'I don't think being high-school girls is an important part of our band," says 18-year-old Tae-san, drummer with Osaka ska band Oreskaband. And with mere months until their graduation, we're about to find out if she's right.
These six bubbly teens already have a minialbum "Ore" on a Sony offshoot in their satchels that measures up to fellow Osaka ska bands Doberman, Muramasa and Puppypet. They have also played with veteran ska trombonist Rico Rodriguez, and they delivered a lively performance on the Rookie A Go-Go Stage at Fuji Rock Festival '06.
They now have a string of live dates, a new single and, to help them tap into the teen demographic, a talk radio show. But can Ikusa (17, guitar, vocals), Tomi (18, bass, vocals), Saki (17, trumpet), Moriko (18, sax), Leader (17, trombone) and Tae-san juggle all this activity with their final-year exams?