Yes on the textures, obviously. I get basically the same agenda from both, though: gleeful stop-start spurts of chaotic scree, dropping into recognizable grooves every so often, then just as quickly dissolving into bash and clatter. And then they both have Mike Patton guest. Hmm ... if only Patton could introduce them and get a Fishtank project going ...
Anyway, I think what I'm thinking is that Melt-Banana tugs the rock template in sort of the same logistical directions that Kid 606 digs electronics.
― Nitsuh, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Tom, Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Nitsuh, you answered your own question! ;-)
― Clarke B., Tuesday, 11 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
And I did say they were nice folk.
― Gage-o, Friday, 14 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 05:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dave Fischer, Tuesday, 19 November 2002 06:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 17:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 17:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gygax!, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 17:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 18:07 (twenty-one years ago) link
― adam (adam), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 18:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
I've never been to a Knitting Factory show where there has been lots of movement. The Philadelphia crowds are always more fun and exciting. Having said that, Mondays show had the crowd going crazy the whole time. They did 3 encores, and people were still chanting for more.
― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 18:59 (twenty-one years ago) link
― bob snoom, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 20:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
They were great last night, but better six weeks ago. I told my friend (who'd never seen them before) "they've been on tour for six weeks straight, so they seem a little low-energy." She turned and boggled at me. They did rev up all the way for the encore, though, inc. "My Generation." And I think my friend may be going to see them again in Montclair, NJ tonight.
― Douglas, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 20:33 (twenty-one years ago) link
Well, if you're going to go and compare things to the average enthusiasm of a Knitting Factory show, sure, things got intense. Bigger pit than at the Low show, even! But compared to what I was expecting for a MB show...
― original bgm, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 21:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― J0hn Darn13ll3 (J0hn Darn13ll3), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 21:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 21:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 23:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Thursday, 21 November 2002 05:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ryan McKay, Thursday, 21 November 2002 05:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Thursday, 21 November 2002 05:21 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Thursday, 21 November 2002 05:31 (twenty-one years ago) link
― adam (adam), Thursday, 21 November 2002 06:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dave Fischer, Thursday, 21 November 2002 10:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ryan McKay, Friday, 22 November 2002 04:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dave Fischer, Friday, 22 November 2002 04:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Friday, 22 November 2002 05:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Nick Mirov (nick), Tuesday, 1 July 2003 17:57 (twenty years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 1 July 2003 18:11 (twenty years ago) link
― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 1 July 2003 18:29 (twenty years ago) link
Uk please also thx
― itchy bits (itchy bits), Monday, 28 February 2005 00:18 (nineteen years ago) link
Saw 'em tonight at Dante's in Portland--as always "RRAGG" was the third song they played--I somehow think that's kind of hilarious. (Maybe it's because they also like looking at the crowd right after it to see who's never seen them before, because they're the people who have expressions on their faces like "did they just do that?") They also pulled out a cover of Devo's "Uncontrollable Urge." If there's a guitarist who uses pedals more expressively these days than Agata, I don't know who it would be. And I am very sure there's not a better English-language lyricist whose native language isn't English than Yasuko Onuki.
― Douglas (Douglas), Sunday, 15 May 2005 07:23 (nineteen years ago) link
― latebloomer: the rebel sound of grits and bacon (latebloomer), Sunday, 15 May 2005 07:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― nathalie's baby (stevie nixed), Sunday, 15 May 2005 08:07 (nineteen years ago) link
― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Sunday, 15 May 2005 08:11 (nineteen years ago) link
― shieldforyoureyes, Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― A homunculus of Darby Crash, .... created for the purposes of *EVIL* (ex machina, Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― original bgm, Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:33 (nineteen years ago) link
I only own Cell-Scape so far & fear I may never see them live :-(
I concur, that solo record is worth picking up. Fun and even pretty in parts. Also reminds you just how unfathomably great & out-there his riffage in the group set-up is.
xpost - I like that outro... more ambience than noise tho?
