Metro Farce

Metro Farce was a Japanese new wave band that released two 1982 extended plays and the 1983 album Barizanbeaux on Kitchen Records, followed by the 1984/85 Egg-Man titles Pipi Zazou and Touzoku Domo No Yakaifuku. After four discs through 1988 on Captain Records, they issued nine discs through 2002 on Polydor, Kitty, and Metrofarce Records.

Members: 伊藤ヨタロウ [Yotaro Ito] (keyboards, vocals), 光永巌 [Iwao “Gun” Mitsunaga] (guitar, vocals), バカボン鈴木 [Bakabon Suzuki, aka Vagabond Suzuki] (bass, mandolin, vocals), ライオン・メリ [Lion Merry] (keyboards, vocals), 岩瀬”チャバネ”雅彦 [Masahiko “Chabane” Iwase] (drums), 小滝満 [Mitsuru Kotaki] (keyboards, vocals), 三原重夫 [Shigeo Mihara] (drums), 横川タダヒコ [Yokogawa Tadahiko, aka 横川理彦] (mandolin, violin, vocals), 石坪信也 [Ishitsubo Shinya, aka Bossi], 田村玄一 [Genichi Tamura] (acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, vocals)

Background

Metro Farce took shape in Tokyo in autumn 1980 when bassist Masayuki “Bakabon” Suzuki joined singer-keyboardist Yotaro Ito and guitarist Iwao “Gun” Mitsunaga, both from the unsigned Hot Landing, which recently demoed material with Moonrider Keiichi Suzuki.

Suzuki knew the pair from a Tokyo Network bill, where he substituted for Cinema bassist Susumu Isshiki. He brought drummer Aoki into the first rehearsals from his Fussa music circle. When Aoki left music for film, Ito recruited drummer Masahiko “Chabane” Iwase through a mutual acquaintance. Metro Farce played their first show in March 1981 at the Harajuku hotspot Crocodile and demoed two tracks (“Nigai Shita,” “Chicken in the Kitchen”) in a tentative lineup with guitarist Tsutomu Kurihara and a jazz keyboardist known as “Korean-sensei.”

In March 1982, Metro Farce landed “Touketsu Shonen” and “Instant Enemy” on the L.L.E. compilation Mugenmu. They connected with Kitchen Records, a small Tokyo indie that already issued the Variété EP Souvenir. Metro Farce recorded at a Kanda butcher-shop warehouse with guitarist Tsutomu Kurihara and keyboardists Mitsuru Kotaki and Lion Merry. Their May–June sessions spawned two Kitchen EPs, Sakamogi Song and SONG 2.

Sakamogi Song features sleeve art by Katsuhiro Otomo, a manga artist who used five Metro Farce tracks in the November 1982 film Jū o Warera ni. By January 1983, Kotaki became an official member. The five-piece Metro Farce commenced sessions for their first album in May 1983 at Ito’s home studio.

Discography:

• Barizanbeaux (1983)
• Pipi Zazou (1984)
• Touzoku Domo No Yakaifuku (1985)
• Gaia (1988)
• Good Morning Mr. Talisman (1989)

Sources

• Metro Farce official history, 1981–82 — early personnel, ACB/Loft activity, Mugenmu, Otomo film, warehouse recording. Official 1981–82 history
• Bakabon Suzuki, autobiographical columns 19–20 — Cinema substitution, first meeting with Hot Landing, Moonriders encounter, autumn 1980 rehearsal, Aoki/Iwase transition and instrumental roles. Suzuki column 19 Suzuki column 20
• JIROKICHI interview with Suzuki — first rehearsal in 1980 and first Metro Farce concert at Crocodile in March 1981. (jirokichi.net)
• Metro Farce official Sakamogi Song page — 1981 demo material, May–June 1982 sessions, lineup, Kotaki/Merry/Kurihara credits and Otomo contact through BON. Sakamogi Song archive
• Metro Farce official 1983–84 history / Barizanveaux page — Kotaki joining, first tour, album sessions and November 25 release. Official 1983–84 history Barizanveaux archive
• Mikiki interview with Jun Sonohara — early Kitchen Records involvement and his production role around Metro Farce. (Mikiki)
• Ito biography / Neowing — Hot Landing history, Moonriders support work, Sumiko Yamagata backing and Keiichi Suzuki demo. (Neowing)