Electric Eel Shock
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- For other uses, see Electric Eel Shock (disambiguation)}}}.
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Early years
Whilst still at school in Osaka, Akihito Morimoto, also known as 'Aki' (guitar and vocals) and Kazuto Maekawa (bass) were brought together by a mutual love of Black Sabbath. They learned English from the bands they read about in Burrn Magazine, and played together in several bands that often played the songs of their Western idols, including Black Sabbath, Twisted Sister, Van Halen, Rainbow, MSG, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensrÿche, W.A.S.P., Ratt, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead, Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe.
Morimoto and Maekawa first tasted commercial success after moving to Tokyo and playing as guitarist and bassist in a five-piece band that had some pop rock success in Japan. Morimoto later said that one of the main reasons for this band's demise was that they acted on everything that they were told and eventually became directionless as a result. It was this lesson that helped form the attitude of Electric Eel Shock – that musicians should listen to the views of others, but that you should learn from your mistakes and make them only once.
After the demise of this band, Morimoto and Maekawa stayed in Tokyo. Morimoto followed his passion of fishing and became a competition angler (he still writes for Japan's largest fishing magazine, Basser Magazine) and Maekawa joined The Apollos (a well-known Japanese funk band) as session bassist. Maekawa's low-slung bass and unkempt appearance was at odds with The Apollos' suited and polished image, and meant that his time in this role was short lived. However, Maekawa left a lasting impression on their drummer, Tomoharu Ito (known as Gian, due to his similar appearance to a well-known Japanese comedian of that name). Gian, who had a day job making false teeth, was soon introduced to Morimoto and the three started practicing together shortly afterwards.
This was not quite the start of Electric Eel Shock as they are known today. In fact, the band's first public performances were actually as an 11-piece group with keyboards, female vocals and horns. It was not until the logistics of getting all of these members together on the same day to practice became unworkable that the band stripped down to a three piece. Gian took up playing with four drum sticks, and also gained a reputation for playing naked.
Electric Eel Shock decided against making demos and sending them to record companies. Instead, they quickly set up the Micro Music label with their friends, releasing their first full-length album, Maybe I Think We Can Beat Nirvana. They followed this with Live Punctured and set about making a major impact on the independent rock scene of Tokyo.
Around this time they befriended a character on the Tokyo underground rock scene Bob Slayer who was an Englishman in Japan. A veteran of the music industry in the west having toured with many bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Slayer had become the first westerner to be crowned Karoke Champion of Japan, he encouraged his friends to follow their dreams of touring abroad.
Go America
In 1999 Electric Eel Shock recorded Slayers Bay Blues on an eight-track recorder, and pressed enough copies to take to the road for their first gigs abroad. They had lined up a handful of dates in and around New York with their friends Pealander-Z, who had relocated there some time earlier. The gigs were a massive success, with a handful of dates turning into over twenty. Following many requests to do so, they returned to Japan.
The musicians then sold their property and left their homes. They returned to the U.S. and toured there nearly constantly for the next two years. Their tours grew in length as word of mouth spread that this was a live show not to be missed. All the while, the band survived on the sale of CDs and t-shirts. They then recorded another album, titled after their current phase: Go America. In 2006 the band rocked Bonnaroo.
Go Europe
At the end of 2002, an e-mail came out of the blue from a UK journalist, and would open a new phase for Electric Eel Shock. The band answered only one question raised in the e-mail: "Have you got any plans to come to the UK?" The reply was: "No! But we want. You get gig and we will come."
On January 16, 2003, Electric Eel Shock landed in London for five hastily arranged gigs. History was to repeat itself, with the five shows rapidly becoming twelve gigs in ten days. The band used the London Underground as their only form of transport. After this, they returned to the U.S. with the fanzine writer, James Hay as their new manager.
The band spent the rest of 2003 between the U.S. and Europe. Highlights included playing at both SXSW and CMJ festivals in America, headlining a stage at Roskilde Festival in Denmark, and supporting the Canadian band Danko Jones on a 40-date European tour. Somewhere in 2003 old friend Bob Slayer who had been successfully running their fanclub online became their tour manager and has been touring with the band ever since.
At the start of 2004 Electric Eel Shock went into the studio for the last of the Go sessions. Although these were still produced on a relatively low budget, and paid for by the band, this was the first time that they had used a studio as opposed to a practice room, kitchen or cupboard. They even had a sound engineer. The results, Go Europe / Go USA, were licensed around the world and the band went on a promotional tour that took in 25 countries and 27 European festivals.
Beat Me
The band's European base camp for much of their touring in 2004 was the Suicide Motel in Utrecht, Netherlands, which they set up with Dutch band Wasted. Whilst spending time in Holland they developed their friendship with a producer they had met in Amsterdam during the Danko Jones tour. Electric Eel Shock were soon making plans with Grammy-nominated producer Attie Bauw (who had worked with Judas Priest and the Scorpions) for a new album. This would represent a move away from their garage roots. The aim was to catch all the energy and character of an Electric Eel Shock performance with a production that would sit alongside the early Black Sabbath albums that had inspired their creation. Assisting Attie in the Studio was Electric Eel Shock's live Engineer Tim Bray who had become a fixture on the road with the band.
The band finished recording Beat Me at the end of December 2004, and returned to Japan for the first time in a long time, to do a few gigs. Before Morimoto left, he made a comment which perhaps sums up Electric Eel Shock's attitude: "I think we have just started."
Throughout 2005 EES shows have got larger and larger touring in the US and Europe with the Bloodhound Gang, headlining festivals, playing with an orchestra etc Their tours throughout Europe at the end of 2005 and the start of 2006 all sold out.
In March 2006 Beat Me was released in Japan on legendary Metal Label Roadrunner Records and Electric Eel Shock turned their attention back home for the first time in over three years. They will be continuing to tour Japan, Australia, New Zealand and USA in 2006 and will be back in Europe for some Festivals.
Known Stage Phrases
Usagi Chan! - Although In Japanese the meaning of this phrase may be different, to all Electric Eel Shock fans it is Rock & Roll. Menboku Nai is Rock & Roll in Japan! Say Menboku Nai!Kanpai! - Cheers in Japanese
Sex, Drugs and Email!
Bastard! No! You Bastard!!
Ok, I am also a Bastard....
Who are you?? You are all Electric Eel Shock!
Wave at Timmy... Hi Tim!
Tim is English guy in United States!
Say hello to Tim! Hi Tim!
Where is our Fat Tour Manager Bob Slayer?!
External links
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