Maher / Tenniscoats Australian Tour.
Chapter Music Presents:
Maher Shalal Hash Baz / Tenniscoats Australian Tour
two legendary psychedelic folk bands from Japan.
Chapter Music is proud to announce the first Australian tour by two of Japan's most revered and respected cult groups, Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats. Both of these bands were featured on Chapter's well-received Japanese compilation Songs For Nao, released earlier this year.
Maher Shalal Hash Baz
Maher Shalal Hash Baz is the main vehicle for Japanese visionary Tori Kudo, whose musical history stretches back to the late 70s. The band name is actually a Hebrew biblical phrase which Kudo explains as "be quick if you're going to steal something". He formed MSHB in 1984 with two neighbours who'd never played an instrument before, and the band have been releasing records since 1989. Their music is based on spontaneity, melody and inquisitive experimentation, with an always changing lineup that favours untrained over professional musicians, although Kudo's wife Reiko is a constant throughout. Kudo often writes musical parts in his head and gives them to his bandmembers as sheet music on the day of a show or recording.
The band first came to worldwide attention with the release of their incredible Triple LP box set Return Visit To Rock Mass in 1996. This exposure resulted in MSHB's first overseas tour in 1999, and since then the band have toured the world many times, including US tours with Deerhoof and the Red Krayola.
Despite his often avant-garde leanings, Tori Kudo can also write some of the catchiest, most hummable pop songs around, as MSHB's recordings for influential Scottish label Geographic show. Their most recent album, 2004's 41-track Blues Du Jour, alternates between infectious psychedelic folk-pop and orchestrated intrumental miniatures, some as short as 10 seconds long.
Tenniscoats
Married couple Saya and Ueno met as kickboxing students in the mid-90s, and are the two central figures in outstanding Tokyo group Tenniscoats, whose name for is a play on the way Japanese people say "Tennis Court". The band have released two EPs and one album since forming in 2000, encompassing ideas of extended, meditative improvisation and a kind of innocent darkness. They are renowned as one of the most hypnotic and engaging live bands in Japan, their performances impossible to predict in terms of lineup, instrumentation and material.
Both Saya and Ueno are frequent members of Maher Shalal Hash Baz, and will perform in Australia as part of that group as well as their own. They also run the wonderful label Majikick, home to many bands featured on Chapter's Songs For Nao compilation.
Chapter Music is releasing CDs by both Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats to coincide with their tour - more details to follow!
Recommended Viewing
Both MSHB and Tenniscoats feature in a documentary series made by MTV Europe. You can watch footage here:
MSHB:
http://www.mtve.com/thisisourmusic/site.php?episode=e02&file=guide1.php
Tenniscoats:
http://www.mtve.com/thisisourmusic/site.php?episode=e02&file=guide6.php
DATES
Saturday, October 15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine.
with Smog, Joanna Newsom, Josephine Foster (all US) and Guy Blackman. Tickets $45+bf from Polyester, Missing Link and the venue.
Sunday, October 16 - Rob Roy Hotel, Melbourne.
with The Hi-God People and Always. Tickets $15+bf from Polyester, Missing Link and the venue.
Wednesday, October 19 - Mandarin Club, Sydney.
with Sparrowhill and The Garbage And The Flowers. Tickets $15+bf from Gifted Records and the venue.
Thursday, October 20 - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne.
with Essendon Airport. Tickets $15+bf presale from the venue. $20 on the door.
Maher Shalal Hash Baz / Tenniscoats Australian Tour
two legendary psychedelic folk bands from Japan.
Chapter Music is proud to announce the first Australian tour by two of Japan's most revered and respected cult groups, Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats. Both of these bands were featured on Chapter's well-received Japanese compilation Songs For Nao, released earlier this year.
Maher Shalal Hash Baz
Maher Shalal Hash Baz is the main vehicle for Japanese visionary Tori Kudo, whose musical history stretches back to the late 70s. The band name is actually a Hebrew biblical phrase which Kudo explains as "be quick if you're going to steal something". He formed MSHB in 1984 with two neighbours who'd never played an instrument before, and the band have been releasing records since 1989. Their music is based on spontaneity, melody and inquisitive experimentation, with an always changing lineup that favours untrained over professional musicians, although Kudo's wife Reiko is a constant throughout. Kudo often writes musical parts in his head and gives them to his bandmembers as sheet music on the day of a show or recording.
The band first came to worldwide attention with the release of their incredible Triple LP box set Return Visit To Rock Mass in 1996. This exposure resulted in MSHB's first overseas tour in 1999, and since then the band have toured the world many times, including US tours with Deerhoof and the Red Krayola.
Despite his often avant-garde leanings, Tori Kudo can also write some of the catchiest, most hummable pop songs around, as MSHB's recordings for influential Scottish label Geographic show. Their most recent album, 2004's 41-track Blues Du Jour, alternates between infectious psychedelic folk-pop and orchestrated intrumental miniatures, some as short as 10 seconds long.
Tenniscoats
Married couple Saya and Ueno met as kickboxing students in the mid-90s, and are the two central figures in outstanding Tokyo group Tenniscoats, whose name for is a play on the way Japanese people say "Tennis Court". The band have released two EPs and one album since forming in 2000, encompassing ideas of extended, meditative improvisation and a kind of innocent darkness. They are renowned as one of the most hypnotic and engaging live bands in Japan, their performances impossible to predict in terms of lineup, instrumentation and material.
Both Saya and Ueno are frequent members of Maher Shalal Hash Baz, and will perform in Australia as part of that group as well as their own. They also run the wonderful label Majikick, home to many bands featured on Chapter's Songs For Nao compilation.
Chapter Music is releasing CDs by both Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats to coincide with their tour - more details to follow!
Recommended Viewing
Both MSHB and Tenniscoats feature in a documentary series made by MTV Europe. You can watch footage here:
MSHB:
http://www.mtve.com/thisisourmusic/site.php?episode=e02&file=guide1.php
Tenniscoats:
http://www.mtve.com/thisisourmusic/site.php?episode=e02&file=guide6.php
DATES
Saturday, October 15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine.
with Smog, Joanna Newsom, Josephine Foster (all US) and Guy Blackman. Tickets $45+bf from Polyester, Missing Link and the venue.
Sunday, October 16 - Rob Roy Hotel, Melbourne.
with The Hi-God People and Always. Tickets $15+bf from Polyester, Missing Link and the venue.
Wednesday, October 19 - Mandarin Club, Sydney.
with Sparrowhill and The Garbage And The Flowers. Tickets $15+bf from Gifted Records and the venue.
Thursday, October 20 - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne.
with Essendon Airport. Tickets $15+bf presale from the venue. $20 on the door.