There's an interesting clip up on youtube, a publicity reel of Mickey Curtis and his band Samurai attempting a British Invasion of their own. In this 1960s film aimed at British music fans, the bi-racial Curtis and his group play up their Japanese identity. While the voiceover man rattles off cliches ("Six swinging samurais from the Land of the Rising Sun... led by Mickey Curtis, a top name on the sake circuit..."), the band eat with chopsticks and clown around in robes.

Japanese Group Sounds and surf bands also presented Japanese-styled versions of pop for Japanese audiences, but in this case it's pretty clear that someone thought that the only way the Samurai were going to make it in the UK was by playing up their "exotic" heritage.

You could argue that things haven't changed much, as many bands still play up their Japanese ID when they tour the west. Personally, I don't think that's so bad--in the end, the individuality of a good band will shine through. But let's hope that publicists steer clear of the lame chopsticks-and-sake talk in 2006.