Cambridge, MA serves as home base for the indie pop duo Mishima USA, a bass-less outfit featuring Arto Payaslian on guitar and vocals alongside drummer Sean O'Brien. The pair came together in 1998, taking cues from alt-rock stalwarts including Hüsker Dü, Sugar, Sonic Youth, and Pavement. They refined their performance skills through support slots with notable acts like Come, Rufus Wainwright, and Mark Eitzel. Their inaugural 7" emerged in March 1999, paving the way for inclusions on various compilations plus a nod in the Best New Rock Band on an Indie Label category at the 2000 Boston Music Awards. On the Boston-based Catapult imprint, they unveiled their first full-length album Hold My Breath during 2001.
