Birthday

Japanese punk and psychobilly outfit The Birthday originated as a vehicle for vocalist Yusuke Chiba and guitarist Akinobu Imai, both previously of the J-rock group Rosso. After parting ways with that band in 2006, the pair briefly operated under the name Midnight Bankrobbers before expanding the lineup. They recruited drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara, a former Thee Machine Gun Elephant colleague of Chiba’s, along with bassist Haruki Hirai, then launched the project with the summer 2006 single “Stupid.” Their debut full-length, Rollers Romantics, followed later that year and was promoted through an extensive nationwide trek. By the release of the sophomore effort Teardrop in 2007, the group had grown prominent enough to headline the Budokan, Japan’s premier hall; the performance was later captured on the DVD Looking for the Lost Teardrops Tour Final. Maintaining a steady release pace, they issued the Motel Radio Sixty Six EP early in 2008 and delivered their third album, Night on Fool, before the year ended.