― fandango (fandango), Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― latebloomer: the rebel sound of grits and bacon (latebloomer), Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:45 (nineteen years ago) link
True... but it's a fine line, I suppose.
Teeny Shiny is like Cell-Scape v0.7. Pretty solid, but still not quite the amicable merge of pop and grindcore it should be.
― original bgm, Sunday, 15 May 2005 15:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― shieldforyoureyes, Sunday, 15 May 2005 23:06 (nineteen years ago) link
Nov 6 2005 8:00P Pavillion Theatre Brighton UK,Nov 8 2005 8:00P Fleece and Firkin Bristol United Kindom,Nov 9 2005 8:00P Medicine Bar, Custard Factory Birmingham United Kingdom,Nov 10 2005 8:00P Garage London United Kingdom,Nov 11 2005 8:00P AC2 Manchester, United Kingdom,Nov 12 2005 8:00P Oran Mor Glasgow United Kingdom,Nov 13 2005 8:00P The Georglan Theatre Teeside/New Castle United Kingdom,Nov 14 2005 8:00P Nottingham Trent Uni. Nottingham United Kingdom,Nov 15 2005 8:00P Clwb Ifor Bach Cardiff United Kingdom,Nov 17 2005 8:00P BBC session London United Kingdom,Nov 18 2005 8:00P tba Leeds United Kingdom,Nov 19 2005 8:00P The Adelphi Hull United Kingdom,Nov 20 2005 8:00P Garage London United Kingdom,Nov 21 2005 8:00P tba Southhampton United Kingdom,
bought my ticket for 10th november yesterday. phear me.
― koogs (koogs), Saturday, 8 October 2005 10:26 (eighteen years ago) link
― fandango (fandango), Saturday, 8 October 2005 10:30 (eighteen years ago) link
― marcg (marcg), Saturday, 8 October 2005 10:45 (eighteen years ago) link
It is banana yellow.
― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Saturday, 8 October 2005 11:35 (eighteen years ago) link
― Don King of the Mountain (noodle vague), Saturday, 8 October 2005 14:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― shieldforyoureyes, Saturday, 8 October 2005 21:01 (eighteen years ago) link
london date, 28th may 2014: https://babayaga.ticketabc.com/events/baba-yagas-hut-pr-20/
― koogs, Tuesday, 28 January 2014 15:00 (ten years ago) link
Played Supersonic in 2012, I think? Set of two halves, first set was in the style which has ended up being 'new' Melt-Banana, and second set was the full band 'old' Melt-Banana.
― Ian Glasper's trapped in a scone (aldo), Wednesday, 29 January 2014 10:57 (ten years ago) link
Forget that, must have been an earlier year than that because they played in the pool.
― Ian Glasper's trapped in a scone (aldo), Wednesday, 29 January 2014 10:59 (ten years ago) link
201420/05 Colchester Arts Centre21/05 Leeds Brudenell Social Club22/05 Glasgow Mono23/05 Newcastle Cluny 224/05 Manchester Fat Out Festival25/05 Birmingham Rainbow Warehouse27/05 Sheffield Queens Social Club28/05 London Heaven29/05 Norwich Arts Centre30/05 Bristol Fleece31/05 Cambridge Portland Arms01/06 Southampton Joiners02/06 Brighton Green Door Store
― koogs, Saturday, 1 February 2014 12:59 (ten years ago) link
(from facebook)
Finished listening to the album. It might be the best one I've heard yet (still need 3 or 4 of the early albums) but definitely the most consistent I've heard, quite a bit heavier I'd say. Really brilliant.
Bought a ticket to their upcoming show. It will be my second time.
Does anyone sit and read the lyrics? Really difficult to follow.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 8 March 2014 22:04 (ten years ago) link
"Candy Gun" showed up in my Spotify discover playlist, thank you for introducing me, Spotify.
― :wq (Leee), Monday, 3 August 2015 22:07 (eight years ago) link
that may be my least favorite song on fetch but it's still great!
