Panchiko Explained

Panchiko
Landscape:yes
Origin:Nottingham, England
Years Active:1997–2001, 2020–present
Past Members:John

Panchiko is a British indie rock band originating from Nottingham, England. Formed sometime between 1997 and 1998,[1] it originally consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Owain Davies, guitarist/keyboardist Andrew "Andy" Wright, bassist Shaun Ferreday, and a drummer named John. A year after the revival of Panchiko in 2020, the band was joined by two new members, guitarist Robert "Rob" Harris and John Schofield, who replaced their original drummer.[2]

The band first received public attention in 2016 when their 2000 demo EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L was discovered by a 4chan user in a charity shop in Sherwood, Nottingham and shared online through the music discussion section of the messageboard; the disc was notably distorted due to disc rot, lending further mystery to the EP. Its brief status as lostwave media led to a dedicated cult following and a community devoted to tracking down its band members.[3] This was unbeknownst to the band until 2020, when Davies was found and contacted by a fan through Facebook.[4]

Panchiko has since released two compilation albums remastering their older music: a reissue of D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L combining their first two EPs and Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997-2001). In December 2021, the band performed their first show in over twenty years in their hometown of Nottingham,[5] after which they embarked on their first tour in the United States.[6] In November 2021, they amassed over ten million streams on Spotify. As of March 2024, they have over one million monthly listeners.[4] [7]

The band's debut album Failed at Math(s) was released on 5 May 2023, followed by their second full tour in the United States.[8]

History

1997–2001: Formation, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, and disbanding

Panchiko was founded between 1997 and 1998 when their members were 16–17 years old[1] [9] and nearing the end of secondary school.[2] The band consisted of childhood friends from Nottingham—Owain Davies, Andy Wright, Shaun Ferreday, and John.[9] Panchiko's band name is derived from a misspelling of pachinko. Davies has stated that otaku culture had an influence on the band's lyrics and image,[10] describing himself to be a fan of anime soundtracks, JRPGs and Studio Ghibli. The music they made was primarily influenced by Radiohead, Super Furry Animals, Ultrasound, Air, The Beatles, DJ Shadow, Joy Division, New Order, Nirvana, and Kid Loco.[10]

D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L
Type:extended play
Artist:Panchiko
Cover:Panchiko_d_e_a_t_h_m_e_t_a_l.jpeg
Border:yes
Released:18 June 2000
Recorded:1999–2000
Genre:
Length:18:33
Label:Self-released
Producer:Owain Davies, Andy Wright
Next Title:Kicking Cars
Next Year:2001
Italic Title:no

The band initially performed live covers in local pubs despite being underage. They also performed in Battle of the Bands competitions, but never won and rarely received positive feedback.[2] After an unsuccessful visit to a studio, Panchiko eventually began to produce music in their basements and bedrooms using cheap equipment.[3] Davies has stated that their first extended play, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, was recorded between 1999 and 2000, with Wright serving as the group's producer. The EP was completed in June 2000.

The cover artwork was taken from a panel of Mint na Bokura, a Japanese manga series by Wataru Yoshizumi spanning from 1997 to 1999.[9] Notably, the EP's liner notes only credit the band members by their first names.[4] The music on the EP has been described as emo, industrial, dream pop, psychedelic, shoegaze, trip hop, and vaporwave.[3] [11]

Roughly 30 self-produced copies were burned on CD-Rs and shared among friends, with a few copies being sent to reviewers and labels.[6] [3] Aside from some "not very positive" reviews, Panchiko only received one response from a label they had sent their EP to, London-based record label Fierce Panda.[7] Label owner Simon Williams made the following note in his demo logs documenting his impressions of the EP:

Despite Fierce Panda showing some interest, the band ultimately remained unsigned. Davies stated that they did not have the means to perform in London at the time, and speculated that "no A&R would travel to Nottingham to see one band."[12]

Between 2000 and 2001,[13] Panchiko recorded three more songs for an EP called Kicking Cars, which would go unreleased. In 2001, the band members were in sixth form and college. Ferreday said that he was balancing college, studying classical guitar, and working different part-time jobs. Their second EP has been described as "art rock".[11]

Wright remembers performing at a small festival in Sutton-in-Ashfield in mid-2001[14] after which Panchiko disbanded.[3] Davies recalls that this decision was not entirely conscious because he, Wright, and Ferreday were already enrolled in college, while John was enlisted into the military.[2]

In between the time of D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L and the band's resurgence, Wright was the only original member to remain involved in music. After college, he performed with the Nottingham-based art rock band Swimming. Afterward, he began his own musical project called We Show Up on RadaR. Wright has mixed, mastered, and produced for the aforementioned groups and other bands as a professional sound engineer.

