Biography Wikipedia
Group Members: Makoto Kawabata, Mani Neumeier & Kawabata Makoto, Kawabata Makoto, Makoto Kawabata And Richard Youngs
Wikipedia:
Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. (and subsequent offshoots) is a Japanese psychedelic band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career featured many musicians, but by 2004 the line-up had coalesced with only a few core members and frequent guest vocalists.
The band has released albums frequently on a number of international record labels as well as the Acid Mothers Temple family record label, which was established in 1998 to document the activities of the whole collective.
History
Kawabata initially formed Acid Mothers Temple (originally "Acid Mother's Temple") with the intention of creating "extreme trip music" by editing and dubbing previous recordings, being influenced by progressive rock, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and krautrock. Kawabata, along with Koizumi Hajime, Suhara Keizo, and Cotton Casino formed the original Acid Mother's Temple lineup as a group; however, the first recordings released were Kawabata's own mixes and overdubs. The band released two self-titled tapes on their eponymous label in 1997 before dropping the apostrophe from their name. They soon released their first self-titled album (see Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O.). The group began to tour overseas in 1998.
The band continued to tour and record, adding to the lineup drummer Ichiraku Yoshimitsu and guitarist Higashi Hiroshi. Several non-Acid Mothers shootoff bands formed, including Floating Flower, Nishinihon, and Tsurbami, while The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. played at sold-out shows and festivals all over North America, Japan, and Europe in the 2000s (decade). In 2002, the band released four albums and two EPs in a three-month span while touring the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, including South by Southwest in Austin, being selected as one of the top three groups performing.
Kawabata began his own solo offshoot, called Kawabata Makoto & the Mothers of Invasion, in an attempt to create music with a more jazz feel. In 2002, along with Tsuyama Atsushi and Ichiraku Yoshimitsu, the group released their only album under this name.
In 2003, an incarnation of the band called "Acid Mothers Temple mode HHH" was formed to tour Europe, consisting of Kawabata, Tsuyama, and Yoshida, a group who had played together as Seikazoku long before Acid Mothers Temple was formed. The same year, a collaboration of Acid Mothers Temple and Gong called "Acid Mothers Gong" performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
Soon after, in 2004, long-time vocalist and synthesizer player Cotton Casino left the group to concentrate on her own group and family while Acid Mothers Gong continued to tour. The group again released four albums in a three-month period, while another collaboration between Acid Mothers Temple and Afrirampo, Acid Mothers Afrirampo, released an album as well. Meanwhile, Acid Mothers Temple mode HHH renamed itself to Acid Mothers Temple SWR and released its own album.
In 2005, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Acid Mothers Temple, a new group called Acid Mothers Temple & the Cosmic Inferno was formed, starting their first European tour in June, and consisting of Higashi Hiroshi, Tabata Mitsuru, Okano Futoshi, and Shimura Koji and releasing several albums. Acid Mothers Temple SWR continued to tour as well. Acid Mothers Temple & the Incredible Strange Band was formed in 2006 by Tsuyama Akiko, Suhara Keizo, Aiko, and Kawabata Makoto. Kitagawa Hao joined The Cosmic Inferno as vocalist, though he left the band after touring the United States in mid-2007. Tsuyama and Kawabata formed another offshoot in December 2006, Acid Gurus Temple, with Mani Neumeier of Guru Guru, which quickly changed its name to Acid Mothers Guru Guru.
The band has also hosted its own yearly festival in Japan, appropriately titled Acid Mothers Festival, since 2002, which has been attended by Yamazaki Maso of Masonna, Afrirampo, Yoshida Tatsuya, Mani Neumeier, Kuriyama Jun, Ohpia, and Seiichi Yamamoto of Boredoms.
With regards to the often-confusing array of names for the different bands, Kawabata has explained:
Groups and members
Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O.
The most prolific and widely-known of the various Acid Mothers Temple collectives, Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. is a quartet that plays mostly psychedelic, space-rock type music. Their pieces are often improvised, free-form or experimental, while incorporating elements of American psych rock, drone and world music.
