Jrock, Ink.: A Concise Report on 40 of the Biggest Rock Acts in Japan

"Stunningly elegant...witty...the first of its kind; an exciting first step..." --Centigrade-J

"It’s as if jrock, ink. itself were the work of that rare blend of talents that makes for a great band. Yun is front woman, with all the sass one would expect from a music critic for Baltimore’s alternative weekly City Paper. Designer Yelena Zhavoronkova’s brilliantly creative use of alternating margins and sparse, colored text not only gives the book a unique tone, it also makes nearly page-long paragraphs surprisingly easy to follow. It’s all rounded out by artist Yana Moskaluk’s full-page illustrations for each of the 40 bands summarized. This book is a must not only for the serious rocker or DJ. It’s also invaluable for students of modern Japanese culture and music criticism alike." -- The Asian Reporter

About the Author

Josephine Yun is a freelance music and arts writer whose work has appeared in Baltimore City Paper, Johns Hopkins Magazine, and SIGNAL to NOISE. She has worked in a cafe, a public arts high school, an airport, a Japanese restaurant, a symphony hall, and as a case clerk, piano accompanist, and string teacher. In 2006, she was interviewed by BBC/PRI's "The World" for a segment featuring Japanese rock and jrock, ink.

Josephine Yun has covered classical music and Japanese pop for City Paper, Baltimore's alternative weekly, and is also an editor at jrockonline.com. She wrote the official English biography for the breakthrough band X JAPAN and presented a panel on Jrock at the Anime Central anime convention in 2004. She is a member of various online communities dedicated to alternative music.