Deerhoof

When the short-lived garage punk band Nitre Pit split in 1992, drummer Greg Saunier and bassist Rob Fisk nobly decided to fulfil the band's scheduled gigs on their own, clattering away raucously and making up for a lack of material and equipment by improvising furiously. Audience member Slim Moon was so impressed that he offered them the chance to record a 7" single on his Kill Rock Stars label and years later they have gone on to become one of the company's defining groups. Recruiting Santomi Matsuzaki as their hyperactive Japanese front woman, the band's scattergun blasts of playful experimentations have made them a well-respected oddity, with fans including Karen O, Dave Grohl, Surfjan Stevens and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Support slots with Radiohead, The Flaming Lips and Sleater-Kinney have further increased their status as cult legends, with albums Reveille (2002), Apple O (2003) and Offend Maggie (2008) released to high critical acclaim. Their 2011 album Deerhoof vs. Evil was released track-by-track through online outlets and drew on diverse influences like tropicalia, the Beach Boys, and Congotronics. In 2011 they toured in the Congotronics Vs. Rockers supergroup and contributed to the Japan 3.11.11 relief compilation. Their experimental spirit continued with 2012's Breakup Song, released in a storybook-style flexi-book by Joyful Noise. Their 2014 album La Isla Bonita, recorded live in Ed Rodriguez’s basement, earned critical acclaim, and was followed by 2015’s Fever 121614, a live album recorded in Tokyo. That year, they also performed a site-specific improvisational piece at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. In 2016, they released The Magic, blending glam and punk, and in 2017 became Joyful Noise’s Artist in Residence, releasing Mountain Moves featuring Jenn Wasner and Awkwafina. Their 2020 album Future Teenage Cave Artists was their first concept album, followed by Love-Lore and the 2021 live release Devil Kids. In 2023, they released Miracle-Level, their first studio-produced album with all lyrics in Japanese. Noble and Godlike in Ruin, Deerhoof's nineteenth studio full-length, came out in 2025.