YouTube channel Angura is a pretty terrific English-language entry point to the world of Japanese indie rock, and they just dropped an excellent mini-documentary about arguably the most successful Japanese indie band in the west right now, Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs. After all, how many other Japanese indie acts can boast sold-out large-venue shows across North America? Maybe some, I don’t know, but they’re certainly the most popular of any of the acts I follow.
The 30-minute doc features extensive interviews with frontwoman Matsuko Miyamoto about how she went from a sports-obsessed teen in Kobe, Japan to fronting a power trio touring around the world, as well as how drummer Isao Yoshino and guitarist Naoyo Igura found their way into her orbit after the original members of the band left. It’s an excellent introduction to the band, full of music and performance clips from their recent North America tour. Got half an hour to spare? Watch this. Don’t? Watch it anyway.