Davies briefly produced electronic music and served as a video jockey at live events in the gaming industry,[4] but he eventually pursued a career in the field of education. Ferreday sold his guitars and had not played music until Panchiko's future reunion. He now works as a tree surgeon.[15] [2] The original drummer John was enlisted into the military soon after Panchiko disbanded. Afterward, the other three members lost contact with him completely.[4] [13]

2016–2020: Resurgence and search effort

On 21 July 2016, a copy of Panchiko's EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L was discovered in an Oxfam charity shop by an anonymous user of the online message board 4chan. The user shared an image of the CD on the music board /mu/ and requested assistance in uncovering more information about the band.[6] [16] The liner notes contained only the band members' first names and the EP's year of release,[4] making further investigation difficult. Shortly after the initial post, multiple requests were made by other board members for the user to upload a ripped copy of the CD. Subsequently, the user complied, eventually sharing the tracks from the EP.[16] However, due to the CD-R's age and deterioration, disc rot had corrupted and heavily distorted the audio.[4] [13] Many maintained the EP to be a hoax, speculating that the initial 4chan post was a publicity stunt,[6] but the band had nonetheless gained a significant cult following without their knowledge.[4] Despite generating considerable interest, no information was uncovered regarding the band.

In 2017, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L was further popularized when the rip was uploaded to YouTube, garnering around two hundred thousand views and sparking renewed interest in the band, ultimately leading to the formation of a dedicated search effort by fans to gather, compile, and discuss new findings.[6] [13] On 19 January 2020, researchers took note of a bar code on the EP's cover which directed them to an Oxfam shop in Sherwood, Nottingham, leading users to search for musicians in the area named "Owain".

On 21 January 2020, a member of the search team successfully located a Facebook profile belonging to Panchiko's lead singer and messaged them, "Hello, you'll probably never read this, but are you the lead singer of Panchiko?" To which Davies replied, "Yeah."[6] [3] Davies, now in his late 30s,[14] had been completely unaware of the EP's circulation online.[4] [3] He immediately contacted Wright, who was in South Korea; Wright then contacted Ferreday, who was in Cambridge. Neither of them were aware of the band's newfound popularity either.[13]

The original drummer John was no longer in contact with the band, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.[13] It is also unclear if he is aware of Panchiko's current status or success.[4]

2020–present: Reformation, reissues, and touring

Wright, after being contacted by Davies, tasked himself with recovering and remastering Panchiko's past works. During Wright's restoration efforts, Davies was quoted saying the following:

Wright initially struggled to restore the audio because he did not have access to the original masters.[12] However, a friend of Wright's in possession of the original EP reached out, their copy in significantly better condition and without the disc rot.[6] Using this copy, Wright managed to remaster the four tracks found on the D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L CD. They were subsequently released two weeks later, offering listeners clearer versions for the first time.

On 16 February 2020, Panchiko reissued D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L through Bandcamp, expanding it into a full-length compilation album. The reissue also includes tracks from their unreleased EP Kicking Cars from 2001, as well as the original "rotted" versions of D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>Ls four tracks. It became one of the best-selling albums on Bandcamp on the day it was released. The compilation album was released on Spotify two months later.[4]

From there, Davies, Wright, and Ferreday worked together to revamp their band. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Panchiko issued more unreleased music recorded between 1997 and 2001, as well as new original music. This music was released to streaming services and sold in a variety of physical formats through Bandcamp, including vinyl and cassettes. In July 2020, Panchiko released Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001), which contains 18 previously unreleased demo tracks.[17] In May 2020, they released "R>O>B>O>T>S>R>E>P>R>I>S>E," a rerecording of their song "Laputa". In June 2020, they released "Machine Gun Drum," their first original song since disbanding. In February 2021, the band released The Death Of, which contains "Infinite Pieces," a track they had stumbled upon by accident after discovering a CD with no label. This was the final track the band recorded before disbanding in 2001.[7]

In November 2020, Panchiko released a collection of remixes of their song "D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L." One of the artists Panchiko collaborated with was Tongg. In the past, Wright had regularly contributed keys and produced for Tongg under the name We Show Up on RadaR. Among other members, Tongg consists of members Rob Harris (who performs vocals, guitar, and keys) and John Schofield (who performs drums and percussion).

In late 2021, Panchiko recruited Harris and Schofield as guitarist and drummer, respectively. On 31 August 2021, the band reconvened for their first practice session in 20 years. On 6 December 2021, they performed their first live show since disbanding at the Metronome venue in their hometown of Nottingham, playing in front of a crowd of around 400 attendees.[15]

On 13 May 2022, they performed their next major gig in Hackney, London. Later that year, the band embarked on their first tour, set in the United States[4] and including a performance at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.[18] During their tour, they released a deluxe pressing called D>E>L>U>X>E>M>E>T>A>L, which rose to the number two spot on Bandcamp's alternative chart on 20 October 2022.

