Shonen Knife Biography
Birth Name: NULL
Born: NULL
Birth Place: Osaka, Japan
Died: NULL
Years Active: 1981–present
Genres: Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Indie Pop
Born: NULL
Birth Place: Osaka, Japan
Died: NULL
Years Active: 1981–present
Genres: Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Indie Pop
Shonen Knife are an all-female Japanese pop-punk band from Osaka, Japan, that formed in 1981. The band is comprised of sister Naoko Yamano and Atsuko Yamano and their friend Michie Nakatani; the women were heavily influenced by 1960s girl groups, pop music, and early punk rock acts, such as the Ramones. Despite their pop-oriented nature, the trio maintains a distinctly underground indie/garage rock. The trio have generated a strong and loyal following of the course of their career including legendary Kurt Cobain of 90s alternative rock megastars Nirvana. Cobain's interest in Shonen Knife also prompted American audiences to take no of the band; other iconic artists of the time such as Sonic Youth, also became Shonen Knife fans. The trio have also performed over the course of their career as a Ramones tribute band called “The Osaka Ramones.”
All three women immersed themselves into 1970s punk rock music when they were teenagers; Naoko sings lead vocals and plays guitar, Nakatani also sings lead vocal and plays bass and keyboards, and Atsuko sings backup vocals, plays drums, and designed the band's stage outfits. The trio stood out when they first started performing, in a time when all-female bands were scarce. The group eventually came to describe their music as, "ultra eccentric, super-cult, punk-pop music.” Shonen Knife performed their very first gig in 1982 at a club in Osaka called, Studio One, to an audience of thirty-six people. Later that same year the trio released their first independent album, “Minna Tanoshiku.” After a gig at Tokyo University, Shonen Knife were signed to Zero Records and put out their debut album for the label, “Burning Farm” in 1983. Their second album, “Yama-no Attchan,” was released by Zero Records a year later in 1984. By 1986 the “Burning Farm” had made it's way into the hands of a record label rep at K Records of Olympia, Washington, who decided to release it in the States. Shonen Knife's break into the American underground alternative rock scene came later that year with their song,"One Day of the Factory," which appeared on a Sub Pop 100 compilation. As a result U.S. record labels began to sit up and take notice of the trio.
Across the waters in England, the trio's music made it's way to the ears of famed disc jockey, John Peel of the the BBC's Radio One, who put their songs on the air. Next came the opportunity to play alt-rockers Sonic Youth at the Muse Hall in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. The trio them embarked on a supporting gig in Los Angeles with the support of Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Jeff and Steven McDonald of Redd Kross. However, it was 1991 that catapulted Shonen Knife in the spotlight when the trio discovered their biggest fan in Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Cobain had seen them play in LA and attested: "When I finally got to see them live, I was transformed into a hysterical nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert." Nirvana asked Shonen Knife to serve as their opening act for their U.K. tour, just prior to the release of their breakthrough album, Nevermind. The trio's international cult following exploded after that. A self-titled compilation album comprising tracks from their first two albums was released in the U.S. shortly after the U.K. tour with Nirvana, in addition to a “Peel Session” with BBC's Radio One.
A tour of the U.S. followed and a record deal with Capitol Records, releasing their major-label debut, “Let's Knife,” in 1992. As the 90s drew to an end and grunge music began to disappear, Michie Nakatani left the band, resulting in Atsuko Yamano moving to bass. Mana Nishiura filled in on drums, but never officially joined the band. Nishiura played her first live show with the band in May 2001; she left in 2004 and tragically died in a car accident November 4, 2005. The band went through further line-up changed over the next few years with Etsuko "Ettchan" Nakanishi joining the band as the permanent drummer. In 2006, bassist Atsuko announced that she had retired from Shonen Knife and moved to Los Angeles, however, she returned for the 2007 tour. In 2008, Shonen Knife announced that Ritsuko Taneda, who had been the band's touring bass player for two years was now a permanent fixture of the band. 2010 saw the departure of Etsuko and the recruitment of new drummer, Emi Morimoto, before embarking on a European and North American tour. In 2011 Shonen Knife celebrated their 30th anniversary as a band and released "Osaka Ramones - Tribute to The Ramones,” the album was recorded between Osaka, Japan and Buffalo, NY and co-produced by Robby Takac of the American rock band The Goo Goo Dolls. The release was followed by a world tour.
All three women immersed themselves into 1970s punk rock music when they were teenagers; Naoko sings lead vocals and plays guitar, Nakatani also sings lead vocal and plays bass and keyboards, and Atsuko sings backup vocals, plays drums, and designed the band's stage outfits. The trio stood out when they first started performing, in a time when all-female bands were scarce. The group eventually came to describe their music as, "ultra eccentric, super-cult, punk-pop music.” Shonen Knife performed their very first gig in 1982 at a club in Osaka called, Studio One, to an audience of thirty-six people. Later that same year the trio released their first independent album, “Minna Tanoshiku.” After a gig at Tokyo University, Shonen Knife were signed to Zero Records and put out their debut album for the label, “Burning Farm” in 1983. Their second album, “Yama-no Attchan,” was released by Zero Records a year later in 1984. By 1986 the “Burning Farm” had made it's way into the hands of a record label rep at K Records of Olympia, Washington, who decided to release it in the States. Shonen Knife's break into the American underground alternative rock scene came later that year with their song,"One Day of the Factory," which appeared on a Sub Pop 100 compilation. As a result U.S. record labels began to sit up and take notice of the trio.
Across the waters in England, the trio's music made it's way to the ears of famed disc jockey, John Peel of the the BBC's Radio One, who put their songs on the air. Next came the opportunity to play alt-rockers Sonic Youth at the Muse Hall in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. The trio them embarked on a supporting gig in Los Angeles with the support of Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Jeff and Steven McDonald of Redd Kross. However, it was 1991 that catapulted Shonen Knife in the spotlight when the trio discovered their biggest fan in Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Cobain had seen them play in LA and attested: "When I finally got to see them live, I was transformed into a hysterical nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert." Nirvana asked Shonen Knife to serve as their opening act for their U.K. tour, just prior to the release of their breakthrough album, Nevermind. The trio's international cult following exploded after that. A self-titled compilation album comprising tracks from their first two albums was released in the U.S. shortly after the U.K. tour with Nirvana, in addition to a “Peel Session” with BBC's Radio One.
A tour of the U.S. followed and a record deal with Capitol Records, releasing their major-label debut, “Let's Knife,” in 1992. As the 90s drew to an end and grunge music began to disappear, Michie Nakatani left the band, resulting in Atsuko Yamano moving to bass. Mana Nishiura filled in on drums, but never officially joined the band. Nishiura played her first live show with the band in May 2001; she left in 2004 and tragically died in a car accident November 4, 2005. The band went through further line-up changed over the next few years with Etsuko "Ettchan" Nakanishi joining the band as the permanent drummer. In 2006, bassist Atsuko announced that she had retired from Shonen Knife and moved to Los Angeles, however, she returned for the 2007 tour. In 2008, Shonen Knife announced that Ritsuko Taneda, who had been the band's touring bass player for two years was now a permanent fixture of the band. 2010 saw the departure of Etsuko and the recruitment of new drummer, Emi Morimoto, before embarking on a European and North American tour. In 2011 Shonen Knife celebrated their 30th anniversary as a band and released "Osaka Ramones - Tribute to The Ramones,” the album was recorded between Osaka, Japan and Buffalo, NY and co-produced by Robby Takac of the American rock band The Goo Goo Dolls. The release was followed by a world tour.
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