Polysics

Polysics
Polysics live in France 2008
Background information
Origin	Tokyo, Japan
Genres	New wave, synthpop, electropunk
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Ki/oon (Japan) Myspace (U.S.) Okami, JPU Records (Europe)
Website	www.polysics.com
Members	Hiroyuki Hayashi Fumi Masashi Yano
Past members	Junichi Sugai Sako Eisuke Kaneko Shingo Kayo

Polysics (ポリシックス, Porishikkusu^?, typeset POLYSICS) is a Japanese new wave and rock band from Tokyo, who dubs its unique style as "technicolor pogo punk". It was named after a brand of synthesizer, the Korg Polysix. The band started in 1997, but got their big break in 1998 at a concert in Tokyo. They create high energy music, fusing conventional guitar music with synthesized and computer generated sound to create a unique mixture of punk and synthpop heavily inspired by the American bands Devo and The Tubes, as well as Japanese bands such as P-Model and Yellow Magic Orchestra. Their song lyrics often consist of Japanese, English, or just plain gibberish. The band has been noted for their extremely energetic live performances and their wild gimmicky outfits, notably their trademark orange boiler suits, with a simple "P" stamped on them, and their straight-bar sunglasses.

Polysics was formed in 1997 by Japanese high-school student Hiroyuki Hayashi. After watching some live footage of Devo and becoming heavily inspired by new wave music of the West, the student quit his soccer team and formed a band that would expand on the cartoonish image and musical ideas of the zany art-punk icons he had seen on TV. He was joined by drummer Junichi Sugai and Sako (aka Poly 2). Another member named Kaneko joined within the early years of the band. He then left and was replaced by Kayo. Kayo's mechanical stage presence provided an asymmetrical dynamic to the frenetic antics of the other three members. The name of the band derives from the first synthesizer owned by Hayashi, the Korg Polysix. This synth appears in two of their early music videos.