Celebrating the release of HOSONO HOUSE COVERS, a fresh reimagining of Haruomi Hosono’s landmark album, we present Revisiting “HOSONO HOUSE,” a short series delving into the global impact of Hosono’s work.
In the final installment, Yuji Shibasaki, reflecting on Mac DeMarco’s contribution to the cover album, unpacks the journey of HOSONO HOUSE as it captivated international audiences and musicians. Through this exploration, he considers how the surrounding musical landscape shaped its widespread acceptance.
[Editor’s Note] This series and article were created at the end of 2024. Tragically, in January 2025, the Los Angeles music community, including Stones Throw Records—which co-produced HOSONO HOUSE COVERS—was severely impacted by the catastrophic wildfires in California. John Carroll Kirby, who also participated in the project, shared his own experience with the disaster on social media. Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected.
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Mac DeMarco’s Decade-Long Admiration for Haruomi Hosono
The moment that sparked my awareness of the international reception of HOSONO HOUSE was over 10 years ago when I watched an episode from the YouTube video series What’s In My Bag?, produced by the American record store Amoeba Music.
In this series, current artists visit the store and introduce items they personally select, alongside their comments. The series later went on to win a Webby Award, becoming beloved by many music fans up to this day. I, too, have been a fan for a long time, checking out the latest episodes whenever I had the chance.
It was in the September 9, 2014, episode of What’s In My Bag? that indie musician Mac DeMarco appeared, gaining even more attention following the release of his third album Salad Days.
Watching Mac DeMarco casually chat while holding Bruce Springsteen’s iconic album The River (1980) in front of Amoeba Music’s San Francisco store, I was almost convinced that the inspiration behind the artwork of his previous album 2 (2012) was indeed The River. However, according to DeMarco, the reference actually comes from somewhere else.
That’s when he mentioned HOSONO HOUSE—a choice I hadn’t anticipated! Upon hearing this, I could clearly see the similarities in the color scheme and font style… But still, HOSONO HOUSE as a reference? What a perfect and unexpected pick.
At the time, I had no idea about his later activities, such as the 2018 Japanese cover of “Honey Moon” or his guest appearance at Hosono’s Los Angeles performance in 2019. For me, the combination of HOSONO HOUSE and a young indie rock artist seemed incredibly fresh and
Musician. Hosono made his debut in 1969 as a member of April Fool. In 1970, he co-founded Happy End, and in 1973, he launched his solo career while also performing as part of Tin Pan Alley. In 1978, he formed Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), contributing to the pop music industry as a songwriter, producer, and label owner.
Following YMO’s disbandment, Hosono explored world music, ambient, and electronica, engaging in composition, production, and film scoring. In 2019, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his musical career, he released HOCHONO HOUSE, a reimagining of his first solo album, HOSONO HOUSE (1973).
In 2024, marking his 55th anniversary in music, the tribute album HOSONO HOUSE COVERS, featuring 13 artists, was released.
According to an interview published in the Pen magazine’s Haruomi Hosono special issue (January 2025), Mac DeMarco has been a “fanatic” of Hosono’s music since his teenage years when he first discovered it on video-sharing sites. Considering this, it’s easy to sense DeMarco’s passionate spirit in his simple acoustic cover of “Boku wa Chotto” on HOSONO HOUSE COVERS, a choice that reflects his long-time admiration for Hosono.
In the same article, he also mentions:
At that time, I was really into Americana—artists like James Taylor, Neil Young, and the Tin Pan Alley scene. It was during this period that a friend introduced me to Bara to Yajū (Roses and Beasts), and I found its mix of Americana influences with Hosono’s distinctive harmonies incredibly captivating.
From Pen January 2025 issue, special feature “Haruomi Hosono and His Companions,” p68
Note: This likely refers to the popular songs produced in the Tin Pan Alley of Manhattan, New York, where many songwriters gathered, or the so-called “Brill Building Sound,” which continues that tradition.
