The Watanabes are proud to announce that their debut album Independent Social Power is now available across Japan at the following stores:

The band would like to thank BabyBoom Records Japan and Art Union for making this release possible.

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The Watanabes made a minor but memorable appearance on national Television last Saturday, with an interview on the popular Zoom in Saturday show. The hot topics of conversation included Katsudon – the food, Katsudon – the recommended restaurants, and of course, Katsudon – the recently released Watanabes song! (Listen here to the track here on Favourite Tree)

Duncan and Ash showed Japanese mega pop idol Kamanashi Kazuya a thing or two about singing with an impromptu performance of Katsudon, whilst Selwyn’s all time favourite female idol Yukie Nakama looked on in awe.

Flavio and Stefan chipped in with an intellectual commentary on Japanese society and in particular, the hotly debated topic of why Japanese women choose to use umbrellas on sunny days. Yukie Nakama was in stitches, and clearly fancied Flav.

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With Flav sadly trading in his chopsticks and drumsticks to return to the knives and forks of Belgium (or whatever eating untensils they use in that rather confusing country) for a solo career, this will be our last Tokyo gig with the current Watanabe 5 lineup. Sad, but hopefully it..ll be a special night. It’s on ocean day, my favorite national holiday on the calender, so I recommend heading to the beach during the day then dropping by Shibuya afterwards. We don’t mind if you’re all sandy.
As it will take a couple of months before we come roaring back as the New Watanabe 5, this will also probably be our last full band Tokyo gig for a little while.
We’ll be the last band, starting around 9pm. We’d love to see you there. If not, don’t forget to slip, slop and slap, and have a great ocean day.

For more information and a map visit the Kinoto webpage: Shibuya Club Kinoto

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The Watanabes are flying over from Tokyo to tour the UK. They’re stopping at The Duchess in York for one night — Saturday 15th August. As fans of FTR will know, they’ve written some of the best tunes you’ve never heard and are big in the biggest city in the world.

Flyer for £3 entry

They will be supported by Duchess veterans the awesome Sheffield indie band Take To The Seas, and the band so incredible that words cannot describe them, York-based Towns And Houses (sporting a new line-up).

So for the first time, all three bands from the hip and tuneful Favourite Tree Records label will be on the same stage, and it’s not to be missed!!

You might think we have worked damn hard and spent a damn lot of money to bring this international motley collection together, and you’d be damn right (although all the money has been spent by The Watanabes, who have spent all their savings).

And just to add some more excitement to this already juice-drippingly amazing evening, the wonderful Holly Taymar will be joining us (http://www.hollytaymar.com).

It will probably be your only chance to see The Watanabes in the flesh, and without a doubt the most fun you could possibly have on the particular evening of 15th August 2009.

Just £3 (see event below to print flyer).

So come on down to The Duchess…. Saturday 15th August!

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The Watanabes are very excited to announce that a distribution deal has been confirmed with Art Union, in collaboration with Baby Boom Records Japan. 

Art Union are a Japanese record label and distributor and in the past have worked with bands such as The Cardigans. You might be able to find out more about the label here, depending upon how competent your Japanese is! We’d like to thank Kengo Iwamoto form Baby Boom Records for making this possible.

The label will be releasing “Independent Social Power” at major record stores in Japan, such as HMV and Tower Records, from this coming August. 

Other news: We are presently recording new tracks at KRH Studios, and should have a new 4 track EP out sometime in June. So far, the tracks seem to be coming together nicely. Our latest music video is in the process of being re-edited and should be finished within the next few weeks. 

The band have a very busy schedule  coming up over May and June.

