Takeshi Terauchi / NIPPON GUITARS – Instrumental Surf, Eleki & Tsugaru Rock 1966-1974

2015 repress. Subtitled: Instrumental Surf, Eleki & Tsugaru Rock 1966-1974. “The first ever retrospective in the west of one of Japan’s guitar pioneers, Takeshi Terauchi. Charting his career from the surf boom, to groovy ’60s instrumentals, fuzz freak-outs and funk rock. A must-have item for any collector of guitar ‘n’ beats from around the world or anyone with a curiosity for vintage Japanese and Oriental popular music. Big Beat International release, compiled by Howard Wiliams, previously held responsible for the Killing Melody album, a compilation of Japanese gangster soundtracks. Now venturing into the choppy waters of surf and electrified Japanese folk.
Takeshi Terauchi was the main man behind the mid ’60s Eleki (electric guitar) boom. A powerhouse of guitar pyrotechnics with an understanding of the circuit board; he made his own echo machines and the first Japanese-made PA system. With his two groups, the Blue Jeans and the Bunnys, he led the field and still plays today. The album Nippon Guitars is a sample of his huge catalogue, mainly focusing on hard-edged surf, adapted versions of traditional Japanese folk songs and ’60s Japanese pop grooves. For beat scavengers there are breaks, backed with melodies in the Japanese pentatonic scale.