On 13 February 2023, the band announced the release of their debut album Failed at Math(s), which was released on 5 May of the same year.[8] On 7 March 2023, Panchiko released "Failed at Math(s)," the titular track from their upcoming album. It is the second original song to be released that was recorded after their reformation.[19] In May 2023, Panchiko embarked on their second full tour in the United States.[8] In December 2023, Panchiko announced their third tour across North America.

Band members

On many of their releases, the band members are credited with "Panchiko" as a surname, i.e. "Andy Panchiko."

Current members

Past members

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em;"
Album details
Failed at Math(s)
  • Released: 5 May 2023
  • Format: Digital download, CD, vinyl

Compilation albums

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em;"
Album details
D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L (Remastered and reissued)
  • Released: 16 February 2020
  • Format: Digital download, CD, vinyl, cassette
D>E>L>U>X>E>M>E>T>A>L
  • Released: 2 October 2020
  • Format: Digital download, vinyl, cassette
Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001)
  • Released: 25 July 2020
  • Format: Digital download, vinyl, cassette

Extended plays

Title! scope="col" style="width:15em;"
Track listingAlbum details
D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L1. D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L
2. Stabilisers for Big Boys
3. Laputa
4. The Eyes of Ibad
  • Released: 18 June 2000
  • Format: CD
Kicking Cars1. Cut
2. Sodium Chloride
3. Kicking Cars
  • Recorded: 2001
  • Format: Unreleased

Remix projects

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em;"
Album details
D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L>S
  • Released: 20–22 November 2020
  • Release type: EP
  • Format: Digital download
R>E>M>I>X>E>D

Live releases

Title! scope="col" style="width:20em;"
Album details
L>I>V>E>M>E>T>A>L
  • Released: 2–18 June 2021
  • Release type: EP
  • Format: Digital download
Live
Live in Nottingham
  • Released: 22 April 2022
  • Release type: LP
  • Format: Digital download, vinyl

Singles

List of singles!Song title!Release date!Release
"R>O>B>O>T>S>R>E>P>R>I>S>E"
18 May 2020Non-album single
"Machine Gun Drum"11 June 2020
"Untitled Demo - 1997"
7 July 2020Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001)
"Infinite Pieces"

"Untitled Acoustic Song - 1997"
14 February 2021The Death Of
"Failed at Math(s)"7 March 2023Failed at Math(s)
"Until I Know"30 March 2023
"Portraits"12 April 2023

Music videos

List of music videos
DateTitleDirector
2023"Until I Know"Simon Ellis
"Portraits"Shunsaku Hayashi

Visualizers

List of self-released visualizers for songs
DateTitle
2020"R>O>B>O>T>R>E>P>R>I>S>E"
"Andy and Hugh Panchiko - DEATHMETAL Remix"
"Tongg - DEATHMETAL Remix"
2021"Stabilisers For Big Boys - 1997 Anime Opening Credits Version"[20]
2023"Failed at Math(s)"

Live sessions

List of self-produced live sessions
DateTitle
2020"PANCHIKO - DEATHMETAL"
2021"PANCHIKO – LAPUTA – LIVE"
"PANCHIKO – UNTITLED ACOUSTIC SONG 1997 – LIVE(ISH)"
"MEGA_GHOST_SESSION"
"PANCHIKO – STUCK – FIRST BAND PRACTICE IN 20 YEARS"
"Panchiko – GWEN EVEREST – Acoustic"

