Kicking Cars

***Kicking Cars*** is Panchiko's second EP. During the band's initial tenure, the EP was never given an official release, and the group disbanded shortly after recording it. However, in 2020, it was finally released alongside the band's first EP on a compilation album called *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*.

## Background

> *For details regarding Panchiko's prior EP, see D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L (EP).*
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In the year following the release of the band's first EP *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*, Panchiko participated in a few more Battle of the Bands competitions and festivals.

Sometime between 2000 and 2001, the band began recording material for their next project—a three-track EP titled *Kicking Cars*.

## Production

Davies revealed that John helped him write some of the lyrics on *Kicking Cars*. Davies also recalls that acquiring a Yamaha SU200 sampler and Korg MS2000 allowed for the band to remix drums and experiment with analog synths.

Their second EP has been described as "art rock". The song "CUT" samples strings and flutes from "Song of the Seashell (Sakuragai No Uta)" by James Galway, and the song "Sodium Chloride" references *Blade Runner*.

"*Additional sampling and drum programming also lend a trip-hop sensibility, most notably on the art-rock opus 'Kicking Cars,' and on the resplendent title track, which lays down modified synth pads and chopped children’s programming on top of a tender guitar line and a ghost-noted drum pattern. There are obvious nods to Radiohead’s late-90s imperial period on 'Sodium Chloride' and 'Kicking Cars'.*"
— Rob Moura of *The Tape Deck Podcast*

Despite the lack of cover art, Wright says that CDs of *Kicking Cars* were self-produced—similarly to Panchiko's prior EP, he says that a few copies were distributed amongst "friends and the odd label again."

### Art

There is no official cover artwork associated with *Kicking Cars*. This was confirmed by Wright on Panchikord, believing that the EP was "just an unlabelled disk in a CD wallet," featuring no designs aside from the name of the EP and the band name. However, the band has posted some alternatives to their Instagram account. Meanwhile, fans have also attempted to create substitutes:

Substitutional cover art posted to Panchiko's Instagram; it was created by Panchikord member FranistheMan#1032Substitutional cover art posted to Panchiko's InstagramSubstitutional cover art posted to Panchiko's Instagram; created by Last.fm user "hksards"Fan-made substitutional cover art; Wright reacted to the image on Panchikord, saying "That picture is probably better than what i would’ve done!"Fan-made substitutional cover art; it is believed to be the oldest artwork created for the album, first appearing in this fake *Kicking Cars* leak.
## Subsequent events

*Kicking Cars* never received a formal release. It remained unreleased for over two decades. After recording, Wright remembers performing at a small festival in Sutton-in-Ashfield in mid-2001, "playing to people milling about, buying a hotdog, and staring at you weirdly." Panchiko disbanded shortly after this festival. Wright recalls that this decision was not entirely conscious because he, Wright, and Ferreday were already enrolled in college, while John was enlisted into the British military. After his enlistment, the other three band members lost touch with John; Davies and Ferreday reconnected with Wright on occasion but not with each other.

## Release

> *For details regarding the compilation album that features* Kicking Cars*, see D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L (compilation album).*
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In 2016, Panchiko's first EP *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L* was discovered in a charity shop. Considered lost media at the time, the EP gained a cult following intent on tracking down the members of the band. A search party would ultimately succeed in doing so, but they were unaware that Panchiko had also recorded a second EP.

*D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L* and *Kicking Cars* were eventually combined and reissued as a full-length compilation album, named after the former—*D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*; meaning, that *Kicking Cars* was finally released on February 16, 2020. The reissue featuring *Kicking Cars* became one of the best-selling albums on Bandcamp on the day of its release, holding the number-two position on the alternative music chart; and in hours, the band had sold out of CDs.

On October 20, 2022—during Panchiko's first tour—they released a deluxe pressing called *D＞E＞L＞U＞X＞E＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*, which rose to the number two spot on Bandcamp's alternative chart. The deluxe pressing features alternate "demo" versions of all three tracks from *Kicking Cars*.

## Animated music video

There exists an AMV on YouTube utilizing clips of the anime *Marmalade Boy*, an adaptation of a manga of the same name by Wataru Yoshizumi. Another of Yoshizumi's works is *Mint na Bokura*, the manga guitarist Andy Wright inadvertently lifted a panel from to use as cover art for *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*. As of April 2023, the video has 20,000 views.

