Slipknot
Nov. 2

Iowa's best-known, shock-metalsmiths, 9-member strong Slipknot descend upon Osaka this month, too late for any clever Halloween tie-ins. Numerically-monikered, the members in order from zero to eight are: DJ Sid Wilson, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Grey, percussionist Chris Fehn, guitarist James Root, sampler/programmer Craig Jones, percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarist Mick Thompson, and lead vocalist Corey Taylor.

Guided by producer Ross Robinson, Slipknot released their self-titled debut album in 1999 and gradually built an audience through near-constant touring, eventually working their way up to the summer Ozzfest tour. Their live show slowly became a big draw for metal fans, and the band performed with such energy that Crahan gashed his head open on his own drum kit twice that summer, requiring stitches both times.

The tracks Spit It Out and Wait and Bleed got the band some airplay, but most of the buzz came from touring and word of mouth. By the spring of 2000, Slipknot was certified platinum. Fast forward to August 2003, by which time the entire squad had decamped Iowa for LA, where they began work on their latest record with super producer Rick Rubin. Pulse of the Maggots appeared in early 2004 as an exclusive download; it was followed by a full track listing for Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, which was eventually released this past May.

With this release, Slipknot has, according to LA Rockreview, “honed their modern metal assault to a fine edge,” exploring a range of dynamics not as apparent on previous records. Hailed by fans as their best album to date, Subliminal Verses reverts to more traditional song-forms and even includes the surprising likes of acoustic guitars, a string quartet and similar atmospherics. Whether they are mainstreaming, maturing or both, their current sound indicates a healthy balance between merciless thrash and clever refinement, and has most certainly widened their audience appeal. All that, plus they have fully redesigned their masks.

While certainly not for everyone, Slipknot is a grinding musical horror show that Kansai fans of Korn, Slayer and Alice in Chains are recommended to take in.

OsakaJo Hall
19:00 • ¥7,000. Tel: 06-6233-8888

Steve Lukather & Nuno Bettencourt
Nov. 18 & 20

Toto guitarist Steve Lukather boasts a 30-some-odd year career seasoned with collabo-rations or session work with stars from Carlos Santana to Eddie Van Halen to George Benson to Michael Jackson. He has even won a Gra-mmy for his hit song Turn Your Love Around. Portuguese born ex-Extreme member Nuno Bettencourt of Boston is consi-dered one of the most talented guitarists, not to mention songwriters, singers and arrangers, currently working. Part of a “special collaboration” program of the new and improved Osaka Blue Note, the two stars share the stage this month for 3 dates, with the support of a standard rhythm section — simply bass, keboard and drums. Expect to hear a mélange of AOR, electric and art-rock, with plenty of the unexpected on this inspired pairing.

Blue Note • 18:30/21:30 (18th), 18:00/20:00 (20th)
¥6,400/8,400 Tel: 06-6342-7722

The Eagles
Nov 3

Since their start in the early 1970s, the Eagles have been a domi-nant force in popular music. Their unmistakable sound and bottom-less catalog of hits have raised them to elite status in the field of acoustic rock. Denigrated by some as AOR and even shallow, their unpretentious electric mainstream rock has proven that 'commercial' doesn't have to be a bad word. A look at their formidable track record yields some useful perspective.

Their original "Greatest Hits" album has been certified as the biggest selling recording of the 20th Century. The band regrouped for a reunion album and tour in 1994 and again in 2003, after having recorded the heartfelt and beautifully sung 9/11 dedication "Hole In the World."

The Eagles were and remain fluent in rock, pop, and country, and their most famous hits (Desperado, Hotel California, Witchy Woman, Lyin' Eyes, Take It To The Limit , Please Come Home For Christmas, Life In The Fast Lane, the list goes on and on ...) are a testament to their cross-genre hit-writing talent. Despite the occasional line-up change, the evolution continues even in 2004. Their recently released album Very Best of the Eagles quickly rose to number three on the charts upon its release and has sold over two million copies to date. It is a double-CD collection chronicling their substantial musical history of charters, with a few lesser-known tunes and arrangements thrown in for good measure. An early concert review of the Eagles said that "these guys are so good it's scary." That still holds true today.

This month Osaka Dome plays host to the former Linda Ronstadt backing band.

Osaka Dome
18:00 • ¥8,800/¥9,800 Tel: 06-6341-4506

Vanessa Williams
Nov. 9-11

Since her album The Right Stuff went gold, former Miss America Vanessa Lynn Williams has been busy with careers in music, acting and modeling. Her 1991 sophomore album The Comfort Zone made her a star, spawning the R&B chart-topper Running Back to You, but the real gem was the ballad Save the Best for Last, a ubiquitous across-the-board smash that became Williams' first number one hit on the pop charts.

The title track solidified Williams' growing reputation for smooth, sexy adult pop, and the album went on to sell over two million copies. In 1994 she returned to her Broadway roots by accepting the starring role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. That same year she released her third album, The Sweetest Days - which featured material by Babyface and Sting - and its upscale ambiance gave Williams her second platinum album, and a constantly growing commercial appeal. Still more would recognize her as the soaring voice on 1995's Colors of the Wind, the theme to the Disney film Pocahontas.

