Monday, December 3, 2007

Toshiaki Tsushima - Cops vs Thugs OST [1975]


Toshiaki Tsushima - Cops vs Thugs [1975]
Label - VAP (JP)
Recorded - 1975
Style - Soundtrack, Funk, Japanese, Awesome

Could hardly find a damned thing about this soundtrack online. Definitely a Japanese import and definitely funky! Pretty small file size and not a lengthy soundtrack (less than 15 minutes in total!) so grab it up.

Toshiaki Tsushima - Cops vs Thugs OST
[Japanese title: Kensatsu tai Kumiori Bouryoku]

Fukasaku was on a serious roll in the early 70’s. In addition to 1975’s Cops Vs. Thugs, he pushed out such Jap mob baddies as Graveyard Of Honor, Yakuza Graveyard, Blackmail Is My Life, Street Mobster, Sympathy For The Underdog, and of course, the multi-part The Yakuza Papers, which some have described on the Internet as the “Japanese Godfather”.

Like Graveyard Of Honor, this one weaves thug life, local politics, and good ol’ human barbarism into a fascinating tale that doesn’t go on too long yet leaves this viewer satisfied and tired. The cinematography is similar to that of film noir (with scenes that sometimes switch over into B&W, when a character is recalling past events), with lots of shadows and gloom, and an ultra-cool Toshiaki Tsushima soundtrack that alternates between funky wah-wah guitar jams and downbeat, melancholy saxophone huffing. Fukasaku really knows how to bring an already intriguing storyline even more to life with those ever-important support aspects.


Tracklist:
1. Toshiaki Tsushima - Toho Mark (2:12)
2. Toshiaki Tsushima - Main Title - The Chase (2:46)
3. Toshiaki Tsushima - Hisano and Hirotani (1:47)
4. Toshiaki Tsushima - Bribe Suspect (0:53)
5. Toshiaki Tsushima - The Confrontation (3:03)
6. Toshiaki Tsushima - Hisano Shoots Hirotani (2:17)
7. Toshiaki Tsushima - End (0:50)

download
info - ???

12 comments:

tripmaster said...

yes, thank you for this gem. this genre really hits the spot...

Unknown said...

if you want some definitely funky, there's Alan Hawkshaw
http://derdiscographer.blogspot.com/2007/11/alan-hawkshaw-mohawk-essential-vibes.html

MrC said...

MrC says whoop yeah! ;)

P M X said...

ooh thanks for the Hawkshaw connect! I'm not too familiar with his work, and I'll always down for new funk...

whats up MrC!

fred davis said...

Sounds like the guitar player was getting paid a little extra. Nice tracks. Do you have the rest of the album to post?

P M X said...

That IS the whole album! I know its really really short.

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/toshiaki_tsushima/cops_vs_thugs__kensatsu_tai_kumiori_bouryoku___1975_/

Unknown said...

awesome tracks. thanks! have any more tsushima?

P M X said...

unfortunately that's all I could get my hands on... If you find anything else, let me know!

Anonymous said...

Not the whole album, as far as I can tell - check the artwork for the tray - track listing is way longer!!!

need more of this for sure, good one.

Anonymous said...

Nope, not the whole CD at all. (Just the tracks from Cops vs Thugs - this is actually a compo album with tracks from 8 different films. The actual album is called "Chronicles of the Toho Movies".)

Here's another chunk of it though:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NPG8XUC8

Would be nice if someone would up the whole CD in one go : )

Anonymous said...

No worries at all. Keep up the good work!

August Ragone said...

The actual name of this album is "Legendary Toei Action Movie Soundtracks: TOEI TRUE STORY MOVIE SERIES Soundtrack Collection". There are 42 tracks in all, from eight movies. The Composers include Toshiaki Tsushima, Kenjiro Hirose, and Masao Yagi.

There are three tracks from GRAVEYARD OF HONOR, seven tracks from COPS VS. THUGS, eight tracks from YAKUZA GRAVEYARD, seven tracks from HOKURIKU PROXY WAR, three tracks from CASH FROM CHAOS, five tracks from JAILBREAK: HIROSHIMA MURDER CONVICT, six tracks from VIOLENT JAPAN: MURDEROUS LEGIONS OF KANSAI. and three tracks from THE OKINAWA YAKUZA WAR.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,
August
The Good, The Bad, and Godzilla