Melt-Banana is a Japanese

noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...

band that is known for playing extremely fast

and

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...

mixed with

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...

and pop-based song structures. Since forming in 1992 the band has released ten albums and toured worldwide extensively.

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.MELT-BANANA Band Page
Skingraftrecords.com. Retrieved on 19 September 2011. Mizu's original drummer and bass player quit six months after Agata joined, leaving Yasuko to handle the bass and vocal duties until she found bassist Rika Hamamoto. 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. In May 1993, Melt-Banana played a show opening for

KK Null , known by his stage name KK Null, is a Japanese experimental multi-instrumentalist active since the early 1980s. He began as a guitarist but learned how to compose, sing, play drums, and create electronic music. He also studied Butoh dance at M ...

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 Skin Graft Records (officially capitalized SKiN GRAFT Records) is an independent record label specializing in no wave and noise rock, originally based in Chicago, Illinois. The label is largely responsible for spawning "now wave" genre, an updat ...

and

Steve Albini Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer. He founded and fronted the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (band), ...

. In 1996, ''Sick Zip Everywhere'' was nominated for MTV UK's best video. In the same year the band completed their first European tour. 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. Oshima Watchma became the new official drummer in February 1998. The band recorded its first

Peel Session John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

in September 1999. Onuki thought John Peel looked like

Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...

; Agata has said that when finishing a new song, he still thinks of Peel and what he would think of it if he listened. Peel described the session as "Simply one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen and ever heard ... just mesmerizing, absolutely astonishing." The broadcast exposed the band to new audiences in the United Kingdom and beyond. 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 Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

Adult Swim Adult Swim (stylized as dult swimand s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...

lineup. The studio album '' Fetch'', released September 2013, saw the band transition to a duo. 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. In late 2019, during an interview conducted on tour, with ''Louder'' magazine, the band stated they would record a new album. A new studio album titled "3+5" was announced on May 23, 2024 and released on August 23, 2024.

Style

Melt-Banana's music is typically described as noise rock, with roots in

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

grindcore Grindcore is an extreme metal, extreme fusion genre of heavy metal music, heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, e ...

, electro-pop and

electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...

. 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". Melt-Banana has cited The Sex Pistols,

Einstürzende Neubauten (, 'Collapsing New Buildings') is a German experimental music group, formed in West Berlin in 1980. The band currently comprises founding members Blixa Bargeld (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard) and N.U. Unruh (custom-made instruments, percussion, ...

, Masonna, Violent Onsen Geisha,

Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), known professionally as Aphex Twin, is a British musician, composer and DJ active in electronic music since 1988. His idiosyncratic work has drawn on many styles, including techno, ambient music, ambi ...

and Atari Teenage Riot as influences, as well as the compilation album '' No New York''. Agata also gets inspiration from the feelings of excitement, triumph and peril he experiences when playing video games, and interpreting that musically. 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". Games he has cited as an inspiration include '' Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3'', '' Ecco the Dolphin'', '' Demon's Souls'' and '' Shadow of the Colossus''. Onuki's distinctive vocal style has been described as "loud, piercing and unexpectedly authoritative". Asked about her influences, Onuki explained: "there is no tradition and no influence besides maybe

Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...

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." 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. In writing a song, Onuki typically starts with particular words and then works backwards, the content of which comes from what she "see and feel in erusual life". Guitarist Agata is noted for his distinct playing style that employs heavy use of effects and pedals. 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 The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

), " Neat Neat Neat" ( The Damned) and " Paint It Black" (

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

). In choosing the songs, Melt-Banana simply "play songs that heylike."

Members

* Yasuko Onuki –

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

(1992–present) * Ichiro Agata –

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

effects Effect may refer to: * A result or change of something ** List of effects ** Cause and effect, an idiom describing causality Pharmacy and pharmacology * Drug effect, a change resulting from the administration of a drug ** Therapeutic effect, ...

(1992–present)

Former members

Bass

From 2013 onward the band does not have a

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

player. * 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. 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. *Sudoh Toshiaki (Machine and the Synergetic Nuts) (1992 to December 1997). Appears on '' Speak Squeak Creak'', '' Cactuses Come in Flocks'', and '' Scratch or Stitch''. *Kiku (ex- Assfort) – guest live drummer, one show, early 1998. *Youichiro Natsume (ex-Multiplex, ex-Force) – guest studio drummer, early 1998. Appears on '' Charlie''. *Oshima Watchma ( Coaltar of the Deepers, ex-Satanic Hell Slaughter) (February 1998 to 2000). Toured, and appears on '' MxBx 1998/13,000 Miles at Light Velocity'' and '' Teeny Shiny''. * Dave Witte ( Municipal Waste, ex- Discordance Axis) – guest touring drummer, US and Europe only, 2001 to 2005. *Obokata – guest live drummer, Japan only. *Masashi Sakata (324) – guest live drummer, Japan and ATP UK 2002. *Takiya Terada – guest live drummer in 2002, 2010–2012. *Eiji Uki (ex-

Acid Mothers Temple Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., commonly shortened to Acid Mothers Temple or AMT, is a Japanese rock music, rock band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career feat ...

, ex-Monghang) – Guest live drummer, Japan and 2007 US tours and 2008 Europe tour. *Yasuhiro Inomata – guest live drummer in 2009.

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). Melt-Banana have worked with a diverse range of artists, including Merzbow,

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conducting, conductor, saxophonist, arrangement, arranger and record producer, producer who "deliberately resists category". His Avant-garde music, avant-garde and experimental music, ex ...

, Agathe Max, Mike Patton, and Discordance Axis. Melt-Banana has toured as an opening act with high-profile bands such as: * Jim O'Rourke and Zeni Geva (1994, Japan) * Mr. Bungle (1995, US) *

Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...

(1999, Japan and US) *

Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared ...

(2004, US) *

Tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...

(2007, US) * Metal Machine Trio (2010, Australia) *

Napalm Death Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in Meriden, West Midlands, in 1981. None of the band's original members have been in the group since 1986, but since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mi ...

and

(2016, US) *

Igorrr Gautier Serre (born June 5, 1984), better known by his stage name Igorrr, is a French musician. Under the Igorrr alias, he combines a variety of disparate genres, including black metal, baroque music, breakcore, and trip hop, into a singular soun ...

and Otto von Schirach (2023, US)

Discography

Studio albums * '' Speak Squeak Creak'' (1994) * '' Cactuses Come in Flocks'' (1994) * '' Scratch or Stitch'' (1995) * '' Charlie'' (1998) * '' Teeny Shiny'' (2000) * ''

Cell-Scape ''Cell-Scape'' is the sixth album by Melt-Banana. It features electronic elements and marks a musical shift to a more accessible, hi-fi sound. ''Cell-Scape'' also features some of the longest songs written by Melt-Banana, including "Shield for ...

'' (2003) * ''

Bambi's Dilemma ''Bambi's Dilemma'' is the seventh studio album by Melt-Banana, released on April 24, 2007. It was released on CD and vinyl. The album's title came from an incident which happened when vocalist Yasuko was driving the band's touring van in the US ...

'' (2007) * '' Fetch'' (2013) * '' 3+5'' (2024)

References

External links

Official website

Melt-Banana
on Myspace * {{Authority control Japanese experimental rock groups Japanese noise rock groups Japanese hardcore punk groups Little Mafia Records artists Musical groups established in 1992 Tzadik Records artists Musical groups from Tokyo English-language musical groups from Japan