joHaRi

Girl-fronted post-punk bitch pop from Exeter, Devon, UK. A 4-track EP is available to buy (clips can be heard on the band's website: www.johari.co.uk), and the band are planning to record a new three-track EP in the Spring. They are currently preparing to do some live recording (5 tracks) at the end of Feb (The Yurt Sessions). Great live act! Very entertaining...

joHaRi are a new five-piece combo emerging from the disparate myre that is the South West music scene. This unique brand of alternative, post-punk pop/rock (referred to by some as post-punk bitch pop) combines hypnotic vocal harmonies, soaring melodies, and pounding guitar riffs with cowbells, mandolas and Arabic grooves, to create an altogether darker space, reminiscent at times of Siouxsie Sioux, PJ Harvey, and Patti Smith, and at other times, of some sort of terrifying cross between Martha & the Muffins, Chumbawamba, and The Rezillos. Since forming in 2002, the band have worked hard at developing their own inimitable sound, writing material and rehearsing and gigging a 17-song live set. Their live performances are all about having a really good time playing music they have a passion for. To give potential fans some musical reference points, the band add the joHaRi touch to some CD-collection favourites, and their live set currently includes a handful of covers (ie. 5) from artists such as Hole, Elastica, PJ Harvey, Belly and Green Day. joHaRis lyrical content has been described by some as incensed; some of the lyrics may certainly touch a raw nerve for those whose relationships with the opposite sex and even life itself havent always been a bed of geraniumsproving that theres nothing more pleasingly entertaining than a woman scorned! joHaRi are now ready to move onto phase 2 of their musical development, and are currently back in the straw shed (see Photos page on website) working up more new material. There are plans to record a second EP at Ville Leppanen's Atomic Studios during April 2004. The band also plan to record their entire back catalogue to date during February 2004, although these will be raw, live performances rather than studio recordings. For further information, demo CDs, gig reviews, photos etc. please contact Marie: joharigirl@blueyonder.co.uk or visit the website at: www.johari.co.uk joHaRi are: miss fortune (vocals, percussion) kimi X (guitar, vocals, keyboard) Andy Manson (guitar, harmonica) Chris Legg (bass guitar, vocals, electric mandola) Simon Shakespeare (drums, vocals) Here is what the critics have to say about joHaRi: joHaRi are a fab female-fronted punk-pop-rock hybridmarinated with a dark lyrical content; bitch-pop, but with its tongue firmly in its cheek! (South West Gig Guide, April/May 2003) Attempting to redress the balance in their own inimitable way are Johari, from Exeter. Mean and lean, etc, their lyrics have been described as 'incensed''Candy Compromise' is pretty cool and apparently they're good live. (Radio 2XS, April 2003) This is bouncy indie: even though I dont know the words, the chorus is catchy enough for a car advert. The most likely comparison I can think of is the female comedy team Smack the Pony, where the girls would parody the videos of the latest hits in an indie form... bits of tune remind me of Kula Shaker. A late 60s influence maybe in an 80s Darling Buds vein. This song has some attitude in an indie way, even to the point of serious chords. (Unsigned Central, May 2003) More from Unsigned Central, May 2003 www.unsignedcentral.co.uk This band is a female fronted affair from the West Country, and the packaging of this CD gives off crazed, faintly mystical and gothic folk images. Tryst is a joyous little bursting bubble of a song. Wild samples and soundbites lead us into a electric hip-hoppy flavoured pop tune with a brightly layered and exquisitely mixed female vocal assault full of effects and rich tunefulness. Instrumentally, you dont hear a lot apart from the occasional guitar strum and drum fill because the voices and their diverse gymnastics take you away with them. Excellent. Sweet Revengeits jittery and skittish and the voice is actually un-nerving in places: a sort of Siouxsie meets Voice of The Beehive. Candy Compromise is a straight up indie pop tune which comes straight out of the post-punk era. The guitar playing is basic and fairly lo-fi but that gives it an interesting griminess against the sweetness of the vocal. It has a rawness which is sort of anti-style and is quite an annoying little gem, really. Erstwhile Companionmixes that post punk guitar style again with a dangerously melodic vocal pattern. It has hints of The Rezillos in there, but with an added twang of darkness and paranoia. I like this CD mainly because it has an encompassing style and identity both lyrically, musically and in the sound...this lot would appear to have worked at developing an identity and it shows. The songwriting shows depth and experience and they use their poppiness and their vocal strengths to knock out an individual piece of work. Top hole

joHaRi love playing live, and have played gigs as far afield as London, Bristol and Weymouth. EVERY moment is special, maaaan...

Velvet Underground, Kinks, Doors, Pretenders, Blondie, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Undertones, Buzzcocks, Smiths, REM, PJ Harvey, Elvis Costello, Nirvana, Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age, Nick Cave, The Coral and thousands more...We like guitars mainly...

Visit the joHaRi website at www.johari.co.uk where you can play games, download music, look at attractive photos of Kimi, and add some slanderous comments to the message board.