Saturday 30th May: DRAGON CLUB, Yokohama (adv.1700yen /door.2200yen/ 18:00 – Nabes on at 18:30)

Friday 5th June: TOKYO WILD SIDE, Shinjuku (adv.1800yen/18:00 – Nabes on at 20:40  - With The Portbell Market)

Tuesday 16th June: ADM, Ikebukuro, (adv.2000yen/19:00 – With Sunset Drive)

Tuesday 23rd June: MARZ, Shinjuku (adv.2000/door.2300 – With Traffic Light )

Saturday 27th June: OTB, Kawasaki (Yet to be announced – With DieByForty)

Monday 20th July: KINOTO, Shibuya (adv.1800yen/door.2400) – with ALPS5C - Nabes playing an extended set from 8:30)

よろしくお願いします

The Watanabes

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A review of our album, and pictures from our recent Sleeping on the Dayshift gig at Deseo by Ethan Green: An American Werewolf in Tokyo

Ethan is a music graduate from Yale University, and has come to Japan to document the underground music scene in Tokyo. He has stumbled across many of the bands that we play with here in Tokyo: Bands such as our very good friends and allies, Sunset Drive, Bankin Garu, Yuki Kawana, and my personal favourite, Japanese band yucca.

If you have any interest in the independent music scene here in Tokyo, be sure to check out his website.

Ethan provides a fascinating insight into the music scene here, and it will give you a very good idea of the kind of bands that we enjoy, play with and more importantly, are inspired by.

Other news: Our Marz gig in Shinjuku was a great success. Enjoy some of the show here, but remember to turn up the volume!

よろしくお願いします！　Dunksicles.

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Walshy D here, just thought I’d give you all an update on the last few weeks and all the exciting upcoming events!

First of all, we have a new video in the pipeline! I won’t reveal which song it is for but it’s off the album and it was filmed in Tokyo last week with American video editor and photographer Aaron Jenkins. We’re really excited about it. Aaron is not only a great guy, but also a very talented individual with a lot of experience, and we are so excited about seeing the finished version which he is presently working on back in the States. For some of his work so far, take a look at his webpage:

We have some good news regarding the album. Baby Boom Records in Japan have been in contact with us, and they would like to co-release Independent Social Power in Japan with Favourite Tree. Baby Boom Records are aiming to have the album available in both Tower Records and HMV, here in Tokyo, which would be a huge moment both for The Watanabes and Favourite Tree Records. Check out Baby Boom:

As far as events go, well it’s a BIG week. We have two important gigs. One on Thursday night at Marz in Shinjuku, where we’ll be limbering up for the following night. The livehouse and the event can be found here: Marz

Then the following evening we have the one that really matters. It’s another sleeping on the dayshift gig hosted by Sunset Drive. Last time this gig attracted 260 people, and involved artists signed with major labels such as Avex. Kat McDowell was one of these.

Once again, it will be in Shibuya, but this time at DESEO. For more information about the bands we’ll be playing with and the event itself, please check out the event myspace page.

Tickets are 2000yen in advance and 2500 on the door. They can be bought at Lawsons convenience stores. (Ticket Code/Play Guide: 77268)

… and just to round off a busy week, we’re also starting work on some new material this week. Four base tracks have been laid down and we’ll be over to KRH studios tomorrow to lay down guitars and keys. We’re all a bit disappointed with the standard of our album. We’ve improved no end since then, so with these next 4 tracks, we can have no excuses! がんばります！Fingers crossed!

See you soon, Dunc.

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The Watanabes have a huge gig this Thursday at a well known event in Tokyo for British indie fans: British Underground at the Ruby Room.

The event is hosted by Daniel Robson; NME journalist and manager of Bo Peep – presently making waves in the UK. We’re delighted to have been invited to headline the event:

http://www.britishunderground.jp/tube/article/64

Here’s a little more information about the event itself:

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Independent Social Power had it’s first review in the Japanese national press this month:

http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/jz/1994/CD+Reviews+-+March+2009

Towns and Houses will be particularly pleased with it.

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The Watanabes recent Valentines Party at The Pink Cow in Shibuya was streamed live and is available to watch here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1152182

Enjoy the beautiful shambles that is a Watanabes Gig!

WARNING: This video includes awful swearing, terrible (and possibly unintentionally offensive) jokes, as well as DIRE mistakes!! But it is rather amusing nevertheless!

… my mum is gonna kill me!

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