Blankey Jet City

Blankey Jet City emerged as one of the most resilient hard rock acts from Japan's band boom spanning the mid-1980s and early 1990s, forging a compact yet aggressive sound laced with glam touches. The trio—guitarist Kenichi "Benzie" Asai, bassist Toshiyuki Terui, and drummer Tatsuya Nakamura—centered its approach around Asai's singular vocals and songwriting. Arriving in Tokyo precisely when a swelling market pushed the Japanese music industry to abandon its old assembly-line methods, BJC wrote its own songs and prioritized annual tours, both capitalizing on and accelerating the shift toward a less polished scene. Drawing inspiration from Marc Bolan, Iggy Pop, and Johnny Thunders, Asai balanced punk-inflected candor with balladry throughout the band's run. His abrupt stop-time guitar patterns, raw emotional directness, and lyrics dotted with allusions to an imagined postmodern city called "Blankey Jet City" gave the group a distinct identity while allowing steady evolution. Before splitting in summer 2000, the three-piece built an extensive discography and devoted fanbase while spawning numerous side projects and collaborations.

At age 25, Asai relocated from Aichi Prefecture to Tokyo, reportedly leaving behind the bosozoku motorcycle gang culture. He persuaded Terui, a former rockabilly bandmate, to form a new group, and the pair soon recruited veteran punkster Nakamura. After playing Tokyo clubs, the newly named Blankey Jet City gained swift momentum in February 1990 with an appearance on the popular late-night program Ikaten (full title Heisei Meibutsu Ikasu Band Tengoku or Paradise for Cool Bands). The TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) battle-of-the-bands showcase ran from 1989 to 1991, spotlighted emerging amateurs, and marked the first broadcast of straight-ahead rock & roll on Japanese television. With their raw, leather-jacket image, BJC won five consecutive weeks and became only the sixth act to claim the top prize.

Toshiba-EMI signed the band immediately, and BJC issued its debut Red Guitar & the Truth in April 1991, a title nodding to U2's take on "All Along the Watchtower." Despite modest sales and label demands for greater visibility, the group launched its first nationwide tour before cutting the follow-up Bang! (1992). Already known for performances that displayed the full force of its sound, BJC saw the label release a live album shortly after Bang!

The ensuing two years established the trio's prolific pace. In 1993 came both the Metal Moon EP and third album C.B. Jim, which opened with the jagged fan favorite "Punky Bad Hip." A more exploratory record featuring a richer palette and brass section appeared midway through 1994 under the title Shiawase no Kane ga Narihibiki Boku ha Tada Kanashii Furi wo Suru. Citing the raw production of their first release, BJC next assembled singles and re-recordings on The Six. Their final Toshiba effort, Skunk, surfaced later in 1995 and stood as the band's most refined statement to that point.

At the same time the members' reach broadened. October 1994 brought their first shows abroad, two nights at London's Garage. Short overseas tours followed in the U.K. (Leicester, Tunbridge Wells, Exeter, Portsmouth, and London) during 1995 and the U.S. (New York City and Los Angeles) the next year. BJC never broke through internationally, however, and by the mid-1990s each musician began pursuing separate ventures. Asai launched the dream-pop quartet Sherbets featuring Qumico Fucci on keyboards and backing vocals, Kenichi Nakata on bass, and Kimitoshi Sotomura on drums. Terui started Jim Spider, while Nakamura formed Love Shop Losalios; two years later Nakamura's jazz-rock solo endeavor expanded into the eight-piece Losalios, incorporating the full BJC lineup plus Katou Takashi of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.

After prolonged disputes with Toshiba-EMI, BJC switched to Polydor and delivered the self-produced Love Flash Fever (1997), highlighting the surf-rock side of their music. The live compilation Kokkyo Senjo no Ari appeared in January 1998, followed by the eighth album Romeo No Shinzo. Continuing the direction of Love Flash Fever yet adding basic samples and the standout single "Akai Tambourine" (or "Red Tambourine"), the record became their strongest seller, moving more than 300,000 copies.

Two years later the final studio album Harlem Jets arrived, after which BJC announced that their Fuji Rock Festival set on July 28, 2000, would serve as the last performance. Late 2000 brought the live document Last Dance (recorded July 8 and 9 at Yokohama Arena) and a two-disc greatest-hits collection spanning the entire catalog. Following the split, the musicians stayed active in projects including Ajico, Jude, Losalios, Rosso, and Sherbets.