Who is Van Paugam?
Being one of the first DJs to specialize in 70s & 80s Japanese music dubbed ‘City Pop’ in 2016, Van Paugam has built a resume listing over 100 events dedicated to the genre. He’s DJ’d globally in cities like Paris, Berlin, and Tokyo in a range of different venues including matsuri, universities, listening bars, sake lounges, anime conventions, and even for the Consul-general of Japan. While being a student of Japanese language, he also works for the Japanese Culture Center of Chicago, and sits on the board of the Japanese Arts Foundation. He has been written about for his efforts in reviving the genre, inspired a short-documentary on the topic, and also worked with major Japanese recording labels on remixes of popular songs in the style. Van has opened for Japanese bands like CHAI, and DJ’d after-parties at the Chicago Philharmonic for artists like Kishi Bashi.
Going beyond merely just ‘playing records’, Van has developed an entire philosophy tying Japanese ritualism, contemporary thought, and Zen practices into vinyl record culture. Having collected an extensive library of Japanese vinyl while in Japan also, Van hopes to help sow interest in Japanese culture outside of the typical tropes that people tend to associate with the country. His love of Japanese traditions and aesthetics has helped him to create a format for DJing that can be meditative, but also moving, thoughtful, yet deliberate. This dualistic aspect of his style of vinyl DJing has earned him recognition from media outlets like the Chicago Reader, NHK, TOKYOFM, and CNN. Often referred to as a pioneer of the genre’s resurgence, Van Paugam approaches the style with a respect for the past and optimism for its future through unabashed nostalgia and meticulous obsession.
“Van Paugam is an American Chicago-based DJ who creates music mixes of 1980s Japanese City Pop music along with running a 24/7 Radio of this music and many live events around Chicago. He is mainly attributed to the rise of City Pop in mid-2018, being one of the first DJs to start mixing what is now commonly called City Pop—or Japanese disco, funk, and pop music that tended to be a genre blend of many western styles of a particular era between 1979 and 1985. Van's channel previously hit 100,000 subscribers before being stricken off the site on February 14, 2019.” - Wikitubia
“Van Paugam is a DJ who specializes in the 70s and 80s Japanese jazz, disco, funk, and fusion records collectively known as City Pop. In 2015, he started a YouTube channel that helped renew popular interest in the genre, which in turn allowed him to move his musical activities into the offline world when the channel was shut down. For the past three years, he’s maintained Chicago residencies at the Whistler (Lost in Translation) and Murasaki Sake Lounge (City Pop night), and his passion has introduced him to audiences around the globe.” - The Chicago Reader (2021)
“Paugam thinks Americans' surge of interest in City Pop has arisen in part because constant pop-cultural recycling has rendered them numb to nostalgia for their own pasts. Americans are bombarded with their own memories: every film franchise gets rebooted, every band reunites, and there's always another Terminator around the corner. "We've saturated and commercialized our 70s and 80s so much that younger generations can't even form a cohesive impression of what those times were actually like," Paugam laments. "City Pop has just enough Western influence to sound like untouched, untainted versions of what we once had, but without being hyper-commercialized. I think the music's purity is what draws people in. The fact that they can reminisce about a time and place that aren't their own and still feel nostalgic is something new for a lot of people." - The Chicago Reader (2019)
