The world needs more Kiiiiiii!!!

"Kiiiiiii, wispy anemic girls in vintage fashions, bodies and hairdos always threatening to dissolve into a glib knock-off of Courtney Love, seem to critique a culture in which so many Japanese women remain ornamental second-class citizens, more often protected than empowered." The Miami Herald

Is that Miami Herald quote real?

Oh, right, it's an adaptation of that Tam Ochiai quote.

Have Kiiiiiii heard the Mu album?

I don't think they have. Are you assuming they should or are you assuming that they are ripping off Mu?

I'm just interested in how they relate to other bands, especially cultural hybrids. Mu are sort of half-Japanese, half-British. What about MIA? She's a Londoner and a Sri Lankan. There's a lot of controversy now about her supposed support for the Tamil Tigers (her dad is one).

http://ilx.wh3rd.net/thread.php?showall=true&msgid=5384479#5535508

I'm interested in Kiiiiiii's relationship to these other bands because I'm interested in cultural differences, not only between Japanese bands and Western one, but the kind of music Japanese people make when they're outside Japan and when they're inside Japan. Being inside Japan tends to mean you suppress any overt political content, for instance... even if your nearest and dearest are dedicated to raising awareness of political issues within Japan!

Kiiiiii are great! i loved that live video footage of their show. simple, catchy and entertaining. i found this link thanks to my friend Jean Snow. i have a radio show here in Canada called (((la photo sonore))) and would love to play some Kiiiiii on my radio show. how do i get more info on them? thanks,

marc... dj, photographer and host of (((la photo sonore)))... moncton nb canada

they are great !!!!!!

Being inside Japan tends to mean you suppress any overt political content, for instance... even if your nearest and dearest are dedicated to raising awareness of political issues within Japan!

I don't know if Kiiiiiii has much political content to start with, although it's safe to say that the very presuppositions of their work volley a quite heavy fire against the Japanese perfectionist music system. A lot of people probably group Mu and Kiiiiiii and Cibo Matto together into a lump "crazy Japanese girls" - but I think all three are just composing under a logic somewhat alien to the rest of us. Certainly, Kiiiiiii never tries to be crazy just to be crazy - there are always reasons for their actions.

The whole furitaa generation is not using political action to actively fight against the hegemonic system, but they are essentially destroying it. Every day they don't work a real job, the government loses tax money, and every day they live at home, they destroy the fundamental social principle of becoming an adult.

"I hope you're not getting up today, honey. We need to destroy the hegemonic system."

(The sleeping girl: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.)

Now that's the kind of revolution I could easily join.

(I think it may be somewhat misguided to make the furitaa generation the actors in the sentence though... )

100 people waging an active boycott of a product has an equal impact to 100 people passively choosing not to buy that product, no? The former may be louder, but it's the same action.

I'm just trying to figure out how this works. When you're sleeping you're undermining American hegemony, right, and when she's sleeping she's undermining the authoritarian Japanese system? Or are you both undermining Japan if you're sleeping in Japanese territory?

I know you think this is silly, Momus, but the American system does not particularly need me to follow a rigid career path in order to survive, mainly because we have immigrants come in and work hard. Japan's system only exists as long as Japanese kids follow the pattern. They have no room for Bohemianism - the Western system does.

we need j.lennon and yoko to bring back the sleep-in/bed-in thing.

nice. like a PoMo pep-rally. they should do a show with mae-shi, my fav. LA band.
http://www.mae-shi.com/

we need j.lennon and yoko to bring back the sleep-in/bed-in thing.

Brilliant!

momus said: I'm just trying to figure out how this works. When you're sleeping you're undermining American hegemony, right, and when she's sleeping she's undermining the authoritarian Japanese system? Or are you both undermining Japan if you're sleeping in Japanese territory?

i said: we need j.lennon and yoko to bring back the sleep-in/bed-in thing.

sparkligbeatnic said: Brilliant!

and now i say: here:s how it works, nick!

http://honeymoons.about.com/cs/canadiangetaways/a/johnyoko.htm

base, base, base, base, base!!!

Great clip. Did you add the white line in imitation of old scratched film noise? Cute.

Did you add the white line in imitation of old scratched film noise? Cute.

You're the first one to notice my cheesy hi-tech imitation of lo-tech! Awards to follow.

hello marxy, I too am a freelance writer and im writing a piece on Kiiiiiii currently, and i really thought your review of their live performance was well executed. Well done!!...I have been corresponding with Tomoko but perhaps you could help me as i cant see them live because im in america.I have seen videos which give me a good idea.I want to spread the word about them here in America if i can....thanx my email is prelnip@hotmail.com ....feel free to write me if you want,....take care...