Zeni Geva is a Japanese noise rock band featuring singer and guitarist KK Null and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida. Formed in Tokyo in 1987, the group's name translates roughly as "money violence" ("Zeni" is an old Japanese term for money, and "Geva" comes from the German "Gewalt," meaning "violence").
Zeni Geva typically performs as a trio of two guitars and drums. Their music can be diverse and experimental, incorporating elements ranging from death metal and hardcore punk to math rock, psychedelic, and noise rock. Their music is often technically unorthodox and demanding, and has earned progressive rock comparisons: critic Patrick Kennedy describes their 1993 album Desire for Agony as resembling "Motörhead meets King Crimson."
The Chicago-based Skin Graft Records has released much of the band's music in North America, and the band released several albums with the American Alternative Tentacles label.
Links to Peel[]
Peel seemed to have discovered the band in the spring of 1992 the he played a track from their 'Total Castration' album. Further material from the group were played on his radio programmes, including two sessions they recorded for his shows between 1994 and 1995.
KK Null, the singer of Zeni Geva, was the man that gave fellow Japanese artist, Melt Banana in 1993, a band that Peel was fond of, a chance of a record deal, when the group did a show opening for KK Null's solo performance.
Sessions[]
ZENI GEVA john Peel 26th November 1995
1. Recorded: 1994-09-25. First Broadcast: 28 October 1994
- Dead Sun Rising / Desire For Agony / Stigma / Death Blows / Godflesh
2. Recorded: 1995-11-26. First Broadcast: 12 January 1996
- Alienation / Tyrannycide / Luglio Agosto Settembre Nero / Implosion
Other Shows Played[]
- 16 February 1992: Godflesh (CD - Total Castration) Public Bath
- 08 March 1992: Total Castration (CD - Total Castration) Public Bath
- 27 March 1992: 'ニュー・フレッシュ/New Flesh (CD-Total Castration/全体去勢)' (Public Bath)
- 1993
- 16 January 1993: Angel (album - Nai-Ha) ZG
- 07 August 1993: ‘Disgraceland (7 inch)’ (Alternative Tentacles)
- 1996
- 08 March 1996: Hate Trader (CD - Freedom Bondage) Alternative Tentacles