Electric Eel Shock 2185691 223987560 2008-07-06T20:56:14Z TimBray 87352 /* Beat Me */ That's another Tim Bray (snicker) :''Not to be confused with US glam rock band [[Electric Eels (band)|The Electric Eels]]'' {{Infobox musical artist | Name = Electric Eel Shock | Background = group_or_band | Origin = [[Tokyo, Japan]] | Years_active = 1998 – present | Genre = [[Garage rock|Garage]] [[Heavy metal music|metal]]<br>[[Rock and Roll]]<br> | Label = [[Double Peace]]<br>[[Roadrunner Records|Roadrunner Japan]]<br />[[Gearhead Records]]<br />[[Spooky Records]] | Current_members = [[Akihito Morimoto]] (Aki)<br />[[Tomoharu Ito]] (Gian)<br />[[Kazuto Maekawa]] }} '''Electric Eel Shock''' are a three-piece [[Garage rock|garage]] [[Heavy metal music|metal]] band, formed in [[Tokyo]] in the late 1990s. They first toured the [[United States]] in 1999 and have been touring the world ever since. ==Pre EES== Whilst still at [[school]] in [[Osaka]], [[Akihito Morimoto]], known as 'Aki' ([[electric guitar|guitar]] and [[singer|vocals]]) and [[Kazuto Maekawa]] ([[bass guitar|bass]]) were brought together by a mutual love of [[Black Sabbath]]. They learned [[English language|English]] from the bands they read about in ''Burrn Magazine'', and played together in several bands that often covered songs by their Western idols, including [[Black Sabbath]], [[Twisted Sister]], [[Van Halen]], [[Rainbow (band)|Rainbow]], MSG, [[Iron Maiden]], [[Judas Priest]], [[Queensrÿche]], [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]], [[Ratt]], [[Aerosmith]], [[AC/DC]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Motörhead]], [[Guns N' Roses]] and [[Mötley Crüe]]. Morimoto and Maekawa first tasted commercial success after moving to Tokyo and playing as guitarist and bassist in a five-piece [[pop rock]] band. Morimoto later said that one of the main reasons for this band's demise was that they acted on everything that they were told, and as a result soon became directionless. It was this lesson that helped form the attitude of Electric Eel Shock – that musicians should listen to the views of others, but that learn from their own mistakes. After the demise of this band, Morimoto and Maekawa stayed in Tokyo. Morimoto followed his passion of [[fishing]] and became a competition angler (he still writes for Japan's largest fishing [[magazine]], ''Basser Magazine'') and Maekawa joined The Apollos (a well-known Japanese [[funk]] band) as [[Session musician|session]] bassist. Maekawa's low-slung bass and unkempt appearance was at odds with The Apollos' [[Suit (clothes)|suited]] and polished image, and meant that his time in this role was short lived. However, Maekawa left a lasting impression on their [[drummer]], Tomoharu Ito (known as Gian, due to his similar appearance to a well-known Japanese [[comedian]] of that name). Gian, who had a day job making [[Artificial teeth|false teeth]], was soon introduced to Morimoto, and the three started practicing together shortly afterwards. ==Early years== The first incarnation of Electric Eel Shock was not quite as they are known today. In fact, the band's first public performances were actually as an 11-piece group with [[Synthesizer|keyboards]], female vocals and [[Horn (instrument)|horns]]. It was not until the logistics of getting all of these members together on the same day to practice became unworkable that the band stripped down to a three-piece. Gian took up playing with four [[drumstick]]s, and also gained a reputation for playing [[Nudity|naked]]. Electric Eel Shock decided against making [[Demo (music)|demos]] and sending them to record companies. Instead, they quickly set up the Micro Music [[record label|label]] with their friends, and released their first full-length [[album]], ''Maybe I Think We Can Beat [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]''. They followed this with ''Live Punctured'' and set about making a major impact on the independent rock scene of Tokyo. ==Slayers Bay Blues== In 1999 Electric Eel Shock recorded ''Slayers Bay Blues'' on an [[Multitrack recording|eight-track recorder]], and pressed enough copies to take to the road for their first [[concert|gigs]] abroad. They had lined up a handful of dates in and around [[New York City|New York]] with their friends [[Peelander-Z]], who had relocated there some time earlier. The gigs were a massive success, with a handful of dates turning into over twenty. ==Go America== Shortly after returning to Japan EES sold their [[property]] and left their homes. They returned to the US and toured almost constantly for the next two years. Their tours grew in length as [[word of mouth]] spread that this was a live show not to be missed. All the while, the band survived on the sale of [[compact disc|CDs]] and [[t-shirt]]s. They then recorded another album: ''Go America''. ==Go Europe== At the end of 2002, an [[e-mail]] came out of the blue from a [[United Kingdom|UK]] journalist, and would open a new phase for Electric Eel Shock. The band answered only one question raised in the e-mail: "Have you got any plans to come to the UK?" The reply was: "No! But we want. You get gig and we will come." On [[January 16]], 2003, Electric Eel Shock landed in [[London]] for five hastily arranged gigs. History was to repeat itself, with the five shows rapidly becoming twelve gigs in ten days. The band used the [[London Underground]] as their only form of transport. After this, they returned to the US with the fanzine writer, [[James Hay]] as their new manager. The band spent the rest of 2003 between the US and [[Europe]]. Highlights included playing at both the [[South by Southwest Festival|SXSW]] and [[College Music Journal|CMJ]] festivals in America, headlining a stage at [[Roskilde Festival]] in [[Denmark]], and supporting the [[Canada|Canadian]] band [[Danko Jones]] on a 40-date European tour. During 2003 old friend of the band [[Bob Slayer]], who had been successfully running their online fanclub, became their tour manager. At the start of 2004 Electric Eel Shock went into the [[recording studio|studio]] for the last of the ''Go'' sessions. Although these were still produced on a relatively low [[budget]], and paid for by the band, this was the first time that they had used a studio and [[Audio engineering|sound engineer]] as opposed to a practice room, [[kitchen]] or [[cupboard]]. The results, ''Go Europe'' / ''Go USA'', were licensed around the world and the band went on a promotional tour that took in 25 countries and 27 European festivals. ==Beat Me== The band's European base camp for much of their touring in 2004 was the Suicide Motel in [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]], [[Netherlands]], which they set up with Dutch band [[Wasted (band)|Wasted]]. Whilst spending time in Holland they developed their friendship with a [[Record producer|producer]] they had met in [[Amsterdam]] during the Danko Jones tour. Electric Eel Shock were soon making plans with [[Grammy Award|Grammy]]-nominated producer [[Attie Bauw]] (who had worked with [[Judas Priest]] and the [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]) for a new album. This would represent a move away from their [[garage rock|garage]] roots. The aim was to catch all the energy and character of an Electric Eel Shock performance with a production that would sit alongside the early Black Sabbath albums that had inspired their creation. Assisting Attie in the studio was the band's live engineer, Tim Bray, who had become a fixture on tour with the band. The band finished recording ''Beat Me'' at the end of December 2004, and returned to Japan for the first time in a long time, to do a few gigs. Throughout 2005 EES shows have become larger; touring in the US and Europe with the [[Bloodhound Gang]], headlining festivals, and playing with an orchestra. Their tours throughout Europe at the end of 2005 were completely sold out. In March 2006, ''Beat Me'' was released in Japan on legendary metal label [[Roadrunner Records]]. The band toured Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the US in 2006 and played festivals in Europe. ==Transworld Ultra Rock== Electric Eel Shock released ''Transworld Ultra Rock'' on [[October 1]], [[2007]]. The album was the first release on their own label [[Double Peace Records]]. The band toured throughout