Melt-Banana

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Melt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock<ref name="deiterman1">Template:Cite web</ref> band that is known for playing extremely fast noise rock and hardcore punk mixed with experimental, electronica and pop-based song structures. Since forming in 1992 the band has released ten albums and toured worldwide extensively. Template:TOClimit

History

In 1991, while attending Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Yasuko Onuki started a band called Mizu and, after a short period rehearsing with another guitarist, recruited Ichiro Agata to play guitar in the band.<ref name="skingraftrecords.com">MELT-BANANA Band Page. Skingraftrecords.com. Retrieved on 19 September 2011.</ref> Mizu's original drummer and bass player quit six months after Agata joined, leaving Yasuko to play bass and sing until she found bassist Rika Hamamoto.<ref name="skingraftrecords.com" /> They briefly performed shows around Tokyo without a drummer. Sudoh Toshiaki then joined as the new drummer in November 1992, and they changed their name to Melt-Banana.Template:R

In May 1993, Melt-Banana played a show opening for KK Null of Zeni Geva fame, who was impressed enough to immediately offer them a deal with his label, and would later introduce them to Mark Fischer of Skin Graft Records and Steve Albini.<ref name="skingraftrecords.com" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1996, Sick Zip Everywhere was nominated for MTV UK's best video.Template:R In the same year the band completed their first European tour.Template:R

In 1997, they created their own recording company, A-Zap (formerly Iguana Coax), and re-issued most of their early albums. Around this time, drummer Sudoh Toshiaki quit.Template:R Oshima Watchma became the new official drummer in February 1998.

The band recorded its first Peel Session in September 1999. Onuki thought John Peel looked like Santa Claus; Agata has said that when finishing a new song, he still thinks of Peel and what he would think of it if he listened.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Peel described the session as "Simply one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen and ever heard ... just mesmerizing, absolutely astonishing."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The broadcast exposed the band to new audiences in the United Kingdom and beyond.<ref name=":0" />

Watchma left the band in 2000, and since then the band has had different drummers on their tours and albums.

In 2007, Melt-Banana recorded the song "Hair-Cat (Cause the Wolf Is a Cat!)" for Perfect Hair Forever on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The studio album Fetch, released September 2013, saw the band transition to a duo.Template:R The decision not to use a live drummer led on to the decision not to have a live bass player. Using a computer for the rhythm allowed more freedom in the arrangement. Hamamoto's help was not needed for the new duo format. Additionally, throughout the band's career Agata and Onuki had been the main songwriters.Template:R

In late 2019, during an interview conducted on tour, with Louder magazine, the band stated they would record a new album.<ref name=":0" /> A new studio album titled "3+5" was announced on May 23, 2024 and released on August 23, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Style

File:Yasuko Onuki-10.jpg
Yasuko Onuki

Melt-Banana's music is typically described as noise rock,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="deiterman1" /> with roots in punk,<ref name="RBMA">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="LOUDER">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="WESTWORD" /><ref name="KERRANG-PEEL" /> electro-pop<ref name="LOUDER" /> and electronic music.<ref name="WESTWORD" /> The band has shied away from any classification, saying they "don't write music according to genre", and has described their music as "like a chimera".<ref name="KERRANG-PEEL">Template:Cite news</ref> Melt-Banana has cited The Sex Pistols,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Einstürzende Neubauten,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Masonna, Violent Onsen Geisha,<ref name="KERRANG-PEEL" /> Aphex Twin and Atari Teenage Riot<ref name="KAPUT">Template:Cite news</ref> as influences, as well as the compilation album No New York.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Agata also gets inspiration from the feelings of excitement, triumph and peril he experiences when playing video games, and interpreting that musically.<ref name="JapanTimes04">Template:Cite news</ref> He believes that influences from outside music, including video games, help them see from fresh angles and keep them from writing "the same kind of music again and again".<ref name="JapanVibe" /> Games he has cited as an inspiration include Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, Ecco the Dolphin,<ref name="JapanTimes04" /> Demon's Souls and Shadow of the Colossus.<ref name="WESTWORD">Template:Cite news</ref>

Onuki's distinctive vocal style has been described as "loud, piercing and unexpectedly authoritative".<ref name="KERRANG-PEEL" /> Asked about her influences, Onuki explained: "there is no tradition and no influence besides maybe Lydia Lunch and the Teenage Jerks. She opened a new book for me. It was so unique and distinctive, you could tell by listening to the voice who is singing – that what I wanted to achieve with my own voice too."<ref name="KAPUT" />

