By DJD:
At the moment one of my life long favorite bands – KISS – has the number one single in Japan. A single that they recorded with a Japanese all girl pop group – or ‘J pop group” called Morimo Clover Z. I’m not sure how how I feel about this. Here are my rock idols – most recently inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame – a prestigious and respected institution – teaming up with a teen pop dancing and singing act of all young Japanese girls?! Say what?! Now you’d think that our “band” Atomsplit having a comic book identity, I’d be into manga and anime etc and think the Kiss thing was cool. But I’m not so sure.
Of course I understand WHY they are doing it. Because they can make a boat load of money off it and now they can go back and tour Japan and make even more.
As I began to write this commentary I googled Morimo Clover Z and read the Wikipedia page about them. I was somewhat relieved that they weren’t completely a pre-fabbed entertainment producer or executive creation. That they at least had a little bit of humble beginnings by playing for bystanders in a park in Toyko in 2008. And then worked their way up to releasing a single that rose up the charts and eventually got them on the path to being huge successes in Japan. That they at least had to work a little bit to get to where they are. So I have a little respect for their story at least.
But still I can’t help but think of the 70’s cheesy TV movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. And how in their memoirs they pretty much regretted doing it and knew it was tacky. And how this Morimo Z thing seems to smell a little bit like that to me.
But as a kid back then I actually liked KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. As and adult I’d probably think it was stupid (if it came out now new). Kind of like this Mormimo Z collaboration now. Kind of stupid.
Maybe (like Phantom of the Park) in 20 years it will seem kitschly cool. But for now, I’m just not so sure.