“On a hunt for lesser known yet vibrant collecting niches, MAG_BTMMusic Archive Gallery: Beyond The Music asked Far-Eastern music lover Freddie Berman to investigate. Third in our series of interviews to Japanese music collectors, here Berman speaks to Van Paugam, a DJ whose work helps promote the renewed interest in City Pop.” - MAGbtm
“Much of the credit for Chicago’s embrace of City Pop goes to DJ Van Paugam, who discovered the genre when trying to track down the source of samples from music he liked. Turns out the “vaporwave” samples were from City Pop songs. - Origami Magazine
Chicago Reader Selected Van Paugam as ‘Chicagoan of Note’ for Dec 2021
“For my money, the Chicago-based Van Paugam (whose work includes a brief history of city pop) has long made the best city pop mixes on YouTube, but earlier this year the Japanese recording industry — an aggressive entity, even by recording-industry standards — had his channel taken down, forcing him to start over again.” - LA Review of Books
“The subgenre of Japanese city pop has also exploded in recent years, thanks to the work of DJ's like Van Paugam...It started with seminal artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, Anri and Mariya Takeuchi...” - Vinylengine
“Conceived in the booming Japan of the 1980s, City Pop was born from the neon-filled Tokyo night-time landscape. This music takes you back to a time you never experienced, but nevertheless, feel an unexplainably intense longing for. Its death came just as quick as its birth – during the 1990s, Japan’s global prowess fell into a deep recession known as the Lost Decade, which also culminated in less dreamy, optimistic music. Decades later, it has slowly made a comeback, loosely and intangibly inserted into some Vaporwave and Future Funk tracks, albeit like a faint memory. Luckily, one man was able to rescue it from limbo – Van Paugam, also known as “The Lost City Pop DJ.” - Reel Culture Magazine
“Chicago-based DJ Van Paugam often receives credit for bringing City Pop back to life. His first YouTube playlist from 2016, features Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, and Junko Yagami, among others. These names are now synonymous with the genre’s resurgence. The playlist combines music with vibrant images of classic anime and pairs songs with disco dancing, night-driving through Tokyo, and basking in neon. Paugam even borrows images of the timeless Cowboy Bebop, Ghost In The Shell. This format would contribute to the genre’s renewed popularity and act as an aesthetic for future playlists and fans who want to evoke a similar emotional response.” - The Daily Fandom
“Japanese culture has long since surpassed the American influences it absorbed to create hybrid genres Americans have been furiously importing at a seemingly exponential rate. One of the newest such genres was actually created by an American DJ, Van Paugam, who aggregated a collection of Japanese records into what he calls “City Pop.” In another Open Culture post on this YouTube phenomenon, Marshall describes the music as “drawing influences from Western disco, funk, and R&B, and using the latest sonic technologies mastered nowhere more than in Japan itself.” Like Japanese jazz, city pop comes from music that began in the U.S. but becomes globalized and cosmopolitan as it traveled the world.” - Open Culture
“Like chillwave, synthwave, vaporwave, and mallsoft, city pop relies on a listener accepting the reliance on nostalgia; as Van Paugam points out, the sound of city pop resembles that of familiar, nostalgic Western songs enough to connect with listeners.” - Journal of Popular Music Studies
Van Paugam @ Logan Theatre, Chicago, 2018
