The Penelopes

Bio:

..

Download The Penelopes...now available on the following sites:-

"A PLACE IN TH SUN" (1997 / Vaudeville Park) iTunes Rhapsody
(Japan/日本)iTunes|MUSICO|LISTEN JAPAN|ONGEN

"INNER LIGHT" (1999 / Vaudeville Park) iTunes Rhapsody
(Japan/日本)iTunes|MUSICO|LISTEN JAPAN|ONGEN

"ETERNAL SPRING" (2003 / Vaudeville Park) iTunes Rhapsody
(Japan/日本)iTunes|LISTEN JAPAN|ONGEN

"SUMMERDEW AVENUE" (2006 / Vaudeville Park)
(Japan/日本)ONGEN|monstar.fm

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O Bosque/Woodland international pop compilation "cosmoPOPlitan Vol.3"

UK indie label O Bosque/Woodland released an international compilation "cosmoPOPlitan Vol.3", which features The Penelopes "Gentians".

This is also available on the download sites like this:- Amazon UK

For further information:- O Bosque/Woodland label blog

A worldwide pop compilation "Sweet Psychedelic Orange"

Newly founded "Vostok Sound Organization" released a worldwide compilation "Sweet Psychedelic Orange" on the 25th of October, 2008.

The compilation, featuring a lot of new artists such as The Ace(UK), Monsieur Mo Rio(Germany), Santa Dog(UK), Age Of Jets(Japan), Lumeny(Russia), The Music Lovers(US), Sloppy Joe(Japan), Fiel Garvie(UK), Achordian(Sweden) and Rinaldi Sings(UK), also contains many tracks from the fames such as Paul Bevoir(ex-Jetset, Smalltown Parade, now with Family Way), Wingdisk(ex-Pale Saints), Mr. Wright(ex-Always) and English Roundabout (aka Mike Alway of El). Of course my band Penelopes contributed one track.

"Trick Of the Light" on "Yuki No Saikai"

"Yuki No saikai" (Meeting again in the snow), a short film directed by Sachiko Iida, features The Penelopes "Trick Of the Light" from "Sweet Psychedelic Orange".

短編映画「雪の再会」

"Sweet Psychedelic Orange"収録のThe Penelopesの楽曲"Trick Of the Light"が、飯田紗子監督による短編映画「雪の再会」に使われています。

■Cinema Production VELVET(飯田監督のサイト)

"Belle De Jour" - Santa Dog

There Isn't Any Truth" - Monsieur Mo Rio

"Adamantine Sorceress Of Ecstasy" - The Ace

You can buy the CD through PayPal.

Please send me a message telling your postal address, and I'll send you the necessary information. As soon as I receive the money (2,100Yen, no postage needed), the CD will be delivered.

Oh, and if you have time, please visit the label blog "Vostok Lake Pier" for more details, but please note that this is written in Japanese! so if you want to know more about each artist, it may be better to click the photos in my friends box...

Anyway I hope many music lovers will enjoy the compilation.

Tatsuhiko / The Penelopes

Label Blog:-

Vostok Lake Pier

watanabe (The Penelopes / Vaudeville Park Records / Vostok Sound Organization)からのお知らせ

　watanabe主宰の個人レーベルVaudeville Park内に新たに立ち上げた新レーベル"Vostok Sound Organization"のコンピレーションCD "Sweet Psychedelic Orange"(スウィート・サイケデリック・オレンジ)が、10月25日にリリース! 現在、好評発売中です。6カ国15アーティストによる15曲を収録、2100円。フルカラーのブックレット、デザインはもちろん今回もエル・グラフィックです。参加アーティストは上の英語文の方にある通りです。上にありますレーベルブログもぜひご参照下さい。

(入手方法)

　銀行またはPayPalにて代金2100円(送料は無料です)をご送金下さい。入金が確認出来次第商品をお送りいたします。まずはご送付先を記載したメッセージをいただければ送金に必要な情報をお知らせいたします。

PayPal(日本語)

　以下の各店でもご購入いただけます。

■Apple Crumble Record(東京・渋谷)

■Pop・Satori(名古屋・中村区)

