Melt-Banana are one of the most popular Japanese bands in Europe and the United States, and there's two reasons for this: 1) They play more shows abroad than any other Japan-based band; and 2) They are one of Japan's most original-sounding bands, who, although highly experimental, make quality music you can actually listen to. Since they formed 10 years back their legion of admirers has mushroomed worldwide and now they're more famous than ever. American indie-music gurus Steve Albini and Jim O'Rourke have engineered or mixed Melt-Banana albums, legendary BBC DJ John Peel is a massive fan, and they've opened shows for Slipknot, The Melvins, Neurosis and a host of other foreign bands touring Japan.
On the eve of a Japan tour opening for the acclaimed but aging art-punkers Wire, vocalist Yako O and guitarist Agata (bassist Rika mm' doesn't do interviews; and they currently use hired drummers) unveil some secrets of the alternative musical universe that is Melt-Banana.
Often described as a postpunk band or "noise terrorists," Melt-Banana also skirt the edge of metal and techno. In other words, it's impossible to genre-lize them. The unique factors in the sound are Yako's vocal, which is so fast it sounds like a series of whiplashes, and Agata's furious guitar playing, in which he rustles so many sounds out of his guitar through a mass of effects pedals that you imagine he's got two turntables and a computer stuffed down his underpants.