Osaka Popstar

Osaka Popstar
Osaka Popstar
Origin	New York City
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Misfits Records
Members	John Cafiero; Jerry Only; Marky Ramone; Dez Cadena; Ivan Julian

Osaka Popstar is a punk rock supergroup formed in 2006 by New Yorker John Cafiero. In 2006, Cafiero teamed up with several well known punk rock artists to create the anime based punk group, Osaka Popstar. They released their debut album/DVD on May 23, 2006. Their lyrics consist of topics such as characters in Japanese anime like Astroboy and Sailor Moon. The first single off the album was a cover of singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston, entitled "Wicked World."

They toured as special guests with the Misfits in Fiend Fest '06 across the United States and other dates in Europe with stops in Tijuana, Mexico, and Montreal, Canada, in October and November 2006.^[1]

Their album was released in Japan in June 2007. In 2008, they released a live EP, which was recorded on Halloween night 2006 on the Fiend Fest. In 2012, Cafiero, backed by the band Juicehead and credited to Osaka Popstar X Juicehead, released a cover of Fugazi's "Waiting Room". Since 2013, the band has sporadically released singles.

In 2017, Osaka Popstar backed "Weird Al" Yankovic in covering the Ramones song "Beat on the Brat" for a Dr. Demento tribute album.^[2] With its raging electric guitars, Rolling Stone called it "a blistering, accordion-tinged cover."^[3]

Members

Current

The most recent release, "Christmas in the Loony Bin", features the following lineup:^[4]

John Cafiero – vocals
Dean Rispler (The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black) – guitar/bass
Jon Wurster (Bob Mould, Superchunk, The Mountain Goats) – drums

Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) – drums
Sal Maida (Milk 'N' Cookies, Roxy Music, Sparks) – bass
Jerry Only (The Misfits) – bass, backing Vocals
Dez Cadena (Black Flag, The Misfits) – lead guitar
Ivan Julian (The Voidoids) – rhythm guitar
Marky Ramone (Ramones, The Voidoids, Dust, The Misfits) – drums

Discography

Albums

Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk (2006)

EP

Rock'em O-Sock 'em Live! (2008)

Singles

"Shaolin Monkeys" (2008)
"Waiting Room" (2012) (with Juicehead)
"Super Hero" (2013)
"Hopping Ghosts" (2014)
"O Holy Night" (2014)
"Christmas in the Loony Bin" (2016)

References

^ "Misfits Records Presents "Fiend Fest '06" Featuring the Misfits With Special Guest Appearance by Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk!" (Press release). Market Wire. 2006-09-12. Retrieved 2006-09-21.
^ Lewis, Randy (Jan 11, 2018). "Dr. Demento, comedic song hero and unsung punk rock legend, gets his due on new album". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved Jan 17, 2018.
^ Blistein, Jon (November 21, 2017). "Hear 'Weird Al' Play Accordion on Raging Ramones Cover". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
^ "CHRISTMAS IN THE LOONY BIN". Misfits Records. Retrieved 2016-12-05.

External links

[1] "Misfits Records Presents "Fiend Fest '06" Featuring the Misfits With Special Guest Appearance by Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk!" (Press release). Market Wire. 2006-09-12. Retrieved 2006-09-21.

[2] Lewis, Randy (Jan 11, 2018). "Dr. Demento, comedic song hero and unsung punk rock legend, gets his due on new album". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved Jan 17, 2018.

[3] Blistein, Jon (November 21, 2017). "Hear 'Weird Al' Play Accordion on Raging Ramones Cover". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 26, 2021.

[4] "CHRISTMAS IN THE LOONY BIN". Misfits Records. Retrieved 2016-12-05.

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