Tours

List of tours!Tour!Date range!Supporting acts!Notes
2022 Tour9 October 2022 – 30 October 2022 Set in the United States, the tour spanned 20 shows, including a performance at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.[21]
Failed at Math(s) Tour7 May 2023 - 4 June 2023 Set in the United States, the tour spanned 19 shows, including a performance at the "Sick New World" festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
Failed at Math(s) UK and Europe Tour7 October 2023 - 1 December 2023 Set in venues throughout the UK and Europe, the tour spanned over 16 shows.
2024 North America Tour16 April 2024 - 18 May 2024 Set in the United States, the tour spans 22 shows.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rioux . Julian . The Surprising Story of Panchiko . Corduroy Threads Podcast . https://web.archive.org/web/20200717133919/https://www.corduroythreads.com/features/the-surprising-story-of-panchiko . March 15, 2020 . 17 July 2020 . Panchiko formed around 1998(ish). We started playing covers in local pubs that were lenient with licensing laws in regards to allowing underage secondary school kids to get drunk and play in their pubs... I remember we entered a Battle of The Bands at a place called 'Berlins' in Nottingham and when they found out that we were underage we got disqualified... (well, I'm assuming that's the reason we didn't win anyway)..
  2. Web site: Panchiko delve into the widely speculated mysteries surrounding the enigmatic band . Rooney . Rebecca . 29 December 2021 . The Indie Scene . 30 December 2021 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153525/https://www.theindiescene.co.uk/interviews/andy-guitarist-of-enigmatic-panchiko-delves-into-the-widely-speculated-mysteries-surrounding-the-band . live .
  3. Web site: Panchiko Reflect on "D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L," Lost Y2K Demo Turned Internet Cult Hit . Camp . Zoe . 18 May 2020 . Bandcamp Daily . 13 July 2021 . 17 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211017172113/https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/panchiko-deathmetal-interview . live .
  4. Web site: Wilson . Robyn . Panchiko: How a Mysterious Shoegaze Album Sparked an Global InterSearch . Vice . 2 February 2022 . February 2, 2022 . 19 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219063447/https://www.vice.com/en/article/akvjmb/panchiko-band-death-metal-cd . live .
  5. Web site: Gig Review: Panchiko at Metronome . Carr . Fiona . 8 December 2021 . LeftLion - Nottingham Magazine . 11 December 2021 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153515/https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2021/december/gig-review-panchiko-at-metronome/ . live .
  6. Web site: Whang . Justin . Panchiko DEATHMETAL - Tales From the Internet . YouTube . 7 March 2023 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307132459/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJzpAGYYWjM&t=2s&ab_channel=Whang! . live .
  7. Web site: Panchiko estrena 'The Death Of' con la última canción que grabaron en 2001 . es . Adame . Oscar . 15 February 2021 . WARP Magazine . 13 July 2021 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211180544/https://warp.la/panchiko-estrena-the-death-of-205072 . live .
  8. Web site: Pearis . Bill . UK cult group Panchiko announce first album in 20 years & North American tour . Brooklyn Vegan . February 13, 2023 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307154445/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/uk-cult-group-panchiko-announce-first-album-in-20-years-north-american-tour/ . live .
  9. Web site: El icono Lost Media de Panchiko, la banda más buscada de la Internet . es . Adame . Oscar . 8 December 2020 . WARP Magazine . 13 July 2021 . 29 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229143430/https://warp.la/editoriales/panchiko-bandsyouneedtoknow . live .
  10. Web site: Debello . Sean . Panchiko: the internet's greatest music mystery . The Stony Brook Press . 27 February 2022 . February 27, 2022 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307154434/https://sbpress.com/2022/02/panchiko-the-internets-greatest-music-mystery/ . live .
  11. Web site: Spectreview: Panchiko – D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L . Moura . Rob . 25 February 2020 . The Tape Deck . 13 July 2021 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153518/https://tapedeckpodcast.com/spectreview-panchiko-deathmetal/ . live .
  12. Web site: How Panchiko Made Me Fall For Death Metal . Medium . 3 January 2021 . Sets and the CD . January 3, 2021 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307104853/https://setsandthecd.medium.com/how-panchiko-made-me-fall-for-death-metal-4811451b806a . live .
  13. Web site: Rioux . Julian . The Surprising Story of Panchiko . Corduroy Threads Podcast . https://web.archive.org/web/20200717133919/https://www.corduroythreads.com/features/the-surprising-story-of-panchiko . March 15, 2020. 17 July 2020 .
  14. News: Curran . Caitlin . 'We didn't even know they were there': the little-known bands finding fans years later . The Guardian . 16 August 2022 . August 16, 2022 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307121812/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/aug/16/panchiko-visual-purple-little-known-bands-surprise-fame . live .
  15. Web site: Sullivan . Samantha . Panchiko and the Power of the Internet: From Message Boards to an International Tour, Two Decades Later . Paste Magazine . October 9, 2022 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307154434/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/panchiko/interview-deathmetal . live .
  16. News: Pierre . Henry St. . Tales from the Turntable: Panchiko, the internet's own band . 2 February 2024 . . 26 January 2024.
  17. Web site: Album Review: D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L by Panchiko . Sutich . Emma . 26 May 2021 . . 13 July 2021 . 13 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210713120452/https://wknc.org/2021/05/26/album-review-deathmetal-by-panchiko/ . live .
  18. Web site: Skinner . Tom . Wet Leg lead new additions to SXSW 2022 line-up . NME . January 27, 2022 . June 20, 2022 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153553/https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-lead-new-additions-to-sxsw-2022-line-up-3147799 . live .
  19. Web site: Panchiko - Failed at Math(s) . YouTube . March 7, 2023.
  20. Web site: Panchiko . STABILISERS FOR BIG BOYS - 1997 Anime Opening Credits Version . YouTube . May 28, 2021 . 30 March 2023 . 30 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230330064212/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbwSrA3yZQ&ab_channel=Panchiko . live .
  21. Web site: Skinner . Tom . Wet Leg lead new additions to SXSW 2022 line-up . NME . January 27, 2022 . June 20, 2022 . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211153553/https://www.nme.com/news/music/wet-leg-lead-new-additions-to-sxsw-2022-line-up-3147799 . live .