ENOvations summer 1979 - the first western introduction

Recently Makigami tweeted:

懐かしい!! 資料を送ったら、ENOから返事が来て、しかもこのNewsletterにヒカシューが載った。 https://t.co/1Svgs5vrDh

— 巻上公一 (@MAKIBRI) 2016年3月12日

"I remember this!! We sent them our material. Then they gave us a reply, and even picked it up for their newsletter."

Apparently, they were thrilled.

It was summer of 1979. Brian Eno fan club's newsletter called ENOvations published a review of the demo recording of Hikashu. As far as we know, this is the earliest exposure of the band in the west, or anywhere outside Japan.

At that time, the band was already in negotiation with Toshiba EMI. Their first single, "At the End of the 20th Century," was released in December that year.

The demo was recorded in 1978. Not done professionally, contrary to the review implied, but it was completed with great care. It draw some popularity, widely circulated in Tokyo underground scene, and eventually led them to the recording contract with major label. Later it was issued as "Hikashu 1978" in 1996, now available as remastered edition, which was reviewed here:

Hikashu - Hikashu 1978 (1996)

You can see the issue in its entirety here:

www.moredarkthanshark.org/feature_enovations-sum79.html