Band of the Month-Cinema Bizarre March 2008
Biography from
the band
























“We want to offer people something unique with our sound and shows. As a band, we bring so many different elements of music
together. Music, to us means; Fantasy holds no boundaries.” (Strify)

It doesn’t happen often, that a band that isn’t even official yet but is talked about on websites, blogs and talked about to friends, can
create so much speculation and rumours like Cinema Bizarre did in the last few months.
Little information on the recording of their debut album made it’s way out. But those few clips had the fans talking on the forums and
in communities. Still, everything stayed very secretive and left many questions unanswered – fascination knows no boundaries. But it’s
the only one of the reasons why Cinema Bizarre is the newcomer of the year. On their debut album, they unite elements from Pop,
Rock, New Wave, New Romantic and Electro. They create a unique sound, which binds body and soul together.
With atmospherically loaded, powerful songs, Cinema Bizarre take pop songs to a whole new level. Their debut single Lovesongs
(They Kill Me) is only a small part of the oncoming album – Cinema Bizarre plans to bring Glam back into the world of Pop and they
want to offer their fans a big cinematic show; “Our sound and show stands for a big firework – musically and emotionally. We want
to fascinate the people and lead them to another world with our songs. A world without rules and narrow mindedness. Everything else
is just boring,” explains lead singer Strify.

Everything started with the Japanese youth culture; ‘Visual Kei’ which originally started in the 80’s but slowly made it’s way from
Japan across the world, mainly via Internet. It’s all about individuality, self development and rebellion. It is for many youngsters in
Japan a way of showing the world that they don’t allow for people to suppress them.
“We take a lot of elements of Visual Kei and combine them into one part of Cinema Bizarre,” tells lead singer Strify and bassist Kiro
adds; “Every one of us is fascinated of Visual Kei since a few years now and it’s a part of us – together as a band, we’re taking it one
step further and make something of our own out of it.”
Strify, Kiro, Shin, Yu and Luminor – all between ages 17-22 - met each other at the ‘Animagic’ a well known Manga/Anime
convention in 2005 where fans of Japanese comics and music scene meet from all over the country.

The chemical reaction between the 5 boys, who participated in different projects of their own before this, was undeniable and the idea
to make music together was born.
“We simply got started. As a band, we have our own kind of energy,” tells guitarist Yu and Kiro adds; “It’s like fate stepped in, we just
had to meet each other.”
The name Cinema Bizarre stands for our individual look, our explosive shows and it’s also an allusion to the movie genre (Sci-Fi,
Thriller, Horror – every genre is represented) which had their own fan base and culture status outside of the big cinemas in the 70’s
and 80’s.
“Movies like ‘Psycho’ all have something in common; they were all different from what was being played in the cinemas at that point.
Bizarre, original and free of standards. That’s us, that’s Cinema Bizarre!” explains the 2nd lead singer and keyboarder Luminor and
Strify adds; “We are all inspired movie fans and you can hear it in our music. Whether it’s a movie quote that we use in our lyrics or
an example – it’s also a tribute. We want to, as they say in the movie genre, offer the people something they’ve never seen before!”

It didn’t take long for Cinema Bizarre to land a record deal in no time. “It was a starting sign for us. We could finally make an album
that would turn the whole world upside down. Different, big and, to every fibre of one’s being; gripping. Simply Cinema Bizarre!” is
how Strify describes the starting process of the album.
Malcolm Mclaren, ‘Founder of Punk’ and manager of the Sex Pistols, also business associate of designer-queen Vivienne Westwood,
contacted them from England and offered to write a song for Cinema Bizarre. He too, heard from Cinema Bizarre from the Internet and
he was instantly interested. In spring 2007, Cinema Bizarre began recording their debut album and went to studios in Berlin, London,
Copenhagen and Stockholm to record it.
“It was really important to us to work closely with the producers and to refine the songs as a team. It was about working with people
who didn’t want to change anything without knowing our visions and how special this band is to us,” explains Kiro and Yu adds;
“Every one of us has his own musical preferences and tastes. Whether it’s Rock, Pop or New Wave, J-Rock (Japanese Rock) and
Glam rock – we unite those elements into our sound. Everyone can contribute intensively to it.”
Their sound is something unique, you can’t put label on it but in the meanwhile, Internet forums have a name for it; ‘I-Pop!’ “That a
whole new word, a music genre is created just to describe us – and it describes us perfectly - makes us very happy. But the most
important thing is, that the people love the songs just as much as we do!”

With their out of the ordinary looks and presence, an undeniable sound that you can’t get out of your head and the Glam-loaded claim
to fascinate the world with their big cinematic performances, Cinema Bizarre presents their debut album, one that can be counted,
without a doubt, as the musical highlight of the year.
Multidirectional and diverse, emotional and glamorous, somewhat intrusive and gripping – just when you think you know them, Cinema
Bizarre surprises you again. And why? Strify answers mysteriously; “This game with fantasy, with keeping up appearances, with our
look – maybe we want to provoke…but maybe we also just want to play…”