Punk, Banana Chips, and Giant Mice: Shonen Knife!
NEW YORK, September 25, 2010 - The popular Japanese all-women trio Shonen Knife performed a unique concert at the Asia Society in conjunction with, and inspired by, the Asia Society Museum exhibition Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's Fool, the first major New York exhibition of internationally renowned artist Yoshitomo Nara.
Nara calls himself a Shonen Knife fan, and designed the cover for the group's 1998 album Happy Hour. With him as a catalyst, the band's concert was comprised of alternate sets of songs selected from their extensive back catalogue, including "Banana Chips," "Capybara," and "Gyoza."
About Shonen Knife
Shonen Knife was formed in December 1981 in Osaka, Japan. The group was something of an anomaly when it started, as it was coming in at a time where all-female bands were quite scarce. Influenced by 1970s punk rock/new wave bands such as The Ramones and Buzzcocks while ignoring the then-rising, early J-Pop movement, the trio began crafting energetic rock songs rooted in rough instrumentation and do-it-yourself ethos. However, unlike traditional rebellious punk rockers, the trio emphasized positivity using catchy, upbeat melodies and frivolous, carefree lyrics that often touched on sweets and animals.
The group has built a solid worldwide following with their Ramones meets the Beatles brand of sticky-sweet punk-pop. It has made major fans out of alt-rock's elites (Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Redd Kross, among others). After nearly three decades of releases, thousands of shows, and ever-rotating band members, Shonen Knife are still rocking out!
Naoko Yamano - Vocals, Guitar
Ritsuko Taneda - Bass, Vocals
Emi Morimoto – Drums, BG Vocals
Video edited by Sumie Garcia.
Asia Society's Shonen Knife concert was part of the Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture. This project was supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.