Toshinori Kondo & IMA - 1985 - Metal Position

Toshinori Kondo & IMA

1985

Metal Position

01. Night Drive = ナイト・ドライブ

02. Cerezo Rosa = セレソ・ローサ

03. Metalic Bamboo = メタリック・バンブー

04. Black Dance = ブラック・ダンス

05. We Know Smart = ウイ・ノウ・スマート

06. Tea Girl = ティー・ガール

07. Tricky Dicky Fa Fa Fa = トリッキー・ディッキー・ファ、ファ、ファ

08. Kaze = 風

Drums, Percussion – Hideo Yamaki

Electric Bass – Rodney Drummer

Guitar – Taizo Sakai

Guitar, Percussion, Vocals – Reck

Synthesizer, Piano, Saxophone, Vocals – Haruo Togashi

Trumpet – Toshinori Kondo

The Trumpet Goes Full Headbanger (Sort Of)

If Taihen was Toshinori Kondo gleefully crashing a tea ceremony with a funk-rock band, then Metal Position is him cranking the amps to 11, handing the trumpet a leather jacket, and daring it to mosh. Released just a year later in 1985 on Polydor Japan (with European presses trickling out in 1986), this sophomore IMA album takes the chaotic energy of its predecessor and injects it with steroids—more guitars, drum machines, synths, and a title that screams "heavy metal" while delivering something far weirder: electric trumpet-led fusion that's equal parts funky groove, rock riffage, and avant-garde mischief. It's like Kondo looked at the '80s hair metal scene and thought, "Cute, but hold my effects pedals."

Clocking in at about 37 minutes across eight tracks, Metal Position feels like a bolder, shinier escalation. The trumpet still squeals and warps like a sci-fi weapon, but now it's dueling with crunchy guitars and Simmons electronic drums. It's danceable in theory, headbangable in practice, and utterly baffling to anyone expecting straight jazz. Think of it as the missing link between Herbie Hancock's electro-funk, early Red Hot Chili Peppers slap-bass antics, and a touch of industrial clank—all filtered through Kondo's irreverent Japanese lens.

Strap in, because this album is metal in position only; the execution is pure Kondo chaos.

Kondo Levels Up the Mayhem

By 1985, Toshinori Kondo was no rookie. The Imabari-born trumpet rebel (1948–2020) had already conquered New York's downtown scene in the late '70s, blowing minds alongside John Zorn, Derek Bailey, and Bill Laswell with his effects-laden electric trumpet—a horn that could mimic guitars, synths, or alien invasions. Back in Japan after Taihen's 1984 debut introduced IMA (his flexible "International Music Activities" crew), Kondo doubled down. Metal Position captures him at peak confidence: blending his free-jazz roots with accessible(ish) rock and funk, while nodding to pop covers and Japanese elements.

IMA remained a revolving door of talent, but this lineup leaned harder into rock. Kondo wasn't just leading; he was producing, vocalizing (in scattered speeches and scats), and pushing boundaries. Post-this album, he'd dive deeper into industrial, ambient, and global collabs, but Metal Position marks his flirtation with '80s mainstream edge—without ever selling out. Tragically, Kondo left us in 2020, but albums like this keep his spirit blasting through speakers, reminding us that trumpets can indeed rock.

Forging the Metal in Tokyo

Recorded and mixed March–April 1985 at Polydor Studio in Tokyo, with engineering wizardry from Seigen Ono (who'd worked magic on Taihen). Mastered at JVC Cutting Center. Original Japanese vinyl (28MX 2520) and CD (H33P 20026) releases, plus a German LP on Jaro Medien in 1986. Produced by Toshinori Kondo & IMA, with A&R by Masa Marumo. Art direction by Kazuhiko Ohta, photos by Eiichiro Sakata—pure '80s gloss.

What Happens When a Trumpet Discovers Distortion Pedals?

Metal Position kicks off with "Night Drive"—a slinky bassline and electronic drums prowling like a Tokyo taxi at midnight, before Kondo's trumpet slides in with delayed echoes and overblown wails. It's funky, it's driving (pun intended), and it sets the tone: tighter than Taihen, but wilder in texture.

Then comes the curveball: "Cerezo Rosa," a straight-faced cover of that cheesy Pérez Prado mambo standard. But Kondo's crew turns it into a quirky funk workout—slapping bass, guitar stabs, and trumpet lines that twist the melody into something almost sarcastic. It's hilarious in the best way, like watching a jazz purist attempt breakdancing.

The title-ish vibes hit with "Metalic Bamboo" and "Black Dance": crunchy guitars duel Kondo's processed trumpet (metallic indeed—delays, flanges, making it sound like bamboo swords clashing in a cyber dojo). "We Know Smart" has swaggering grooves and vocal interjections, while "Tea Girl" slows for atmospheric synths and soprano sax. "Tricky Dicky Fa Fa Fa" lives up to its goofy name with scat-like trumpet bursts and playful rhythms. Closer "Kaze" evokes wind-swept minimalism, blending traditional Japanese feels with rock edge.

Overall? It's more polished and rock-leaning than Taihen, with Simmons drums and drum machines giving that glossy '80s sheen. The fusion is infectious—danceable basslines meet avant trumpet freakouts—but the humor shines in the contrasts: a mambo cover next to titles like "Tricky Dicky Fa Fa Fa." It's Kondo winking at pop while staying fiercely experimental. Not quite metal (no shred solos or cookie monster vocals), but "metal" in its shiny, industrial clatter. Fans call it a Japanese RHCP-Ministry hybrid with the heaviness dialed back—energetic, odd, and endlessly replayable.

Downside? The '80s production dates it a bit (those electronic drums scream era), and purists might miss pure improv. But that's the charm: it's unapologetically fun mayhem.

Still Underground, Still Beloved by Weirdos

Like Taihen, Metal Position flew under mainstream radar upon release. Japanese fusion fans dug it, but no chart storms or big reviews. International exposure was limited to niche imports. Cult blogs praise its unique rock-jazz-pop blend with Japanese twists; one old review calls it a perennial favorite for its eclectic joy. On platforms like RateYourMusic and Album of the Year, it's solidly niche—ratings around 3.5–4/5 from dedicated listeners who appreciate the boldness. Detractors? "Too poppy" or "dated drums." But in avant circles, it's hailed as peak IMA accessibility.

No Rolling Stone covers, but crate-diggers and YouTube uploads keep it alive—full album rips rack up views from curious heads.

The Position That Influenced the Fringe

Metal Position solidified IMA's early rep as Kondo's vehicle for genre-smashing fun, paving for later albums like Human Market. It showcased his electric trumpet in a rock context, influencing niche Japanese fusion and experimental rock scenes. Reissues (including compilations with Taihen) and digital availability keep it circulating. In 2026, it's a delightful relic of '80s experimentation—when artists could blend mambo covers with metallic trumpet noise and call it a day.

Not revolutionary like Kondo's free-improv blowouts, but a legacy of fearless joy: proof that jazz instruments can rock without losing soul. For fans of adventurous fusion, funky weirdness, or just trumpet tantrums, it's essential.

Hunt it down—preferably on vinyl for that analog clank. Kondo's metal phase may not have started a genre, but it sure bent a few minds. Highly recommended, with volume cranked and expectations checked at the door.