Flower Travellin' Band

Album Overview

Released on October 21, 1970, "Anywhere" is the debut studio album from the Japanese heavy psychedelic rock band Flower Travellin' Band. It came out under the Philips label, catalog number FX-8507. The album reflects a unique blend of rock genres including psychedelic rock, heavy psych, acid rock, hard rock, and proto-metal.

Production Details

The production of "Anywhere" was overseen by Yuya Uchida, a prominent figure in the Japanese music scene, alongside Tadataka Watanabe. The engineering team included Norio Yoshizawa and Tatsuo Umetsu. The album’s striking cover photography was crafted by Kishin Shinoyama and Makoto Saito, showcasing the band members in a provocative pose, riding motorcycles nude on a landfill site in Tokyo. This cover later gained recognition when Julian Cope selected it for his book "Japrocksampler."

Musical Composition

"Anywhere" features the classic lineup of Flower Travellin' Band: Joe Yamanaka on lead vocals and harmonica, Hideki Ishima on lead guitar, Jun Kozuki on bass guitar, and Joji Wada on drums. The album consists of six tracks, characterized by heavy, distorted acid-rock influences and re-imaginings of Western hard rock and blues standards. Ishima’s searing fuzz guitar riffs and Yamanaka’s powerful vocal delivery drive the music. Notable tracks include a 16-minute rendition of Muddy Waters' "Louisiana Blues" and a fierce 13-minute version of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man." Furthermore, the album includes one of the earliest covers of Black Sabbath's "Black Sabbath," recorded just months after the original.

Closing Thoughts

The acoustic title track "Anywhere" serves as both the opening and closing piece of the album, providing a contrasting moment to the heavier compositions. This debut album set a foundation for the band's future work and showcased their ability to reinterpret Western rock music through a distinctly Japanese lens. "Anywhere" was released on vinyl LP format.