BESPA KUMAMERO

Japanese duo BESPA KUMAMERO (ベスパ☆くまメロ) formed in March 2001, creating a unique blend of electro pop, industrial and techno, fused inseparably with a futuristic visual image that sets them apart on the nearby Tokyo club scene. KUMAMERO's sound is based upon digital music crafted with homemade instruments, but also encompasses Japanese Budo dance, giving it an Eastern flavor. Their thrilling performances, which feature swordplay, acrobatics and electric rice-bowls, have won them a loyal if slightly bonkers fanbase. The duo formed after stunning vocalist Azumi Kuwadate picked up a copy of the local paper. Monkichi Irikura, with his cyberpunk style and bleached goatee, was working on sound-design for techno tracks and building his own innovative studio gear, as well as objects of modern art. And, in that issue of the paper, he’d written an article about it. Azumi, a budding poet and photographer, was inspired by Monkichi's article, and emailed him with a vague hope of somehow collaborating. The pair met up in a local restaurant and discovered a mutual love for electro music. More importantly, it turned out they each had the same hat – with bear-ears sticking out the top, obviously. And so, with this impressive touch of fate, BESPA KUMAMERO was born. After playing for a time locally, the duo decided to crack Tokyo, where their peculiar style gained quick recognition. They soon found themselves appearing on numerous TV and radio programs, as well as even regularly appearing in a children's program. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.