Japanese Female Punkers Shonen Knife “Riding On The Rocket” Again!…“When Robby [Takac, bassist of Goo Goo Dolls and head of Good Charamel Records] suggested that we re-record Let’s Knife with the current line-up, I was so motivated,” says lead vocalist/guitarist Naoko of Japanese punk legends SHONEN KNIFE. What started as a seed of an idea blossomed into a fully-realized re-recording of their breakthrough album, titled LET’S KNIFE RE-CUT set for physical release on July 10, 2026 via Good Charamel Records
Unavailable on streaming platforms, the original album held a mythic quality with only those who owned a physical copy could enjoy it. But in a world where streaming platforms have become a new norm, they decided the re-release would be fitting to add into the mix for both lifelong and new fans. “Many of those songs are still enjoyed by audiences as essential ‘best hits’ at live performances, but I was concerned that this album could only be heard on the original CD,” she says.
So in February 2026, the band – Naoko (lead vocals/guitars), Atsuko (bass/drums/vocals) and Risa (drums/keyboards/vocals) – traveled to Buffalo, NY and invoked the spirit of their past and recorded a new version of Let’s Knife with engineer Jay Zubricky which compiled select tracks from their first four albums Burning Farm, Yama-no Attchan, Pretty Little Baka Guy, and 712 with a handful of tracks.
With the announcement of Let’s Knife Re-Cut, the band created a new video for “Riding on the Rocket.” Filmed during the recording of the album, the video features the band rocking out at GCR Studios. “A very cute video was completed,” says Naoko proudly. “The song ’Riding On The Rocket’ was inspired by Space Karuta, a Japanese card game I used to play a lot when I was a child,” she explains about the song’s origin. “One of the cards said, ‘Pluto is the farthest planet from Earth,’ and I remember letting my imagination run wild, wondering what Pluto was like. I daydreamed myself spacewalking with my blue-eyed cat at the time. So I turned that image into lyrics. Later, Pluto was reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’ though and Neptune became the farthest planet from Earth, though.”
In celebration of Let’s Knife Re-Cut, Shonen Knife are hitting the road with Men At Work and Toad the Wet Sprocket for a U.S. tour. “I really respect [Men At Work lead singer] Colin Hay and love the songs of Men at Work,” beams Naoko. “I always sing their songs at karaoke because the melody lines are so fantastic! Toad The Wet Sprocket is also a very cool band. Their music touches my heart!”
In addition, the trio will headline three special “Osaka Ramones” shows at NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge, Denver’s HQ, and Indianapolis’ Hi-Fi with setlists that highlight their love of punk icons Ramones (their Osaka Ramones shows from 2025 instantly sold out).
MEN AT WORK/TOAD THE WET SPROCKET/SHONEN KNIFE
2026 U.S. TOUR DATES
♦︎ with Men at Work and Toad the Wet Sprocket
❤︎ Shonen Knife headliner show (Osaka Ramones SET)
♦︎ 7/16 – Pompano Beach, FL – Pompano Beach Amphitheater
♦︎ 7/17 – St. Augustine, FL – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
♦︎ 7/18 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound
♦︎ 7/19 – LaGrange, GA – Sweetland Amphitheatre at Boyd Park
♦︎ 7/21 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
♦︎ 7/22 – Southaven, MS – BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove
♦︎ 7/23 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle
♦︎ 7/24 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple
♦︎ 7/26 – Cohasset, MA – The Music Circus
♦︎ 7/28 – Durham, NH – The Whittemore Center
♦︎ 7/29 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
❤︎ 7/31 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
♦︎ 8/01 – Harrington, DE – Delaware State Fair
♦︎ 8/02 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Evans Amphitheatre at Cain Park
❤︎ 8/04 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI
♦︎ 8/05 – Grand Rapids, MI – Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
♦︎ 8/06 – Bloomington, IL – Grossinger Motors Arena
♦︎ 8/07 – New Lenox, IL – Performing Arts Pavilion @ The Commons
♦︎ 8/08 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cove at Harrah’s Casino
♦︎ 8/10 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre
❤︎ 8/11 – Denver, CO– HQ
♦︎ 8/13 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
♦︎ 8/14 – Carnation, WA – Remlinger Farms
♦︎ 8/15 – Spokane, WA – Shriners Event Center
♦︎ 8/17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden
♦︎ 8/18 – Reno, NV – Silver Legacy Resort Casino
♦︎ 8/19 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery
♦︎ 8/20 – Los Angeles, CA – The United Theater on Broadway
A landmark record for the iconic trio back in August 1992, Let’s Knife was the gateway for Western audiences to discover the Osaka trio’s blend of Ramones-inspired simplicity, sugary-sweet melodies, and an unapologetically optimistic and fluffy worldview. Finding its way into the hands of the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Let’s Knife quickly made him an instant fan and ardent supporter (he invited the band to be the opener for the Nevermind tour). He was quoted saying, “I turned into a nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert. I was crying and jumping up and down and tearing my hair out – it was amazing. I’ve never been so thrilled in my whole life. They play pop music – pop, pop, pop music.” Soon, Shonen Knife became punk darlings, finding even more fans from such luminaries as Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, L7, and even Simpsons cartoonist Matt Groening.
Critics alike found the band irresistible. NPR’s Word Café said, “Listening to Shonen Knife is kind of like eating a very sweet jawbreaker. Their lyrics are about things like candy, snacks and the fun of being a girl, but they’re delivered with big, shredding guitar riffs and drums so loud they might hurt your teeth.” Pitchfork drew a “a kinship with British and American punks like Buzzcocks, the Ramones, and Black Flag, and their music sizzles with unabashed glee… and known for lighthearted and charmingly guileless lyrics about everything from flying jellybeans and tomato juice addictions to ugly bison and spam e-mail.” UK’s The Guardian was charmed by the band, writing, “With songs about jellybeans and feline transformations, the Osaka band brought joy and fun to a serious punk-rock scene.”
Over three decades later, Let’s Knife continues to resonate with new generations of fans. Its influence can be heard in countless pop-punk and indie bands that embrace melody and positivity without sacrificing their edge. For longtime listeners, it remains a nostalgic touchstone; for newcomers, it’s a refreshing discovery that still sounds vibrant and alive.
Ultimately, Let’s Knife isn’t just an album—it’s a statement of intent. It proves that music doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful, and that joy, when delivered with conviction, can be just as impactful as rebellion. In the world of Shonen Knife, happiness is loud, fast, and absolutely unstoppable… and the Re-Cut will make a deeper slice!
For more on Shonen Knife, visit: https://www.shonenknife.net/