名古屋市中村区椿町20-15　国鉄会館1F

名古屋駅より徒歩約4分 地図 TEL: 052-453-5033

■SEANT(名古屋・栄)

名古屋市中区栄３丁目３４－４１

地下鉄矢場町4番出口を出てパルコ西館と南館の間の細い道を西へ300m、ガラス張りの建物 地図 TEL: 052-261-4453 TEL: 052-261-4453

■Velvet Moon(大阪)

お問い合わせ: info@velvet-moon.com

■disques dessinee(ディスク・デシネ) (神戸・元町)

兵庫県神戸市中央区栄町通 2-1-2 日東ビルディング B03

JR、阪神「元町駅」より、南(海側)へ徒歩約5分 旧店舗より、南西へ徒歩約7分 地図

※なお、今回ダウンロードによる音源販売はいたしませんのでご了承ください。

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About The Penelopes

"In Watanabe, Japan has its first great Western indie-pop auteur, an eccentric as capable of conjuring up '60s AM radio delectability as serious '90s alternapop." --Ira Robbins, Trouser Press

Mainly influenced by British pop music in the '60s and the '80s, The Penelopes were born in November 1990 as the brainchild of songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tatsuhiko Watanabe. After releasing three demo tapes on his own Cradle Organization label, Watanabe launched into his first studio recording with three other musicians, including his brother Satoshi Watanabe (who went on to establish himself as a contemporary painter), which gave birth to the legendary Japanese pure pop anthem "Evergreen," featured on "The Birth of the True" compilation in 1992.

"Evergreen"
from the 1st album "In A Big Golden Cage" (1993 / Por Supuesto)

"It's Not You"
from the 1st album "In A Big Golden Cage"(1993). Also released as a single on Elefant Records in Spain

Since then, The Penelopes have released seven albums (two on Por Supuesto/Rail, one on Green Goo/Creativeman Disc and four on Tatstuhiko's Vaudeville Park label), and have contributed their pure pop gems to several important compilations in the '90s. The Penelopes' music, which has been compared to that of a variety of other bands (from '60s outfits such as The Beatles, The Who and a lot of Motown stuff to '80s stuff like XTC, Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Aztec Camera, The Railway Children and The Housemartins/Beautiful South), is highly acclaimed not only in Japan but also in the States and Europe for its wonderful melodies in a wide range of musical styles and Watanabe's heartbreaking singing style, with words that are full of references to the world, Japan, and the Hanshin area, which is The Penelopes' home base.

"Good Music"
from the 2nd album "Touch the Ground"(1994 / Por Supuesto/Rail Recordings)

"If You Need Somebody To Love"
from the 2nd album "Touch the Ground"(1994)

Bassist Chigusa Miyata joined the band in early 1993, after the release of The Penelopes' debut album. Her musicianship and ability have added a certain brightness to the unique sound of The Penelopes. She also contributes her talents to other projects, such as the mod-jazz outfit Les Cappuccino, and the '60s tribute band Windy Windy.

"When Tomorrow Comes"
from the 3rd album "Kiss Of Life"(1997 / Creativeman Disc/Green Goo)

"Lemonade Factory"
from the 3rd album "Kiss Of Life"(1997 / Creativeman Disc/Green Goo)

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In 1997 when The Penelopes released the 3rd album "Kiss Of Life" on Creativeman Disc/Green Goo, Tastuhiko established his ownl label Vaudeville Park Records, which has released four Penelopes albums to date--4th album "A Place In the Sun," 5th album "Inner Light," 6th album "Eternal Spring," and 7th album "Summerdew Avenue." Since 1998, in his home studio, Lemonade Factory, he has also collaborated with female duo Rhythm Fantasy, whose two albums, "Melody Garden" and "World 2003," were released by Vaudeville Park, in 2000 and 2003, respectively.

"Friends"
from the 4th album "A Place In the Sun"(1997 / Vaudeville Park)

"Seeds Of Wisdom"
from the 5th album "Inner Light"(1999 / Vaudeville Park)

"Love Is"
from the 6th album "Eternal Spring"(2003 / Vaudeville Park)

Combined with a profound knowledge of pop music, Watanabe's openmindedness to music and life in general have given different shapes and colours to The Penelopes' music.

