Cibo Matto

Lore & Background

Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, both Japanese expatriates, met while working in the noise rock band Leitoh Lychee. They formed Cibo Matto in 1994, with Honda handling instruments and Hatori vocals. Their self-titled EP on El Diablo Records in 1995 led to a contract with Warner Bros. Records. The debut album Viva! La Woman (1996), produced by Mitchell Froom, featured food-centric songs like "Know Your Chicken" and "Birthday Cake." The single "Sugar Water" was accompanied by a Michel Gondry-directed split-screen video that showed the same footage forward and backward, meeting mid-song. The band appeared on MTV and television shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

For their second album, Stereo Type A (1999), the duo expanded their lineup to include Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis, and Duma Love, and broadened their subject matter. The album was well received by critics. After disbanding in 2002, all members pursued solo projects. A compilation, Pom Pom: The Essential Cibo Matto, was released in 2007. The band reunited in 2011 for a benefit concert for victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which also featured Yoko Ono, John Zorn, Sonic Youth, and Mike Patton. They subsequently toured and recorded new material, releasing Hotel Valentine in 2014 on the Japanese label Commmons. The album reached number 168 on the Billboard 200. Cibo Matto announced their split in December 2017, describing it as a "necessary and positive change."

Reader's Guide

Cibo Matto's significance lies in their fusion of Japanese and American pop sensibilities, their playful use of food as a lyrical motif, and their innovative music videos. Their debut album Viva! La Woman sold over 74,000 copies in the U.S. and 40,000 in Japan, establishing a cult following. The band's visual creativity, particularly the Michel Gondry-directed "Sugar Water" video, became a touchstone for 1990s music video innovation. Their later work, including Hotel Valentine, showed a maturation of sound while retaining their eclectic style. Though they never achieved mainstream commercial success, Cibo Matto influenced indie pop and helped pave the way for other Japanese-American artists. Their legacy includes appearances in popular culture, such as on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and in the video game Jet Set Radio Future, and their music continues to be discovered by new audiences through streaming and compilations.

Did You Know?

• The band's name is Italian for 'crazy food'.
• Their song "Birthday Cake" was featured in the video game Jet Set Radio Future.
• The music video for "Sugar Water" used a split screen showing the same footage forward and backward, meeting mid-song.