Michio Kurihara Discography

The Janitor From Mars on WFMU

Compiled by Robert Lim (janitor [at] wfmu.org)
Version 2.0

Welcome to the on-line edition of a discography dedicated to the great guitarist Michio Kurihara. For nearly two decades, Kurihara has been lending his talents to a variety of psychedelic bands and musicians, ranging from the blow-out Amon Duul poundings of the first Marble Sheep lineup to his sublimely understated accompaniment to Damon & Naomi. Although he has only two published song-writing credits to his name, like all great guitarists, his contributions can be felt on every song that he plays on.

For a good background on Kurihara, please refer to Alan Cummings' comprehensive interview in issue 31 of the Ptolemaic Terrascope (for which this discography was initially prepared). For links to other resources, please consult my links page.

Although I gratefully acknowledge the many contributors to this work-in-progress, I would like to extend special thanks to Alan Cummings and Phil McMullen.

All recordings as guitarist unless otherwise noted.

The Stars

1999-current

• Today
  P.S.F. Records PSFD-1001
  2001 CDEP
  PSF refers to this as a "Maxi single"; Kurihara shares partial writing credit for "Wind In Three Quarter"

You Ishihara

solo project from 1996-1997

• Passivite
  creativeman disc CMDD-00035
  1997 CD
  Note- appears on all tracks except "For You" (which was recorded in 1980)

White Heaven

1984-1998 [member 1986-1991, 1994-1998]

• Out
  No label?
  1989 CS
  Note- promotional version with different recordings than the LP [PT]

• Out
  P.S.F. Records PSF-11
  1991 LP
  Note- 1995 CD reissue (PSFD-11) uses a different mix of "My Cold Dimension" [TS]

• Next To Nothing
  Noon Disk NOON CD-9401
  1994 CD
  Note- Kurihara shares partial writing credit for "Out There"

• "Threshold of the Pain" b/w "4 Hours (in the afternoon)
  H.G. Fact HG-014
  1994 7"
  Note- credited with lead guitar on side A and "feedback guitar" on side B

• Electric Cool Acid
  Noon Disk NOON CD-9502
  1995 CD
  Note- live recordings 1987-88. According to PT interview, originally issued as a cassette in an edition of 100-150

• Next To Nothing
  Noon Disk NOON-LP LP-9601
  1996 LP
  Note- includes the contents of the CD, plus two additional tracks and an extended version of one song

• Levitation
  The Now Sound TNS 09
  1997 LP
  Notes- Live 1988. Etchings in the LP's runout groove read "NS-08"- the "TNS 09" designation comes from the catalog insert, which assigns "TNS 08" to the Sweet & Honey LP.

Ha-za-ma

1988-current

• Ha-za-ma
  No catalog number
  1988 CS
  

• Ha-za-ma II
  No catalog number
  1989 CS
  

• Ha-za-ma
  Captain Trip CTCD-007
  1995 CD
  Note- contents drawn from the two prior cassette releases

• Once Upon a Time
  Captain Trip CTCD-174
  1999 CD
  Note- recorded 1996-99

Cosmic Invention

one-off? studio project, 1997

• Help Your Satori Mind
  The Now Sound TNS 13
  1997 CD
  Note- catalog number derived from bar code on CD obi, as the CD artwork proves to be inscrutable in this regard.

Marble Sheep & the Run Down Sun's Children

member of original lineup in 1987

• 1. July 1987 at Yaneura
  Marble Sheep's Live Cassette MSLC-01
  1987 CS
  Note- One-sided C-46 [CT]

• 7. July 1987 at Yaneura
  Marble Sheep's Live Cassette MSLC-02
  1987 CS
  Note- C-46 [CT]

• 7. August 1987 at Yaneura
  Marble Sheep's Live Cassette MSLC-03
  1987 CS
  Note- One-sided C-46 [CT]

• 17. October 1987 at N.Y. Anti-knock
  Marble Sheep's Live Cassette MSLC-04
  1987 CS
  Note- C-60 [CT]

