Shonen Knife

“When I finally got to see them live, I was transformed into a hysterical nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert.” Kurt Cobain

Shonen Knife are a ground-breaking all-female Japanese, pop-punk trio formed in Osaka in 1981, when Naoko first heard late ‘70’s punk-pop particularly The Ramones. Inspired, the band crafted their own idiosyncratic songs, fashioned brightly coloured outfits and DIY albums. In 1985, K Records released ‘Burning Farm’ in the US. Deals with Sub Pop and various Majors followed. 1989 saw the crème of the alt. rock scene (including Sonic Youth, L7 and Redd Kross) covering their favourite Shonen Knife songs on the tribute album ‘Every Band Has A Shonen Knife Who Loves Them’. They toured with Nirvana (on the ‘Nevermind’ tour), The Breeders and as part of Lollapalooza. They recorded sessions for John Peel and appeared on MTV’s ‘Beavis and Butthead’ . Last year the band played Matt Groening’s curated ATP, extensively toured the UK/Europe/North America/China and Taiwan! 2011 marks the 30th year of the band Shonen Knife and Naoko said she is ready to ROCK! We hope you will come see the band this year and soak up some magic from one of the greatest bands the world has ever seen!

Press:

  • Uncut: “rocks like Motorhead designed by Hanna-Barbara” (3/5)
  • BBC Music: " The Osaka Ramones, you must concede, still have it."
  • The Sunday Times "...irrepressible slice of bounce-along indie-pop. Beguiling." Stewart Lee
  • Voted the winner of BBC 6Music’s ‘Rebel Playlist’ by a landslide vote of 88%, which granted the single a play on every daytime 6Music show for a week plus album of the day on BBC 6Music
  • LondonPaper: (Super Group review)“Part Shangri-La’s, part Ramones, you can’t resist the charm of lyrics ... so give in, and don’t.”
  • Time Out London:“Punchy Pop-Rock”
  • Artrocker:“Objectively, it could be pointed out that they can only play in a rudimentary fashion, that their songs are ludicrously simple and that they are not doing anything new. Objectivity can fuck right off, because Shonen Knife are brilliant”
  • Japan Times:“Shonen Knife are one of the most important bands in history, even if the world at large doesn't know it”
  • Time Out Sydney:“It's a whole lot of fun”
  • BBC 6Music (Steve Lamacq):"Shonen Knife - they know how to rock - Japanese punk pop at its best.”
  • BBC 6Music (Gideon Coe):“the most arresting record I’ve heard this week”
  • Time Out Barcelona:“Super Group continues to polish Shonen Knife’s reputation”
  • Subba-cultcha:“brilliantly bonkers”

Releases

DAMNABLY002 - Super GroupDAMNABLY005 - Free TimeDAMNABLY010 - Osaka Ramones: A Tribute To The RamonesDMNBLYS02 - Perfect Freedom / P.Y.O.

Websites

Shonen Knife Official Website

Artist Avails

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Tours

Shonen Knife "Free Time" Tour 2011
11 Aug - Windmill, London UK
12 Aug - Summer Sundae, Leicester UK
13 Aug - Deaf Institute, Manchester, UK
14 Aug - Cluny, Newcastle, UK
15 Aug - Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh, UK
16 Aug - Nice 'N' Sleazy, Glasgow, UK
17 Aug - Blackbox, Belfast, NI
18 Aug - Roisin Dubh, Galway, IR
19 Aug - Whelans, Dublin, IR
20 Aug - The Fleece, Bristol, UK
21 Aug - Buffalo, Cardiff, UK
23 Aug - Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL
26 Aug - Räng Teng Teng, Freiburg, DE
27 Aug - Atomic Cafe, Munich DE
30 Aug - Chelsea, Vienna, AT
01 Sep - Marie Antoinette, Berlin DE
02 Sep - Inkonst, Malmo, SE
03 Sep - Cafe Mono, Olso, NO
04 Sep - Bar Loose, Helsinki, FI
06 Sep - Loppen, Copenhagen, DK
07 Sep - Übel & Gefährlich, Hamburg, DE
08 Sep - dB's, Utrecht, NL
10 Sep - Bogeda Social, Nottingham, UK
11 Sep - Scala, London, UK

2010
6 May 2010 - Bristol, Thekla
7-9 May 2010 - Minehead, ATP Festival
10 May 2010- Glasgow, King Tuts
11 May 2010 - Leicester, The Musician
12 May 2010 - Leeds, Brudnell Social Club
13 May 2010 - Valencia, Sala Mattisse
14 May 2010 - Barcelona, Sala Becool
15 May 2010 - Madrid, Sala Gruta
17 May 2010 - Amsterdam, Paradiso
19 May 2010 - Hannover, Cafe-Glocksee
20 May 2010 - Berlin, Kato
23 May 2010 - Brighton, Freebutt
24 May 2010 - London, Scala

2009
Jun 17 - London, The Windmill
Jun 18 - Cardiff, Buffalo Bar
Jun 19 - Leicester, Firebug
Jun 20 - Hull, Adelphi
Jun 21 - Liverpool, Zanzibar
Jun 22 - Birmingham, Hare and Hounds
Jun 23 - Brighton, Prince Albert
Jun 24 - London, The Windmill
Jun 25 - London, Pure Groove
Jun 29 - London, Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes

Hi Res Images

Shonen Knife
Shonen Knife
Shonen Knife

Video

'Perfect Freedom' Music Video

'Bear Up Bison' Live

Red Bull Music Academy Radio – ‘Fireside Chat’