GASTUNK - JAPAN

Deadsong - 1985 - Sex
Under The Sun - 1987 - Vice
Mother - 1988 - Crown
Rest In Peace – 1999 - Reveil

Gastunk image
  
 
Members
S= The Execute, Mosquito Spiral>>Baki [Isowaki Masahiko]>>Mosquito Spiral
G= Jacks’N’Joker, Baby, The Deadrocks>>TATSU>>Jacks’N’Joker, Baby, The Deadrocks
B= The Execute, The Highest Region, Solo>>BABY>>The Highest Region, Solo
D= The Comes>>Matsumura>>The Comes, The Wretched - Doom, Shellshock, Baby, Z.O.A.>>Pazz [Kobayashi Shigeru]>>Doom, Shellshock, Baby, Z.O.A.



History
Baki and Baby of The Execute formed the crossover act Gastunk in the spring of 1983. Gastunk (also sometimes Gastank) falls under the Japcore category. The band was active between 1983 and 1988 (when Matsumura left), again briefly in 1999 and 2006 until the reformation of 2010. Quartergate was a project beginning 1992. The Highest Region was a reggae band influenced by Baby’s visit to the USA.

The band was first heard on the Hold Up Omnibus compilation with early singer Yutaka. The band released several 7"s with titles like To Fans (its debut), Geronimo and I Can Alone It I Alone Can It. Under The Sun came in a ‘US.. Mix’ version with more English lyrics and a different cover. The band established its own imprint, Love Records. The videos The End Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 were just that and released in 1989. The 1999 live CD and DVD were taped in Tokyo in January of that year. A 2006 DVD, called Gig DVD 1987, featured material from those early days. 2010 brought a song called Deadman’s Face.

Baki, who was one of the first with death growls, liked to wear ghostly face paint. A tribute CD has been issued in Japan in honour of Gastunk. Drummer Pazz left in 2019. Early guitarist Naoki died in 2020. A new demo did appear in 2021. It was called Vintage Spirit, The Fact. Kei was on drums. The band gave a pandemic-style live streaming show. Hyde and Gastunk performed together in 2022. Baki took off after being in the band for 37 years.


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