Formed in 2008, Punik are one of the hardier acts on Tokyo’s live house circuit, logging a punishing 100 gigs a year at storied Chuo Line rock venues like Earthdom and Mission’s. They’ve been approached by major labels but prefer to reject commercial pressures and, Tagu says, “retain punk’s original impulse.” Their performances are a jangled-nerve storm of tracks with titles like “Punk Bomb.”

Debuting as a trio with Fuckareyoudoing??, Punik (a pun on “punk” and “panic”) recently added Englishman Nigel van der Grijspaarde on bass. “The first time I saw Punik, these three guys ran on stage, plugged in, and basically assaulted their instruments and the audience’s senses,” he recalls. “It was a raw blast of power, incredibly loud, there were bum notes and not one of them gave a damn! It was the most refreshing thing I’d heard in years.