― Michael F Gill, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 01:26 (eight years ago) link
Woot!
Saw melt Banana at the garage with DJ scotch egg. Always meant to catch then again. That was 2005 but tonight is the night.
They are doing their own merch. They scare me, slightly.
― koogs, Thursday, 15 June 2017 19:31 (six years ago) link
are they still playing as a duo?
― sleeve, Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:49 (six years ago) link
xp I also saw Melt-Banana at the Garage in 2005 but it was the other night with Narcosis/I'm Being Good/Bullet Union. I saw them a few years ago as a duo around the time Fetch came out. Think that was the 3rd time I saw them? Was thinking of going to see them in Brighton on this tour but timing wasn't good.
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:08 (six years ago) link
it's so hot my banana definitely feels like it's melting today
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:09 (six years ago) link
xp to self in fact this is documented upthread back in 2005
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:11 (six years ago) link
just the two of them, yes. agata with the facemask and guitar and yasuko doing everything else via midi(?) and that controller thing she uses (one-handed) that looks like a playstation portable.
they were loud and bright and pixel perfect again last night but something didn't click for me and i was paying less attention to what they were doing than to how they were doing it. and the obvious hard work they've put in and all the practice (neither put a beat wrong) just detracted somehow. the 300 other people there seemed to be really into it though.
they were on the merch desk until the support band finished and then spent the interval sorting out their own gear. a minute after they finished agata was back on the desk and yasuko was breaking her stuff down. made me wonder whether the entire tour was just the two of them doing everything on their own (and how lonely that would be).
― koogs, Friday, 16 June 2017 09:08 (six years ago) link
(it's a Numark Orbit - https://www.facebook.com/NumarkOrbit/posts/638933552825050 )
― koogs, Friday, 16 June 2017 09:11 (six years ago) link
new album 3+5 out in August! first for over 10 years. I wasn't going to bother seeing them on this tour because I saw them in 2022, and Prolapse are playing the same night, argh
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 23 May 2024 09:05 (two weeks ago) link
oh thank god, our long (inter)national nightmare is over
fetch was _so fucking good_
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 23 May 2024 13:28 (two weeks ago) link
Oh hell yes. I'm seeing them next month, super pumped
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Thursday, 23 May 2024 15:26 (two weeks ago) link
Cell-Scape is still my fav, but I always have time for them
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Thursday, 23 May 2024 15:27 (two weeks ago) link
100% agree re:Fetch. album still blows me away
― gman59, Thursday, 23 May 2024 16:13 (two weeks ago) link
wait there was one after Bambi's Dilemma? omfg I am so old, I bought the Bambi LP from them at a show
wish they were on Bandcamp!
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Thursday, 23 May 2024 16:19 (two weeks ago) link
ohmygod they're coming back to Hull so happy
― Bitchin Doutai (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 May 2024 16:51 (two weeks ago) link
oh fuck they are playing Portland TOMORROW, Hawthorne Theater, no way can I go
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Thursday, 23 May 2024 16:54 (two weeks ago) link
This is great news
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Thursday, 23 May 2024 17:22 (two weeks ago) link
i on the other hand can totally go, thanks for the heads up sleeve :)
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 23 May 2024 18:43 (two weeks ago) link
<3
― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Thursday, 23 May 2024 18:47 (two weeks ago) link
I'm seeing the Denver show in less than a week. Incredibly stoked!
― I can't tell if he's trolling or not (ilxor), Thursday, 23 May 2024 19:41 (two weeks ago) link
they still got it!
― (⊙_⊙?) (original bgm), Thursday, 6 June 2024 12:41 (yesterday) link
I once saw Melt Banana play in a transvestite bar called the Blue Flamingo in Austin, Texas. The club where they were supposed to play (EMOS) had double booked, so they had to move next door. The club was the size a large kitchen. They set up in the corner of the bar (no stage, just the corner). I got up on a side ledge, with my head pressed up against the ceiling. Let me tell you a little somethin' somethin'......I've seen lots and lots of shows, and that particular show was the most motherfucking incredibly beautiful sonic assault on your senses I've ever experienced. The perfect hybrid of fuck-you punk rock, teeth melting noise, and on-time syncopation. And it was obvious that every person there, who could get in, realized how incredible that event was.So Melt Banana is great. Really really great. And they're nice people, too.― Gage-o
So Melt Banana is great. Really really great. And they're nice people, too.
