THE GEROGERIGEGEGE

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Today was listening "Hotel Ultra" CD, and in its utterly weird and senseless content, it inspired to remind anyone who has not fully understood the divine qualities of this Japanese cult band, to check out essential things:

(Topic work in progress... will be updated.)


Gerogerigegege Cass, C30   
ZSF Produkt    1985   

Senzuri Champion LP   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1987   
   
Showa LP   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1988
Man and woman moaning, while gratifying themself. Fanfare in beginning and end. No noise, nothing beyond sex fest. I recall it was said to be just sex tape sold in porn shops pressed to LP ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sLyHSTNUe4&feature=related

Sexual Behavior In The Human Male  CD/ 7"
Transrecords (2)    1988   
moaning, talking, masturbation. 7" and re-issue later on CD with bonus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y22cX33XHLw
   
Live At Tokyo Gay Center
(Acetate, 7", S/Sided, Shape, Ltd, Red)   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1989   
Simple shitty noise. I guess for reason it was meant as object, not listening record.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd_Ee-YagTY
   
All My Best To You, With Love Juntaro (7")   
Stomach Ache Records    1990   
Japanese music on both sides. I guess Juntaro sent tapes of Jap music to label and they pressed it as Gerogerigege 7"..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UTOcrA_NaE
   
Tokyo Anal Dynamite CD   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1990   
Free form punk noise, band line-up. Disorganized and chaotic "noisecore" type. Each song title announced and chaos starts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYaRV6EwI3U
   
Absolute Butt Fuck A-Go-Go (2xCD, Ltd)   
RRRecords    1991   
Just two Vis A Vis titles re-packaged as 100 copies double CD (senzuri power up + live greatest hits)
   
Live Greatest Hits CD
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1991   
One of very earliest experienced I had with Gerogerigege. This particular song was something so beyond anything what I had heard pressed on CD at the time. Stupid drum machine beat and Gero-P masturbating himself. Not for the weak!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50-I3eSL9uw

Senzuri Power Up (CD)   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1991   
In my opinion the absolute best Gerogerigegege release of all times! Not to mention how "Story of Thabala" (see link) is more brutal than majority of bands such as SJ or Ramleh did. Short CD and style varies in each song. From pure feedback/noise to band line-up. But always intense as fuck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V8BG5yPyhI
   
45RPM Performance CD   
Dark Vinyl Records    1992   
Turntable noise can be good or bad, and even in case of Gerogerigegege, you could expect it to be just about anything, 45rpm performance is actually harsh, yet well done noise album! Actually sounds more "serious" than most of Gero stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH0ryISu3oI

More Shit E.P
Baby Huey    1992   
First side is more like regular punk rock recording and b-side goes closer to Tokyo Anal Dynamite style, but with rock drummer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFNUFVNGoxM    

Ai-Jin (Flexi, 7", S/Sided)   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1992   
Japanese nostalgic pop tune with Juntaro adding karaoke style vocals with distortion. Single pretty impossible to find, but published on compilations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UmGDeZZLRs
   
Senzuri Monkey Metal Action (7")   
Psycho Mania Records    1992   
This great UK noisecore/grind label did a lot of great releases which probably very few remember anymore? This Gerogerigege 7" is perhaps not their absolute best, but guitar feedback is so piercing, such sickness is rarely achieved!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siIlFW0CBcg
   
Night 7"   
Ant-Zen    1993   
If you like sound of lubed masturbation/cock-massage, I guess this very limited 7" is worth hunting for. Can't be many of such releases in the world?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHwpcXznGxk
   
Mother Fellatio 7"
A.I.P.R.    1993
When you listen this 7", you know where Nihilist Commando ripped off basically beginning of its every release, hah! Noisecore rarely gets more brutal than this. Just utterly fierce and utterly goofy. I used to do this noisecore project back in 90's called "Violent Sibelius" which was even more to this style. Probably should check if recordings would need to be heard by more people..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wby8z_RpVCw   
   
Yellow Trash Bazooka 7"   
SOA Records    1993   
Perfect companion to Mother Fellatio! Trash noisecore nonsense at its best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXZ21s71kDU
   
Kitanomaru Hyakkei (7")   
Monellaphone Cassettes    1993
After such a brutal noisecore 7"s, this graverobbin' of some old mid 80's recordings in style of Senzuri Champion noisecore or Tokyo Anal Dynamite, but with boombox recording quality didn't hit as hard - but nevertheless good ep!

