KaitO
Encyclopedia
KaitO was an English
indie rock
band from Norwich
, formed in 1996. Their music consisted of loud, pop-punk melodies combined with a unique mix of guitar effects. The band split up in 2006.
an deal with Fierce Panda and an American
deal with Devil in the Woods in 2001. They played mostly in England, but also toured the United States on many occasions.
The band's debut album was released in August 2001 on the Devil in the Woods label, entitled You've Seen Us..You Must Have Seen Us.... This was quickly followed up with a single, "Cat Nap", on the Fierce Panda label, while British music critics praised KaitO's unique punky sound.
2002 began with tours for the band, most notably with the Datsuns
, Seafood
and Imperial Teen
. An EP
was released (Montigola Underground) that summer despite the touring, and KaitO eventually left Devil in the Woods for SpinART in 2003. Their album Band Red was released in May 2003. The band performed at the South by Southwest
festival in the same year. The band's final release was a self-titled EP on Blast First
in 2003. In 2006, Kaito broke up.
Colk later joined Factory Floor
.
, Sonic Youth
, Wire
, PiL
, and Sleater Kinney.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, formed in 1996. Their music consisted of loud, pop-punk melodies combined with a unique mix of guitar effects. The band split up in 2006.
History
The band was formed in 1996, and after five years in which they released three singles on small labels, the signed a EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an deal with Fierce Panda and an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
deal with Devil in the Woods in 2001. They played mostly in England, but also toured the United States on many occasions.
The band's debut album was released in August 2001 on the Devil in the Woods label, entitled You've Seen Us..You Must Have Seen Us.... This was quickly followed up with a single, "Cat Nap", on the Fierce Panda label, while British music critics praised KaitO's unique punky sound.
2002 began with tours for the band, most notably with the Datsuns
The Datsuns
The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
, Seafood
Seafood (band)
Seafood were a UK band formed in London around 1996.The line-up included chief songwriter David Line , Caroline Banks and Kevin Penney who joined the band following the departure of founder-member Charles MacLeod...
and Imperial Teen
Imperial Teen
Imperial Teen is a San Francisco-based indie pop group made up of Roddy Bottum primarily on guitar/vocals, Will Schwartz primarily on guitar/vocals, Lynn Truell primarily on drums and backing vocals, and Jone Stebbins primarily on bass and backing...
. An EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was released (Montigola Underground) that summer despite the touring, and KaitO eventually left Devil in the Woods for SpinART in 2003. Their album Band Red was released in May 2003. The band performed at the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
festival in the same year. The band's final release was a self-titled EP on Blast First
Blast First
Blast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label, Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. It was named after a phrase taken from the first number of the radical Vorticist journal Blast, published by Wyndham Lewis in 1914...
in 2003. In 2006, Kaito broke up.
Colk later joined Factory Floor
Factory Floor
Factory Floor are a London-based band formed in 2005 that have been described as 'post-industrial', using live drums, synthesizers and noise.-History:...
.
Musical style
The band's sound has been described as "scathing bubblegum pop", and "tightly coiled post-punk-pop". They have been compared to ElasticaElastica
Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
, PiL
PIL
PIL may refer to:* Private International Law* Carlos Miguel Jiménez Airport , in Pilar, Paraguay* Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport , in Port Isabel, Texas...
, and Sleater Kinney.
Members
- Nikki Colk (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) - Gemma Cullingford (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Dave Lake (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) - Dieta Quantrill (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
)
Albums
- You've Seen Us..You Must have Seen Us... (2001), Devil in the Woods
- Band Red (2003), SpinART/MuteMute RecordsMute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
Singles/EPs
- "Who'ee Owee" (1997), Vibrations From The Edge of Sanity
- "60 Second Popstar" (1998), Vibrations From The Edge of Sanity
- "Go" (2000), Sickroom Gramophonic Collective
- "Cat Nap" (2001), Fierce Panda
- Montigola Underground EP (2001), Future Farmer
- Kaito EP (2003), Blast FirstBlast FirstBlast First is a sub label of one-time independent record label, Mute Records, founded in approximately 1985. It was named after a phrase taken from the first number of the radical Vorticist journal Blast, published by Wyndham Lewis in 1914...
External links
- Official website
- Kaito's MySpace page - featuring new music
- Kaito performing live - audio stream of an in-studio performance at KEXP in Seattle
- Kaito performing live again - another audio stream of a more recent in-studio performance at KEXP in Seattle
- band red reviews at Metacritic.com