Biography
October Babies was founded by Japanese singer Toko Shiiki and bassist/arranger Erik Santos. The songwriting duo met in Tokyo in 2002 while Santos was resident composer for the spectacular butoh dance/theater group Dairakudakan. When Toko moved to the US to study photography in 2005, the couple immediately began to collaborate, and eventually produced their debut CD "Ao-zora Radio" (Blue-sky Radio), named after Toko's monthly podcast of the same name.
Joined by guitarist/vocalist Dale King, and drummer Ben Lorenz - the October Babies have a bright and energetic spirit which excites their American audiences, even though their lyrics are predominantly Japanese.
Their songs are a hybrid of many genres (funk, jazz, R&B, reggae/ska/dub, techno, latin, drum&bass, rock, surfpunk, hip hop, downtempo, orchestra pop, and blues, to name a few), and have won several major Japanese internet competitions, like J-WAVE MUSIC HYPER MARKET and Yahoo Japan Indies Jump.
In addition to their original songs, the band also covers a number of tunes by Japanese artists, and the American and European tunes they cover are often translated and sung in Japanese.
CURRENT EVENTS:
During their 2008 Japan Summer Tour (Tokyo & Osaka), they began performing their song "Can I Be Born Again (Again)." This summer, the song was voted No.9 in Japan's J-Wave "Music Hyper Market" Top 40. (J-Wave is one of the top radio stations in Japan, with a world-wide audience)
Their new record "High Hai Hi!" is scheduled for release at the end of 2009.
Videos Available at band websites:
http://octoberbabies.net
http://www.myspace.com/erikandtoko
http://www.youtube.com/blueno
Instrumentation
Toko Shiiki-Santos - vocals, samples
Erik Santos - bass, vocals
Dale King - guitar, vocals
Ben Lorenz - drums, vocals
Discography
High Hai Hi! (pending 2009), LP
Ao-zora Radio (2007), LP
Somethin' Eternal (2007), single
Here, October Babies (2007), EP, iTunes (Japan Store)
Wa Wa Wa (2008), single
Do Do Do (2008), single
Can I Be Born Again (Again Again) (2009), single
Links
| http://octoberbabies.net |