Zero Song Flexi (Flexi, Ltd)   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts    1993
Seen online slightly different looking versions, but my own copy comes 100% sure from Juntaro, so it puts little value to anti-flexi cut out of regular transparent film and put in 7" covers, hah..

Nothing To Hear / Nothing To...1985 CD   
Noise    1993   
complete CD found in link. 1985 stuff is the style of his first tape on Merzbows label. Brutal harsh noise with no mercy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljPBuQ2d-k

William Bennett Is My Dick 7"   
Stomach Ache Records    1993
Stomach Ache and Gerogerigege? It promises utter retardom and it delivers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMF7y6aEZJs
   
Instruments Disorder (170 Songs CD) CD, Album   
Mediacapsule    1994   
One cd length session of brutal noisecore. I originally thought sound of snare drum (ringing) made this little weak compared to Morther Fellatio and Yellow Trash Bazooka, but still merciless noise chaos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iolm6O6cxqA&feature=relmfu
   
Endless Humiliation (CD)   
Japan Overseas    1994   
1994 CD's of Gerogerigegege were always a surprise. Couldn't know what was coming. Interview with homeless man combined with Juntaros piano improvisations?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neefUpmTOM0
   
Hotel Ultra CD   
Kubitsuri Tapes,     1994
Sound-collage, spoken word, tiny noises. Fluxus art? Who knows. Just beyond words.    
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm9HVsZEzpQ&feature=relmfu
   
Life Documents 7"
Fourth Dimension Records    1994   
Beatbox version of the Live Greatest Hits?? And the caveman sex grunts over music. Beyond words.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffsTjkbpoxk
   
Senzuri Fight Back (7", EP)
Hachimitsu, Turbine Industries    1994   
   
All You Need Is Audio Shock 7"   
Regurgitated Semen Records    1995   
Bass noise version following the noisecore style of Gerogerigege. Lazy, rumbling, not so wild and aggressive.   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iD_LQiv9wE&feature=related

Wreck Of Rock'N'Roll 'Former Self 7"
A.I.P.R.    1995   
Quite close to Kitanomaru Hyakkei session sound, but little more modern. Chaotic noisecore with slow drums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm8WNfIj6xw
   
Veel Plezier! 7",    
Meeuw Muzak    1995   
7" which at the time of release, seemed to me like worthless piece of shit, but turned out to be pretty genius piece of wax. Juntaro's childhood recordings of reel-to-reel recorder. Daily sounds of japanese household, I guess. No artistic input here.
   
No Sound (7")   
Vinyl Communications    1995   
Large reverb effect absorbs everything into distant and splashing effect. Simple, but very effective release!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhQhQMUPAR0
   
Mort Douce Live ◄ (3 versions)   
Sound Factory    1996   

Gerogerigegege, The / Origami Erotika - Seven Inches Of Meat 7"   
Jazzassin Records, KomKol Autoprod    1996   
Sex noise dance. Think of life documents 7" in disco.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLOkXsR_s0o&feature=related
   
Gerogerigegege, The / Bastard Noise - Ramones / New Toy For Children (7", Gre)   
Vis A Vis Audio Arts, Not On Label (Bastard Noise Self-released)    1996   
More ramo rock sounding recording from Gerogerigegege. Among their most useless. Sample is short, but gives you the idea. But worth getting for BN side, of course!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRf4G3I2b8I
   
Yasukuni Jinja 7"   
Membrum Debile Propaganda    1996   
Fierce experimental noise recorded already back in 1990. High pitched and flat, but at the same time charming! I prefer this over a lot more "brutal" stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgMfTDxxH9o
   
Gerogerigegege, The / Pyosalpinx - Split (7", Ltd)   
Scrotum Records    1997   
Later days noise started to somehow lack the enthusiasm, or was it just me? I remember it was good, but nothing that special.
   
