By Austin Kaus

Photo by Daisuke Yoshida

Look, you can call up and talk to Kengo Hioki on the phone, but you’re not going to really talk to him. You’re going to talk to Peelander-Yellow, the joyful lunatic leader of Peelander-Z. The band is self-described as “Japanese action comic punk” hailing from Planet Peelander. On April 28, they will land at Billy Frogs Bar and Grill in Sioux Falls. They need your smile. They will probably get it.

PY: I’m so happy to be back in South Dakota. We are fixing our tour van but you can say we are fixing our UFO to go back to tour because we are Peelander-Z. We are not human beings. We came from Planet Peelander to see your smile.

What happened to your UFO?

PY: We need something for food. Something special. Maybe vegetable in the mix. We have to make soup. We have to put it inside and then we’re gonna fly.

So the spaceship runs on food?

PY: Yeah. It’s not like car. It’s not truck. It’s not jet. It’s kind of an animal. (laughs)

Does the fuel include tacos?

PY: Huh?

You have a song about tacos. What is it about tacos that is so important to Peelander-Z?

PY: Our albums … where we go to do recording over there, always we ate taco so we are thinking “Okay, we are going to make a new song about tacos.” It’s called “Taco Taco Tacos.” I want to sing with you. Please tell them to bring tacos over there. One other thing is that “taco” means, in Japanese, “octopus.”  So, I will dance like a kind of octopus dance. We have a double meaning. I love that song.

An octopus taco would be very chewy.

PY: Yeah. I like that.

It seems like you tour a lot. Where have you had the best tacos?

PY: I think we can say Austin, Texas. They have a breakfast special taco with bacon, egg and cheese and potato. I love it. Maybe next year, I try to go to Mexico to play “Taco Taco Tacos” song with a lucha libre mask for the Mexican people.

For people who have never seen you before, how do you describe a Peelander-Z show?

PY: We have a yellow, a green, a purple and a pink. We are like the Power Rangers meets The Ramones meets Devo. Mix some Yo Gabba in. Forget about music. We don’t care about music. Our songs are very, very easy. Always scream “Taco Taco Tacos!” Always scream “Mike Mike Mike!” Even if you don’t know our songs, just come and enjoy our show. Don’t worry about music. Just dance with us. Also, we do the human bowling. We do the limbo dance. I want to dance with everybody.

I’ve seen you do the human bowling a lot. Have you ever gotten hurt?

PY: Yeah. I hit my tooth and lost a tooth one time. I broke a bone. I hit my nose and bleeding, but now we have a long, long tour. I don’t want to die in South Dakota. Maybe I don’t hit hard. Maybe I hit a little bit like an easy one. So, come to see our show and check it out.

You are a big fisherman. Do you fish in South Dakota?

PY: No. We don’t have time. I do in Minneapolis. I do in Chicago. Maybe in summertime, I come back and only do fishing. Maybe we have to make a fishing tour. I love it.

Is there something that you’re looking forward to when it comes to playing South Dakota?

PY: What should I eat in South Dakota?

Well, you can catch some fresh fish. Some fresh walleye is always good.

PY: Maybe we catch some walleye and then we’re gonna eat walleye in South Dakota. I want to see Sioux Falls and I want to have fun with everybody.

We have steak. I know how you like your steak.

PY: Medium rare! Woo hoo! (laughs)

Have you always eaten your steak medium rare?

PY: Yeah. Maybe, in the future, everybody comes to eat Kobe beef because I grew up in Kobe.

When did you move to the United States?

PY: Long, long, long, long, long time ago. 3,000 light years ago. (laughs)

You tour pretty heavily when you’re out and you’re always positive. How do you stay that positive?

PY: We are kind of … “If we stop, we are going to die.” I want to show to everybody Peelander-Z always try to do crazy tour. We don’t need any Red Bull. We don’t need any crazy food. We just need saké and Japanese rice and Ramen noodle and we have energy and we never stop.

What do you do when you get sad? I’m very curious. When Peelander-Yellow gets sad, how do you cheer yourself up?

PY: Everybody give us a smile and that’s why I gonna be smile, smile, smile. I have to make you smile. It’s like a new communication. I don’t want to talk about it too much. I want to give you a smile and everyone can give me smile. It’s a very simple, new communication.

How many tours have you been on?

PY: We started tour in 2003. Almost twice a year, we do a U.S. Tour.

What are some of the strangest things that have happened to you on tour?

PY: In Albuquerque, I jumped from the second floor and I broke my bone. I couldn’t move.

You’re all healed up?

PY: Yeah, I mean, I never stop. I need a smile. We are the human being. I have to make you smile. We gonna eat your smile!

You’re touring a live record this time around. Last time, you did a metal album 2013’s Metalander-Z. Before that was Space Vacation, which was very pop. What’s next for Peelander-Z?

PZ: I’m not sure. If we have time, we want to make a hip-hop [album]. We want to do something country, something disco.

Will Peelander-Z go forever?

PZ: Yes, until I die.

Even if your UFO breaks down?

PZ: Yeah, so now time to fly. Tell everyone please bring their friends and family and then don’t be afraid to dance with us. If you are shy, you have to get the orange juice and the Coca-Cola and dance with us.

 

Bring joy to your life by checking out Peelander-Z for free at 7 p.m. on April 28 with locals International Cover-Up and Infaux at Billy Frogs Bar and Grill.

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