Fishmans FAQ

Hi! Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions page. Take a look around and learn some interesting facts about Fishmans!

### **Question: How should I get into Fishmans?**

Answer: There are a lot of varying opinions on this. Some say one should hear every studio album of theirs, then 98.12.28 男達の別れ once you've gotten used to everything. In contrast, one might want to hear just a few essential works in order to brief themselves on what's most important before hearing *98.12.28*, but others will tell you to jump into that live album first, then work back through their catalog. Overall, everyone will agree you've gotta hear that album at one point or another. Here's the most respectable, quickest method I can personally think of. Listen to Oh! Mountain to get a hang of their early catalog, listen to Aloha Polydor to get a hang of their later catalog, listen to Long Season because it's their most well-known and essential album, and then hear *98.12.28*. This list is my own opinion, however, so choose your own path! You never know what you might find that will intrigue you. Every album of theirs has a different unifying sound, so it's surely a rewarding path to explore, especially their Setagaya Trilogy albums. Here is a guide by genre:

* Chappie, Don't Cry is mostly straightforward reggae, with a bit of Shibuya-kei rock inbetween.
* Corduroy's Mood is very laid-back, polite Shibuya-kei (and it's only 15 minutes).
* King Master George is a blend of many genres, anywhere from ska-punk to dub to even sunshine pop.
* Neo Yankees' Holiday is their most dub record, still somewhat scattered like KMG. Lots of electronic sampling and reggae influence.
* Orange is very funky and Shibuya-kei influenced. Also has some dream pop tracks.
* 空中キャンプ is definite dream pop/alternative rock. Heavy dub influence.
* Long Season is progressive pop/neo-psychedelia, it only has one song, which is 35 minutes long.
* 宇宙 日本 世田谷 is ambient pop/dream pop with dub influence, very space-y.

### **Question: How did band leader Shinji Sato pass away/where is he buried?**

Answer: Again, not the clearest answer here. Lots of confusion is spread around the internet regarding this, but there are two answers one can give while remaining true to reality. One, which is what was reported by newspapers and most official sources, is that Sato died from heart failure. This alone is very vague, which is why some sources elaborate that this heart failure was caused by a violent case of influenza, which isn't officially noted anywhere but is important to mention. The other theory around Sato's death, which was hinted at by some friends of Sato and suggested by his lyrics, is that he might have committed suicide. Kazufumi Kodama, friend of Sato and producer of Chappie, Don't Cry is a believer in the possibility that this might've happened, saying that "heart failure" is apparently a common way of Japanese newspapers to report on suicide in order to retain family honor. Furthermore, according to him, lyrics to his song ゆらめき In The Air (the last Sato wrote before his death) might allude to the concept of the artist's death in relation to their work. An unfounded claim suggests that Sato committed suicide at his family's estate specifically. Regardless, the official answer (however vague) is "heart failure", everything beyond that is speculation.

Sato's body was laid to rest in Kasamori Cemetery, just outside of Tokyo. More information can be found on his page here on the wiki.

### **Question: How popular was Fishmans in the 90s?**

Answer: In the west, Fishmans had little to no popularity until recent years (2010-ish onward). In Japan, however, Fishmans occasionally got regular radio play (such as with singles いかれたBaby and ナイトクルージング) but never became a household name. Their popularity in the 90s has sometimes been mistaken by western audiences as much larger than it was, even Sato mentioned their dwindling audiences during an MC on December 28, 1998 @Akasaka Blitz. In a more realistic light, their popularity has sometimes been compared to bands such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: fairly popular, but not household names by any means. The comparison to Radiohead is ridiculous.

### **Question: What's the story with 98.12.28 男達の別れ?**

Answer: In early December of 1998, band member Yuzuru Kashiwabara announced his desire to leave Fishmans after being with the band since 1988. To give the long-time member a proper sendoff, Fishmans announced a six-show tour, 男達の別れ, ending on December 28, 1998 @Akasaka Blitz. This final concert was recorded, which was later intended for release as the band's third live album, remembering the final project which Kashiwabara was to be involved with. It was over two hours long, including some of the band's most popular songs and a complete performance of Long Season. However, less than three months later, band leader Shinji Sato (who wrote their music and performed lead vocals, guitar and cornet) would pass away on March 15, 1999 from heart failure. This would posthumously make 98.12.28 男達の別れ his swan song, as it was the last musical output Sato made before his death. The album was released in September 1999, marking the end of Fishmans' most active years. In 2005, a video movie of the concert was released, titled 男達の別れ 98.12.28 @赤坂Blitz.