Music Feature: Minneapolis Punks Birthday Suits

By Tony Libera

Minneapolis is home to its fair share of face-melting acts, but few among them can match the raw, Ark of the Covenant-like power of punk rock duo Birthday Suits.

In their five years as a band, the pair has released just two albums (coming in at a grand total of 37 minutes), yet they’ve managed to stay at the forefront of the punk rock radar — a testament to the quality of their tunes, the insanity of their live shows and their commitment to constant touring.

With so little recorded music out on the market, one has to wonder if Birthday Suits have something against being in the studio. Guitarist and co-vocalist Hideo Takahashi says otherwise, attributing the lack of LPs to the amount of time spent on the road.

“We like touring, and we do so much of it that we don’t have time to be home and write new songs,” Takahashi said. “So, it’s like, we go tour, come home, then maybe write one or two songs and then go tour again. But it’s nothing intentional — we just don’t have time.”

It took Birthday Suits half a decade to release their 2010 sophomore album, “The Minnesota – Mouth to Mouth,” but it was worth the wait. The album paraded the band’s impeccable punk sensibilities but also showed the band moving in new directions and trying their hands at different genres.

“I used to listen to more punk and garage stuff, but the older I get, I feel I have a more open mind,” Takahashi said, detailing the influences on the last album, which he attributes partly to drummer Matthew Kazama’s broad tastes and partly to the experience of touring with so many different bands.

Despite their changing style, Takahashi sees no need to rush out and record new albums, criticizing some for putting out too much material.

“I don’t like that so many young bands make a CD, and they don’t sell, but they still make new ones. It’s like, what’s the point unless people hear your music?”

Takahashi is definitely one of those guys who plays for his fans, as his wild stage antics and 110 percent attitude appear at every single show. Onstage, he flails about and stabs at his guitar, brimming with a potency that calls back to Iggy Pop and his proto-punk contemporaries. And somehow, against all odds, he continues to survive, despite the grueling touring schedule.

“You know, I’m a music fan and I don’t like going to see bands that don’t do anything. So many young guys just stand and play music. If you’re not excited about your music, it’s hard to get other people excited,” Takahashi said. “For us, people pay to get in, and we just want it to be worth it.”

Read more here: http://www.mndaily.com/2010/06/16/birthday-suits-streak-triple-rock
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