If classic New York punk, anime, cult movies, comic books & toys formed a band on a sugar rush…
For many years, musicians and bands have collaborated on media projects. Elvis Presley, for instance, starred in numerous movies (though, in my opinion, only a few were good) and appeared in two television specials: the “68 Comeback” Special and Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite. The Beatles, on the other hand, starred in major motion pictures and created “promotional films” for their hits because they couldn’t be in different places simultaneously. Additionally, The Monkees was a multimedia experience that combined television, music, and merchandise into one glossy pop package.
Meet Osaka Popstar
Fast forward to Osaka Popstar. Fronted by John Cafiero, a long-time
collaborator with The Misfits and The Ramones, and a platinum-selling film and video director, Osaka Popstar has made an art of combining high-energy post-punk pop with an anime-style presentation that includes music, video, and of course, merch. Along with Cafiero, their latest lineup includes Dean Rispler (Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, The Dictators) on Guitar and Bass and Jon Wurster (Bob Mould, Superchunk and The Mountain Goats) on Drums.