Potshot

Potshot were a six-piece spitfire ska-punk act from Tokyo, whose lyrics were blasted out in barely intelligible English and whose brassy ska horns were from another planet. Their sound was unique, but with similarities to bands like Screeching Weasel, Operation Ivy, and Bad Manners. Potshot's big pop sound was catchy and infectious, littered with "oohs" and "ahhs" to go with the standard ska cry of "Oi-Oi-Oi!" California-based Asian Man Records released their debut full-length, Pots and Shots, in 1997 and followed up two years later with Rock 'n' Roll. Their third effort, Til I Die, was out making waves in Japan for over a year before its U.S. release in October 2000. A Go Go appeared next in 2002, the same year Dance to the Potshot Record appeared in Japan. The latter album was eventually released on U.S. soil in 2004 with two additional bonus tracks. In Japan during May 2005, Potshot released their final album, entitled Potshot Beat Goes On, on TV Freak Records. They called it quits that same year, playing a final show in Tokyo in September 2005.