[NB-SK]

If you're a fan you probably already know that Marty Friedman, formerly of Megadeth, has been living in Japan for nearly a decade and that he has/had his own TV show there, Rock Fujiyama. It looks like clips from most of the episodes are available on Youtube. I'm not a huge fan of Megadeth, but I find these pretty cool.

Here's a few clip of him with Paul Gilbert as his guest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-SCratcwoI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W744PD_1NSc&mode=related&search=

Cut and paste ビデオクリップ (set your browser to Japanese fonts if it comes out wrong) and do a search if you're interested in more of these clips.

 

[violation]

Lol @ Paul... he said Crazy Train in the KISS one.

 

[NB-SK]

He does come off as one of those tall goofy guys we all know.

 

[erikm5150]

Yeah Marty's awesome.
I like when he gets a japanese pop song or a commercial jingle and "jams" them into a heavy metal medley.
I didn't know it was HIS show, I always thought he was just a guest...

It's great for him that he lives there where poeple actually appreciate real musical talent.
Paul Gilbert also probably lives there half the time now.

 

[NB-SK]

Yeah Marty's awesome.
I like when he gets a japanese pop song or a commercial jingle and "jams" them into a heavy metal medley.
I didn't know it was HIS show, I always thought he was just a guest...

It's great for him that he lives there where poeple actually appreciate real musical talent.
Paul Gilbert also probably lives there half the time now.

Yeah. I didn't know it, but Paul Gilbert's wife is Japanese.

 

[sneakypete]

Yeah. I didn't know it, but Paul Gilbert's wife is Japanese.

that could be why Mr. Big used to come over here at least twice a year when I first arrived in the country. Saw them in concert once from about 7 rows back on the floor...man Billy Sheehan is a monster on bass.

 

[NB-SK]

that could be why Mr. Big used to come over here at least twice a year when I first arrived in the country. Saw them in concert once from about 7 rows back on the floor...man Billy Sheehan is a monster on bass.

You're in Japan? We're practically neighbors. I've been to Osaka a couple of times. It was great.

 

[Lemmy Hangslong]

the Japanese have so much fun with shred guitar!

 

[NB-SK]

the Japanese have so much fun with shred guitar!

So do Koreans, but the airwaves here are dominated by schmaltzy pop music (which has lost its distinctly Korean charm and character in the years I've been here because it has increasingly become Americanized as a result of the drive to create pop music that can be sold abroad, mainly to Japan, Singapore, and China). There are great rock, blues, and jazz musicians and bands here, no doubt about it...but you'd have to be in one of the larger cities and be well acquainted with the music scene there--or watch music video channels that are in the high triple digits on the satellite dish--to hear any of it. If you watch broadcast TV, all you'll see and hear are the usual pop idols--some of them appear half a dozen different TV shows a day...and that's without counting the reruns.