Before I started attuning my ears towards the world of Japanese idol pop, my true musical loves from Japan came in the form of the legendary punk and garage-rock scenes that took root in Tokyo and Osaka. To this day, if you really want to experience what a full-on blast of real rock n’ roll can be, you owe it to yourself to explore the wild, wild world of underground Japanese music played with no concern for money or fame, but only for that moment of pure chaotic joy that breaks the everyday routine of real life, making you feel alive and ready to shoot for the moon on a jet-powered-flame-spewing Kawasaki set to the rhythm of an out-of-tune-six-string opus clocking in at under two minutes…

Now with that spirit in mind, let’s check out Melon Batake a Go Go, a group of “Outer Space Idols” with cool superhero sidekick inspired outfits that are here to unite the legions of underground rockers under the same roof with worshipful wotas. They first formed in 2015, and like a lot of idol units, they’ve already experienced a lot of membership changes. Here’s their first MV, a great song with some cool spy-guitar surf guitar and a big dose of catchy hooks…

Oh dang, that was good! Fast-forward to the present day, and Melon Batake a Go Go has some new faces, but they remain a fantastic garage-rock infused group who really bring the fun live. I mean holy crap, they do a freaking’ CRAMPS (via Hasil Adkins) cover?!? And one of their other signature songs is a flat out rockin’ variation on The Trashmen classic “Surfin’ Bird”, occasionally joined on stage by a guy in a gorilla suit and a cat with a Godzilla mask on his head. It’s just everything that’s perfect…

At present the group is fluctuating between three and four members, while currently auditioning for a new addition. One thing that’s interesting is that their website puts their age-range at 18-30, so they’ve got a wider acceptance of “idol material” than most. I’m looking forward to seeing when the group has it’s line-up nailed down and seeing where they go from there. One of their members, Nakamura, also has an absolutely delightful solo career under the stage name SOZELICA, and she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with in the near future. (I’m following up this article with one about her, so stay tuned for that.)

There’s always something new (to somebody) in the idol world, but Melon Batake a Go Go is a special kind of thing to get excited over. I just wish Lux Interior was here to see them…

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