2004 - Capitol Records / TOCT-25381
The Golden Cups formed in Yokohama in 1966. Singer and founder Dave Hirao had played in an earlier combo called the Sphinx. Joining him was Eddie Ban on lead guitar, Kennith Ito on guitar and vocals, Louis Kabe on bass and Mamaru Manu on drums. Kenneth Ito had grown up in Hawaii and his English vocals gave them an edge over most other Japanese acts of the time. Initially calling themselves the Group and I, they renamed themselves after the Golden Cup nightclub near the Honmoku army base when they became the house band there. An appearance on the Young 720 TV show gave them national exposure and led to a contract with Capitol.
Their recordings vary greatly, with lesser tracks ranging from sacharrine ballads to unspectacular versions of popular soul songs, and later on to sludgy blues covers. Still, almost every 45 and lp release has something to recommend it and a few are really superb. Hiwa Mata Noboru is the b-side to their first 45, Jezebel. Their second 45 Love Is My Life has it all - fuzz, screams, and incredible bass runs by Kabe. I recommend the flip, Do You Know I Love You (written by Ito and Ban) to real fans of the Japanese pop sound, but others may want to pass on it.
No other 'group sounds' recording comes close to matching their next 45, This Bad Girl for pure garage sound. It's probably their very best.
From their first album comes their take on Hey Joe, surely one of the best versions of this song ever cut. The band takes it at an incredibly fast speed, with more amazing bass playing from Kabe, piercing fuzz leads, good vocals and a full three minutes of feedback laden freak-out during the middle of the song!
The madness continues with Happening at 3 O'Clock A.M, where a speeded-up Vox Wah Wah ad segues into a psychedelic spaghetti-western style trip. It's a later single that's also on their second LP.
Like many Japanese productions of the period these are all in stereo, and the band makes good use of it.
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