THE CANDY SPOOKY THEATER: SCARY VISUAL KEI J-ROCK BAND.
While at the NY Comic-Con, I received a copy of Manga Cafe, the quarterly Animefood magazine dedicated to manga, anime, J-rock music, and convention culture. I read the Feb/Mar 2008 issue front to back. If I had to pick a highlight, it would be the comprehensive interviews with Visual Kei bands (including BLOOD and Rentrer en Soi), accompanied by full-color glossy photos.
I laughed out loud when I read Manga Cafe’s chat with The Candy Spooky Theater, the Tim Burton-esque trio with an offbeat sense of humor. Formed in Tokyo in 2003, the band quickly became infamous for its wild on-stage antics and B-rated horror-inspired music. Here are some excerpts from their interview:
† How did you pick your names?
Jack Spooky: I just felt the groove of the name and thought it fit me. Jack is a very generic name, yet it can remain a little mysterious.
Peggy Giggles: It just came to me.
Kiddy Skeleton: Me too.
† How did you meet?
J: Basically, Peggy and I were in a band called Dororo. That band broke up, and after a time we met Kiddy.
† And your parents’ reaction?
K: None of our parents have ever seen us on stage. They always say “Do something better with your life.”
† Do they know you perform?
J: They know that we wear makeup and perform on stage.
K: My parents called me right before I was getting on the plane, and I told them, “I can’t talk right now I am about to get on a plane to America to perform.” Then my mom started screaming at me and said, “You are still in that band?! You are leaving to America?!” So I told her I would call her back.
† Do you believe in Santa?
J: We really like Christmas, but in Japan, Christmas time is the day when couples hook up. So Christmas is a very annoying nuisance to guys, and it can be lonely.
† If you were not a musician, what would you be?
K: Lots of things.
J: An actor.
P: A fisherman.
† With a fisherman’s hat?
P: Yes! (laughs)
K: I think I would be… a homeless guy!
† What? A homeless guy?! (everyone laughs) With a homeless guy sign?
K: No sign. Just a house out of cardboard.
† Final message as a band?
J: We are not all scary, and we won’t eat your head alive.
† From the Feb/Mar 2008 issue of Manga Cafe, p57-60. You can listen to tracks by The Candy Spooky Theater on their MySpace.
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LA CARMINA
20 Comments
I love anime. Check out anime-eden.com for an incredible selection of anime. I signed up as a premium member and I've been downloading stuff like crazy. I love to play Go and the anime Hikaru no Go is just excellent. I also have all 200 episodes of Sailor Moon. I love those girls. My favorite goddess is Belldandy (Ah, My Goddess).
I know all this is different than the focus of this blog, but I just had to say it…
i love THE CANDY SPOOKY THEATER!!!!!!!
I have actually been a fan of The Candy Spooky Theater since 2004.
I don't think their music really classifies them as VKei.
Often they do refer to themselves as “Horror-Kei.”
And also, they don't come off as scary, very well put as “tim Burton-esque” as the band loves him.
They have the sweet-morbid nature that most of Burton's creations possess.
But, I really love how they are finally getting some recognition for their unique work.
I saw them in NYC, and was heartbroken when I couldn't go to see them play in California!
It also amuses me how they skip up Zull-san in the interview . . .but the break wasn't so good >.<.
Nice post!
Good points – their MySpace page describes them as a Halloween-esque Goth band, hee hee
They do look like they belong in Halloweentown or Hell in The Corpse Bride!
Amazing – I'd love to see them perform live…
kool i should totally check them carmina could u give me theyre offiacial myspace site so that i could check em out
Hi Gina,
Their MySpace site is http://www.myspace.com/candyspookytheatermurder
:)
I have actually been a fan of The Candy Spooky Theater since 2004.
I don’t think their music really classifies them as VKei.
Often they do refer to themselves as “Horror-Kei.”
And also, they don’t come off as scary, very well put as “tim Burton-esque” as the band loves him.
They have the sweet-morbid nature that most of Burton’s creations possess.
But, I really love how they are finally getting some recognition for their unique work.
I saw them in NYC, and was heartbroken when I couldn’t go to see them play in California!
It also amuses me how they skip up Zull-san in the interview . . .but the break wasn’t so good >.<.
Nice post!
I have actually been a fan of The Candy Spooky Theater since 2004.
I don’t think their music really classifies them as VKei.
Often they do refer to themselves as “Horror-Kei.”
And also, they don’t come off as scary, very well put as “tim Burton-esque” as the band loves him.
They have the sweet-morbid nature that most of Burton’s creations possess.
But, I really love how they are finally getting some recognition for their unique work.
I saw them in NYC, and was heartbroken when I couldn’t go to see them play in California!
It also amuses me how they skip up Zull-san in the interview . . .but the break wasn’t so good >.<.
Nice post!
Good points – their MySpace page describes them as a Halloween-esque Goth band, hee hee
They do look like they belong in Halloweentown or Hell in The Corpse Bride!
Amazing – I’d love to see them perform live…
Good points – their MySpace page describes them as a Halloween-esque Goth band, hee hee
They do look like they belong in Halloweentown or Hell in The Corpse Bride!
Amazing – I’d love to see them perform live…
kool i should totally check them carmina could u give me theyre offiacial myspace site so that i could check em out
kool i should totally check them carmina could u give me theyre offiacial myspace site so that i could check em out
Hi Gina,
Their MySpace site is http://www.myspace.com/candyspookytheatermurder
:)
Hi Gina,
Their MySpace site is http://www.myspace.com/candyspookytheatermurder
:)
i love this band!!! :D <3 <3 <3 i just wish zull stayed but i welcome kiddy skeleton too!! :]
i love this band!!! :D <3 <3 <3 i just wish zull stayed but i welcome kiddy skeleton too!! :]
i love this band!!! :D <3 <3 <3 i just wish zull stayed but i welcome kiddy skeleton too!! :]
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hey this is animefood! we would love if we can use a quote and a link to your blog! :) just give us an email back :)
hey this is animefood! we would love if we can use a quote and a link to your blog! :) just give us an email back :)