Shonen Knife

The Japanese trio Shonen Knife has made major fans out of alt-rock's elite (Sonic Youth, Nirvana, and Redd Kross, among others) and built a solid, worldwide cult following with their Ramones meets The Beatles brand of sticky sweet punk-pop. Comprised of members Michie Nakatani (vocals, bass), Naoko Yamano (vocals, guitar), and Atsuko Yamano (drums), Shonen Knife originally formed during December of 1981 in their hometown of Osaka, Japan (all three members were working at the time as office clerks), before playing their first real show in March of the following year. Soon after, the group began issuing albums in their native land, including 1982's cassette-only release Minna Tanoshiku (English translation: Everybody HappyNULL), 1983's Burning Farm, 1984's Yama No Attchan, and 1986's Pretty Little Baka Guy (the latter of which was reissued with extra tracks four years later, under the title Pretty Little Baka Guy/live In Japan). Although their records were only available in the U.S. via import, Shonen Knife struck a chord with the underground with a track of theirs appearing on the Sub Pop 100 compilation in 1986. Also, in 1989, a variety of alternative bands recorded renditions of their favorite Shonen Knife songs for the tribute album Every Band Has A Shonen Knife Who Loves Them.

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