Partial discography:

Summerdew Avenue (2006)

"Summerdew Avenue" on Not Lame Online Shop


Eternal Spring (2003)


Inner Light (1999)

.. .... ..

Look for out-of-print Penelopes albums and compilation appearances here.

Member Since:

July 14, 2007

Members:

Tatsuhiko Watanabe - vocals, guitars, keyboards and programming

Visit his music diary "PENELOG"

Visit his twitter

Chigusa Miyata - bass and vocals

Influences:

Tatsuhiko:

(1)Late 70's - Mid 80's/New Wave era (aged around 15-22):-

If you were born in 1965 and were a sensitive music fan in your teens, you couldn't bypass the following artists:-

XTC, Elvis Costello, Squeeze, The Jam, The Boomtown Rats, The Stranglers, The Pretenders, Yachts, Magazine, Rockple, Talking Heads, Shoes, The Knack, The Cars, Blondie, B-52's, Any Trouble, The Skids, The Records, The Vapors, The Undertones(3rd&4th), Simple Minds, Culture Club, Human League, Eurythmics, Mood Six, The Smiths, MIcrodisney, REM, Three O'Clock, Bangles, Orange Juice, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, The Mighty Wah!, The Chameleons, TV21, The Comsat Angels, a lots of post punk outfits, Aztec Camera, The Pale Fountains, The Bluebells, Hurrah!, The Icicle Works, Railway Children, The Style Council, Madness, The Jetset, Makin' Time, The Dukes Of Stratosphear, OMD, China Crisis, Tears For Fears, Ultravox, Prefab Sprout, The Housemartins, The Big Dish, The Blue Nile, It's Immaterial, The Bongos, The Smithereens, Spongetones, That Petrol Emotion, Crowded House, The Psychedelic Furs, The Chills....and many many more artists....

(2)Late 80's - Early 90's (aged around 23-25):-

Just before starting The Penelopes. So the inspiration given by the following artists was so huge!

The La's, Bradford, The Chesterfields, Biff Bang Pow!, Razorcuts, The Weather Prophets, Katydids, The River Detectives, Danny Wilson, The Hepburns, Andy Porak, The Proclaimers, The Stone Roses, The Mock Turtles, Superstar,The Lightning Seeds, Airhead ...(I think I'll add more).

(3)60's:-

The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Zombies, Chad & Jeremy, Small Faces, Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, The Beach Boys, The Move, Idle Race, Beau Brummels, Kippington Lodge, Lovin' Spoonful, The Turtles, The Monkees, The Byrds, Bacharch & David, The Box Tops, Them, Captain Beefheart, Japanese GS and Kayoukyoku, lots of tokusatsu(especially 'Ultraman' stuff by Toru Fuyuki) and anime themes, The Doors, Velvet Underground, lots of girl groups and Motown stuff. Southern soul/R&B stuff...countless.

(4)70's:-

Roxy Music, David Bowie, T-Rex, Be Bop Deluxe, Badfinger, Raspberries, Wings, Pilot, Stackridge, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, Randy Newman, Andrew Gold, The Band, Stealers Wheel, ELO, Al Green, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, southern soul, EW&F , lots of Kayoukyoku and TV drama themes.

(5)Others:-

jazz, movie themes, lots of Japanese traditional/folk music, blues, country, ska, raggae, calypso,...from Shaggs to Stockhausen...in short, every kind of good music I have heard has a lot of influence on me consciously/unconsciously.

Chigusa:

Aimee Mann, The Beatles, James Jamerson, Manfred Mann, Talking Heads, YMO, The Police, The Smiths, Ian Broudie, The Beautiful South, Serge Gainsbourg

Sounds Like:

XTC, Elvis Costello, Squeeze, The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, Aztec Camera, The Pale Fountains, The Smiths, Prefab Sprout, OMD, China Crisis, The Jet Set, Lightning Seeds, Bongos, Smithereens, Badfinger, ELO, Raspberries...good pop music in Penelopes style!!

Record Label:

Vaudeville Park