YMCK & The Famicom Headband Movement
Raina Lee's latest column for VH1 Game Break has a fun interview with Japanese chiptune superstars YMCK, conducted at the recent Blip Festival in New York.
A couple of fun excerpts:
"What inspired your fabulous look?
Y: Our influences are the 1960s and the Famicom.
M: We wear the Famicom colors (pointing to her go-go dress in red and white)
Y: (points to tie) Famicom color necktie!
...
Midori, where did you get that Famicom headband? It’s fantastic!
M: This is a toy my friend got for me. (She shows that a clip is glued to the bottom of the toy, and then clips to her headband.)"
The interview also includes the note: "Slick and poised, rumor has it that YMCK may be signed to a major label soon. If so, they will be the first mainstream chiptunes band." I know some in the chiptune community are a bit nervous about this type of thing - but I also think that chiptune goodness could do with disseminating to all!
Comments
I hope they do get signed. I've seen them live at one of Taiwan's big three music festivals, and I never expected a chiptune band could draw such a huge crowd when up against big name (locally) rock and metal acts on different stages. And on top of that, they got the crowd bouncing and cheering and having an amazing time. They deserve every piece of success they get.
Posted by: Tetsuo | December 18, 2006 11:18 PM
YMCK is honestly the best Japanese band I've ever heard. I usually am not into chiptune music or J-pop, but it just WORKS. The jazz influences on their first album were really inspired.
Great, great group.
Posted by: Tony | December 19, 2006 12:26 PM