The Legend of Kansai Hardcore BOOK

Killer book on the history of Japanese hardcore written by a member of Death Side and Forward! 

F.O.A.D. Records - "This is a very special month for F.O.A.D. Records, because the main release that we are going to present is a book, a kind of item that isn’t that frequent in the line of releases of a record label… Years ago we published “Dritti contro un muro” – the definitive book on the history of Italian Hardcore/Punk in the ’80s, now we’re back on a similar experiment… What we are going to introduce now is a book documenting the history of Hardcore in a specific area of Japan, the Kansai region. The development of this project required enormous efforts and above all in many cases it meant finding ourselves slammed doors in our face by many people we asked for help in translating. But at the end, due to a really lucky situation, our paths crossed with an old friend who has lived in Tokyo for a long time, married to a Japanese girl, and from him the input and the opportunity to complete this project was reborn! Finally we are happy to announce that the English version of “THE LEGEND OF KANSAI HARDCORE” is ready!! Written by Ishiya of DEATH SIDE and FORWARD in collaboration with Shintani of RAPES, this book is a unique report about the scene that gave birth to legendary bands such as ZOUO, S.O.B., OUTO, RAPES, WARHEAD, NIGHTMARE, MOBS and many more. The book is packed with interviews, rare photos (in stunning quality, full coloured) and at the end you’ll find an extra section all dedicated to the many Japanese Hardcore / Punk / Metal releases on F.O.A.D. Records."

"“Kansai” is a region in Japan that lies in the southern-central territory of Japan’s main island Honshū and includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga. The metropolitan area of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto is the second-most populated in Japan after the Greater Tokyo Area. This book, previously published only in Japanese and now finally translated into English, is incredible journey through the depths of the Kansai Hardcore hell run by none other than Ishiya of DEATH SIDE and FORWARD fame. Teaming up with him in the interviews is Shintani from RAPES, whose career stretches from the early days of the Punk/Metal scene to the present. Packed with interviews, tons of interesting anecdotes and spiced up with rare pictures, this is the definitive work about that legendary scene, a true-to-the-bone, authentic Hardcore report… Bands included: ZOUO, S.O.B., OUTO, RAPES, WARHEAD, NIGHTMARE, MOBS, Charmy & Pon (LAUGHIN’ NOSE, NASHI) and more! Expanded version with an extra chapter all dedicated to the many Japanese Hardcore / Punk / Metal releases on F.O.A.D. Records with artwork and info. All written in English! 172 pages, full color."