Discover up and coming artists in 10 questions…

Please welcome from the sparkling city of Brighton TOKYO TABOO…

WHO?
The duo comprise of singer Dolly Daggerz and guitarist Mike, who are joined by a band for their live shows. Dolly takes inspiration from iconic performers from Heart to David Bowie and Karen O and Mike simply loves a good riff. Tokyo Taboo is a perfect amalgamation of Dolly and Mike’s influences, inspired by Manga, Japanese culture, drag and eighties fashion, they are true performers, with an image that equals the intense vibrancy of what you hear on record.

WHERE?
London, UK

WHAT?
An eccentric big bang tandem, looking out-of-this-world and sounding as mental as their flashy outfits. Multi-coloured, sexy and in-your-face. They produce a monumental glam punk hullabaloo that will mess up your mind, senses and limbs. With dazzling guitars, smoking synths and most of all… MASSIVE TUNES! The raging vox of singer Dolly Daggerz can easily pulverize idiot Trump‘s Mexico wall and Mike‘s riffs are huge. PERFECT! Last year they launched their red-hot debut LP, cannily titled 6TH PSYCHOSIS STREET. An explosive reflection of who and what they are. Before talking to Mike let’s get all in the right mood with one of the tremendous firecrackers off the album. Here’s ‘Papercut’…

I guess we are all ready to roll now…
Hello Mike, thanks for chatting with Turn Up The Volume!

1/ When, how and why did 2-piece engine Tokyo Taboo catch fire?
“We met eight years ago when Dolly was auditioning for girl bands and when Mike
was a music student. Dolly was working with a producer at the time who was stealing
other people’s music and getting her to sing over it. He would literally take the bass line from Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground then think he was producing. Strangely that working relationship didn’t go anywhere so Dolly and Mike started writing some angry music together and Tokyo Taboo came to life!”

2/ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
“I think if we were a city we would definitely be Tokyo. Crazy, colourful, chaotic and a little bit on the psychotic side! Dolly gets in trouble a lot for saying what she thinks. She once told an interviewer the reason the band wouldn’t win the band competition they were taking part in because she has a vagina and not a penis. So that’s where the Taboo part comes from. We also try to write with no censorship involved. Just mouth to paper no
filter or edit.”

3/ Who designs your far-out outfits?
“Dolly collects clothes and is constantly searching online and in any city we are playing shows in for new cool – if slightly slutty – shit to wear. Vintage/thrift shops and sex shops also have some weird stage outfits in. Lucy from Lu La Loop also designed some clothes for us and we love high fashion/drag too!”

4/ When did you know “this is how want we to sound, this is
what we want to tell the world”?
“We developed our sound with the amazing Noah Shain in Los Angeles (Dead Sara,
Orson). We met Noah and something clicked. He really understood what we are about.
He embraced the craziness and added the psychosis to how we sound. I think it really helps to like the person you are working before. We bonded on a very real level. We love Noah!”

5/ If the band was an animal, which one would it be?
“We would be a noisy Siamese cat as Dolly is very bendy, loud and
cat-like. 😂 Cats are very quirky and slightly fucked in the head like us.”

Hello, Dolly…

6/ What’s the signature track so far for Tokyo Taboo?
” ‘Self Sabotage‘ was picked up by Forza Horizon – video game – and gave us some new followers. ‘Make It Out Alive’ is the track that wrote itself so maybe that one is more of our signature. Dolly wrote a chorus and the rest came together really fast. We didn’t change anything about structure/ lyrics / melody. It felt right from the get go.”

7/ What’s on the van’s stereo when driving to gigs?
“All kinds! But Marilyn Manson makes us feel badass and ready to kick butt on stage!”

A human Siamese cat…

8/ What movie would you pick to visualize your music on
a big screen when playing a gig?
“‘Labyrinth’ or any movie with Bowie in it. Maybe a montage of
all his movies and music videos. That would be AWESOME!”

9/ If you could go back in time on which artist’s front door would
you knock and ask for a selfie together?
“David Bowie as he’s Dolly’s soul mate. We both are obsessed with Bowie!“

10/ Plans for 2018?
“UK Tour, starting in February supporting Esprit D’air. European Tour Dates.
US Tour Dates. Japan Tour Dates. Recording new music!”

Many thanks for this chat, Mike and say meow to Dolly!
May the road rise with TOKYO TABOO!

LET’S ROLL! Here’s 6TH STREET PSYCHOSIS…

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Album available here on iTunes

TOKYO TABOO: Website – Facebook –  Twitter

(band photos – press promos via the band TOKYO TABOO )