Although the band is Japanese, their lyrics are written in English. Onuki originally sung in Japanese, but quickly changed to English, believing that it was better suited to her style of singing. Because English is not her native language, Onuki often has to look words up in dictionaries, which also allows her to find words that sound interesting to her.<ref name="TMT">Template:Cite news</ref> In writing a song, Onuki typically starts with particular words and then works backwards, the content of which comes from what she "see[s] and feel[s] in [her] usual life".<ref name="JapanVibe">Template:Cite news</ref>

Guitarist Agata is noted for his distinct playing style that employs heavy use of effects and pedals.<ref name="TMT" />

Melt-Banana is also noted for an "eclectic" selection of cover songs, both live and on studio recordings. Melt-Banana was inspired to do so after touring with Mr. Bungle and seeing them perform several cover songs, and thinking it would be fun for both the audience and the band themselves. Songs that Melt-Banana has covered include "Surfin' U.S.A." (The Beach Boys), "Neat Neat Neat" (The Damned) and "Paint It Black" (The Rolling Stones).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In choosing the songs, Melt-Banana simply "play songs that [they] like."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Members

File:Melt Banana-Hamburg 2010.jpg
Ichiro Agata

Former members

Bass

From 2013 onward the band does not have a bass player.Template:R

  • Rika Hamamoto (1992–2013)

Drums

Melt-Banana does not currently have an official drummer. From 2013 onward the band does not have a drummer when playing live.Template:R There have been two drummers who were official members; Sudoh Toshiaki and Oshima Watchma. A number of guest drummers have been used for studio recordings and live performances.<ref>JaME U.S.A. – Jpop, Jrock, Visual kei, all about Jmusic (Japanese music)! | JaME U.S.A. Jame-world.com. Retrieved on 19 September 2011.</ref><ref>blood sisters: women in heavy music: melt-banana. Kzsu.stanford.edu. Retrieved on 19 September 2011.</ref><ref>Melt-Banana@Everything2.com. Everything2.com (8 May 2000). Retrieved on 19 September 2011.</ref>

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:5 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:11/01/1992 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

id:Vocals    value:red        legend:Lead_vocals
id:Guitar    value:green      legend:Guitar,_effects
id:Bass      value:blue       legend:Bass
id:Drums     value:orange     legend:Drums,_percussion
id:Studio    value:black      legend:Studio_album
id:bars      value:gray(0.95)

Legend = position:bottom orientation:horizontal BackgroundColors = bars:bars ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1993 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1993

LineData = 

layer:back
color:Studio
 at:09/25/1994
 at:09/25/1994
 at:11/01/1995
 at:10/27/1998
 at:12/12/2000
 at:07/01/2003
 at:04/24/2007
 at:10/01/2013
 at:08/23/2024

BarData = 

bar:Onuki     text:"Yasuko Onuki"

bar:Agata     text:"Ichiro Agata"

bar:Hamamoto  text:"Rika Hamamoto"

bar:Toshiaki  text:"Sudoh Toshiaki"
bar:Kiku      text:"Kiku"
bar:Natsume   text:"Youichiro Natsume"
bar:Watchma   text:"Oshima Watchma"
bar:Witte     text:"Dave Witte"
bar:Sakata    text:"Masashi Sakata"
bar:Terada    text:"Takiya Terada"
bar:Uki       text:"Eiji Uki"
bar:Inomata   text:"Yasuhiro Inomata"

PlotData= 

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Onuki       from:start      till:end        color:Vocals

bar:Agata       from:start      till:end        color:Guitar

bar:Hamamoto    from:start      till:01/01/2013 color:Bass

bar:Toshiaki    from:start      till:12/01/1997 color:Drums
bar:Kiku        from:01/01/1998 till:01/16/1998 color:Drums
bar:Natsume     from:01/16/1998 till:02/01/1998 color:Drums
bar:Watchma     from:02/01/1998 till:12/31/2000 color:Drums
bar:Witte       from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2005 color:Drums
bar:Sakata      from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2002 color:Drums
bar:Terada      from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2002 color:Drums
bar:Terada      from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2012 color:Drums
bar:Uki         from:01/01/2007 till:12/31/2008 color:Drums
bar:Inomata     from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2009 color:Drums

</timeline>

Touring and collaborations

The band have carried out lengthy US and UK tours yearly and smaller Japanese tours (the reason for this, according to them, is that travelling in Japan is quite expensive).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Melt-Banana have worked with a diverse range of artists, including Merzbow, John Zorn, Agathe Max, Mike Patton, and Discordance Axis.Template:R Melt-Banana has toured as an opening act with high-profile bands such as:

Discography

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Studio albums

References

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