Current membersTsuyama Atsushi – bass guitar, vocalsHigashi Hiroshi – synthesizer, guitar, vocalsShimura Koji – drumsKawabata Makoto – guitar, vocalsPrevious membersYasuda Hisashi – bass guitarKoizumi Hajime – drumsSuhara Keizo – bass guitarCotton Casino – synthesizer, vocalsKitagawa Hao – theremin, vocalsNao – vocalsUki Eiji – drumsIchiraku Yoshimitsu – drumsAudrey Gineset - vocalsOno Ryoko - saxophone and fluteAcid Mothers Temple & the Cosmic Inferno
Acid Mothers Temple & the Cosmic Inferno differs from the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. not only in line-up but also in style of music. The Cosmic Inferno generally plays much heavier, hard-rock inspired psychedelia, and experiments more with effects pedals.
Current membersKawabata Makoto – guitar, bouzouki, electronicsHigashi Hiroshi – synthesizer, guitarTabata Mitsuru – bass guitar, vocalsShimura Koji – drums, percussionPrevious membersOkano Futoshi – drumsPikachu – drums, vocalsAcid Mothers Afrirampo
Acid Mothers Afrirampo is essentially the core three members of Acid Mothers Temple plus the two members of Afrirampo. Acid Mothers Afrirampo's music is closer to free jazz with experimental elements. There is also a strong focus on the drums.
Current membersOni – vocals, electric guitar, digital guitar, soprano recorder, drumsPika – vocals, drums, percussion, noiseTsuyama Atsushi – vocals, bass guitar, drums, digital guitar, acoustic guitar, soprano recorder, kanteleHigashi Hiroshi – electronicsKawabata Makoto – electric guitar, violin, hurdygurdy, glockenspiel, percussion, electronics, vocalsAcid Mothers Temple & the Pink Ladies Blues
The Pink Ladies Blues is another Acid Mothers Temple side-project, notable largely because it does not include Kawabata Makoto. In fact, that trio mostly consists of ex-members from the early, formative years of Acid Mothers Temple. Their music is traditional blues and psychedelic.
Current membersMagic Aum Gigi – electric guitarTsuchy – electric guitarMai Mai – drumsAcid Mothers Temple SWR
(previously known as Acid Mothers Temple mode HHH and Seikazoku)SWR is an experimental, free-jazz trio composed of Tsuyama, Kawabata, and Japanese experimental rock guru Yoshida Tatsuya of Ruins.
Current membersYoshida TatsuyaTsuyama AtsushiKawabata MakotoAcid Mothers Guru Guru
(previously known as Acid Gurus Temple)Acid Mothers Guru Guru was founded on a concept similar to SWR, but instead features the drumming of Krautrock drummer Mani Neumeier of Guru Guru.
Current membersKawabata MakotoTsuyama AtsushiMani NeumeierAcid Mothers Gong
Current membersDaevid Allen – vocals, guitarGilli Smyth – vocalsJosh Pollock – guitar, megaphoneYoshida Tatsuya – drums, vocalsTsuyami Atsushi – bass guitar, vocalsHigashi Hiroshi – synthesizerKawabata Makoto – guitarAcid Mothers Temple & the Incredible Strange Band
Current membersTsuyama Atsushi – guitar, vocalsTsuyama Akiko – vocalsSuhara Keizo – bass guitarAiko – drumsKawabata Makoto – electric sitar, violin, hurdy-gurdyKawabata Makoto & the Mothers of Invasion
sometimes playing under the name "What?"Current membersKawabata Makoto – guitarTabata Mitsuru – bass guitarMori Kimiho – drumsHigashi HiroshiPrevious membersTsuyama Atsushi – bass guitarIchiraku Yoshimitsu – drumsMMMH!
Kawabata Makamoto - guitar with French prog band, Aquasergeto release debut LP/CD on Manimal Vinyl in October 2009
