Oninko!

Japanese DIY rock band formed in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, in April 2000 at the invitation of guitarist Shunji Tsutaki of Totsuzen Danball. Joining Shunji on guitar were Mai Tebaka ("Maiko") on vocals / second guitar, Yukiko Yoita ("Yukko") on bass and Tomomi Hirano ("Hiratin") on drums. 　　The three junior members were friends just out of high school with no experience, but drew lots for instruments and would begin gigging with original songs the same July. While their playing was no better than expected, perceptive songwriting and a plucky attitude carried them until their sparse arrangements and resolute primitivism attracted comparisons to bands such as the Slits and Saboten. 　　From 2001, they appeared as guests with Totsuzen Danball among other collaborations. Following the untimely 2003 death of Shunji's brother, Tomomi took over as Totsuzen Danball's drummer, with the other two girls on backing vocals. 　　In 2004 Oninko! declared themselves an independent trio, coming into their own with the release of Non-Policy Store in 2007. Activity declined sharply in 2009, but 2012 brought a well-received third album, New Oninko!. 　　“Oninko” is a dialect form of onigiri, the common Japanese rice ball. The “!” was added in 2006 to fix a numerological problem in the written Japanese. Oninko! remains inactive since 2014.