GISM
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GISM (also G.I.S.M.) was a Japanese hardcore punk band (with strong metal leanings) formed in Japan in 1981. It was composed of vocalist Sakevi Yokoyama(real name Shigehisa. "Sakevi" being a corrupted "sakebi" - a shout, or scream of "MURDER!"), guitarist Randy Uchida, bassist Kannon(sometimes known as "Cloudy", later replaced by Kiichi Takahashi in the 90's), and drummer Monamour Hiroshima(replaced by Ironfist Tatsushima around the same time Kannon threw in the towel). GISM often used heavy metal style guitar solos and riffs, while at the same time drawing much influence from the early industrial/avant-garde music scene...something extremely uncommon in punk bands at that time.
GISM was widely known for the extreme violence present in their lyrics, and live shows. Sakevi would often march about the stage clad in a balaclava and covered with bullets, waving lit flares in audience members faces, throwing microphone stands, rocks, and attacking concert goers as Vietnam War footage was projected behind him. Onstage he would go as far as to attack photographers who took pictures of him and chase audiences with a flamethrower.
GISM has attained a cult status in the hardcore punk scene, probably due to their violent attitude and bizarre artworks/performances,coupled with the legends surrounding them. Some claimed Sakevi was a yakuza member and that he doesn´t allow any store in Japan to sell or distribute any GISM material (even resorting to violence to prevent this). It was also rumor that Sakevi was mentally ill, a rumor not helped any by his paying a fine for acts of violence offstage (most infamously for setting aflame commuting business men with a can of hairspray and lighter in the train of yamanote-line at early 80').
The acronym GISM has never had a constant meaning attached to it. Variations include God In The Schizoid Mind, Guerilla Incendiary Sabotage Mutineer, General Imperialism Social Murder and Gnostic Idiosyncracy Sonic Militant.
Discography
GISM first appeared on the Outsider compilation (1982), followed by Great Punk Hits (1983), Hardcore Unlawful Assembly (1984), The Punx (1984), and P.E.A.C.E. (1984).
Their first full length release, Detestation (1983), was largely hardcore, fueled by Randy's extremely metal influenced riffs.
M.A.N. (Military Affairs Neurotic) followed in 1987. It was very much a metal album — the only throwback to Detestation's hardcore leanings was Sakevi's trademark madman screams. It was largely ignored by critics and fans alike.
Their third and final album, SoniCRIME TheRapy was released in 2002 following Uchida's death. Fusing Detestations hardcore and M.A.N.s Iron Maiden style metal leanings, GISM's final work represents the culmination of all of the band's ideas over the 14 years since they last entered the studio. A number of the tracks on this album are present in the Gay Individual Social Mean (video) released in 1995.
Uchida and Hiroshima played with Ronny Wakamats and Michel Hammer in R.U.G. (Randy Uchida Group), who released an EP entitled Deathly Fighter in 1984. Little else is known about this group.
In 2004, Sakevi released a single entitled The War. Harsh noise and growling vocals are juxtaposed with peaceful breaks and movie samples to provide an interesting medium for the expression of his opinions on the war on terror of New World Order.