“City Pop has started to make a comeback. Around 2015, Japanese indie music artists started to make music under the umbrella of “Neo City Pop” (The Japan Times). While Neo City Pop as a genre doesn’t seem to have a centralized definition, artists who use the term want to induce feelings of “sophistication, fashionableness, and nostalgia” and still produce the same kind of urban music that other artists did back in the day. On the United States side, 80s City Pop has been rising as an underground genre. Van Paugam, a Chicago-based DJ, has been credited for bringing the genre to the United States and giving it relevance through playing it at DJ sets and ripping old City Pop music, and posting it to YouTube (Chicago Reader). Since 2016, the subreddit surrounding City Pop has moved from 50 to over 12,000 subscribers.” - Twenty-two Twenty-eight
“海を超えた西城秀樹と滝沢洋一の「かぎりなき夏」。シティ・ポップを世界に広めた立役者、DJ ヴァン・ポーガムが語る普遍性 “- Alfa Music
“秋元薫、ジャパニーズ・シティポップとして海外でヒット中の「Dress Down」！ 1986年のアルバム「Cologne」の 2021年 最新リマスターに、DJ Van Paugam によるリエディットを加えた 配信限定 アルバム「cologne+1」が、本日 9月22日 配信リリース!” - Musicguide.jp
“今回の配信アルバム『Cologne』は、全曲最新リマスタリングを施し、さらに欧米に日本のシティ・ポップを広めた立役者の一人であるシカゴのDJ、ヴァン・ポーガム（Van Paugam）が、秋元の楽曲でもNo.2の人気を誇る「我がままなハイヒール」のリエディットを担当しました。今なお話題が継続している日本のシティ・ポップ。今回の秋元薫のリマスター配信とDJヴァン・ポーガムのリエディットを聴いて、海外から逆輸入された80年代の日本のシティ・ポップを楽しんでほしいところです。”- Yahoo News Japan
世界的シティポップ大ブーム“真の先駆者”である米シカゴ在住のDJヴァン・ポーガム（Van Paugam）による、42年間お蔵入りになった元祖シティポップアーティスト・滝沢洋一（たきざわ・よういち）の名曲「かぎりなき夏」のRemix音源が発表された。音楽ライター・都鳥流星からの依頼が約2年越しで実った形だ。
この「かぎりなき夏 Van Paugam 2024 Remix」は12月18日にソニー・ミュージックレーベルズから発売の滝沢洋一“幻の2ndアルバム”『BOY』CD版にボーナストラックで収録されるほか、12月25日のクリスマスにはアナログシングル（EP盤）としてワーナーミュージック・ジャパンより発売されることが決定した。- MAG2 NEWS (2024)
滝沢洋一「かぎりなき夏 Van Paugam 2024 Remix」アナログレコードシングル盤（C/W：滝沢洋一「かぎりなき夏 オリジナル1982 Mix」）Yoichi Takizawa “Endless Summer” Kagirinakinatsu
近年の世界的シティポップブームの先駆者である米シカゴ在住のDJ Van Paugam（ヴァン・ポーガム）による、42年間お蔵入りになっていた元祖シティポップアーティスト滝沢洋一“幻の2ndアルバム”『BOY』所収の名曲「かぎりなき夏」Remix音源がアナログシングル盤で発売！
https://youtu.be/uzPqt_zeY5Y?si=OW0oXh2CEgdaQZeO
ヴァンは2016年という早い段階に自身のYouTubeチャンネルで、日本のシティポップの楽曲を繋ぎ合わせて1本の曲にミックスした動画を多数アップし、世界中の音楽ファンに広めた張本人。しかし、当時のYouTubeの規約に触れ、2019年初めにはアカウントを削除されてしまったため、ブームの火付け役としての存在は誰にも知られていなかった。まさにブームの先駆者なのである。
一方、滝沢洋一は、1976年初旬に音楽業界で初めて「ニューミュージック」という言葉を公共の電波に載せたと言われている伝説のシンガーソングライター（2006年に56歳で逝去）。しかし、ヒット曲に恵まれず、わずかアルバム一枚、シングル3枚を発表しただけで1982年に短い歌手活動を終えた。その前後に作曲家として他のアーティストやアイドル、タレントらに楽曲を提供しており、その数なんと100曲以上にも及ぶ。そんな提供曲の一つが、1982年に発売予定だったアルバム『BOY』が「お蔵入り」になったがために他のアーティストへ提供された「かぎりなき夏」だった。DJヴァンは、この楽曲を2010年代に“発見”した。
82年にお蔵入りになった幻の2ndアルバム『BOY』は、現在もミックス済みマスターテープが「行方不明」のまま。一度は発売が危ぶまれた『BOY』だったが、世界で初めて滝沢の生涯と音楽活動を伝えたニュースサイトMAG2 NEWS（まぐまぐニュース！）運営元の「株式会社まぐまぐ」からのサポートによって、奇跡的に保存されていたマルチマスターテープから新たにミックス作業をおこなうことに。アルバム『BOY』がCDとアナログ盤で12月18日に同時発売することが決定したことで、初めて滝沢洋一オリジナル版「かぎりなき夏」が42年越しで世界初リリースされることとなった。
そして今回、「かぎりなき夏」という楽曲の縁で結ばれたDJヴァンが音楽ライター・都鳥流星からの依頼を受け、2年近くに及ぶ交流を経て、ついに滝沢版「かぎりなき夏」のRemix発表が実現した。
エレクトロポップあるいは80年代ディスコ風とも言える感じにアレンジされたDJヴァンによる滝沢版「かぎりなき夏」Remixは、2024年12月18日発売のCD版『BOY』に収録されるほか、12月25日にアナログシングル盤として発売。
本盤B面には、滝沢邸から奇跡的に発見されたオープンリールテープに収録の滝沢版「かぎりなき夏 オリジナル1982 Mix」を収録。これは1982年当時の完全オリジナルMixであり、2024年Mixには音源ソースが不明のため入れられなかった「波のSE」が入っている唯一無二のレア音源だ。
このB面の「かぎりなき夏 オリジナル1982 Mix」は、12月18日に同時発売されるCDとアナログ盤には未収録。元祖シティポップアーティストによる「42年前の奇跡」の音に触れていただきたい。
ジャケットデザインには、シティポップを代表するイラストレーター・鈴木英人による偶然にも楽曲と同じコンセプトで描いていた作品「終わりなき夏と」を採用。
元祖シティポップアーティスト、世界的シティポップブームの火付け役、シティポップの代名詞的イラストレーターという3人による「究極のシティポップ」を是非アナログで！- MAG2NEWS (2024)
世界92か国のApple MusicのJ-Popランキング入りを果たしただけでなく、Spotifyのグローバルバイラルチャートでは18日連続1位を獲得した松原みき『真夜中のドア～stay with me』（1979）など70〜80年代にかけて「シティ・ポップ」の名曲を数多く生み出し、映画やアニメ、舞台など多岐にわたって活躍する作曲家、林哲司（はやし・てつじ）。そんな林や日本のシティ・ポップに魅せられ、自身のYouTubeチャンネルで2016年からシティ・ポップを世界中の音楽ファンにいち早く広めた「ブームの先駆者」である米国シカゴ在住のDJ ヴァン・ポーガム。これらシティ・ポップと呼ばれる楽曲を「作った側」と「広めた側」が初めて顔を合わせ、今も続く世界的シティ・ポップ大ブームの過去・現在、そして未来を語り尽くしました。（通訳協力：細川忠道）- MAG2NEWS (2023)
“なぜ古い日本のシティポップに注目が集まっているのでしょうか。私は昨年の著書『時間とテクノロジー』で、この不思議な現象について考察しました。その中で紹介したヴァン・ポーガム（Van Paugam）という人の視点が、非常に面白く刺激的です。これを取り上げてみましょう。ポーガムは米国人DJで、2019年1月にシカゴで日本人シンガー杏里さんのライブを企画している人です。彼は「シカゴリーダー」というウェブメディアのインタビューで、次のように説明しています。”- COMEMO
