The Alternative Counter Organization

Description

“Tako” means “octopus,” “kite,” and even “onion” in Japanese. Bald men or men with shaved heads, as well as red-faced, staggering drunks, are also called “tako.” It is a word that appears frequently in slang and common expressions. “Tako” is also the name of an 80s musical and performance collective whose performances were unique in their kind. The Japanese group Tako, formed in the early 80s, is an informal collective with changing members, belonging to the post-punk alternative music movement. Its members were all friends and acquaintances of Harumi Yamazaki, former member of Gaseneta and central figure of Tako. Tako could be described as a band of guerrillas who, over the years, continued to connect, gather, break up, and disperse, while spreading ephemeral music and sounds around the world. Tako also performed without Harumi, giving the impression of an anonymous group of musicians. Their first album, released in 1983, had a considerable impact on the Japanese underground music scene. An atypical and collaborative album, it brought together various artists (emblematic figures of the Japanese underground scene!) and Harumi, who wrote the lyrics. Each track, a true sonic conglomerate created by this ephemeral local network, shares with all the titles Harumi’s expressive lyrics. The whole thus forms a powerful force which, in turn, gives rise to an “incident” spreading like a huge wave. However, following a scandal caused by certain lyrics, the records were withdrawn from sale, and only a limited number of people today own a copy of the album. Tako’s second album (a 12-inch EP), released in 1984, features a live recording of a concert given in late 1982. Tako is a group with an indeterminate lineup that only ever gave occasional concerts, but this album reveals a formation of exceptional musical coherence. It powerfully conveys the force of Tako’s astonishing and legendary live performances, as well as Harumi’s incandescent, sensational, and almost masochistic stage presence. Her murmurs and cries, which seem to ignore the detached rhythm, overwhelm the audience like a surging wave. Here is Tako’s description by one of its members after a concert: “Tako is like a project where the participants, whose identities remain unclear, fuel heightened desires for personal revenge. It is an ecosystem of viscous mud, tangible and intangible, that accumulates to allow emotions to express themselves, whether in the studio or on stage. That is why the avenger can often end up being the victim.” Nameless, March 1985