DemonHunter
Psychedelic Man
- 23 Apr 2005
- 781
- 11
Hatano (Dr)
Hongolian (Vo)
Iso (B)
Ken (G)
Rock fans of a ﾂ"certain ageﾂ" may remember a band called the Minutemen, so-named for their brutally concise songs. Heirs to the Minutemen and other '80s US indie-rock and hardcore bands, Japan's BBQ Chickens take the idea even further: their new, 20-song album clocks in at under 20 minutes, and one songﾂ―at seven secondsﾂ―seems to end before it has even begun.
Signed to maverick Japanese indie imprint, Pizza of Death, the BBQ Chickens came out of left field last year to sell 85,000 copiesﾂ―platinum for an indie-rock albumﾂ―of their debut, Indie Rock Strikes Back. Paying tribute to bands like the aforementioned Minutemen and harder-edged acts like the Circle Jerks, the album offered an unabashed tribute to the golden age of US indie-rock.
Basing themselves out of key underground venues like Shelter in Shimokitazawa, the BBQ Chickens espouse a ﾂ"we won't do anything unless it's funﾂ" ethic. Achievements based in this premise include an appearance on MTV's ﾂ"Jackassﾂ" program, and a prize for Best Alternative Video for their song ﾂ"Sick Guy/Stupid Magazine,ﾂ" at this year's Space Shower Music Video Awards.
Compared to their debut album, the just-released Goodbye To Your Punk Rock is less pop-infused, with a distinct agitprop edge to leadman Hongolian's lyrics. Among the songs is ﾂ"Pizza of Death's Theme,ﾂ" a tribute to the BBQ Chickens' label, which has fought a long, valiant, and largely successful battle to establish itself amid Japan's stultifying major label oligarchy.
Another song, ﾂ"New York,ﾂ" takes on 9/11 with an immediacy even Bruce Springsteen can't approach: ﾂ"New York, New York/What kind of fool crash a plane in New York/Nine eleven, Nine eleven/I wanna kick *** Osama Bin Laden.ﾂ"
There's also no mistaking the equally straightforward message of ﾂ"Kill Fashion Hippies,ﾂ" in which the band takes a dig at Japan's neo-hippies: ﾂ"Tie-die and beads are his uniform/Go to the rave/Smoke a bong with his Love and Peace/Nothing to Say/He doesn't have any policy.ﾂ"
But it's on the song, ﾂ"Old School,ﾂ" that the BBQ Chickens show their true nature as a lovable if forgettable tribute band: ﾂ"1980s U.S.A. I wish I could be there today/All the bands were in
Buddies since childhood, it took them until the year 2000 to decide to come together and make some noise. Since then, Tokyo's own BBQ CHICKENS has been appearing in the most unexpected of places.
Be it commandeering another band's show by suddenly showing up as the opening act, or not so glorious TV appreances on MTV's "JACKASS".
Whatever the case, it is clear to all that BBQ CHICKENS are only in whatever they endevor for the good time of it.
It seems that all things unexpected seem to follow this band wherever they go and whatever they do. Literaly coming out of nowhere in August of 2001,
their debut album titled "INDIE ROCK STRIKES BACK" had gone on to sell in excess of 85,000 copies. A feat virtualy unheard of for the debut of a short-tune, goofy, punk rock band. More unexpected feats quickly followed,
in particular winning "Best Alternative Video" during the 2002 Space Shower TV Music Video Awards.
More good things in 2002 was the band releasing their second effort titled "GOODBYE TO YOUR PUNK ROCK". This saw BBQ CHICKENS mature as a unit as the songs came across tighter, stronger, harder and smarter.
Once again, in 2003, in yet another unexpected move the band released a complete album of covers. The idea of releasing a complete album of covers is not so unusal, as is the selection of most unusal songs to cover.
What can we expect next from a band that is just so damn good at pulling off the unexpected?
Discography:
Indie Rock Strikes Back
GOOD BYE TO YOUR PUNK ROCK
FINE SONGSﾂ，PLAYING SUCKS
Excellent & Funny Band
highly recommended!
any fans?
no video's on youtube
but i'll post some soon
