On a stage outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim, a family band were ready to play for baseball fans. With Yoyoka, then 16, on drums; Shido, then 13, on guitar; Dad, Aki, on bass; and Mom, Rie, on vocals, fans wouldn’t be blamed for expecting them to play something simple and wholesome. In fact, the song they launched into was the complete opposite of that. Together, the family performed an entirely unexpected cover of Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Bombtrack’.
When Music Man readers watch the video of their performance, they will be astonished at how well they pulled it off. The youngest members of the family take the heavy rock song in their stride, with Aki looking especially proud of the youngest member of the family, Shido, as they play together. Mom, Rie, threw herself entirely into the heavy vocals.
I was blown away to see such a family performing a song like this together. I was impressed to see the parents sharing this kind of music with their children, when many might have the opposite response. I was especially touched to see how much fun they were having performing together. The pride on Aki’s face was particularly clear whenever he stopped to watch his children play and soak in their impressive talent.
This isn’t the first time the family have taken on a Rage Against the Machine song and amazed listeners with their commitment to completely throwing themselves into it. Music Man fans will be amazed by their rock spirit all over again when they see them perform ‘Bulls On Parade’. This time, the band was performing at the iconic Dodger Stadium and, once again, the children’s talent shone, while Rie’s stage presence and bass playing proved her to be the coolest mom ever.
It’s true that this is one of the more unusual family bands that our Music Man readers may have come across. Instead of wholesome numbers, they’ve taken on some of the most iconic hard rock songs of the 90s. Despite their unusual choice of songs, there is no doubt that their family bond makes the performances even more powerful. These covers may be unexpected, but that is half of their power. With their performances shared online, and both Yoyoka and Shido pursuing music beyond the family band, there is no doubt that these parents have done their children a favour by infusing their upbringings with the spirit of rock music.