Yoshida's Zeuhl phenomenon.

I managed to see them live in 1999, it was completely awesome.

Yoshida is a unique, powerful drummer w/both spastic physicality and nerdy precision that run much deeper than mere Magma worship. His playing seems like an extension of his nervous energy. Quite the snare sound.

My favorite of his performances are actually w/the far less technical, heavier, and post-punk-influenced pre-Ruins band YBO². (Alienation and the Taiyō no Ōji EP are fucking explosive. He sounds rougher and less uptight on these, serving as an anchor for KK Null's no wave-ish treble guitar and Masashi Kitamura's dark, drunken yowling and fuzz bass.)

But I dig Ruins, too, particularly the albums III, Stonehenge, and Refusal Fossil, before the music became too tight, streamlined, and complex. I was bonkers for this stuff throughout the '90s, in fact.

A few minuses for the more baroque, chops-oriented later material, as well as for falsetto vocals that can either be hysterically funny or gratuitous. But overall, Ruins are not crap--that rare musical bridge for old prog geeks and Japanese underground noise freaks.

Have seen them live more than a few times in NYC and Tokyo, and they were always beyond entertaining. (I have not followed the Yoshida-solo version of Ruins, but only b/c I miss the snarl of a live bassist.)

Total not crap. Those early Ruins records are phenomenal but I pretty much like everything he does. I only ever saw 1 proper Ruins gig in SF around 20+ years ago but have seen Yoshida play in various other contexts over the years.

Completely great (most any of Yoshida's projects rule without relent).

Lucky enough to have opened for them in '94, let's say. Burning Stone era. Used my amp. Friends were like 'so your amp isn't fucked up?'

Ultra NC

The live Mandala album is my fave. Some of the sickest musicianship out there.

NC for steller musicianship and dedication to their vision, but I can't stand to listen to it.

Like Man is the Bastard, whom I kind consider their north American more hardcore derived contemporaries, I love them but only listen to them in small measures. Like MITD they are a great EP or seven inch band. A full album of that stuff can be a challenge to get through.