Formed in 1999, MIKA BOMB quickly rose to fame as Japan's most shambolic export. Far from the pristine, punctual ponderings of her homeland, Mika Handa formed the band in London, England, finding drunken ex-pat punkas to fill out the ranks. Label courtship followed, the band opting for Grand Royal and, when it crumbled, Damaged Goods. In 2001 they released their first album, The Fake Fake Sound Of Mika Bomb, a perfect blend of New York punk, '50s Garage, Motown and Japanese punk-pop that owed as much to the Ramones as the Sultans of Ping. Now, after a few years of touring Europe and the States, plus a few line-up changes, Japan's hottest heroines, are back with a new album. Hellcats has been released April 2005 on Damaged Goods, preceded by a single, 'Osaka' - and damn fine it is, too. The band will then hit the road once again, taking their boozy, chaotic show around the world. With pop hooks and a bucketload of style, Mika Bomb make for an irresistible night out. But please, mind where you drool.
Directed by Rupert Bryan, A motion picture house production
