Akubi Object

At it’s conception in the summer of 1996, Akubi Object was it’s percussionist and visionary Robert Alonzo’s pet noise project with then keyboardist Amy Chiu. With the addition of synthesist Mark O’Connor, bassist Israel Medina, vocalist Evad Frommë, and guitarist Kenton Holmes, the project took on a life of it’s own. With only a handful of rehearsals under it’s belt, Akubi Object went into the studio to cut five songs and released an e.p.

On the strength of this e.p., Akubi Object began booking shows and went into heavy rotation on KSPC Radio’s "Generation Death" program, would be invited to be guests in the studio and in 1997 would be given the number one ranking on the program’s annual top ten.

Akubi Object’s live debut would come on December 7th, 1996 curiously billed with Human Drama and Switchblade Symphony at the Showcase Theatre in Corona, Ca. In addition to its recording lineup, the band would incorporate into its live act a revolving door of musicians. This first show in particular would see the permanent addition of percussionist and one-man floorshow Jahsper Charles. Some of the odd sites that could be seen during the performance would be Robert playing the entire show with a cloth bag over his head and banana peels taped to his torso, Israel "dragged and gagged," and Kenton looking a bit like an alien with cancer. This maiden performance would prove to be a great success, and the response was overwhelming.

The next time the band would take to the stage would be February 10th, 1997 in "the vault" at Jilian’s in Long Beach, Ca. and this time more appropriately billed with the likes of Dinah Cancer’s Penis Flytrap and Rikk Agnew’s latest waste of time; Buena Basura. Taking place underground in a disused bank vault, Akubi Object would this time pack the stage with nine musicians including second guitarist Jerry Carrillo, percussionist Margaret Fenton, and a vocalist reciting Japanese text for the track "Like Knots On A Bamboo Rod." This largely drunken escapade would end with Jahsper toppling his drums and rolling about on the ground in the wreckage (which would become a regular occurrence) and rave reviews by the audience and staff alike. The departure of Mark O’Connor would follow this show.

A pair of shows in San Diego came soon after. The first of which supporting Eva O., with whom Robert and Israel were also playing at the time. Akubi Object would enlist guitarist Ivan X for this outing, with Kenton moving to synthesizer. This show would end with Israel throwing his bass, Jahsper punching his drums repeatedly until he put his fist through a drumhead and subsequently throwing them about, as well. Ivan and Kenton remained onstage, continuing their barrage of feedback and noise for several minutes while Israel and Jahsper stood to the side of the stage shouting anti-Akubi Object slogans in an attempt to incite the audience to do the same, but they would have no such luck. After the set, Israel would return to the stage to find he had broken the neck on his bass, and sent the promoter scrambling to find him another bass to use for Eva’s set. The second show, with Gitane Demone and EXP, would mark the debut of synthesist Jason Shelnut.

On July 20th, 1997 the band joined Deathflux, a noise collaboration between Erik Christides and Paris, onstage at Coven 13 to perform two Akubi Object numbers at the end of the set. Since promoter Joseph Brooks initially had no knowledge that this was to happen, and once he found out about it strongly objected, at Erik’s urging, Paris remained on stage improvising on his Juno synth during the first song to insure that the plug wouldn’t be pulled on the performance. This show marked the inclusion of percussionist Jeff Oonchitti. While this was to be the shortest set Akubi Object would ever play, it’s impact was immeasurable. Other guests during the Deathflux set would include Rozz Williams and Sevan Kand.

Following this show, Erik Christides would ask the band to contribute a track to the "Merry Maladies: The Best of Malaise Music" compilation CD he was assembling, and Akubi Object would return to the studio to record "Black Day Rewind." The lineup for the recording would be Evad on vocals, Robert on drums and percussion, Israel on fuzz bass, synthesizers and programming, Kenton on synthesizers, and on this one occasion, Mark O’Connor would rejoin the group to contribute synthesizer tracks as well. Upon listening to the track, Erik made a comment something along the lines of: "What did you do to this? The sound makes me feel sort of sick. Psychic TV has some recordings that do that to me. I like it."

