Pizzicato Five

Pizzicato Five, a Japanese pop group best known to American audiences in their later incarnation as a duo of Maki Nomiya (????) and Yasuharu Konishi (????), are widely credited to have spearheaded the shibuya-kei movement of Tokyo in the 90s, along with Flipper's Guitar. They are known for their eclectic and energetic compositions, which often sound like "new" releases from the late 1960s hipster scene. Their catchphrase--"A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular"--captured the group's ironic stance but eager attitude. The group, formed in 1985, broke up in March 2002.

Related Topics:
Japan - American - Maki Nomiya - Yasuharu Konishi - Shibuya-kei - 90s - Flipper's Guitar - 1960s - Hipster - 1985 - 2002

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The P5's style matured over the years. They gradually eschewed covers of 60s standards like the Beatles' "Day Tripper" or "The Girl from Ipanema" in favor of original compositions like "The World is Spinning at 45 RPM." Some of their "original" work was little more than remixes of earlier songs; in their later albums, the group (trying to break into the U.S. market) occasionally reissued tracks with Japanese lyrics translated into English.

Related Topics:
The Beatles - The Girl from Ipanema

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