Biography



Before it became hip and trendy to like bands from Japan, before Shonen Knife and the Boredoms became major label commodities in the states, there were a handful of bands in Japan pushing the sonic envelope, deconstructing and then rebuilding "music" and in general, were part of a new vanguard of noise makers. One such pioneering group of innovators is Zeni Geva (German for "Money Violence"), led by Kazuyuki K Null - guitarist, vocalist, prolific solo artist/collaborator, and head of the Nux Organisation label. Together with Mitsuru Tabata and drummer Eito Noro, this completes the Zeni Geva offensive line up.

Null founded the group in their home town of Tokyo in 1987 but Zeni Geva quickly found a dedicated fan base in the states. Their popularity in the west enabled them to be one of the first Japanese "noise" bands to tour the States three times with bands like the Pain Teens, the Melvins, Crash Worship, Ed Hall and Shellac. Zeni Geva picked up a lot of friends along the way. Steve Ablini now rates Zeni Geva as one of his favourite bands. He highlights the band's wide range of influences, from Motorhead to trance-like space music, for keeping the Zeni Geva sound diverse and challanging. Steve also admires the way Zeni Geva embrace the Japanese culture in their sound rather than trying to Westernize it.
Subsequent tours have comprehensively covered Europe, and in September 1995 Zeni Geva completed tours of New Zealand and Australia, proving a fast emerging worldwide audience.

As they continue to create and innovate Zeni Geva remain in the forefront of this still-emerging genre of noise outfits. Fall 1996 see the release of their LP Nai-Ha on Skin Graft Records (where they reside with fellow Japanese noise gurus Space Streakings and Melt Banana) . The LP was recorded in Tokyo by long time friend and collaborator, Steve Albini. Previously released on CD only Nai-Ha will come packaged with an additional single-sided 12" of long-secreted studio recordings by the virtually unknown Superunit. Comprised of members of Zeni Geva and guitarist/vocalist Steve Albini, Superunit's soothing fast action delivers on contact.
In typical Skin Graft fashion the LP come with some deluxe packaging, namely a lavish full color gatefold sleeve, a poster, and the bonus 12".

K.K.Null, as well as running the Nux Organisation label in Japan, has been involved in various other bands and projects. Fellow collaborators have included Scott Ayers from Pain Teens, Fred Frith from Naked City and Jim O'Rourke from Brise Glace with whom Null released the Yona Kit album ( Skin Graft 1995).

Tabata plays in Adventure King, which he describes as being "to boxing what Zeni Geva is to wrestling".

Eito plays in Sashimi, an intrument swapping project in which he ends up playing bass and singing.

For a very informative biography of K.K. Null check out this site: http://www.eden.com/~moonunit/null/null.html