is the name given to the collection of

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

artists who gained national popularity during the late 1970s. Continuing through the early 1980s, the collective had little in common other than their origin - the Hakata

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

Fukuoka City is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...

. The phrase, Mentai Rock, was derived from the name of a local delicacy,

mentaiko Pollock roe, also pollack roe (also known as ''myeongnan'' and ''tarako'') is the roe of Alaska pollock (''Gadus chalcogrammus'') which, despite its name, is a species of cod. Salted pollock roe is a popular culinary ingredient in Korean, Japanese ...

, made from

roe Roe ( ) or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooking, coo ...

. Many believed that their origin also had a common influence on the overall sound, despite the wide variety of genres represented.

Mentai Rockers

Sheena & the Rokkets is a Japanese rock band, formed in 1978. They are one of the most popular acts in the Mentai Rock scene. In September 2007, ''Rolling Stone Japan'' rated their album ''Vacuum Pack'' number 44 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Alb ...

The Roosters are a Japanese rock band formed in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1979. Their music has mixed rock and roll, punk rock, British blues, ska, and new wave. Originally active from 1979 to 1988, they performed at the 2004 Fuji Rock Festival before restar ...

(z) *

The Rockers The Rockers were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty who teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for NWA Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestli ...

A.R.B.山部善次郎(YAMAZEN)
*Accidents *Modern Dollz
HEATWAVEZi:LiE-YARock'n'Roll Gypsies

Post-Mentai Rockers

* Blankey Jet City *

Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (often abbreviated to TMGE) was a Japanese garage rock band formed in 1991. History The band was formed in 1991,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 1025-6 while Chiba, Ueno, and Ku ...

Shiina Ringo , known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer, songwriter and musician. She is also the founder and lead vocalist of the band Tokyo Jihen. She describes herself as "". She was ranked number 36 in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians compiled ...

Group Tamashi is a Japanese comedy rock band. It was started by actors in a theatrical company called "Otona Keikaku" (Project Adult) in 1995. Its original members were Hakai (Sadao Abe), Boudou (Kankuro Kudo), and Baito Kun (Seminosuke Murasugi). When it st ...

Number Girl was a rock band formed in Fukuoka, Japan in August, 1995 by guitarist and vocalist Shutoku Mukai. They first disbanded in 2002 following bassist Kentaro Nakao's departure from the band. Number Girl played fast, guitar-driven rock similar to th ...

Mo'some Tonebender
*

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra , commonly abbreviated by fans as Skapara or TSPO, is a Japanese ska and jazz band formed in 1988 by the percussionist Asa-Chang, and initially composed of over 10 veterans of Tokyo's underground scene. At the time, the band's sound was unlike t ...

Katteni-Shiyagare is a swing/jazz band with punk influences, formed in 1997, with its major label debut on Epic Records Japan in 2004. They are perhaps best known in the US for the opening theme to the Japanese series Kemonozume, "Auvers Blue" as well as the fir ...

* King Brothers *Gyogun Rend's
The Neatbeats
*

Ajico Ajico was a band, formed as a side project by Japanese singer Ua, and Kenichi Asai of Blankey Jet City Blankey Jet City was a Japanese rock trio from Aichi Prefecture, active from 1987 to 2000. It consisted of Kenichi Asai on vocals and guita ...

Losalios
*

Rosso Rosso is the major city of south-western Mauritania and capital of Trarza region. It is situated on the Senegal River at the head of the river zone allowing year-round navigation. The town is 204 km south of the capital Nouakchott. The ...

Zazen Boys Zazen Boys is a Japanese band formed by former Number Girl guitarist and vocalist Shutoku Mukai. Stylistically, their music consists mostly of complex rhythmic songs reminiscent of math rock, as well as extended improvisational songs during liv ...

Radio Caroline

References

{{reflist

External links

Mentai Rock in its various forms is not well documented in English. Occasional articles appear in the local press, so it's worth checking ou
Fukuoka Now
or

Japanzine ''Japanzine'' is a Japan-based English-language magazine, published by Carter Witt Media. Now 20 years in publication, it is the successor magazine to ''The Alien'' and caters largely to the expatriate community in Japan. Each edition of the maga ...

if you are interested in reading more.
Article on the history of the Fukuoka Live Scene
Japanese music Fukuoka