While hardcore punk enjoys a modern-day commercial renaissance, a wave of new album reissues is casting light back to its raw, dangerous origins in 1980s Japan. For bands like Death Side, Lip Cream, and the Nurse, the scene was defined by extreme violence, societal ostracisation, and a thrilling rebellion against intense cultural pressure to conform.
A Society of Enemies: The Price of Rebellion
The pressure to conform in Japanese society made being a punk a radical and risky act. Ishiya, frontman of the pivotal band Death Side, explains that their basic stance was to rebel against society and its 'common sense', deliberately adopting looks mainstream society would reject. "We were subjected to discriminatory treatment just for looking different," he says. "On trains people avoided us, and when we looked for work, we were screened out. We were treated like enemies of society."
This isolation existed alongside a vibrant, chaotic scene in Tokyo, home to foundational acts like GISM, Gauze, the Comes, and later Death Side, Bastard, and Tetsu Arrey. The music was some of the most furious and exciting of the late 80s and early 90s, but the live experience was notoriously volatile. "At every gig, someone would be beaten bloody, and you never knew when it might be your turn," Ishiya recalls. "That tension was something you could never experience in ordinary life – it was thrilling."
The Foundational Acts: Lip Cream, Death Side and The Nurse
The origins of this scene were deeply DIY. Minoru Ogawa, bassist for Lip Cream, began by scouring the import sections of record stores like UK Edison for Western hardcore from Discharge and Dead Kennedys. After a stint in the raw punk band the Comes, he impulsively invented a new band name, Lip Cream, to secure a spot on a compilation. He then had to hastily form the group, which went on to release four albums of scintillating, out-of-control thrash.
Meanwhile, Ishiya formed Death Side, releasing two landmark albums and a split with his idols Chaos UK between 1987 and 1994. For him, hardcore was the perfect vehicle for teenage anger. "It was the feeling of: 'I want to do something myself.' A punk band was something anyone could do," he states.
In a significant parallel development, the Nurse emerged as one of the world's first all-female hardcore bands. Singer Neko, a 16-year-old fan of GBH and Discharge, recruited members through a magazine, facing family opposition and societal scrutiny for her eccentric appearance and late nights at Tokyo's Tsubaki House venue.
Violence, Flamethrowers and Lasting Legacy
The pervasive violence at gigs had multiple roots, from post-war trauma to a gathering of societal 'delinquents'. This was magnified by bands like GISM, whose frontman Sakevi was known for attacking journalists and using a flamethrower on stage. "It made gigs a kind of extraterritorial space where ordinary rules didn't apply," says Ishiya.
The consequences extended far beyond the venue walls. Zigyaku, guitarist of the band Bastard, found himself shut out of jobs and housing due to his appearance. Touring was fraught with trouble from police and yakuza gangsters. Yet, he sees value in the minority status: "Being a punk makes you a minority, and there's value in that."
Despite their proximity, each band forged a distinct sound, sharpening each other through rivalry. Ishiya suggests the scene's unique direction came from rebelling against a Japanese musical lineage rooted in gentle folk and pop, rather than household rock. "If one rebels, one will likely move in a unique direction," he concludes. Today, the full force of this explosive era is being preserved, with Lip Cream's catalogue reissued by Relapse Records and Death Side and the Nurse's work available via La Vida Es un Mus.
