

The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the first volume only chronicled the USA.
Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 emerged in 2001. It features music from countries such as Iceland, Uruguay, and Japan. I’m profiling and rating each of the 109 tracks, working backwards.
Track 86 – I’m Just A Mops by The Mops
From: Tokyo, Japan
10
Credits
PERSONNEL/HIROMITSU SUZUKI: vocals * MASARU HOSHI: lead guitar, vocals * TAROU MIYUKI: rhythm guitar * KAORU MURAKAMI: bass * MIKIHARU SUZUKI: drums
Producer(s) unknown
Recorded in Tokyo, Japan
From the album Psychedelic Sounds In Japan, Victor #SJV-356 (1968) [Japan]
The Mops
The Group Sounds genre became popular in Japan in the late 1960s. It fused Western rock music with Japanese pop music (kayōkyoku). It was sparked by The Beatles’ 1966 appearance at the Budokan.
The Mops started as a high school band, playing instrumental rock like The Ventures. Their manager visited San Francisco and brought home Jefferson Airplane records, steering the band toward psychedelic rock. The Mops covered ‘White Rabbit’ and ‘Somebody to Love’ on their debut album. They became known as Japan’s “first psychedelic band”, and performed with elaborate light shows.
I’m Just A Mops
‘I’m Just A Mops’ may be a grammatically dubious title, but it’s a terrific song.
There’s a busy bassline, a fuzzy guitar, a Beatlesque tune, and a charismatic singer delivering wacky lines like “But I don’t care of them/’Cos I am just a Mops!”
The Mops hammered their point home six months later with their first album, Psychedelic Sounds In Japan, which included wild covers of “Somebody To Love” and “San Franciscan Nights,” as well as some fuzzed-out nuggets of their own, like “Blind Bird” (which included the dramatic exhortation “Please kill me”–predating Richard Hell by a not-so-blank generation). Best of the bunch, though, was probably their loopy theme song, “I’m Just A Mops,” a proud statement of their outcast status, in less than perfect English: “But I don’t care of them/’Cos I am just a Mops!”
Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes
The Aftermath
The Mops broke up in 1974. Guitarist Masaru Hoshi worked as an arranger. Vocalist Hiromitsu Suzuki became a TV personality and actor, while drummer Mikiharu Suzuki started a successful career in artist management.
Read More
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Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes

Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets: Journey to Tyme by Kenny and the Kasuals

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets: Open My Eyes by Nazz

Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians

Nuggets: Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice by Mouse and the Traps

Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets: Little Bit O’Soul by The Music Explosion

Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter

Nuggets: Jack of Diamonds by The Daily Flash

Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics

Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression

Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees

Nuggets II: The Madman Running Through The Fields by Dantalian’s Chariot

Nuggets: Let’s Talk About Girls by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders

Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard

Nuggets: Steppin’ Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants

Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers

Nuggets II: Pictures of Matchstick Men by The Status Quo

Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

Nuggets: Lies by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds

Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types

Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Romeo and Juliet by Michael and the Messengers

Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers

Nuggets: I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time by The Third Bardo

Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets: You’re Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators

Nuggets: I’m Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows

Nuggets: I Think I’m Down by the Harbinger Complex

Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer

Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans

Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine

Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet by the Blues Magoos

Nuggets: She’s About A Mover by Sir Douglas Quintet

Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Nuggets: It’s A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms

Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels

Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers

Nuggets II: I’m Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B

Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke

Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine

Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers

Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People

Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians

Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love

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Nuggets: No Time Like The Right Time by The Blues Project

Nuggets: Complication by The Monks

Nuggets: She’s My Baby by The Mojo Men

Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope

Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz

Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders

Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians

Nuggets: (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man by The Brigands

Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions

Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half

Nuggets: Don’t Look Back by The Remains

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

Nuggets II: The Train to Disaster by The Voice

Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments

Nuggets II: Nothin’ by Ugly Ducklings

Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority

Nuggets: Dirty Water by The Standells

Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill

Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves

Nuggets II: But You’ll Never Do It, Babe by The Boots

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels

Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: You Ain’t Tuff by The Uniques

Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors

Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics

Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans

Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley

Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend

Baby, Please Don’t Go by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe

Nuggets: Sit Down, I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men

Nuggets II: I’m Just A Mops by The Mops

Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains

Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: At the River’s Edge by New Colony Six

Nuggets: Can’t Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds

Nuggets II: Slaves Time by The Slaves

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks

Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics

Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White by The Standells

Sugar and Spice by The Cryan’ Shames

Nuggets II: Glendora by Downliners Sect

Nuggets II: You Can Be My Baby by The Red Squares

Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed

Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

Nuggets: I Ain’t No Miracle Worker by The Brogues

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets II: Why Don’t You Smile Now by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

More Nuggets
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Nuggets: I’m Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets II: Nothin’ by Ugly Ducklings

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: You Ain’t Tuff by The Uniques

Nuggets: It’s A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms

Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

Nuggets II: I’m Just A Mops by The Mops

Nuggets: Open My Eyes by Nazz

Nuggets: Complication by The Monks

Nuggets: Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice by Mouse and the Traps

Nuggets: Little Bit O’Soul by The Music Explosion

Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet by the Blues Magoos

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer

Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics

Nuggets II: Why Don’t You Smile Now by Downliners Sect

Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon

Nuggets II: The Train to Disaster by The Voice

Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers

Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People

Nuggets: Can’t Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds

Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants

Nuggets: I Ain’t No Miracle Worker by The Brogues

Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors

Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers

Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles

Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Nuggets: You’re Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators

Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains

Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White by The Standells

Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves

Nuggets: Lies by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Journey to Tyme by Kenny and the Kasuals

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

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Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley

Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes

Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks

Nuggets II: Pictures of Matchstick Men by The Status Quo

Nuggets: Dirty Water by The Standells

Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps

Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

Nuggets II: I’m Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B

Nuggets II: The Madman Running Through The Fields by Dantalian’s Chariot

Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Sugar and Spice by The Cryan’ Shames

Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions

Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos

Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers

Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

Nuggets: At the River’s Edge by New Colony Six

Nuggets: Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds

Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society

Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels

Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans

Nuggets: Sit Down, I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men

Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types

Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

Nuggets: Jack of Diamonds by The Daily Flash

Nuggets: I Think I’m Down by the Harbinger Complex

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope

Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics

Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band

Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke

Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

Nuggets II: Slaves Time by The Slaves

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love

Nuggets: No Time Like The Right Time by The Blues Project

Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments

Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians

Nuggets II: You Can Be My Baby by The Red Squares

Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders

Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority

Nuggets II: But You’ll Never Do It, Babe by The Boots

Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders

Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets: Steppin’ Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir

Nuggets: (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man by The Brigands

Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics

Baby, Please Don’t Go by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe

Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians

Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions

Nuggets: Don’t Look Back by The Remains

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend

Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets: Let’s Talk About Girls by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: She’s About A Mover by Sir Douglas Quintet

Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz

Nuggets: I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time by The Third Bardo

Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes

Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

Nuggets: She’s My Baby by The Mojo Men

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows

Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets: Romeo and Juliet by Michael and the Messengers

Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers

Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds

Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

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That is such a cool song, Graham. It’s also safe to assume it’s the first music by a Japanese garage rock band I’ve ever heard!
Yeah, when I think of Japanese popular music, it’s slick City pop or the Yellow Magic Orchestra and friends.
I love this! Like Christian…and probably most people, my first taste of a Japanese garage band…I’ll have to look more of these guys up.
Yeah, had me interested in more too. Great pick from the compilers – must be people out there with an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure 1960s records.
They must be…this is about as obscure as you can get.
Make that three people who’s first experience of Japanese garage music this is. There seems to be a strong Beatles influence.
Yeah, it’s pretty Beatlesy – like 1964 Beatles maybe.