We Are Stars!

I’m sure you’ve heard the USA For Africa charity song from the ’80s that raised money for starving children in Africa called “We Are The Children”.

I know that song was popular but, honestly, I never liked it.

You may not be aware of a much better charity song for African children that was recorded 28 years ago today by some of the biggest names in 80s heavy metal.

On 1985 May 20th, members of Dio, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., Twisted Sister, Dokken, Queensryche, Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt, Motley Crue, and more got together and called themselves Hear ‘N Aid to record the song “(We Are) Stars “!

“(We Are) Stars“, twenty-eight years old today, is the heavy metal answer to We Are The World.
And it’s much better!

Check it out:

デトロイト・メタル・シティ

First of all, I should mention that I’m a fan of the American rock band KISS (have been since the late 1970s), and that’s why this interests me.

On the 1976 KISS album “Destroyer“, there’s a song titled “Detroit Rock City” (although the band hails from New York City, their first sold-out headlining show was in Detroit, Michigan…this song is a tribute (of sorts) to the city).

In 1999, KISS released a movie also titled “Detroit Rock City“. It starred Edward Furlong (best known for his part in Terminator 2). This movie is basically about the adventures of four teenagers trying to get tickets to a sold-out KISS concert in 1978.

(This was actually KISS’ second movie. In 1978, they released a not very good television movie titled “KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park“. This movie was about the band battling a disgruntled amusement park employee who kidnaps people to create evil robots in their likeness. Seriously.)

So what does any of this have to do with a blog about Japan? (Besides KISS’s 歌舞伎 (Kabuki) style make-up and their use of Japanese written characters (especially 「力」 (Chikara = power))).

Well, a new Japanese movie is being released here about a timid teenager from the countryside in Japan who moves to Tokyo to become a pop-star, but ends up leading a heavy-metal band that wears 歌舞伎 (Kabuki) style make-up.

The title of the movie is 「デトロイト・メタル・シティ」 (“Detroit Metal City“).

(The writing on his forehead says 殺 (murder)).

Due to the make-up and the similarities in titles, of course I immediately thought it was KISS inspired.

But I didn’t know, until I saw on TV today, that Gene Simmons (KISS’ bass guitarist) was in the movie 「デトロイト・メタル・シティ」 (“Detroit Metal City“).

(Here’s Gene Simmons in KISS make-up)

(And here he is on the set of “Detroit Metal City” in Tokyo)

Here’s a video of Gene Simmons performing a song in the 「デトロイト・メタル・シティ」 (“Detroit Metal City“) movie: