Agata

Ichirou Agata, often known simply as Agata, is the guitarist for the Japanese noise rock band Melt Banana. Agata is known particularly for his furious stage antics, jumping and constantly moving around, and exceedingly unique approach to playing the guitar which involves extended technique heavy use of effects pedals and guitar slides resulting in sounds not easily attributed to the guitar. He is also known for consistently wearing a surgical mask on stage during performances. He has also released a solo guitar album, entitled Spike, on John Zorn's Tzadik Records. Agata claims that he gets the inspiration for his guitar riffs from the moment of euphoria when achieving something on a video game (Tony Hawk's is a favourite of his) and at that moment sings out the melody pattern and converts it to guitar. In a brief fan interview it was revealed that the reason he wears a surgical mask on stage is that he is prone to nosebleeds. Beneath the mask he has cotton balls plugging his nose and usually removes them along with the mask quickly and privately off stage after the show.
==Links To Peel==
Peel was once quoted as saying Agata of Melt Banana was one of the best guitarists he had ever heard [citation?]. The DJ played numerous tracks from the artist's solo LP 'Spike' during 2004. Most of these were very short in duration. He commented favourably on 15 June 2004, "well it may not be an LP that you listen to again and again, although I suppose you could, obviously, but it certainly demonstrates what you can do with a guitar."
==Festive Fifty Entries==
*None
== Sessions ==
*None
== Shows Played ==
thumb|right|335 px|"Ecco Feedback" played by Peel on 15 June 2004(All songs from LP Spike on Tzadik)
*11 May 2004: Splinter
*18 May 2004: ANIMAL instinct
*June 2004 (FSK): 38195 Bubbles
*02 June 2004: Splinter
*03 June 2004: 38195 Bubbles
*08 June 2004: Frontside Broadslide Shovit Out
*09 June 2004: Pinger
*10 June 2004: Armillary Sphere
*15 June 2004: E C C O Feedback
*16 June 2004: Rescued To Be Shot And Killed
*22 June 2004: Tailgrab
*23 June 2004: Team Pocket Pickering
== See Also ==
*Melt-Banana
*June 2004 (Peel's Record Box)
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
Category:Artists