European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes May 1985 entertainment Battenfeld United press International they usually Are washed up at age but in their japans Aidora Kashu idol singers capture the hearts and pocket Money of some of the worlds most affluent and some of their fathers As nightly they often across Japa Nese television some barely out of cute rather than with singing ability playing a distinct second fiddle to the idol Singer is a unique aspect of japanese pop culture and the Centrepiece of a multimillion Dollar entertainment while Seiko Akina Nakamori or Koji Kikawa May not be household words in Europe or the United they sell millions of records a year and pack concert Halls from Tokyo to the female idols also attract the usually of Many Middle aged the result of what some social scientists Call the Lolita Complex of Japa Nese the idols make millions of dollars annually for companies that package and promote the singers with the same determination used to sell less perishable such As cars or electronic about three quarters of idol singers arc most projecting a fresh faced wholesome image carefully crafted to an identifiable the idea is for the idol to be not that much out of the someone with whom the fans can identify a sort of democratic stardom that fits the per formers often modest vocal a person who will succeed in this business has to be Able to Send a message that can be sensed by people of the same explained Yukio an executive with Taurus the result is often a bubbly min skirted flashing a sometimes Crooke toothed smile and bouncing through an eminently forgettable mild Rock or disco beat with stylized Arm gestures and dance but not in time with the its hardly world class but it Sells a whole Galaxy of pop music idols Are sought for product endorsements and for Walkon appearances at everything from Trade shows to company while hard figures arc difficult to get in an Industry devoted to published reports indicate Seiko mat the reigning although at age the aging Queen of pop has sold More than million in records and tapes in the last four for the singers the financial rewards Are surprisingly meager by International All idols work on salary from their promotion or record companies beginning at about a even Seiko Chan earns Only a reported a a relatively Large sum considering her limited vocal but paltry compared to the earn Ings of american and european pop and Rock entertain being an idol has its Matsuda and the 19yearold pop Crown Are immensely popular throughout East Asia and Southeast if either performer changed her thou Sands of High school and College and Young female office would do the same within and each afternoon on Tokyo Street groups of High school boys practice the Elvis Presley like glower that is the trademark of the cur rent male the Price of Fame is a tightly heavily scheduled totally controlled by when an idol Singer does something she wants to the profits go Sasaki noted its but its not As easy or As glamorous As it said Singer you who came from Hawaii four years ago to begin a successful career As an it is but its also a lot of hard a lot of 12 or 14 hour Days and no social she idol singers Start freshness is the most important Sasaki the singers Are recruited from Talent Audi or by in their Early the most prom Ising Are Given singing and acting most an we hold several brainstorming sessions to decide the trying to get what is the most natural style to Send out the new girls Sasaki after about a year of training and possibly a few appearance outside the generally aged 15 or debuts on a tee oriented television show and begins the climb hopefully to the top of each every carefully programmed by the now at mid career at age was discovered by a Talent scout in a Honolulu department store elevator when she was 14 years although born in she had lived in Guam and Hawaii for 11 years when she was signed by Taurus records and brought to Tokyo for she de buted in my friends and wanted to Start a Rock but my voice was too the vivacious teenager 1 took guitar but nothing went right until i met this scout in the Hayami she want a Singer when we scouted Sasaki just a her voice was weak and she really started from but now the Quality of her voice is very Haramis according to is Tropi Cal Hayami Calls herself summery with pastel costumes and Bright upbeat if you look at the charts youll see that my records released in the sum Mer always do the she who said she often gets fan mail from mid dle aged plans to begin recording More Rock numbers to Appeal to a slightly younger in not in any hurry to Stop being an idol she Matsuda has been japans perennial while the weak voiced Nakamori has tried to break the Mold with a mildly sort of sexy although the spice seems More mag than Matsuda currently is trying to make the Neari pos sible transition from an idol to an adult pop toning Down her bubbly image and attempting More mature Shes even proclaimed a goal of Seiko Sekai worldwide Fame and floated plans for a world although Industry observers doubt her modest vocal endowments and limited linguistic abilities will have much Appeal in the vet Seiko Hans ability to stay on top past age 20 was most idols begin to fade about that time As their promoters turn their attention to newer product Pasakis latest for is 15yearold Mayumi who has finished her training and will debut this the record executive proudly displayed a publicity shot showing a slim japanese teenager dressed in a White Tennis Shes sort of a sports healthy a Good dont you think you Hayami is japans latest Aidora or idol some can v i no up photo