Since the release of Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years about five years back, the multitalented entertainer has remained relatively quiet on the musical front, save for the occasional live performance event; she has concentrated more on her acting career, and was most recently featured in the remake of Shaft (2000). This month she appears for 3 nights on the Osaka Blue Note's special Grand Opening bill, for which table seating is already selling out as of this writing. Catch this classy sassy triple-threat entertainer while she's in town.

Osaka Blue Note
18:45/21:30 • ¥10,000/ ¥13,000 Tel: 06-6342-7722

Live Listings November

11/2
Slipknot @ OsakaJo Hall. 19:00 ¥7,000. Tel: 06-6233-8888. Rock
11/3
The Eagles @ Osaka Dome. 18:00. ¥8,800/¥9,800. Tel: 06-6341-4506. Rock/Pop
11/4
Original P-Funk, George Clinton @ Zepp Osaka. 19:00. ¥8,500.
Tel: 0570-02-9999. Funk
11/5
Ordinary Boys @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥5,500. Tel: 06-6535-5569. Rock
11/6
The Velvet Teen @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥5,000. Tel: 06-6281-8181. Alt. Rock
11/9
The Stills @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥5,500. Tel: 06-6281-8181. Rock
11/9
Kasabian @ Imp Hall. 19:00. ¥5,500. Tel: 0570-02-9999. Electronica
11/9-11
Vanessa Williams @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥10,000/ ¥13,000. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Pop/R&B
11/10
G. Love @ Big Cat. 19:00. ¥6,000.
Tel: 0570-02-9999. Rock/Folk
11/12-14
Babyface @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/ 21:30. ¥12,000/ ¥13,700/¥14,700. Tel: 06-6342-7722. R&B/Soul/Pop
11/13
Space Cowboy @ Club Karma.22:00. ¥4,000. Tel: 06-6535-5569. Dance
11/14
Janet Klein and Her Parlor Boys @ Taku Taku. 19:30. ¥5,000. Tel: 06-6361-6821. Jazz/Show Tunes
11/14
Sing4 @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥3,150. Tel: 06-6281-8181. Rock
11/15
Dropkick Murphys @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥6,000. Tel: 06-6535-5569.
Rock
11/17
Fried Pride @ Namba Hatch. 19:00 ¥5,250. Tel: 0570-02-9999. Pop
11/8
Rufio @ Club Quattro.19:00. ¥4,000. Tel: 06-6535-5569. Rock.
11/8
Last Year's Hero @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥4,000. Tel: 06-6535-5569. Rock
11/18
Bloodthirsty Butchers @ Big Cat. 18:00. ¥3,500 Tel: 0570-02-9999. Rock
11/18
Original Love @ Namba Hatch. 19:00. ¥5,250. Tel: 0570-02-9999. Rock
11/18
American Hi-Fi vs. Butch Walker @ Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥6,000.
Tel: 06-6281-8181. Rock
11/22
Arto Lindsay @ Club Quattro. 19:30. ¥5,500. Tel: 06-6281-8181. Rock
11/23
Hanson @ Big Cat. 18:00. ¥6,500.
Tel: 06-6341-3525. Rock
11/24&25
Christopher Cross @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥6,400/ ¥7,400 /¥8,400. Tel: 06-6342-7722. AOR
11/26&27
McCoy Tyner @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥6,400/ ¥7,400/ ¥8,400. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Jazz Piano
11/26
The Used @ Mother Hall. 19:00. ¥6,500. Tel: 03-3444-6751. Rock
11/27
Franz Ferdinand @ Mother Hall. 19:00 ¥5,800. Tel: 06-6535-5569. Pop
11/29
Asian Kung Fu Generation @ Namba Hatch. 19:00. ¥3,300. Tel: 0570-02-9999. Rock/J-Pop
11/29 & 11/30
Terumasa Hino @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥7,400/¥8,400.
Tel: 06-6342-7722. Jazz Trumpet
12/1&2
David Sanborn @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥9,500/ ¥10,500/ ¥12,000. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Jazz Sax
12/3&4
Incognito @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/ 21:30. ¥7,000/ ¥8,000/ ¥9,000.
Tel: 06-6342-7722. UK Jazz Funk
12/3
D-12 @ Zepp Osaka. 19:00. ¥6,500. Tel: 0570-02-9999. Hip Hop
12/6&7
Kool & The Gang @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥8,000/ ¥8,500/ ¥10,000. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Funk/Soul
12/8&9
The Three Degrees & The Supremes @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30 ¥7,500/¥8,500/¥9,500.
Tel: 06-6342-7722. Classic Pop/Soul
12/10
Elvis Costello @ Osaka Kokusai Kaigijo Main Hall. 19:00. ¥7,000.
Tel: 06-6535-5569. Rock
12/13&14
Beenie Man @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥6,400/¥7,400/ ¥8,400. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Dance
Hall Reggae
12/16
Frank McComb @ Osaka Blue Note 18:45/21:30. ¥5,000/
¥6,000/ ¥7,000. Tel: 06-6342-7722. Soul
12/23-25
The Stylistics @ Osaka Blue Note. 18:45/21:30. ¥5,000/¥6,000/ ¥7,000. Tel: 06-6342-7722.
Classic Soul