Biography
Japanese experimental punk trio Limited Express (Has Gone?) came together in Kyoto during 1998 when guitarist Iida Jinichiro joined forces with bass/vocalist Yukari and drummer Narazaki Koji. Their explosive stage shows, Yukari’s unpredictable onstage presence, and rapid shifts across musical styles quickly drew parallels to other prominent Kansai acts including the Boredoms, Shonen Knife, and fellow outfit Afrirampo. Yukari also performs with Kyoto girl group Ni-Hao!, while Iida appears in Kyoto punk supergroup Ultra Jr. As the driving force behind the city’s Borofesta underground festival, the band became fixtures in the local scene and favorites on Japanese college radio, though they waited until 2003 to secure their debut recording contract. That release, Feeds You, was captured by Inoue Shuichi of Fukuoka blues punks Folk Enough and issued on John Zorn’s Tzadik imprint; its lo-fi aesthetic preserved the group’s onstage frenzy and earned favorable notices from reviewers.
Once the album was out, the trio hit the road, stopping at South by Southwest in 2004. The same year they contributed a cover of Rip Rig & Panic’s “Beat the Beast” to the new-wave tribute collection Fine Time: A Tribute to New Wave. In 2005 they issued the split EP Experimental Express Explorer alongside U.S. band Experimental Dental School, the live set Live at the 101 Bar through Australian label Tenzenmen, and the full-length Makes You Dance on Tokyo-based Memory Lab. The latter disc incorporated additional pop elements and a more developed grasp of structure while staying true to the band’s lo-fi approach, confirming their status among Japan’s most in-demand underground acts. Exhaustion from constant touring prompted Narazaki’s exit; he was succeeded by Matsushita Takuya of Kyoto indie/post-rock band Astrolove. The 2006 mini-album Ikenie no Jesus Child mixed fresh songs with remixes by various Kansai peers, after which the best-of compilation The Best Is Coming appeared. The group then entered a brief hiatus, resurfacing in Tokyo at the end of 2007 with new drummer TDK of Tokyo noise punks Joy. True to their unpredictable history, they paused once more for the arrival of Yukari’s child before returning in spring 2008 with the split album Limited Express (Has Gone?) x DODDODO, recorded alongside Osaka experimental new-wave and electronic musician DODDODO.
Once the album was out, the trio hit the road, stopping at South by Southwest in 2004. The same year they contributed a cover of Rip Rig & Panic’s “Beat the Beast” to the new-wave tribute collection Fine Time: A Tribute to New Wave. In 2005 they issued the split EP Experimental Express Explorer alongside U.S. band Experimental Dental School, the live set Live at the 101 Bar through Australian label Tenzenmen, and the full-length Makes You Dance on Tokyo-based Memory Lab. The latter disc incorporated additional pop elements and a more developed grasp of structure while staying true to the band’s lo-fi approach, confirming their status among Japan’s most in-demand underground acts. Exhaustion from constant touring prompted Narazaki’s exit; he was succeeded by Matsushita Takuya of Kyoto indie/post-rock band Astrolove. The 2006 mini-album Ikenie no Jesus Child mixed fresh songs with remixes by various Kansai peers, after which the best-of compilation The Best Is Coming appeared. The group then entered a brief hiatus, resurfacing in Tokyo at the end of 2007 with new drummer TDK of Tokyo noise punks Joy. True to their unpredictable history, they paused once more for the arrival of Yukari’s child before returning in spring 2008 with the split album Limited Express (Has Gone?) x DODDODO, recorded alongside Osaka experimental new-wave and electronic musician DODDODO.
Albums
