Post by Dr. Butcher M.D. on Jan 29, 2007 0:04:59 GMT -5
"GISM (also G.I.S.M.) were a Japanese hardcore punk band (with strong metal leanings) formed in Japan in 1981. They were composed of vocalist Sakevi Yokoyama (real name Shigehisa. "Sakevi" being a corrupted "sakebi" - a shout, or scream of "MURDER!"), guitarist Randy Uchida, bassist Kannon (sometimes known as "Cloudy", later replaced by Kiichi Takahashi in the 90's), and drummer Monamour Hiroshima (replaced by Ironfist Tatsushima around the same time Kannon threw in the towel). GISM often used heavy metal style guitar solos and riffs, while at the same time drawing much influence from the early industrial/avant-garde music scene, something extremely uncommon in punk bands at that time.
GISM were widely known for the extreme violence present in their lyrics, and live shows. Sakevi would often march about the stage clad in a balaclava and covered with bullets, waving lit flares in audience members faces, brandishing microphone stands, and attacking concert goers as Vietnam War footage was projected behind him. Onstage he would go as far as to attack photographers who took pictures of him and chase audiences with a flamethrower.
The acronym GISM has never had a constant meaning attached to it. Variations include God In The Schizoid Mind, Guerilla Incendiary Sabotage Mutineer, General Imperialism Social Murder and Gnostic Idiosyncrasy Sonic Militant.
Randy Uchida passed on in Feb 10th 2001 due to cancer, Sakevi continued to contribute his unique brand stlTH® of collage art to the world, and started his own line of t-shirts. Ironfist Tatushima went on to play in the bands Die You Bastard! and Crow which he had been playing with before he joined G.I.S.M.. Kiichi was formerly the vocalist of mega popular satanic metal band Sabbrabells."~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GISM
Myspace Fanpage (has songs you can listen to!): profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=1000365025&MyToken=f32e793c-2d6d-4f39-b702-80c3072324eb
This is an awesome punk band from Japan. They sort of look like Kiss in the picture above, but rest easy because these guys are fucking insane.