Cult Junk Cafe

Cult Junk Cafe was a Japanese experimental/noise-rock band active in the early-to-mid 1990s. It was established by several prominent members of the Tokyo underground scene with Michael Hartman on drums. Brent Gutzeit, Michael's friend and collaborator in a recently-formed TV Pow project, occasionally joined on bass. In 1995, the group released 8524098 EP cassette, featuring live excerpts recorded by the band around Tokyo. It came out on Gentle Giant Records, an American independent label based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and operated by Thomas Deater (who knew Hartman and Gutzeit from a local drone/free improv band, Liminal); a full-length version of one of the tracks, "Jackson Stomp," also appeared on the label's first CD release, 1431073 compilation. The band's only album was recorded in February 1996 at Naoki Kose's Earth Studio in Tokyo, featuring special guest Otomo Yoshihide on most tracks. Cult Junk Cafe disbanded shortly after, as Hartman returned back to the States. Michael mixed the album at Western Sound Studio in Michigan with Todd A. Carter (the third TV Pow member who also played in Liminal). The 1471544 album came out the same year, the sophomore CD in Gentle Giant's catalog. The last known appearance by Cult Junk Cafe was on Ron Lessard's 1998 "concept" LP compilation, 94233; a 1.8-sec locked groove was likely sampled from one of the previously released tracks. Cult Junk Cafe line-up Kyota Yoshigami — guitar, DOD Buzz Box pedal Yasuhiro Otani — guitar, ART SGX 2000 effects processor Kazutaku Sakamoto — piano, Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer Tsuguto Tsunoda — turntables, MiniDiscs, samples Michael Hartman — drums [u]Guest members[/u]: Otomo Yoshihide — handmade guitar, 6-string bass Brent Gutzeit — bass Agata Ichiro — guitar