Description
Vodka Collins – Tokyo New York – Compact Disc
Tokyo – New York is the debut album by the rock band Vodka Collins. The album was originally released in 1973. Vodka Collins was a glam rock band formed by expatriate British musician Alan Merrill and Japanese guitarist Hiroshi Oguchi.
The effect on the current Japanese rock scene by the band Vodka Collins is enormous. Vodka Collins were the biggest glam-rock group in Japan in the early 70’s, and they started a trend of singing in Japanese with an English accent, and mixing Japanese and English lyrics together in the pop song, a first. This style is copied today by virtually every pop group recording hits today in Japan.
Formed by Hiroshi Oguchi, the former drummer of the Tempters, the ‘bad boys’ of the Tokyo rock scene, and Alan Merrill, the pathologically eccentric pretty-boy guitarist/singer, Vodka Collins rose to the top quickly. By 1973 they were the hippest group in the country.
The album ‘Tokyo-New York’ was released and had three hit singles on it. ‘Automatic Pilot’, ‘Sands Of Time’ and ‘Billy Mars’. Their song ‘Scratchin” was used as a T.V. theme song as well. The songs were written by Alan Merrill, with Japanese lyrics by Hiroshi Oguchi.
The album is characterized by its glam rock sound, which was influenced by the glam rock movement of the early 1970s. Glam rock was known for its flamboyant style and a fusion of rock and pop elements.Tokyo – New York features catchy melodies, glam-inspired riffs, and lyrics that often touch on themes of nightlife and urban living.
One of the standout tracks from the album is ‘Automatic Pilot,’ which became one of Vodka Collins’ signature songs.
While Vodka Collins did not achieve the same level of commercial success as some of their glam rock contemporaries, Tokyo – New York is considered a cult classic among fans of the genre. It captures the spirit of the glam rock era and reflects the band’s unique blend of British and Japanese influences.
Alan Merrill is a very catchy songwriter as evidenced by his later composition ‘I Love Rock’n Roll’ by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Merrill actually recorded it first with his post-Vodka Collins group, the Arrows, in 1975 in the U.K. He sang the original RAK Records Arrows version! The music of Vodka Collins was as current as any of their foreign contemporaries T-Rex and David Bowie. Marc Bolan of T-Rex, and his wife June, loved Vodka Collins Tokyo New York!
This band could have been competitive in the international music market but the recordings were never released outside of Japan until now, more than 25 years later. Bad management split up the band at its peak in 1973 as it was headlining a show at the world famous Budokan arena. Pity, as the music was in the true spirit of the times, and cutting edge 70’s glam rock. This CD is the real velvet goldmine. It’s clever, sexy, and it rocks. Unlike so many albums from this period here’s a recording that stands the test of time. Both thumbs up to Man’s Ruin Records for re-releasing it.
Tokyo – New York remains a noteworthy album within the glam rock genre and serves as a historical artifact of the era’s musical and cultural influences.
Mans Ruin Records
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the plastic
Song List
1. Automatic Pilot
2. Billy Mars
3. Terminal City
4. Sands of Time
5. Pontiac Pan
6. Diamond to Dungarees
7. Monitor
8. Vacuum Girl
9. Scratchin’
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