I’m not going to lie and say that I knew The Collectors were a Japanese mod-rock band that has been rocking us upward of 23 years. It’s the first I’ve heard of them.

But in my mind there is something very “independent” about living a mod-rock dream, and there is also something to be said about respecting your elders. So join me as I learn a little bit about Japanese rock history.

When I came across The Collectors’ video for “Seishun Mirror,” I couldn’t help but enjoy what I was hearing.  I immediately thought of the closest association in my life, that of sometimes mod-rocker, Matthew Sweet. He’s been one of my favorite artists of all time and he associates closely with 60′s rock.

So as I continued to listen to “Seishun Mirror” and hallucinate with the spirals and mirror imagery, I delved into their official website for some backstory. Their biography mentions comparisons to The Who and Pink Floyd.

Well as you watch the Collectors’ video, you can’t help but notice the lead singer Hisashi Kato’s mannerisms reflect that of Roger Daltery of The Who. Eerie stuff. Then hit the 4:20 mark and when you hear Kato’s “YAY!” that sounds like the kickoff to CSI: MIAMI, you know these guys are full blown WHO fans.

Another amazing moment is earlier at the 3:07 mark; holy hell that is one amazingly cutting guitar solo. Wow. “Seishun Mirror” is a great song and worth 7 years bad luck for all the broken mirrors.

So in my internet history lesson, I learned The Collectors have over 16 albums,  not including mini albums and singles. The earliest album dates back to 1987. Visit the Columbia artist page for some more info on the band. The Collectors’ new album Seishun Mirror is set for release on April 7th, 2010. Preorder it from yesasia.com now.