Cobra (Japanese band)

Cobra is a Japanese Oi!/punk band based in the Osaka area. They were one of the first bands in Japan to incorporate the style of Oi! in their sound and appearance. They have cited as their influences early British Oi! bands such as Cockney Rejects and Business. ^[1]

The original incarnation of the band was formed in 1982 by two friends who had first met in their junior high school's folk music club: Yosu-ko (on vocals and bass guitar) and Naoki (currently of SA, on guitar), and a mutual friend known as Mi-chan on drums. Their first recording was the EP Break Out, released from the independent label AA Records in 1984. ^[2]

Cobra released several singles and EPs on AA Records, some of which were later collected on a CD entitled Indie Omnibus '82-'86. The band's debut LP, Stand the Pressure (1985) was also released on AA Records, and featured an eye-catching cover of a boot crushing a young man's face (and has since been reissued on CD at least twice). After Stand the Pressure, Cobra disbanded for several years.

In 1989, Yosu-ko happened to meet Naoki and bassist Pon, who at the time were both members of the punk band Laughin' Nose but thinking of leaving the band. The three decided to reform Cobra; drummer Ki-Yan completed this line-up. They were signed by a major record label, Pony Canyon, and released two full-length albums (Oi Oi Oi and Captain Nippon, both 1990) and a half-length album (Stand Strong Straight, 1991). Although this incarnation of Cobra was commercially quite successful (e.g. playing at Budokan in January 1991), it disbanded in December 1991. After the breakup, Yosu-ko and Pon pursued their interest in house music under the moniker Cow Cow, while Naoki formed a rock band called Dog Fight, with his younger brother Taisho on vocals, Ken (currently of SA) on bass guitar, and Ki-Yan on drums.^[3]

A Best Of Cobra CD, consisting of 18 cuts from the 1990/91 albums, was released in 1996. Cobra reformed and released a new album, simply entitled Cobra, in 1999. Yosu-ko and Naoki were the only members to return from the previous lineup; Yosu-ko handled the bass duties as well as vocals, and the duo were joined by drummer Yoshiro. This album represented a departure in the band's sound compared to their 80's/early 90's work, with generally quieter guitars, less of an emphasis on sing-along choruses, and more of an overall alt-rock feel than one might have expected from the group's earlier recordings.

Another album with the same lineup, OK Ride On, was released later that year on EMI Records, and marked something of a return to form for the band; as did the follow-up, Voice, released in 2001. After Voice, Naoki left Cobra to become the guitarist for the resurgent Oi! Punk band SA. Yoshiro departed as well, and Yosu-ko recruited yet another lineup—guitarist Kasuga, bassist Okamoto, and drummer Keigo—for the next album, On The Street (2002), which consisted largely of re-recorded versions of old Cobra songs, as well as a cover of the Clash classic "White Riot". Guitarist and drummer both left shortly thereafter. Reduced to a two-piece, Cobra atypically recorded their following album, Reality Check (2003), outside of Japan; it was laid down at West Side Punk Place in Los Angeles, with a guest guitarist and bassplayer.

The band's most recent album, Hello! This is COBRA, (2009) finds Yosu-ko backed by an all-new lineup: Yuichi on bass, Ryu on drums, and Lina on guitar.

Like most Japanese punk bands, Cobra has retained an essentially insular audience; to date, they have not performed live in North America or Europe, nor have any of their albums been officially issued by non-Japanese labels or distributors (though occasional bootlegs, particularly of Best of Cobra, have surfaced in the United States).

Discography

Full-length Albums

Stand The Pressure (AA Records, 1985, reissued by Pony Canyon in 1991 and Daiki Sound in 2002)
Oi Oi Oi (Pony Canyon, 1990, reissued in 2003)
Captain Nippon (Pony Canyon, 1990, reissued in 2003)
Stand! Strong! Straight! (Pony Canyon, 1991)
Cobra (Public Red, 1999)
O.K. Ride On (EMI/Chrysalis, 1999)
Voice (EMI/Chrysalis, 2001)
Reality Check (Measure Label, 2003)
Rock'N'Roll Homicide (Worst Music, 2008)
Hello! This Is COBRA (Daiki Sound, 2009)

EPs

Break Out (AA Records, 1984)
Mission-X!! Split w/The Ryders (Bad Addiction, ???)
Punk 2 Stupid! Split w/The Ryders (Chaos & Anarchy, 2010)

Singles Collections

Indie Omnibus '82-'82 (AA Records, 1985)

Best-of Collections

Best Of Cobra (Pony Canyon, 1996)
On The Street (Daiki Sound, 2002)
COBRA is ALIVE 20TH ANNIVERSARY BEST (Pony Canyon, 2010)
...Is Back! (Joe Pogo, 2010)

Live Albums

Live Innocent (Bad Addiction, ???)
Sing Along Together (CD + DVD) (Worst Music, 2008)

Bootlegs

Greatest Hits (track list identical to Best Of Cobra, label name and release date unknown)
Hits Rarities & More! 82-91 (vinyl only, label name and release date unknown)

DVDs

Captain Nippon Budokan (Pony Canyon, 2008)
COBRA Kodo '82-'91 (Pony Canyon, 2008)
Sing Along Together (CD + DVD) (Worst, 2008)

References

1. ^ Adicts. Tokyo: Okura Shuppan. 2007. ISBN 978-4-7755-1032-2. 
2. ^ "Chronology on official website". http://www.oithecobra.com/about.html. Retrieved 11 November 2009. 
3. ^ Go Yoshida (2008). Band Life. Tokyo: Mediax. ISBN 978-4-8620-1614-0.