Akubi Object’s next performance, on July 31st, 1997 at Sacrilege in Long Beach, Ca., would prove to be their most chaotic. Just minutes before the start of the set, Robert, Israel, and Kenton staggered in piss drunk and took the stage. Audience members were treated to blistering noise pouring from the stage, and Israel swearing at the sound technician into the vocal mic about the monitors. Then the musical assault began. Over the course of the set, a synthesizer mounted to a walker manned by Jason toppled over in the melee and was temporarily out of commission. Drummer Robert’s floor tom acted up and found itself being hurled into the audience, later making its way back up onstage. Israel turned the volume on his already deafening bass up a notch every couple of minutes, and made his way to the front of the stage to let the audience take out their aggressions on his bass, as well. When the sampler he was pouncing upon was accidentally unplugged, Kenton took to spitting ice cubes from his cocktail into the audience, one by one, in syncopation with the music then began banging tambourines on his backside while mugging at the audience, and later jumping onto them. Jahsper, on ecstasy, thrashed about slamming anything he could get his hands on into his drums, while members of This Fading Garden carried Kenton back to the stage. While, musically, this show had to be the worst Akubi Object performance, the audience was captivated and the show was visually stunning.

Next, the band packed up percussionist Jeromy Furguiele and synthesist Danny Mata and headed down to the Showcase Theatre in San Diego for a show with Christian Death UK on November 7th. Inebriate nine people with Jack Daniels, throw a stage and some equipment in there somewhere, and you’ve got the makings of yet another intense Akubi Object live show. Members of the band stuck around to heckle the headliner. Viva Rozz Williams.

Just four days later, on the 11th of November, the band would return to The Foothill to deliver the show promoter Glen Bernard was expecting the first time around. This time it appeared that the boys had found just the right mix, because the performance was phenomenal. There has been some speculation, however, that this is due to Glen withholding the drink tickets until after the performance.

On November 28th, 1997 the band would suffer the first of a succession of blows that would ultimately lead to its end. Long time friend and "family" member Erik Christides was dead at age 27. The next time Akubi Object took to the stage on January 6th, 1997 it would be to say goodbye to Erik at a memorial concert organized by promoter Mike Stewart at Worlds in Hollywood. Israel and Kenton reunited with Gitane Demone to play a set that night that would rekindle their working relationship. The pair also performed a short set with Rozz Williams; a set that would turn out to be Rozz’s final performance.

Akubi Object’s final performance would come on March 3rd, 1998 at Hollywood’s Coconut Teaszer. The crowd was scattered; the band was booked last minute and didn’t promote. The show was a small celebration of sorts: Israel would turn twenty-one years old at midnight. And he did so, on stage, doing what he loved to do.

On April 1st, 1998 Rozz Williams would take his own life by hanging himself in his West Hollywood apartment. This would be the next blow. Complete emotional disarray within the ranks would follow…

Approximately two weeks later, enroute home from the opening night of promoter Joseph Brooks short lived "Confession" nightclub, Israel having had a hefty mixture of alcohol, prozac, and tragedy, landed himself in jail. His stay would last just over one week. Following this, Israel would be unreachable for the most part. Best friends for nearly eight years, the only communication Kenton would receive back from him was a voicemail message stating, for the most part, that he would not be able to take part in Gitane Demone’s forthcoming tour of Germany for legal reasons.

On the afternoon of May 14th, 1998 Israel hung himself in the garage of the home he shared with his mother and grandmother. Dead at age twenty-one after nearly a month of seemingly self-imposed excommunication from those that love him. A trend that would continue into his death, as funeral services excluded his friends.

The sound that Akubi Object had forged in its brief life was, in fact, a sound forged largely by Israel. It was for that reason the band decided that it should not continue without him, and Akubi Object was laid to rest in honor of their missing brother.