Tokyo, 1999

Don't let the name fool you. "Orange Kandy", the latest band breaking out of Japan, is anything but another Japanese candy-pop confection.
Playing what they call "garage flower", this Tokyo four -piece (two guys, two girls) offers up an intriguing blend of aggressive vocals, guitars and rhythms intertwined with trippy lyrics and catchy, radio-friendly melodies. Their debut CD, "Lick This!" makes an offer you can't refuse.

Fronted by Linda on guitar and lead vocal--alternately cooing, cajoling and pouring it out full-on--the band's melodies are held up by Ban and her on-going love affair with her guitar and amp, and rounded out with Sheen grooving on bass and Karl solidly pounding it out on drums.
While the two front-women may look like your average Japanese cutesy-girly types, make no mistake; their on-stage charisma can knock you out, drag you around and carry you off. Hip, tight, dedicated, this foursome is a serious band, but who don't take themselves too, too seriously.

Formed in 1995 when Linda and Ban ran into each other at a Hole concert, the two girls, after writing together for six months, soon recruited the two boys, who had been previously playing together in various bands. Playing together ever since, it gives some clue as to why this band works so well together, delivering solid, high-energy live performances their audiences are eating up.

Orange Kandy have cut their teeth on the Japanese music scene:
playing various Tokyo hot spots; opening for“J”（the solo project by the bassist for Japan's top-rated "Luna Sea")--and, in the process, selling over 300 copies of their demo tapes in just two days; winning a loyal, local following and positive critical reviews; and signing autographs at Tokyo's largest HMV and local Tower Records outlet. To top it all off,
the band has wrapped up 3 tours of Japan, promoting their debut CD, and made their first apprearance in L.A. in November '98 (5 shows) with support from KROQ and great reviews in various music magazines. This spring will see the band perform a solo show at the "Japan Festival" (which is an annual Japanese community event) in L.A., as well as a showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas and more club gigs in L.A.

What's in store for this band? Well, with Linda being half alien and the band swinging in the arms of the cosmos, they're playing for planetary appeal. Stars? Maybe.

Aja RECORDS(Victor Entertainment,Inc)
Management: OMG/Zillion Enterprise Network
Email: orangekandy@fans.club.or.jp

LINDA
(Vocal & Guitar)

Birth Place: Central Park,
Nagoya, JAPAN

At the age of fifteen, Little Linda was given an acoustic guitar and started playing Japanese traditional songs. Soon after she switched to an electric guitar, and formed her first band in High School.
To establish her own vocal style, Linda experimented with various types of music for a while, as she wanted to form a band with a strong impact. This led to formation of Orange Kandy in 1995, who she found with Ban.

Favorite Artists: Hole, Beck, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Veruca Salt, Cardigans, Helmet, Smashing Pumpkins, Babylon Zoo, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, Kula Shaker

Hobbies： Collecting hair pins, Painting, Walking, Tambourine, Watching refrigerators

Specialities： Baking bread, Drawing, Get drunk and be ing wild, Non-stop talking

BAN
(Guitar& Chorus)

Birth Place：Orange fields,
Tokushima, JAPAN

Ban picked up her first guitar to be a wicked girl at the age of seventeen. She left her home town for Tokyo to join a band. In 1993, she moved to Malaysia and Singapore to play in local clubs for a few years..
After Ban returned to Tokyo, she met Linda by chance at a Hole concert in 1995.
This brought them together to form Orange Kandy.

Favorite Artists：P.J.Harvey, Dead Kennedys, Radiohead, No Means No, Sugar, Huska Do

Hobbies: Gardening, Collecting rings and goods of PINGU or SNOOPY, Hunting for good-looking boys, Listening to rap music, Studying Chinese

Specialities: Violin, Kendo

KARL

(Drums & Chorus)

Birth Place: Arum fields,
Gunma, JAPAN

Karl introduction to music was though his older brother's liking for Japan's famous hard rock group, Bow Wow, when he was still in Jr. high school. That's how he got into playing drums..... After gradurating high school, he moved to Tokyo and joinhis first band. Karl does a lot of studio session work, and this is how he met Linda & Ban( through his engineer friend), then and decided to join Orange Kandy.

Favorite Artists: Kiss, Terry Bozzio, U2, Stone Roses, Cheap Trick

Hobbies: Watching movies, Reading comics, Playing Japanese pinballs, Collecting watches

Specialities: BBQ, Making cocktails, Playing cat's cradle

SHEEN
(Bass, Chorus)

Birth Place: Hell's Kitchen,
Tokyo, JAPAN

At the end of '98, Orange Kandy welcomed Shin to join as a new basssist.
He has experienced playing piano and Jazz drums in his early youth.
At age of 11, he formed a band and started as a vocalist, and later he switched to bass.
Ever since he has been in and out of various bands, but finally he had found in Orange Kandy,
what he has been looking for...

Favorite Artists: Buddy Holly, John Coltrane,Lennon=McCartney、Jaco Pastorius, Orange Kandy

Hobbies: Drinking, Socializing with women, Reading

Specialities: Good at treating drunk people nicely. Truck Driving
 
 

A taste of Orange.........  

Japan's pop music heritage is longer than some would believe. It's had its beat boom, metal, boom and punk boom. But, with its history of manufactured idols, many believe Japan's rock artists have found it really difficult to rock.
Orange Kandy is the kind of band Japan has been waiting for. It's no mere all-out assault on the ears. Orange Kandy's songs lull you into a false sense of security with their soft spots before wreaking aural havoc, Linda ripping the soundwaves with her piercing vocals and fellow femme fatal Ban skewering the guts out of her guitar. Supporting the two leading ladies is a rhythm section of class and power - Karl on drums and Futo-C on bass.
If the band's debut album is anything to go by, it will smack Japan right between the ears. Look out!
Fred Varcoe/ Senior writer of Japan Times
 

I first heard about Orange Kandy from a friend of mine, he urged me to check them out as I might want to include them on one of our music CD samplers. Always up for a good rock gig I agreed to go. Well I was not disappointed. Orange Kandy have a rock solid, all male percussion unit but it's the two girls up front that steal the show. Singer / Guitarist Linda has the talent and intensity of an early Chrissie Hynde and it's obvious she is no stranger to a live house stage. Her intensity is perfectly complemented with the ripping solos taking unleashed by lead guitarist Ban. As in so many helds it is the Japanese women that are taking the lead over their male counterparts. Watching Orange Kandy this seems to be true in Rock'n'Roll. These girls kick ass!
Markus Leach / President of Musica Japan