I’ve always been fascinated by which artists influenced my favorite musicians. It’s a great way to discover new music, often underground bands that are essential in the evolution of groups who went on to gain the commercial success that eluded them.
San Jose’s Shinobu is one of those bands.
Formed in 2002, they made a huge impact on the local underground scene in Silicon Valley. Their powerful and emotional live performances combined the punk rock ethos with a sense of fun, leaving any sense of gatekeeping at the door. Those shows, albums, EPs, splits and singles struck inspiration in the minds of musicians that would go on to form bands like Joyce Manor, Touché Amore and Pup. A 2015 Vice article about the band was even titled “Shinobu Has Been Too Underappreciated for Too Long.”
And this Wednesday, April 2, Shinobu is back in San Jose at the Open Gallery for a one-time show as part of a larger, seven-day reunion tour. Featuring Mike Huguenor on vocals and guitar, Bob Vielma on bass, Jon Fu on drums and Matt Keegan on second guitar, it will be the first time they’ve played together in a decade. For a full inception moment, on six of those dates they are opening for one of their favorite bands: Japan’s Ging Nang Boyz.
“They’ve been one of our favorite bands for a long, long time,” Vielma states. “I was involved with helping bring them out so I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we could open for them?’”
A not-so-easy task considering in addition to the 10-year hiatus, only Huguenor and Fu still live in the Bay Area, with Keegan currently in Australia and Vielma in Los Angeles.
“We didn’t want to do it if we couldn’t get all of us,” Fu explains. “Other opportunities have come up over the past 10 years but having one of our favorite bands coming overseas for their first tour motivated everyone to do it.”
Technically, Ging Nang Boyz have played the states before. In the summer of 2006 the band was over here on vacation with Vielma showing them around. During that time they played an impromptu show at 924 Gilman and a house party. However, this will be the Japanese band’s first official U.S. tour.
But despite living on different continents, Shinobu is more than ready to hit the road.
“I’d say we’re probably more prepared for this show than we’ve ever prepared for most of our shows,” Fu laughs. “We’re not the most practiced band.”
Shinobu began as many bands do: rising from the ashes of a previous project. In this case it was Argyle, Fu and Hugenor’s original band. For Shinobu, they wanted to keep the energy of the punk scene while incorporating sometimes softer, more emotionally evolved songs. They also wanted to give it a 1990s alt rock twist in an homage to much of the music they grew up listening to. Vielma knew Huguenor in high school and the two would often record songs for fun at the latter’s house.
So when Fu and Hugenor formed Shinobu, they asked Vielma to join. It didn’t even matter that Vielma wasn’t a bass player.
“Mike would write increasingly more interesting and complex songs,” he remembers. “Learning how to play those was how I got better at bass over the years.”
Keegan joined after Shinobu’s original fourth member left. They continued to play as a quartet but would often incorporate other musicians like the prolific Jeff Rosentstock (who would also go on to record a Ging Nang Boyz cover after being introduced to the band by Huguenor). Despite the gaps in time between albums and performances, Shinobu has never disbanded.
That’s easily credited to the fact that they are friends first and bandmates second. They’ve not only been the best men in each other’s weddings, but also played in the wedding bands for one another. So when asked if there’s any new music on the horizon, Shinobu says never say never.
“I would say it’s not a matter of will, it’s a matter of having the schedule to make it happen,” Vielma says. “As boring of an answer as that is.”
For now, along with seeing Shinobu on one of the upcoming tour dates, fans can pick up a copy of the band’s 10 Thermidor recently reissued on Lauren Records for its 10th anniversary.
As for the band’s legacy for being the catalyst inspiration for many of today’s popular bands in the underground—especially local acts like Star 99 (see page 15), who open Wednesday’s show—Shinobu appreciates the impact they had while maintaining a sincere humility around it.
“It’s really heartwarming to know we did make a mark, albeit a small one,” Vielma says. “It’s music I’m really proud of and it’s cool to know it still resonates with people.”
Ging Nang Boyz & Shinobu plays April 2 at Open Gallery, 38 S. 2nd St, San Jose. The show begins at 6:30pm. $20 through brownpapertickets.com.
