iSound

Formed in 1985 by Asa-Chang (who withdrew in 1993) and some of his high school friends, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra has been growing in size and notoriety from the minute they stepped on a stage. Many members joined and left but a few of them have been present and active since Skapara's beginnings as an underground band. Yuichi Oki, Gamo, Tsuyoshi Kawakami, Atsushi Yanata and Tatsuyuki Hiyamuta are the Energizer™ bunnies that cement the foundations of this band. Their first official album came five years after Skapara’s creation. Skapara Toujou (Skapara has come!) was released in 1990, followed by World Famous and Pioneers in 1993. By then they were already "world famous" and did many concerts outside Japan, notably Australia and Thailand, which sprouted live albums. They have been concentrating on the local scene a bit more in their recent works but their international recognition is still growing as more and more people, including myself, are spotting the tip of th...