ゞ

Googlish:
We are doing synthesizer and longing for Professor Sakamoto.
That there is no "VOCO" from once in a while because it is doing just drum.
Professor says that recalls, but the tone change is busy anyway.
I would easy if you driving in advance a program change,
It does not do it by following the professor at the time.
Amiability Misutatchi is (^ ^ Isuzu

自宅でＹＭＯ/RYDEEN　Synth編
Uploaded on May 1, 2010

坂本教授に憧れてシンセサイザーやってます。
間奏のＳＥ音が偶然それっぽく作れたのでＧ・Ｗを利用してＵＰしました。
どうでしょうか、それっぽく聞こえますでしょうか。
また、ストリングス音をＰＯＬＹＭＯＯＧらしく聞こえるようにペダルでフィルターの抑­揚をつけてます。
ミスタッチはご愛嬌(^^ゞ

Googlish:
We are doing synthesizer and longing for Professor Sakamoto.
The UP was using the G · W so make it like it accidentally SE sound of interlude.
But what, or would you hear it like it.
We also put the intonation of the filter with the pedal to sound like a POLYMOOG the strings sound.
Amiability Misutatchi is (^ ^ Isuzu

BEHIND THE MASK YMOコピー

Uploaded on Sep 11, 2009 YMO**

YMO - Behind The Mask (Live 1979)

"以前UPしましたが、再UPしました！"

初期型モーグシンセ(箪笥)で音を作ろう

Published on Sep 9, 2012 fingerdancing2012·2 videos

"冨田勲、松武秀樹とシンセサイザー MOOG（タンス）"

YMO、松武秀樹とシンセサイザー　MOOG（タンス）　2003年
Published on Sep 9, 2012 fingerdancing2012·2 videos

"YMO、松武秀樹とシンセサイザー（MOOG）
YMOクリックを再現
2003年放送"

Roland MC-8 in there as well.

Ryuichi Sakamoto Has Passed Away

via @KorgUSA

"We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto. He was a trailblazing composer and producer who scored films such as the 'Last Emperor' and 'The Revenant' to name a few. He was a pioneer of electronic pop music by founding the 'Yellow Magic Orchestra' which produced hits on synthesizers and sequencers in the 70s and 80s. He will be missed 😔"

Indeed. He created magic.

Two of my favorites below.

via Wikipedia:

"Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本 龍一[a], Sakamoto Ryūichi, January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a Japanese composer, record producer, and actor who pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres.

Sakamoto began his career while at university in the 1970s as a session musician, producer, and arranger. His first major success came in 1978 as co-founder of YMO. He concurrently pursued a solo career, releasing the experimental electronic fusion album Thousand Knives in 1978. Two years later, he released the album B-2 Unit. It included the track "Riot in Lagos", which was significant in the development of electro and hip hop music. He went on to produce more solo records, and collaborate with many international artists, David Sylvian, Carsten Nicolai, Youssou N'Dour, and Fennesz among them. Sakamoto composed music for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and his composition "Energy Flow" (1999) was the first instrumental number-one single in Japan's Oricon charts history.

As a film-score composer, Sakamoto won an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and 2 Golden Globe Awards. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) marked his debut as both an actor and a film-score composer; its main theme was adapted into the single "Forbidden Colours" which became an international hit. His most successful work as a film composer was The Last Emperor (1987), after which he continued earning accolades composing for films such as The Sheltering Sky (1990), Little Buddha (1993), and The Revenant (2015). On occasion, Sakamoto also worked as a composer and a scenario writer on anime and video games. In 2009, he was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Ministry of Culture of France for his contributions to music."
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

video upload by Decca Records

"Official music video for Ryuichi Sakamoto's 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence'."

YMO Technopolis Live

video upload by matrixsynth