“同イベントにはシカゴを拠点としながら、インターネット上でも数々のDJミックスを発表し、高い支持を獲得しているDJ、Van Paugamが出演する。ジャパニーズ・ディスコ、ファンク、シティ・ポップなどのレコードでDJするVan Paugamは、過去に24時間ストリーミング・ラジオ『CITY POP シティポップ RADIO』の配信も行っており、すでに削除されているが10万人超えのチャンネル登録者数を有していた。”- SPINCOASTER
“Van Paugam è un giovane musicista e dj, conceptualist d’istanza a Chicago. Nonostante il suo canale youtube non abbia numeri impressionanti per quanto riguarda le iscrizioni, le sue playlist hanno accumulato milioni di plays e un seguito affezionato. Tutti i giorni per 24 ore sullo stesso canale viene anche trasmessa la radio dedicata al city pop. È anche l’autore di un video esplicativo, egregiamente realizzato, sulla storia e le origini del city pop.” - Takamori
“Is there any location more glamorous and excessive than Miami during Art Basel? Try Tokyo in the '70s and '80s, where everyone was flush with cash and the music was like nothing else on Earth. City pop — a mix of funk, disco, soft rock, and R&B sung in Japanese and English — was all the rage, and thanks to the internet, it's having a nostalgia-induced revival. DJ Van Paugam, who made a name for himself mixing and streaming the stuff on YouTube, will be your guide at Soundlux Audio and Sweat Records' City Pop: The Sound of '70s and '80s Japan. Refreshments will be provided.” - Miami New Times
“Well, a few nights ago, I encountered "A Brief History of City Pop", a 15-minute YouTube video made by Van Paugam, one of the fellows that I've subscribed to, and it's a nice little course done up as a long-form Vaporwave/Future Funk creation (love the John Travolta commercial in Japan) while sultry narrator Meikonishi gives a description of the genre juxtaposed against and influenced by the history of modern Japan from the mid-1970s and well into the 1980s. A few performances and some of the finest albums of City Pop are shown with the mini-doc even touching a bit upon New Music and technopop.” - Kayo Kyoku Plus
“The sounds of City Pop are a unique blend of funk, disco, pop, soft rock, jazz, and boogie often paired with themes of summer, city life, and good vibes. What distinguishes it from American 1970s and 80s music is that these sounds are used harmoniously in more experimental ways. Van describes it as “a familiar but distinctly foreign nostalgia from a different place and time that is not your own.” - Japanese Consulate of Chicago
“Uno degli attuali massimi diffusori del genere, il dj di Chicago Van Paugam ha colto l’essenza del messaggio di fondo e in una recente intervista ha affermato (a ragione) che una volta che si ascoltano gli originali, tornare indietro è quasi impossibile. Un dj nato proprio con il future funk e la vaporwave che per trovare nuove chiavi di lettura e nuovi argomenti al proprio progetto artistico ha guardato al passato senza – tuttavia – fossilizzarsi su un genere in particolare. Del resto il city pop, del quale oggi è possibile stilare una, seppur generica, catalogazione abbraccia i più diversi generi musicali. In particolare il jazz, il funk, soul e disco i cui precursori vengono comunemente indicati in Tomoko Aran, Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, Toshiki Kadomatsu e Takako Mamiya.” - DEERWAVES
“Es así como en un intento de recordar el basado y permear a nuevas audiencias Van Paugam distribuye aquellas pistas que fueron memorables. Si te gusta este tipo de música o estás interesado en saber mas te recomiendo seguirlo y disfrutar de cada una de las recopilaciones que Van Paugam brinda.” - De Fan a Fan
”Pour le côté plus funky, se diriger vers Toshiki Kadomatsu, Junko Yagami ou Hideki Saijo. En réalité, il n'y a pas de mauvaise porte d'entrée à la City Pop: il suffit de s'y engouffrer avec curiosité. Pour des explorations poussées et exhaustives, les compilations de Van Paugam, DJ de Chicago spécialiste du genre, sauront satisfaire vos envies d'étés japonais pour les mois à venir.” - Slate France
