“At the time, I thought no one would listen to it,” says Haruomi Hosono of his fabled 1973 album Hosono House. In some ways, he was right: Hosono’s whimsical interpretation of Americana, loosely based on The Band’s Music From Big Pink, hardly made him a household name in Japan. That would come later in the ’70s after a run of eclectic solo albums and success as part of Yellow Magic Orchestra with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi.
“At the time, I thought no one would listen to it,” says Haruomi Hosono of his fabled 1973 album Hosono House. In some ways, he was right: Hosono’s whimsical interpretation of Americana, loosely based on The Band’s Music From Big Pink, hardly made him a household name in Japan. That would come later in the ’70s after a run of eclectic solo albums and success as part of Yellow Magic Orchestra with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi.
But Hosono House – his solo debut following stints in the bands Apryl Fool and Happy End – set out his freewheeling approach to songwriting, taking in country-rock, calypso and funk. It has since become cherished by generations of Western musicians, who see Hosono as a visionary spirit for his unorthodox, light-hearted way of going about things. Only recently, Harry Styles named his 2022 album Harry’s House after encountering Hosono House in Japan.
“I was just influenced by new music from places like the UK and the US and was groping my way through it, so I didn’t have a strong sense of certainty,” says Hosono, who recorded the album in a house in Sayama, outside Tokyo, with different gear set up in each room. “In the 1970s, foreign countries felt far away, and I lived in a peaceful island nation. I was deeply immersed in movements like hippie culture and psychedelia and influenced by that music, and I practised ‘back to the country’ by leaving Tokyo.”
Now, arriving a year after the album’s 50th anniversary, comes Hosono House Revisited, an all-star tribute assembled by the Stones Throw label that features the likes of Mac DeMarco, Sam Gendel, John Carroll Kirby and Cornelius covering their favourite Hosono House tracks.
“Hosono and his music have been one of the only unwavering influences since I started putting out records – it’s hard to quantify how much his music means to me,” says super-fan Mac DeMarco, whose strip-backed version of “Boko Wa Chotto” is reassuringly faithful. “The song has this bittersweetness to it that I gravitate towards, maybe a bit of hopefulness too.”
DeMarco has met Hosono a few times and once sung “Honey Moon”, from 1975’s Tropical Dandy, with him onstage. LA-based pianist and producer John Carroll Kirby has also hung out with Hosono. “He’s a gentle, humble person who seems to not relish the ‘GOAT’ status he’s achieved,” says Kirby. “What I admire most about him is his sense of melody, his use of synthesisers, his sense of humour and his prolific output. When I look at his catalogue, I get the sense that his work is like a journal of where he’s at in life at any given period. Approaching music in that way is liberating.”
Kirby’s raucous take on “Fuku Wa Uchi Oni Wa Soto” with the Mizuhura Sisters – one of whom, Kiko, is Kirby’s partner – is a highlight of Hosono House Revisited. “Kiko and her sister Yuka are both friends with Hosono and have a deep understanding of his catalogue, so I knew we could make something great to honour the spirit of Hosono.”
And what does Hosono think of this rebuilding of Hosono House? “The first one I received was Sam Gendel’s cover of “Koi Wa Momoiro” [“My Love is Peach-coloured”] and I was amazed when I heard it. He translated the lyrics faithfully into English, and his completely different interpretation was refreshing.” Now 77, Hosono says that he keeps abreast of the latest cultural developments by watching videos daily on YouTube. And he remains a keen observer of the world around him. “Every day, I write down my ideas and thoughts like a diary.” However, he appears in no hurry to turn these thoughts into a new album. “Lately, I’ve been feeling my age more and more,” he admits, “so I just make sure not to overdo anything.”
Hosono House Revisited is out now on Stones Throw