We were treated like enemies of society': Japan's dangerous hardcore punk scene looks back to its roots

"A few short years after punk's initial shock-and-awe inspired thousands of teenagers to spike their hair and learn three chords, the genre mutated into hardcore: a leaner, meaner and fiercely independent hybrid that would soon be tearing up squats, church halls and dive bars around the world. Forty-five years on, hardcore is enjoying a moment in the mainstream thanks to bands such as Turnstile, Speed and Knocked Loose."

"It was extremely violent and frightening, says Ishiya, frontman of the band Death Side, one of Japanese hardcore's linchpin acts (he and many of his punk peers reject surnames or use stage names). At every gig, someone would be beaten bloody, and you never knew when it might be your turn. That tension was something you could never experience in ordinary life it was thrilling."

"But for all the sense of camaraderie the bands found on stage, on tour and in the sweaty, volatile crowds, being a punk in Japan could nevertheless be isolating. Our basic stance was to rebel against society and common sense', so of course we chose a look that mainstream society wouldn't accept, says Ishiya, who used to sport a towering magenta mohawk."

Hardcore evolved from early punk into a leaner, meaner hybrid that tore up squats, church halls and dive bars worldwide. Forty-five years later, hardcore has entered the mainstream through bands like Turnstile, Speed and Knocked Loose, appearing on talkshows, ads and merchandise. Japan developed a fierce early hardcore scene centered in Tokyo with foundational acts such as GISM, Gauze, the Comes, the Execute, Death Side, Bastard and Tetsu Arrey. Gigs were violent and thrilling, with audiences sustaining brutal fights. Bands shared camaraderie on stage and tour, yet punk life in Japan could be isolating due to strong social pressure to conform and discrimination.

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