Asia Strikes Back

In 1983, Ishii teamed up with Toshiyuki "Kiku" Shibayama, singer of the now defunct Sunhouse, to form Sogo Ishii and the Bacillus Army. The impromptu band released only one record, a concept album of sorts entitled Asia Strikes Back. On side A, the Asia side, the theme was the poverty and struggle of people in Asian countries, while the music on side B, the Japan side, meant to reflect the stress and superficiality of day-to-day life in Japan. By contrasting the two situations, the band seemed to say that the salvation for Asia did not lie in striving to copy Japan's advanced economic status. With this concept in mind, Ishii shot a 30-minute film that accompanied the band on tour.