The Chinkees
Encyclopedia
The Chinkees are an American ska punk
band fronted by Mike Park
(formerly of Skankin' Pickle
). The group debuted with 1998's The Chinkees Are Coming!, and followed with 1999's Peace Through Music and 2002's Searching for a Brighter Future before a greatest hits album was released in 2003. According to the liner notes for the band's debut album The Chinkees Are Coming!, the music was recorded by members of the band Tuesday
with vocals provided by Mike Park. Subsequent albums were recorded all or in part by members Park, Miya Osaki, Greg Alesandro, Jason Thinh, and Steve Choi, as well as "guest" musicians, including Slapstick and Tuesday drummer Rob Kellenberger and Link 80's Steve Borth, often with members trading and playing different instruments than listed. All of the members were involved with the ska/punk scene. Jason Thinh was from the band Short Round, Miya was a member of the Santa Cruz punk trio The Muggs, Greg Alesandro a member of San Jose band Statue Man, and Steve Choi later becoming a keyboardist and guitarist for Rx Bandits
in 1999.
After the "Chinkees Are Coming" album was released in 1998, the newly recruited members of The Chinkees headed for some warm up dates in Mexico supporting Riverside punks Voodoo Glow Skulls and San Diego's Buck-O-Nine before going on their first tour of Japan in 1999, supporting Japanese ska punk legends Kemuri. After a short stint on the west coast with fellow Asian Man Records recording artists MU330 and the then up and coming Alkaline Trio, the band again headed to Japan in the spring of 2000 with label mates MU330, and Tokyo ska punks Potshot. Europe was next as the band took part in a summer 2000 tour dubbed "Monsters of Ska" with Link 80 and MU330. 2001 saw another Japanese tour, again in support of Potshot, as well as Detroit's Suicide Machines, followed the next year by a UK tour with Potshot, and the UK band Lightyear, which proved to be the last major undertaking of the band as it has remained on hiatus ever since.
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band fronted by Mike Park
Mike Park
Mike Park is a Korean American musician and progressive activist. His musical ventures include Skankin' Pickle for whom he both played the saxophone and sang, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, and most recently an acoustic solo project under his own name...
(formerly of Skankin' Pickle
Skankin' Pickle
Skankin' Pickle was an American ska punk band formed in San Jose, California that was active from 1989 to 1996.-Biography:Skankin' Pickle first formed in December 1988, made up of students from Westmont High School and Los Gatos High School. The band played their first show on April 28, 1989,...
). The group debuted with 1998's The Chinkees Are Coming!, and followed with 1999's Peace Through Music and 2002's Searching for a Brighter Future before a greatest hits album was released in 2003. According to the liner notes for the band's debut album The Chinkees Are Coming!, the music was recorded by members of the band Tuesday
Tuesday (band)
Tuesday was a pop punk/emo band formed by three ex-members of influential Chicago ska punk band Slapstick after the latter's 1996 breakup. Dan Andriano , Matt Stamps , and Rob Kellenberger released their first EP Early Summer on Asian Man Records in 1997...
with vocals provided by Mike Park. Subsequent albums were recorded all or in part by members Park, Miya Osaki, Greg Alesandro, Jason Thinh, and Steve Choi, as well as "guest" musicians, including Slapstick and Tuesday drummer Rob Kellenberger and Link 80's Steve Borth, often with members trading and playing different instruments than listed. All of the members were involved with the ska/punk scene. Jason Thinh was from the band Short Round, Miya was a member of the Santa Cruz punk trio The Muggs, Greg Alesandro a member of San Jose band Statue Man, and Steve Choi later becoming a keyboardist and guitarist for Rx Bandits
Rx Bandits
RX Bandits is a four-piece band based in Seal Beach, California. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and at The Bamboozle.-Early years :Originally known as...
in 1999.
After the "Chinkees Are Coming" album was released in 1998, the newly recruited members of The Chinkees headed for some warm up dates in Mexico supporting Riverside punks Voodoo Glow Skulls and San Diego's Buck-O-Nine before going on their first tour of Japan in 1999, supporting Japanese ska punk legends Kemuri. After a short stint on the west coast with fellow Asian Man Records recording artists MU330 and the then up and coming Alkaline Trio, the band again headed to Japan in the spring of 2000 with label mates MU330, and Tokyo ska punks Potshot. Europe was next as the band took part in a summer 2000 tour dubbed "Monsters of Ska" with Link 80 and MU330. 2001 saw another Japanese tour, again in support of Potshot, as well as Detroit's Suicide Machines, followed the next year by a UK tour with Potshot, and the UK band Lightyear, which proved to be the last major undertaking of the band as it has remained on hiatus ever since.
Members
- Mike ParkMike ParkMike Park is a Korean American musician and progressive activist. His musical ventures include Skankin' Pickle for whom he both played the saxophone and sang, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, and most recently an acoustic solo project under his own name...
- vocals, guitar - Miya Zane Osaki - bass, vocals
- Greg Alesandro - drums, guitars, bass, and vocals
- Jason Thinh - guitars
- Steve Choi - keyboards, drums, guitar
- Richard Morin - drums
Discography
- The Chinkees Are ComingThe Chinkees Are Coming-Reception:...
(1998, Asian Man RecordsAsian Man RecordsAsian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
) - Karaoke with the Chinkees EP (1998, Asian Man)
- Peace Through Music (1999, Asian Man)
- Present Day MemoriesPresent Day MemoriesPresent Day Memories is an EP by the Chicago, Illinois punk rock band The Lawrence Arms and the San Francisco, California ska band The Chinkees, released in 2001 by Asian Man Records. It is considered a "split" CD in that each band contributes several songs...
(2001, split with The Lawrence ArmsThe Lawrence ArmsThe Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. They have released five full-length albums and toured extensively.-Pre-history:...
) - Searching for a Brighter Future (2002, Asian Man)
- Plea for Peace:Best of the Chinkees (2003, Kung Fu RecordsKung Fu RecordsKung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
)
External links
- The Chinkees at MySpace.com