KaitO

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use British English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = KaitO | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = England | genre = Indie rock | years_active = 1996–2006 | label = Fierce Panda Devil in the Woods SpinART Blast First | website = | current_members = | past_members = Nikki Colk Gemma Cullingford Dave Lake Dieta Quantrill }}

'''KaitO''' was an English indie rock band from Norwich, formed in 1996.<ref name="Wilson">Wilson, MacKenzie "[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kaito-p483964/biography KaitO Biography]", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-08-15</ref> Their music consisted of loud, pop-punk melodies combined with a unique mix of guitar effects. The band split up in 2006.

==History== The band was formed in 1996, and after five years in which they released three singles on small labels, the signed a European deal with Fierce Panda and an American deal with Devil in the Woods in 2001. They played mostly in England, but also toured the United States on many occasions.

The band's debut album was released in August 2001 on the Devil in the Woods label, entitled ''You've Seen Us..You Must Have Seen Us...''.<ref name="Wilson" /><ref name="Sarvady">Sarvady, Glen (2001) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=sCoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=kaito+colk&pg=PA70 Kaito – You've Seen Us, You Must Have Seen Us...]", ''CMJ New Music Monthly'', September 2001, p. 70, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> This was quickly followed up with a single, "Cat Nap", on the Fierce Panda label, while British music critics praised KaitO's unique punky sound.

2002 began with tours for the band, most notably with the Datsuns, Seafood and Imperial Teen.<ref name="Wilson" /> An EP was released (''Montigola Underground'') that summer despite the touring, and KaitO eventually left Devil in the Woods for SpinART in 2003.<ref name="Pareles">Pareles, Jon (2003) "[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/01/arts/music-playlist-now-in-a-club-near-you-gamelans-and-baby-talk.html MUSIC: PLAYLIST; Now in a Club Near You: Gamelans and Baby Talk]", ''The New York Times'', 1 June 2003, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> Their album ''Band Red'' was released in May 2003. The band performed at the South by Southwest festival in the same year.<ref name="Pareles2">Pareles, Jon (2003) "[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/17/arts/critic-s-notebook-paying-dues-amid-some-singing-of-the-blues.html CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Paying Dues Amid Some Singing of the Blues]", ''The New York Times'', 17 March 2003, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> The band's final release was a self-titled EP on Blast First in 2003. In 2006, Kaito broke up.

==Post break-up==

Colk later joined Factory Floor.

Cullingford became the co-founder of the Norwich Ukulele Society,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-11497013 |title=Ukulele revival embraced by City of Norwich |publisher=BBC News|date=2010-10-08 |accessdate=2012-11-24}}</ref> and a ukulele instructor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukulele-lessons.co.uk/norwich-music-lessons.aspx |title=Norwich/Norfolk |publisher=Ukulele Lessons |accessdate=2012-11-24}}</ref> In 2015 she formed new band Sink Ya Teeth, who released albums in 2018<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/23/sink-ya-teeth-one-to-watch |title = One to watch: Sink Ya Teeth {{!}} Pop and rock |work= The Guardian|date = 23 June 2018 |last1 = MacKay |first1 = Emily }}</ref> and 2020. Since 2021 she released music solo under her own name, including 2021 album, ''Let Me Speak''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gemma Cullingford |url=https://gemmacullingford.bandcamp.com/music |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=Gemma Cullingford |language=en}}</ref>

Lake later played as guitarist in the Norwich-based band Magoo.

==Musical style== The band's sound has been described as "scathing bubblegum pop",<ref name="Clarke">Clarke, Betty (2004) "[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/apr/02/popandrock.shopping6 Kaito, Band Red]", ''The Guardian'', 2 April 2004, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> and "tightly coiled post-punk-pop".<ref name="Phares">Phares, Heather "[http://www.allmusic.com/album/band-red-r629890/review ''band Red'' Review]", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> They have been compared to Elastica, Sonic Youth,<ref name="Garrett">Garrett, Jon (2006) "[http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/6303-liars-kaito/ Liars / KaitO ULU, London, UK: 16 March 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312054835/http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/6303-liars-kaito/ |date=12 March 2011 }}", Pitchfork Media, 5 April 2006, retrieved 2011-08-16</ref> Wire, PiL,<ref name="Hochman">Hochman, Steve (2004) "POP MUSIC REVIEW; Steamy night for a pair of Brit acts", ''Los Angeles Times'', 1 March 2004, p. E24</ref> and Sleater Kinney.<ref name="Wash">"A Quick Spin", ''Washington Post'', 1 June 2003, p. N5</ref>

==Members== *Nikki Colk (vocals, guitar)<ref name="Wilson" /> *Gemma Cullingford (bass guitar)<ref name="Clarke" /> *Dave Lake (guitar)<ref name="Garrett" /> *Dieta Quantrill (drums)<ref name="Wilson" />

==Discography==

===Albums===

*''You've Seen Us..You Must Have Seen Us...'' (2001), Devil in the Woods *''Band Red'' (2003), SpinART/Mute

===Singles and EPs=== *"Who'ee Owee" (1997), Vibrations From The Edge of Sanity *"60 Second Popstar" (1998), Vibrations From The Edge of Sanity *"Go" (2000), Sickroom Gramophonic Collective *"Cat Nap" (2001), Fierce Panda *''Montigola Underground'' EP (2001), Future Farmer *''Kaito'' EP (2003), Blast First

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.mute.biz/kaito/ Official website] *[http://www.myspace.com/kaitothepopband Kaito's MySpace page] – featuring new music *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928071830/http://www.kexp.org/aspnet_client/KEXPViewMediaGroup.aspx?rID=263&pID=528&fID=539&artist=JR Kaito performing live] – audio stream of an in-studio performance at KEXP in Seattle *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928063742/http://www.kexp.org/aspnet_client/KEXPViewMediaGroup.aspx?rID=74&pID=528&fID=539&artist=JR Kaito performing live again] – another audio stream of a more recent in-studio performance at KEXP in Seattle *[http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/kaito/bandred?q=kaito band red reviews]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at Metacritic.com

Category:Blast First artists Category:English indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Norfolk