None Friendly (CD, Album, Dig)   
Mink Records, Mink Records    1999   
One of my least favorite Gerogerigegege albums, simply because it is so normal. Ultra minimal drone, where basically slow oscillations / slow flanger movement of sound makes all the variation that disc has. Clean and neat drone.
   
Hell Driver (CD, Ltd)   
Dirter Promotions    1999   
It has some noise in it too, mostly high pitched and not so brutal. But mainly the lo-fi piano improvisations of Juntaro. In my opinion very good stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLqZFO0e-A0

Early Dream Exit (7")   
View Beyond Records, Napalmed    2000   
Compilation of various sessions collected into one 7", where style varies greatly. From experimental to free-music/noisecore style, but most often humming ambience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7kuG7F2P8Y
   
Saturday Night Big Cock Salaryman (CD, EP)   
Full Volume Agency, Full Volume Agency    2001   
It doesn't sound as useless as I thought in 2001... Juntaro and two Mamarracho guys doing perhaps digital and "modern" version of famous gero style. It doesn't have the same edge and fierceness, but still actually pretty intense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVLkYwCztHk
   
Gerogerigegege, The / Masonna - Split (Acetate, 7")   
Coquette
?? who knows what ??


compilations

Singles 1985-1993 CD   
Work In Progress, Work In Progress    1994   
Very nice way to get several 7"s at the same time. Sadly, obviously, long out of print.
   
Recollections Of Primary Masturbation (338 Songs CD) CD   
Onkel Tuka Records    1998
Perhaps better of the compilation, collecting some of the same, but also various weird pieces to one CD, focusing on his noisecore type output.

[bitewerksMTB]

Based on what I've have heard,  I've never understood anyone's interest in Gero. Some of the ideas sound sort of interesting but nothing I'd want to pay for.

[XXX]

i agree, seems like people will pay out the nose for utter nonsense and fuck all attitude. clearly popular or the releases wouldn't be so damn expensive.

that being said, i do own tokyo anal dynamite. makes me laugh every time i spin it.

[HongKongGoolagong]

anyone who has not fully understood

Made me laugh a little - nobody understands this stuff, not even Juntaro - that's why it's great Dada art. The nearest equivalent making records to my mind is Vagina Dentata Organ - both have an intense and surprisingly sincere cracked art-damaged vision, and neither really have anything to do with noise/industrial, they just got lumped in with that stuff.

Endless Humiliation is a favorite Gero release here.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Well, what do we ever REALLY fully understand?
Of course it meant more in lines of if you merely experienced lets say 0-3 Gero releases, as opposed to vast majority, there is less chances to see what makes it special.
If you only hear his absolute best noise works (like: Senzuri Power-up, Mother Fellatio, Nothing to hear....) or his most horrid sound anti-art (like: Showa, Night, Endless Humiliation), they both may work out, yet doesn't reveal why band would be such a target of worship.

I recall Juntaro did associate himself with noise, saying Gero is the biggest japanese noise band, where Tokyo Anal Dynamite was supposed to sell.. was it 3000 or 5000 CD's ? And his label did the noise releases (at least in wide sense: Ramleh, Mauthausen Orchestra, Haters, SBOTHI,..).

I personally think it is noise band, just in times when noise was not all about distortion and heavy walls, but noise could be simply opposed to music.  If in common language, noise means most of all "unwanted sounds", I believe Gerogerigege fits that category much more than a lot of noise which is wanted & desired sounds, HAH!

[HongKongGoolagong]

If in common language, noise means most of all "unwanted sounds", I believe Gerogerigege fits that category much more than a lot of noise which is wanted & desired sounds, HAH!

Indisputable!

