Today is Friday, only it’s not just any Friday. Today marks the introduction of a new regular posting called the “Friday Feature.”
Every week, The Hawaii Herald will profile a different musician of Japanese descent – from Hawaii, Japan or anywhere else on the globe. Why a music feature? Well, there are many talented musicians of Japanese descent, only most people in the listening public aren’t aware of their Japanese ancestry – not that that is a bad thing because music should speak for itself. However, this being a Japanese American publication, it is nice to know and celebrate what Japanese and Japanese Americans are accomplishing across the world. So without further delay . . . the inaugural Friday Feature is . . .
Doug Robb, lead singer of the popular alternative rock band Hoobastank. Funny name for a band, right? Well, according to the 33-year-old Robb, who is Japanese from his mother’s side and Scottish from his father’s side, it doesn’t mean anything. It did, however, get the band a lot of attention at first. But all that changed when Hoobastank released their second album The Reason in 2003. The album went double platinum and the band became a popular group in alternative rock circles. Their third album, Every Man for Himself, while only going Gold, still managed to keep the band in the limelight. Their fourth yet-untitled album, which the band reportedly poured a lot of effort into, should be released this year.
Another interesting thing about Robb? He went to the same high school, Agoura High School in California, as the Japanese American lead singer of the popular rock band Linkin Park, Mike Shinoda.
Here’s Robb and Hoobastank singing their hit single “The Reason” live in Rome.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNBjdtFDPI&feature=related]
