Linda Blair during N.E.O. Her full vocal range is subtly hidden behind that smile, every so often

Kana – Lead guitar, keyboards, vocals and Mana’s twin (same face, same parents, same grandparents…). I could just say Kana plays a Cherry Red Gibson ES 335 (Memphis style) and leave it at that, but if you don’t know that this is a classic BB King Guitar then you won’t understand why her choosing this guitar over the Les Paul. Put it this way, when I think of Les Paul players I think “Bet they can play Stairway to Heaven.” I have a photograph of Kana, where on a high-speed shutter, both hands are still a blur. She has a very distinctive guitar style, and flicks between power and bar chords with surgeon precision*. I recently learnt from a fantastic review in a guitar magazine, that she uses a Phase 90 pedal to get a wah wah sound but without the hassle of a foot pedal.  Need I go on... nope.

everybody’s wonderful, this is new cute. Neo Kawaii.  Do you think so? Yes?” At this she turns and points to Yuna, who hits the drums, yes (bang), yes (bang) then she whips the crowd in to frenzy shouting yes yes yes. The band by this point are in full rock as Mana goes back to her keyboard ready in the ‘NeoKawaii’ stance of one leg straight, one slightly bent and with her fingers making a V next to her eyes and the other arm across the chest.

This is the start of their Creep, their Alternative Ulster: N.E.O. Although mostly sung in Japanese there is enough English to understand this song is their war song against perceived cuteness. “You are so cute, nice face, come on yeah.  We are so cute, nice face, come on yeah.” Whether you can understand the lyrics or not the message still gets to you. Even if it doesn’t, the fast pace, dare I say punk, full on energy of the music will have your whole body moving in time to the music. As I mentioned earlier, exactly 1 min 30s in to the song Mana channels her inner devil (still wrapped in pink) as the song goes from punk to freeform jazz (just, well why not eh?), her voice changes to a deep growl getting louder and louder as she screams NeoKawaii, NeoKawaii, before her sister Kana joins in for “yeah yeah” and the music shifts back to its original punk.

* since writing this blog I have came across an article by ‘Pitchfork’ where Kana sheds some light on her Guitar play style “I never wanted to play guitar, I hated guitar. My teacher, who played guitar in a funk band, kind of threw me into the guitar. I would just copy him and how he would play. After that class, I actually started getting into funk. I fell in love with the guitarist from Tower of Power.”

it side swipes you and leaves you, every single time, thinking “Whoa, where did that come from?” Not her – she’s cute and smiling.

Yuna – Drummer. As a drummer myself I will cut this short. I could play drums for another 50 years and still not be close to how good she is. 4/4 to 16ths to 8ths and back to 4/4 without breaking sweat (N.E.O). Also as I write this, Yuna is the only band member I have actually spoken to (and shook hands). I met her at the merch stall at the Stereo Gig.

I don't have the rights to play any Chai on my website so instead why not listen to Drum Machines Can't Dance while you read.  If you like please click on Home to check out more of my tunes.

Chai have taken an active stance against the perception in Japan that big eyes and long legs make you Kawai (cute). They counter this by telling the audience that everyone has a body complex, that’s the things that make you... well you, that’s what makes you Kawaii. 

As part of the intro to N.E.O, Mana comes to the front of the stage. “I have a question for you all.  Do you have a body complex? I have many body complexes. My eyes are very small (she shakes her head as the crowd disagree), this is lovely eyes, this is new cute, neo Kawaii.  And my legs, very short (again she shakes her head) this is lovely legs, this is new cute, neo Kawaii.  Complexes are your charm,

Don’t dare call them J-pop near me

I don’t think there is a greater example of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” than Chai. Chai grab you and reel you in. It could be the music, it could be the dancing, but watch for more than five minutes and they can change your perception of them. Less than this and you will walk away thinking just another Japanese cutesy pop band. After five minutes you can start to hear that this is no J-Pop, these guys can really play. Jazz, hip-hop, drum n bass, punk, new wave. This band cover every genre known to music and do so with ease.  By the way I’m only describing one song here: Hi Hi Baby. Listen to any Chai song and I challenge you to place it in one genre... even their only generic love song: Horechatta is about their love for Gyoza, Chinese dumplings. The video for this song is the story of them going to eat Gyoza in Hong Kong.  They also had top Hong Kong artist Little Thunder contribute some amazing artwork for the girls.  (If you’re not loving this band already then catch up eh.)

NEOKawaii (neoかわいい)

Mana – Lead singer, keyboard player. She has an infectious smile that can’t fail to lift you any more than you can avoid chewing Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles. Her personality is so overwhelmingly inviting that you would be forgiven in to believing that she had transformed Into

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We have, from left to right on stage:

Yuuki – Bass player (plays keyboard on two tracks) also art director and main lyric writer of the band.  Hugely talented; she switches between slap and finger style bass like it’s normal, and she also adds some backing vocals. 

They cite three bands as their main influences (actually four but I don’t recognise Madonna in any of their songs so I’m very largely ignoring this): Devo, Basement Jaxx and Beastie Boys. Although not always obvious in their songs, when you break them down you can hear them. Sometimes it is obvious; like Hi Hi Baby has a BBoys rap feel to it, Cool Cool Vision is unashamedly Basement Jaxx and Devo is imprinted through everything they do, like Blackpool through rock. From the “Jocko Homo” inspired video and songs for Pichiku Pachiku Cuchiku and Gyaranboo, to their matching outfits; first yellow and black for PPC and transformed to the now traditional pink for Boyz Seco Men. Yuuki, the Bass Player, is the muse behind the “Chai” image.  She also writes all the lyrics which will be dissected later. Hell! sorry got carried away, I haven’t introduced them yet.