MySpace a place for friends

Once upon a time, music-school grad and pianist Shiraishi was moved after seeing sheet music for a full orchestral arrangement played only on a piano. Inspired, she had a wild idea - a new genre of music that boils the three- or four-person arrangement of a traditional rock band down into a single piano. Later, this idea took a slightly different form as the Typhoon Ministers, when in 2004 Shiraishi met Masaco, a songwriter and drummer who by day makes a living handcrafting traditional Japanese lacquerware. The two share a wide range of influences from famed piano rockers such as the Ben Folds Five, Yoeko Kurahashi, and Carole King, to classical music, Sparks, Queen, Unicorn, the Beatles, XTC, 60s rock, 70s soul, and R&B. In their live concerts, the Typhoon Ministers are known for positioning the drums and keyboard next to each other in the front of the stage, and for their breathless, thrilling performances of fast-paced, harmony-filled original songs. You might think the combination of drums and piano makes the Typhoon Ministers acoustic unit - but in fact, the two have created a unique punkish new wave sound that must be heard to be believed!

Press Reviews:

Tower Records
"WORLD STANDARD" is the first album from the Typhoon Ministers, a female piano-and-drums duo that has recently attracted the attention of the legendary pop-rockers Sparks. Their clever, coquettish lyrics and up-tempo melodies skip along with a childlike energy. The band's sound, heavy on percussive piano with just a few other instruments, is deceptively simple - each song is jam-packed with ideas. A great pop record that strikes just the right balance between alternative and mainstream influences. Very appropriate title!
Writer: Yangu Kakaricho. Appeared in April 2009 issue of bounce, a Japanese monthly magazine published by Tower Records. 　
"WORLD STANDARD" can be purchased here.

MySpace From JP.
There's a reason the two-member female group Typhoon Ministers insists on being known as a "band": "If you call us a duo or a unit or something like that, it sounds as if we play folk music at cafes. We're way more hardcore than that." It's true, their songs are punkish and dramatic. The boldness of their sound leaves quite an impression. "Using MySpace has shown our music is very well-received overseas," they explain. "It was surprising to get some passionate fanmail from as far off as Sweden. We would love to go out in the world, to these people's neighborhoods if possible, and break down traditional barriers."

タイフーン・ミニスターズについて：
メンバーはシライシ(ピアノ、ボーカル、作曲担当）とマサコ（ドラム、ボーカル、作詞担当）の2人。楽曲制作は作詞作曲完全分業制。

音大卒業後にピアノを持て余していたシライシが、ピアノ協奏曲のオーケストラパートがたった一台のピアノ用にアレンジされている楽譜を見て感銘を受け、「これなら普段ギターやベースのいる3～4人編成のロックバンドもピアノ一台でアレンジしてみたら新しいジャンルの音楽ができるかも」とパンクで無謀なアイディアを思い立ち、京都の町家で漆塗りアーティストをやっている歌詞とドラム担当のマサコに出会い2004年に結成。

影響を受けたアーティストはベンフォールズファイブや倉橋ヨエコ、キャロルキングなどのピアノアーティストをはじめ、クラシック音楽、スパークスやクイーン、ユニコーン、ビートルズ、XTC、60年代ロック、70年代ソウル、R&Bなど様々である。ライブではステージ前方にキーボードとドラムを横並びにし、息をつく間もないスピード感と２人のキャラの立った掛け合いで好評を得ている。タイフーン・ミニスターズは「ピアノとドラムのアコースティックユニット」ではなくパンキッシュでニューウェーブな新しい形の「バンド」なのです！！

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■Typhoon Web http://typhoon-mini.com/
■Pod cast (JAPANESE)「タイフーン・レイディオ！」
■mixiタイフーン・ミニスターズコミュ
■mixi　マイミク募集中→マサコ★タイフーン