― Gage-o
big shout-outs and much love to the Blue Flamingo. dungeons and drag bars, people. dungeons and drag bars.
-
i'm just gonna c&p my review of their live show from the "reunion bands" thread because i didn't get around to writing it up until just now
i don't think melt-banana broke up either... they've been touring, they just haven't released a record in 11 years. they're releasing a new one this year. i never saw them live before. they were pretty amazing to watch to be honest. it wasn't all older hipsters like at the deerhoof concert. or at least i don't think so, i look at 40 year olds these days and think they're young. it was pretty great because of how yasuko is using technology. she and agata showed up there and just fucking killed. their last album was their best one yet, but that was over a decade ago... and with them being a duo i wasn't sure how they'd be able to play their songs live. i figured it'd be a lot of playing to backing tracks.
and what they did wound up being way cooler than that. yasuko had her phone out and she was using it to change up the bass and drum patterns on the fly. it's the first time i've ever seen technology used to create something that doesn't sound like singing to a backing track like on _top of the pops_ or some dude sitting behind a laptop. they were full-band songs performed by a duo but had the freedom of interpretation that i'm only used to hearing from rock groups - the songs _didn't_ sound exactly like the albums at all. it was felt like she was using the rhythms to kind of conduct the mosh pit. there was a mosh pit, too! they're a noise-rock duo of people in their like 50s and people were out there moshing. i was out there moshing, even though i regretted it. i'd rather hear melt-banana play "uncontrollable urge" than hear DEVO play "uncontrollable urge". devo are cool and all but i've never seen them and never really wanted to.
turns out yasuko is a guest vocalist on an album by a group called _squid pisser_, on the title track. it sounds great! yasuko sounds amazing!
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 6 June 2024 14:04 (yesterday) link
tbf they've been doing that for ages, their last album was a duo as well, I saw them in 2014 for that and it was the same set up
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 6 June 2024 14:08 (yesterday) link
Been trying to think back and they were doing it in 2010 as well, although I think it was more band structured rather than random squalls.
― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Thursday, 6 June 2024 14:20 (yesterday) link
tbf they've been doing that for ages, their last album was a duo as well, I saw them in 2014 for that and it was the same set up― Colonel Poo
― Colonel Poo
i'm not necessarily always on the cutting edge, haha, 22 years ago being in the Blue Flamingo would have made me really uncomfortable for reasons i wouldn't have been quite able to articulate
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 6 June 2024 14:20 (yesterday) link
they still had a backing band on the 2010 tour, I saw them then as well
― Colonel Poo, Thursday, 6 June 2024 14:28 (yesterday) link
pigeons on my eyes
― massaman gai (front tea for two), Thursday, 6 June 2024 17:07 (yesterday) link
Theirs remains one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen. There was this palpable ENERGY winding through the crowd that felt like you could've easily been swallowed up by the sea of bodies and would've been utterly menacing if the overall vibes hadn't been super-positive. It was like being in a venue-wide mosh pit comprised entirely of your family and loved ones.
― Great-Tasting Burger Perceptions (Old Lunch), Thursday, 6 June 2024 17:15 (yesterday) link
“Backing band” is a bit impersonal; Rika was their bassist for about 20 years before she left, or was dismissed, I don’t actually know what happened there. I hope it wasn’t a Janet Weiss-style shitcanning.
I saw them on that 2010 tour as well, and then again a few years later as a duo, and yeah they were better as a full band to me. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them again. I am looking forward to the new album, though.
― wronger than 100 geir posts (MacDara), Thursday, 6 June 2024 18:51 (yesterday) link