## Track listing

2. Sodium Chloride
3. Kicking Cars
* Format: Unreleased

## Notes

1. ↑ Davies said, "I think John helped me with some of the lyrics on *Kicking Cars* one Friday in the pub, and after a few, maybe some cars were kicked."
2. ↑ Davies said, "We were able to remix the drums and add some cool fake analogue synth delays on 'CUT' and 'Sodium Chloride.'"
3. ↑ "Song of the Seashell" is track 8 on James Galway's 1979 album *Song of the Seashore and Other Melodies of Japan*.
4. ↑ Smeple writes, "Andy says the *Kicking Cars* EP was burned to a TDK CD-R XG, a cheap disc first produced in 1999."
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Wright said, "I don’t think it was a conscious decision. We all left school to join our various 6th forms, colleges, and I believe John the drummer joined the army..."
6. ↑ When asked about the Panchiko members' whereabouts after disbanding, Wright explained, "We’ve all moved on with stuff. We’re tree surgeons, teachers, and engineers... Not really sure where John is. I think he joined the army!"
7. ↑ Wright said of the *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L* reissue, "We can’t believe the response; we sold out of CD’s in a few hours and people from all over the world are listening to Panchiko!"

## References

### Citations

Articles, documentaries, and interviews:

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 ‘We didn’t even know they were there’: the little-known bands finding fans years later (August 16, 2022).
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The Surprising Story of Panchiko (March 15, 2020).
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Spectreview: Panchiko – D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L (February 25, 2020).
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 How Panchiko Made Me Fall For Death Metal (January 3, 2021).
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 4Channer Discovers Mysterious Album, Asks “Who Is Panchiko?” (September 4, 2021).
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Panchiko delve into the widely speculated mysteries surrounding the enigmatic band (December 29, 2021).
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Panchiko DEATHMETAL - Tales From the Internet (February 3, 2023).
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Gig Review: Panchiko at Metronome (December 8, 2021).
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Panchiko's Lost Media Icon, the Internet's Most Searched Band #BandsYouNeedToKnow (Spanish) (December 8, 2020).
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Panchiko Interview (June 10, 2021).
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Panchiko premieres 'The Death Of' with the last song they recorded in 2001 (Spanish) (February 15, 2021).
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 PANCHIKO - “UNTIL I KNOW” (March 30, 2023).
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Panchiko Reflect on “D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L,” Lost Y2K Demo Turned Internet Cult Hit (May 18, 2020).
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Panchiko: the internet’s greatest music mystery (February 27, 2022).
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Panchiko - D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L Lyrics and tabs (September 15, 2019).
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Interview with Panchiko (November 24, 2021).
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 E3 - Liv & Gigi's So-Called Life (Featuring: Panchiko) (February 1, 2022).
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Panchiko Interview: Emotion is an Art. Mosher's Records (March 19, 2023).
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 UK cult group Panchiko announce first album in 20 years & North American tour (February 13, 2023).
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Episode 2 - Panchiko Interview. Play By Play Podcast With DC (July 1, 2022).
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 How Dismiss Yourself Became a Hub for Internet Weirdness (July 8, 2021).
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Panchikobin (July 10, 2020).
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Panchiko and the Power of the Internet: From Message Boards to an International Tour, Two Decades Later (October 9, 2022).
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Album Review: D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L by Panchiko (May 26, 2021).
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Panchiko: How a Mysterious Shoegaze Album Sparked an Global InterSearch (February 2, 2022).

1. ↑ Battle of the Bands - 2001-2002 (Wolverhampton).
2. ↑ Panchikobin (July 10, 2020).

1. ↑ [Discord message and image] (March 3, 2020). “Just remembered where the flute and string samples in cut came from. I still have this record”
2. ↑ Wright said, "I may have made a very plain font promo CD label with no nice goodies. Just featuring the name of the EP and band name and stuff, yer know, that l kinda thing...it was just distributed amongst friends and the odd label again so I think we just thought that less is more!"
3. ↑ [Discord message] (May 18, 2020). “Unfortunately Kicking Cars was just an unlabelled disk in a CD wallet. ... I may have made a very plain font promo CD label with no nice goodies. Just featuring the name of the EP and band name and stuff, yer know, that l kinda thing... it was just distributed amongst friends and the odd label again so I think we just thought that less is more!”