Europe in support of the new album, later appearing as a support act on [[The Presidents of the United States of America (band)|The Presidents of the United States of America]]'s [[These Are The Good Times People]] tour. The album came out on P-Vine records in Nov 2007 in Japan. It has been Electric Eel Shock's most successful album to date in terms of both press and sales. ==NEW ALBUM== Electric Eel Shock are working with [[Sellaband]] to raise the funds and record their new album [http://www.sellaband.com/eelshock www.sellaband.com/eelshock] June 2008 - EES successfully raised $50,000 through Sellaband from fans / believers and are now preparing to record their album. Apart from a couple of tracks for Sony (Back In Black for an AC/DC tribute and Transworld Ultra Metal for a film compilation) this will be the first time they have recorded in Japan since Slayers Bay Blues. ==Discography== ''Slayers Bay Blues'' #Bingo Shoot! #Heavy Metal Vagabond #I'm Not #(Japanese Text) #Jumping Akihito #Kaza-Machine #Let's Go To The Beach #Orange Is Back #Overkill #Puma #Turbo Slayer #Vegas Night ''Go USA!'' #Japanese Meets Chinese in USA #My Tiger #Do the Metal #Waaaa #Punctured #Rock 'n' Roll Can Rescue the World #S.O.S. #Suicide Rock 'n' Roll #Puma #Nothing #Vegas Night #Zombie Rock 'n' Roll #I Wanna Be a Black Sabbath Guy, But I Should Be a Black Bass #Speedy Joe #Suicide Rock 'n' Roll [Multimedia track] #Rock 'n' Roll Can Rescue the World [Multimedia track] ''Go Europe!'' (same as ''Go USA!'' except for the order of bonus tracks) #Japanese Meets Chinese in USA #My Tiger #Do the Metal #Waaaa #Punctured #Rock 'n' Roll Can Rescue the World #S.O.S. #Suicide Rock 'n' Roll #Puma #Nothing #Vegas Night #Zombie Rock 'n' Roll #I Wanna Be a Black Sabbath Guy, But I Should Be a Black Bass #Speedy Joe #Rock 'n' Roll Can Rescue the World [CD-ROM track] #Suicide Rock 'n' Roll [CD-ROM track] ''Beat Me'' #Scream for Me #Bastard! #I Can Hear the Sex Noise #Don't Say F**k #Lemon Lees #Killer Killer #Slow Down #Beat Me #Rock & Roll Kills the Blues #Mile End #I Love Fish But Fish Hate Me #Iron Man ''Transworld Ultra Rock'' #I Can't Hear You #Big Mistake #Dice de Try! #Joe #Joe II #Kill the Weekend #War #Transamerica Ultra Rock #Limousine #Baby #All My Music #Lovin' You ==DRUMMERS== In 2007 EES Drummer Gian's mother was diagnosed with Cancer and requires daily care, it has therefore become increasingly difficult for Gian to go on tour and a number of different stand in drummers have been used: * Damon Richardson (ex Danko Jones) - Europe 2007 * Roland Ritchie (ex Wasted) - Holland and HMV * Kosho - Wacken 2007 * Hiroto "The Ginger Drummer" - Presidents of USA tour * James "John" Thomas (ex Sludgefeast and currently A&E Line) Electric Eel Shock will be recording their new album in Japan so that Gian can be involved throughout the recording process... ==Known Stage Phrases== Electric Eel Shock often use the following phrases in their live routine: *''"Sex, Drugs & Email"'' Probably their most famous catch phrase from early gigs - was shouted out to persuade people to sign up for their email list. *''"Usagi chan!"'' - although In Japanese the meaning of this phrase may be different, to all Electric Eel Shock fans it is Rock & Roll. Usagi Chan was the name of the EES tour bus before she died of old age. *''"Menboku Nai is Rock & Roll in Japan! Say Menboku Nai!"'' *''"Kanpai!"'' - Cheers in Japanese *''"Bastard! No! You Bastard! Ok, I am also a Bastard...."'' - regarding their song ''"You Bastard"'' ==External links== *[http://www.electriceelshock.com/ The band's official homepage] *[http://www.bobslayer.com EES Tour Manager, Video Director & Producer: Bob Slayer's website] *[http://www.myspace.com/beatme Electric Eel Shock's site on Myspace] *[http://www.youtube.com/bobslayer Electric Eel Shock's site on Youtube] *[http://www.sellaband.com/eelshock/ Electric Eel Shock's site on SellaBand] *[http://www.the-mag.me.uk/Band-Profiles/Electric-Eel-Shock/ Electric Eel Shock on The Mag] [[Category:Japanese musical groups|Electric Eel Shock]] [[Category:Rock music groups|Electric Eel Shock]] [[de:Electric Eel Shock]] [[ja:Electric Eel Shock]]