BIO
Winter 2004
It all started on the cold floor of a windowless room in a tiny apartment in Toyokawa, Japan. Pete (vocals/guitar) and Bruce (drums) decided it was time to start writing some original music. The two Brits had been playing in a covers band for a few months, but members had left so they needed to find one new band member at least, if they were to continue. Answering perhaps the most atrociously written musician-wanted-ad, Kengo Fukui joined the band on bass. Despite being hampered by the language barrier, having limited finances and working shitty hours, the trio started rehearsing around eight hastily written Rock songs. molotov was born.
Summer/Autumn 2004
The band quickly developed a sound, a raw angsty punk/rock/indie hybrid with the onus on melody. The live music starved population of the local area lapped it up and a following was starting to emerge. It soon became clear though, that an extra dynamic would be beneficial. Enter Bostonian Dave Leonard, a well-known local business owner who wore his cap on backwards. Catching the band play at a mutual friend’s birthday party, Dave jammed with the boys after the show. The alcohol-fuelled sonar energy flowed. Dave was in, three were now four.
Summer 2005
The band continued to play live, generating a buzz around Toyohashi with sold out shows in dingy little live houses. The band started to have more of an alternative rock sound as they matured as musicians. This year saw the release of the Thinking Out Loud EP. Good luck finding a copy.
Spring/Summer 2006
Kengo left the band. There was no falling out and nobody really knows why. Kengo lost touch with the band after he left, and it was years later that the band heard of his death. He had died in an accident at work. RIP Kengo Fukui, you were a good friend and bass player.
Autumn 2006
Rob McKay had seen the band play live, spoken with Pete and had liked what he’d seen. When Kengo left, Pete got in touch and the band soon entered the studio with Rob to keep the momentum going. The Australian brought an intelligence to the band with his subtle yet intricate playing, as well as a raw funky edge. The band started experimenting with different genres of music and reentered the music studio. Around this time ‘u.s.k’ was added to the band name.
Spring 2008
The band released their first full album The Great Taste. A mix of straight forward balls-out rock, funk, and even hip-hop. The single She’s the One received heavy rotation on the Nagoya radio station Radio-i, and molotov u.s.k ventured further afield to promote the album with a tour around central Japan. The video made by the band’s friend Jevon for the song Che Guevara became a YouTube sensation with over one hundred thousand views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsdjOoZXnE8
Autumn 2009
The band started recording their second full album.
Spring 2011
After three years of continuing to play live, write music and promote themselves in a changing world, Different Streets was released. The new album showed how they had developed as musicians, and the lengthy recording/production process was due to the technicality of the new songs. The band had become more experimental, dabbling in electronica and a range of sonic effects that can be heard on the album. The album satisfied the thirst for progression and worked as a whole.
Winter 2012
Bruce decided it was time for him to return to the U.K. The founding member did one last show with the band before saying an emotional good-bye. The loss of a great drummer and friend took its toll on the band, and due to some external factors as well as a loss of band identity, it all came to an end. The three remaining members continued playing for the next three years or so on-and-off with other projects, and reunions were muted at certain points but it never came to be……until……
March 2016
It was now Dave’s time to leave Japan after more than twenty years in the country. It was a bittersweet night when the band reunited to see Dave off with a couple of shows. The old magic was still there and the band rocked the house just like ‘the old days.’ The band were joined by special guest Mike Bagley (Ex-Sushi Cabaret Club) . A well-respected member of the Nagoya music community, who had played in some well-known local bands, Mike quickly gelled with the band and showed his plethora of talents on the drum-kit.
May 2016
Dave had left but the guys wanted to keep going, and with Dave’s blessing and recommendation, Luke Stolenberg from Australia stepped in. Luke showed his flair for originality, subtlety and technical brilliance in his playing. Luke had played in local heavy-rock band Shibata Heavy Industries and molotov u.s.k had been impressed with his playing.
July 2016
Now called simply molotov, the band have assembled a live set of well-known originals mixed with some brand new music as well as the odd cover. They are now booking shows nationwide and have already started recording new material.
Fuelled by memories of the past, of both pleasure and pain, the band are facing the future with that same nervous excitement it had all those years ago but with the added confidence of experience. Pete, Rob, Luke and Mike are ready.
molotov lives.
molotov.jp
January 2017
The new beginning
Game Over Humans! Due to copy right issues the band molotov has changed their name to "Game Over Humans"