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Melt-Banana

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Melt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock band that was founded in 1993 by friends attending Tokyo University for Foreign Language. These friends were Onuki Yasuko (also known as Yasuko O. or just Yako), Agata Ichirou, Rika mm', and Toshiaki Sudoh (more widely known as Sudoh).

History

Melt-Banana has released 8 full-length CD albums, and 19 EPs (a number of which are collaborations with other bands). In 1997 they created A-Zap (their own recording company), and re-issued all of their previously released albums on their label. One month later Sudoh quit, and the band has had different drummers helping for tours and recordings since. They do massive U.S. tours yearly, do frequent European tours, and do smaller Japanese tours (the reason for this, according to them is that traveling in Japan is quite expensive). Steve Albini has engineered many of their albums, and is a notable music figure in the experimental world and popular music world, as he has worked on albums for bands such as Nirvana as well as bands like Melt-Banana.

Line-Up

  • Yasuko O.-Vocals, Writing
  • Agata Ichirou-Guitars, Effects
  • Rika mm'-Bass
  • ???-Drums (as mentioned above, they currently have different drummers helping them out for certain things)

Former members

Style

As said above, Melt-Banana has a specific brand of music, many call it noise rock or noisecore. They mean the same thing, as in a type of music belending rock, noise, and other genres. Agata overlaps two different guitar rifts most of the time, and also belts out seemingly random sound effects, almost all made through his guitar and large amount of effects pedals (this link is current as of 1999). Yasuko O. belts out high-pitched screams and raps, and is described by many as a rabid poodle. On caffeinated speed. Rika mm''s bass lines aren't subdued like in most bands, but is given as much overt influence as Agata's guitar work. The sounds from the bass provide a distinct dimension to the music not found in many other bands. The drums are usually quite straightforward (however, in their recent albums, they have become more complex), especially on the faster songs, where they beat almost straight through with set cymbla crashes, providing an insane amount of energy to the songs. The band describes their recent music (especially Teeny Shiny and cellscape) as pop, but it is far from it, except more accessible, perhaps. Also of note, most of their albums (except the two just mentioned) are intentionally lo-fi, as that is Agata's feeling for the music, however they disliked how it sounded on the radio, so they aimed to make their last two albums more hi-fi.

Discography

Melt-Banana has produced a large number of full-length albums and EPs throughout their 11-year history.

Albums

  • Februrary, 1999-MxBx 1998/13,000 Miles at Light Velocity (released by TZADZIK in the U.S.A., produced by John Zorn, and, while said to be a live album, it is actually a re-recording of previous songs, many sounding much, much different from their previous releases)

EPs

  • October, 2002-666 (6", released by Level Plane, according to ManateeBound.com: "666, contrary to general belief, holds no biblical significance. Simply put, 'Because we put three songs on a six-inch record.'")

External Links

  • Official Site
  • Skin Graft Page, has a highly detailed history from one of Melt-Banana's old labels, Skin Graft. Apparently no longer updated.
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