Toshiyuki Shibayama, Former Vocalist of Sunhouse, to Release Rock Anthem "LANDCROS" Dedicated to Construction Workers, Ahead of His 79th Birthday on June 9th "Rock Day"

Toshiyuki Shibayama, the former vocalist of Sunhouse, who has been at the forefront of the Japanese rock scene since its dawn in the 1960s, announces the release of "LANDCROS," a rock anthem dedicated to all those who work on construction sites. This ambitious piece weaves together homages to music, films, and poetry that have become part of his being over 60 years—including The Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun," MC5's "Kick Out the Jams," Bob Dylan, Shuji Terayama, and Eddie Cochran—while connecting the era of Japan's growth, filled with the sounds of heavy machinery, with the craftsmen silently working at disaster sites today.

● Background of Production

Shibayama comments on the production of the song: "I had always wanted to create adult-oriented rock. The 60s, when I jumped into the music industry, was an era when the entire society was roaring with development—bullet trains, expressways, ports, housing complexes. Construction machinery was the star on those sites, and countless workers literally built Japan." "In recent years, every time I see people working silently at sites affected by frequent natural disasters, a feeling of deep respect has accumulated. There's no use blaming the times. I've incorporated homages to the music, films, and poetry that have become part of my being over approximately 60 years of singing, weaving them little by little into the lyrics"—this, he says, was the starting point for "LANDCROS."

● Musical Context of the Song

In terms of sound, the song draws inspiration from the energy of 60s rock/R&B, symbolized by artists like Jr. Walker & the All Stars, MC5, and Jimi Hendrix, while sublimating it into Shibayama Toshiyuki's unique rock sound. The chorus of the refrain evokes a sense of exhilaration akin to Connie Francis's "Vacation" or Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night," imbued with the essence of Swinging London.

The lyrics span six verses, interspersed with homages to music, films, and literature that have become integral to Toshiyuki Shibayama's life, such as The Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun," old Hollywood films, Roxy Music's "Both Ends Burning," Traffic, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange," and The Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn!". The cultural memories of over half a century mingle with the dust of construction sites.

"All of these connect to the present. I would be happy if you could receive and listen to this song with the feeling of shifting gears here and passing the baton towards tomorrow's development."

— Toshiyuki Shibayama (February 2026)

Handwritten lyrics by Toshiyuki Shibayama during recording

● About the Artist

Toshiyuki Shibayama is known as the vocalist of the former Sunhouse, a band representing the dawn of Japanese rock. He has been active on the front lines for nearly 60 years, based in Hakata, and is currently 78 years old (turning 79 on June 9, 2026). "I hope this becomes a song that people working on site will want to listen to repeatedly"—these words tell the whole story of this work.

【Contact Information】

Construction Site Anthem Project Office

・Inquiries regarding this press release / Full House Inc. Atsusuke Kuwabara [email protected]

・Inquiries regarding the project / Kosatsu Inc. Kazuto Hashimoto [email protected]

【MV & Music Links】

Music Video / Giragira Band "LANDCROS" https://youtu.be/A8I3FBw8pR4?si=Wa1HY3uiGeL1_ERL

Song (full) / Giragira Band "LANDCROS" https://youtu.be/JfLjAJqPjSk?si=9_Q-P20_S4pRJ6T9