The Fairley Brothers in Japan

(Turner/Keylight, forthcoming, Fall 2025)

Andy Fairley and his big brother, Chris, were, in the mid-1980s, a moderately successful folk rock act at a time when the genre was far from the peak of its popularity. Their star, however, had long faded until Honda chose a clip from their most successful song, “Whenever I Hit the Road” to promote the newest version of its CR-V in Japan.

Now, Chris, divorced and retired from a job at LA Water and Power, and Andy, an English-language instructor married to a Japanese woman and living in Kyoto, have a chance to make a comeback.

Sort of.

Their tour begins with a number of miscues. Among the unlikely venues at which the Fairley Brothers perform are a wedding reception where the organizer insists they play only their hit song, over and over; the gift shop of a flower farm; an outdoor sculpture park during a notable wind event; and a restaurant where diners catch their own fish.

Still, things aren’t all bad for Andy and Chris. As they make their way from far north Hokkaido south down Honshu to the country’s big population centers, their following—thanks to the enthusiastic interviews conducted by blogger Daisuke Hayashi—gradually increases. By the time the tour concludes in Osaka and Kyoto, the Fairley Brothers have become, at least temporarily, minor celebrities. They are like Spinal Tap, in reverse.