Last thing I heard about Juntaro (he was in touch with quite a few people I know) was that around 2005 he entered a 'sleep clinic' for rest, no-one has heard from him since. Sadly he may be languishing in the psychiatric system, hopefully that isn't the case and he got out and simply decided to quit the project.

[tisbor]

Probably The Gerogerigegege is the only band i'm really completely obsessed with. I can't explain why but i always find Juntaro's sounds and aesthetics perfect. When you record a guy wanking over silly midi christmas tunes, what more can you do? And what about stealing cover designs from some random synth pop band for years?
Personal favorites: Endless Humiliation, Mother Fellatio, None Friendly, Live Greatest Hits.
Wasn't the Stomach Ache stuff actually not "made" by Juntaro? Or maybe i'm mixing it up with the RRRecycled tape.

[Zeno Marx]

I don't think you can intellectualize appreciation or interest in TGGGGG.  Even explanations of why you find yourself enjoying or appreciating it ends up being an exercise in dada.  I don't think it is a "get it vs. don't get it" situation, either.  It's more primal, more elementary than that.  It's "like it vs. don't like it", and being unaffected by it is as good as not liking it.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

I can't explain why but i always find Juntaro's sounds and aesthetics perfect. When you record a guy wanking over silly midi christmas tunes, what more can you do?

I have the same impressions. I like his unusal mood where primitive sexual feelings, lust are mixed with many noises and pop or rock music / icons of mainstream culture. No doubt this is one of the most important and unique noise industrial projects ever. I wonder what happened to Tetsuya Endoh (vel Gero 30), very important member (maybe not in making music but in performance actions) and Juntaro's (boy?)friend... any info?

[tiny_tove]

discovered him with Yellow Trash Bazooka, released by Italian hardcore/grind label Scream of Anger, of my friend Paolo Petralia.
everybody was getting that 7" as some sort of weird fun, I really enjoyed it and once I got to know more about his sexual content I became obsessed and still am... My dream would be to see him live.

The stuff about the sex club really made my day

[tisbor]

My dream would be to see him live.

Yes!
Marco: let's put up a Gerogerigegege cover band

[neurobit]

I remember one album that came in either a Ramones sleeve or a sleeve with Hirohito on it. I don't know the title but I loved the tracks when I heard them.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

It is "Showa" LP.

[P A N I C]

Like Silvum, Gero is an (if not the) all time favorite here. So much of their work is absolutely genius though my personal favorite is definitely Yasukuni Jinja 7". Roaring bassy synth on A and obnoxious screech on B with piercing shrieks from Juntaro = doesn't get any better. 10 minutes of prime Gero material. Other releases I have a major weakness for are Senzuri Power Up (which combines pretty much everything, from fairly straight forward HN to senzuri scum 'n roll to groove out fuck rock to hypnotic drones (the NSG tape with more material in this vein is of course genius!); Instruments Disorder (ultimate 1-2-3-4 record for me, and inlay/booklet is total classic: 170 SONGS!!FUCK HEAD!! cracks me up like nothing else); Live Greatest Hits (rattling drum computer, wank sounds, occasional shrieks, very haunting release and so fucking intense and ultimately exhilirating). Frankly there is little that does not do much for me (some exceptions are Showa, despite its great concept, and Sexual Behaviour), as every release manages to create its own little universe in which it only exists and listening it is exclusively momentarily living it (some additional examples here would be releases like Hell Driver, Hotel Ultra, Endless Humiliation and Early Dream Exit). Yes there's certain 'strands' in Gerography but even then there is no samishness, no worn concepts, only genuine fuckhole scumbag sound rape. Nothing like Gero. Ever. Again.

@overview in first post, is Veel Plezier! not a composition of soap opera recordings (is what it always sounded like to me)? I have no info on it really so that was just my guess... Regardless it is an absolutely FANTASTIC release...

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I recall reading it is recordings Juntaro made as child on reel-to-reel. Therefore, it has just the sounds of living room or something - I assume TV or radio on background?