• Live 1987-1988
  Marble Sheeps' Video MSV-01
  1989 VHS
  Note- directed by "lighting member" Takanari Kanno. Approx 60 minutes in length [CT]

• Old From New Heads
  Captain Trip CTCD-002
  1993 CD
  Note- according to the Captain Trip mail-order catalog description, this release is comprised of "live and studio demo" and is not compiled from live recordings (thus excluding overlap with the above cassette releases). Note that the recording of "Cement Woman" is credited as "another recording of MSLC-04" but shares its recording date. [CT]

Henkyo Gakudan

(1991-1992)

• 1991.6.15
  no label or catalog number
  1991 CS
  
  [refs.html] Note- no involvement on second cassette

Ghost

Guest member from 1994-1997, part of regular line-up 1997-current

• Ghost
  PSF PSFD-9
  1990 CD
  Note- Appears on "I've Been Flying". Also reissued on CD by Strange Ways label in Germany as WAY 72 CD in 1996?. Reissued in US by Drag City in 1997 as DC127 (CD and LP)

• Temple Stone
  PSF PSFD-37
  1994 CD
  Note- Appears on "Giver's Chant", recorded at Siryu Temple, 1993. Also reissued on CD by Strange Ways label in Germany as WAY 78 CD in 1996?. Reissued in US by Drag City in 1997 as DC129.

• "Moungod Air Cave" b/w "Guru in the Echo"
  The Now Sound TNS 05
  1995 7"
  Note- Appears on b-side only, recorded in 1994.

• Lama Rabi Rabi
  Drag City DC113
  1998 CD/2LP
  

• Snuffbox Immanence
  Drag City DC 148
  1999 CD/LP
  

• Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet
  Drag City DC165
  1999 CD/2LP
  

Damon & Naomi

• "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" b/w "Yoo Doo Right"
  Grimsey GR-011
  1999 7"
  Note- as Damon & Naomi & Batoh & Kurihara. Also known as "Live at TTs". Recorded live in 1998. [refs.html]

• Damon and Naomi With Ghost
  Subpop SP-501/Drag City DC206
  2000 CD/LP
  Note- CD on Sub Pop, LP on Drag City.

• Song To the Siren
  Subpop SP-592
  2002 CD+DVD
  Note- CD is Live in San Sebastian, DVD is a video tour diary with commentary, Japanese subtitles and discographies (the Kurihara discography is an edited copy of version 1.0 of this document, from the Ptolemaic Terrascope)

Overhang Party

guest member 1999-current

• Otherside of
  Pataphysique Records DD-008~009 EP-1
  2000 2CD + 7"
  Note- appears on three tracks of disc 2. Not on US tour of that year.

Yura Yura Teikoku

guest member

• Yura Yura Teikoku Kangae Chu
  MIDI MDCS-1046
  2000 CDS
  Note- appears on track 3 of three-track e.p.

• Rame no Pantaron etc.
  MIDI MDCS-1050
  2001 CDS
  Note- appears on tracks 4 and 5 of five-track e.p.

• Yura Yura Teikoku III
  MIDI MDCL-1405
  2001 CD
  Note- appears on tracks 1 and 3 of ten-track album.

• Yura Yura Teikoku III (1)
  MIDI CXLP-1037
  2001 LP
  Note- Part of a two-part picture disc set (sold separately) which comprise the totality of the material from Yura Yura Teikoku III and its two attendant CD singles.

• Yura Yura Teikoku III (2)
  MIDI CXLP-1038
  2001 LP
  Note- Part of a two-part picture disc set (sold separately) which comprise the totality of the material from Yura Yura Teikoku III and its two attendant CD singles.

YBO2

founding member from 1984-1985, member of reunion incarnation in 2000

• Daejohw-Ling (Songs From Higurashi Woods)
  Fractured Sisters' Secrets FSS-01
  1000 CD
  Note- also sold with accompanying video FSSV-01. From the liner notes: "'Higurashi'is a kind of cicada which lives in far Eastern Asia."

• Untitled
  No label?
  2000 CDR
  Note- Live recordings from Antiknock (10/4/2000) and the Loft in Shinjuku (8/12/2000). Free three-track CDR given out at YBO2's 11/30/2000 performance by "Telle" Kumazawa. Tracks possibly included on Heaven.

• Heaven
  Fractured Sisters' Secrets FSS-05/06
  2001 2CD
  Note- compilatino of live tracks from 2000 reunion tour

• YBO2 at Tokuzo
  No label?
  2001 CDR
  Note- Live recordings from Tokuzo club performance (11/30/2000) in Nagoya. Free three-track CDR given out at 5/1/2001 performance by "Telle" Kumazawa. Tracks not included on Heaven.

Loud Machine 5000

relationship

• "Go Grace Go" b/w "Lord of Nothing Pt. 1"
  H.G. Fact HG-002
  1992 7"
  

Onna

member 1983-1984

• Eros Onna no Sekai
  Bloody Butterfly ZIKSBB-026
  2001 2CD
  Released 5/25/01
  Note- Insert provides the additional information "Live in the [Chinese lettering] JAM Studio, 1983. Credited with "Arranged, Guitar". Matrix number on second CD includes the designation ZIKSBB-027, but only the 26 number appears on the packaging

Soshi

• Deki
  no label
  1991 CD
  Note- plays on two tracks [refs.html MK]

Various Artists Compilations

relationship

• "Ancient Wind" as part of Marble Sheep & the Rundown Sun's Children
  Dead Tech II
  Dossier ST 7541
  1988 LP
  Note- credited as "Kuri" with "E-Guitar & Percussion".

• "Blind Promise" as part of White Heaven
  Tokyo Flashback
  PSF PSFD-12
  1991 CD
  Note- remix

• "Land" as part of Loud Machine 2000
  Red Zone Disc Vol 0
  Nutmeg, no catalog number
  1992 CD
  Note- Probably released to tie into a tour, given that the booklet contains a list of tour dates for "Red Zone On Tour". It is unclear as to whether or not this CD consists of live recordings from the tour or is a promotional item.

• "Land" as part of Loud Machine
  Red Zone Disc 2nd Edition
  R.B.F. International RBFI-2001
  1993 CD
  Note- Some sort of reissue of Red Zone Disc Vol 0 with different artwork. Final track has been credited to "Junkadelic" and translated to "Medley: Cobra-Karasu-L.M." The "L.M." definitely refers to "Loud Machine", per the slightly different track title on the original release. Whether or not this means that Loud Machine were involved is not clear. Note that the matrix number for the CD is identical to the first edition (NC-2058 AB207A), which may indicate this to be some sort of repress or repackaging of the original.

• "Midsummer Stroll" as part of White Heaven
  Tokyo Flashback 3
  PSF PSFD-34
  1994 CD
  Note- same version as on Next to Nothing [refs.html RS]

• "Gravity" as part of White Heaven
  Audible Rumbles Vol. 1
  Ptolemaic Terrascope POTCD 2
  1996? CD
  Note- live in Brussels 1995 (verify personnel)

• "The Last Door" as part of White Heaven (performing with Go Hirano)
  Etcetera Vol 3 part 1
  Etcetera no catalog #
  1998 VHS
  Note- Recorded on July 21, 1997 at Manda-LA2, Tokyo [refs.html AC]

• "Strange Bedfellow" as part of You Ishihara & Friends
  Etcetera Vol 3 part 2
  Etcetera no catalog #
  1998 VHS
  Note- Recorded on July 21, 1997 at Manda-LA2, Tokyo. Group line-up: You Ishihara (vo, g), Chiyo Kamekawa (b), Koji Shimura (ds), Michio Kurihara (g).

• "Blind Promise" as part of White Heaven
  Tokyo Flashback
  PSF PSFD-12
  1991 CD
  Note- remix

• "Eye of the Storm" with Damon & Naomi
  Get Your Pots Out
  Ptolemaic Terrascope POT31
  2001 CD
  Note- This CD was given away with Ptolemaic Terrascope 31

Last Updated October 20, 2002