Braces

When I first came to Taiwan, I had little money and I was still anxious about finding the right job. Needless to say, I couldn't go without music for too long, so I went out to an electronics outlet and bought a small CD player. The next thing I bought was my first Taiwan indie CD by Taiwan Colors Music (TCM) a label that puts out a monthly CD and magazine featuring local music. I picked up TCM 015, a compilation of underground rock and pop bands released in 2001. The three tracks that stuck out to me most were by acoustic punks 88 Guava Seeds, pop rockers Won Fu, and my favorite cuties the Braces. Before coming to Taiwan I was into some Japanese girl punk from Benten Label and Sister Records. The Braces track "Cloned Sheep" really reminded me of that energetic garage-punk from Japanese girl bands like Lolita #18 and Mummy the Peepshow, so I was really happy to come across something like it in Taiwan.

After finding the TCM 015 comp, I was on the lookout for some of those bands. One night I was in luck. The Braces had a show, but it was the same night as a Cheer Chen show at the upscale Stage 19 and nothing could take me away from that show. However, I arrived too late and immediately hopped in a cab and headed to The Wall for the Braces show. They happened to be on the bill with another band I would get to know and like Peppermint. The Braces' show was fun and poppy, and I was surprised to see the guitarist A Chang playing an acoustic guitar. He supplied a lot of the energy, which worked well with Katie's cutie vocals and stage presence. After the show I met Katie who was totally friendly and I talked to A Chang for a little bit about his acoustic guitar playing.

(Braces at Riverside Music Cafe (Photo: Courtesy of Yifun)

The next time I saw them was at the 2004 Formoz fest in Taipei. I wasn't sure when they were playing because their name was written in Chinese on the schedule, so I asked Katie when I saw her walking around. She showed me and the first character I learned in Chinese was "tooth." If I were ever lost in Taiwan I know I could definitely find a dentist no problem. The next day I rushed to the Fire stage to see my favorite group, pushed my way to the front, and nearly died when I saw the Braces in nurse outfits! I was rockin' out and taking some pics with a cheap digital camera. I started talking to the guy next to me in between songs about the band, DJ Lim Giong and the Taiwan music scene in general. He said he was Jason and had recently returned from a trip to NY and Tokyo, and I found out he happened to be dating Katie. After the show I picked up a Braces E.P. and had Katie sign my TCM 015 magazine by her photo and I was set for the rest of the festival.

(The Chipettes at Spring Scream (Photo:Courtesy of Yifun)

Later on I saw Katie and Jason again at the Autumn Tiger festival when Mogwai was playing. Katie asked me if I knew any female guitar players. I found out that A Chang had to leave for obligatory military service forced upon all Taiwanese males. I volunteered to join the band jokingly saying that I would wear a nurse outfit!

In the meantime, I met the drummer Sumi one drunken night at The Underworld. I had no idea she was in the band because Katie was the only member I had really talked to and I was really surprised and happy to meet her. Sumi who is very active in the underground music scene, works to promote bands through her website www.rockacola.com where one can read album reviews, download mp3's as well as access internet radio. It was also cool to meet the other Braces girls hanging out at The Underground, usually with bands like Claire.

(Katie, Sumi, Bear (Photo: Courtesy of Yifun))

The next time I saw the Braces wouldn't be until early 2005 when they played a benefit show at The Wall for the December 26 Tsunami. They actually surprised me when they showed up, and they surprised me even more with a new E.P. Playground on Gamaa records, which comes with a complementary tooth key ring. Very cute. They had found another guitarist, but I have to say that some of the energy that A Chang lent to the band had been lost. However, their catchy new songs made up for it a little. Around this time they also started organizing a series of shows with another all-girl punk band B.B. Bomb called Let's Girl! Among other artists to play on the bill would be Hotpink, Mary Jane's Friends, Peppermint, Bad Daughter and Japan's Kenya. Sumi had also been forging stronger connections with the Japanese indie scene by organizing shows with Japan's Peoples records.

(Yifun, A Chang, Mmmhoo (Photo: Courtesy of Yifun))

However, the crowning moment for the Braces would not come until Spring Scream 2005, despite the fact that it began with disaster. A Chang, who was on military leave, had played a set with his other band 88 Guava Seeds on Saturday night and was ready to play with the Braces the following afternoon. Everyone was excited and anticipation had been building. However, when everyone woke up Sunday morning, wiping the crust from their eyes and heading down to the festival grounds, the first thing they saw was a collapsed stage. Whether it was due to the winds of Kenting or the might of NY's Dynamite Club we will never know, but many bands sadly would not get to play the festival at all. I was really upset because I wanted to see the Braces who were scheduled for a 2:00 performance, especially because this would be the last time I would see them before returning to NY. The Braces turned out to be one of the luckier bands because riot grrls Hotpink had graciously offered to share their prime-time 9:00 pm slot with them, consequently, giving the Braces more media coverage than they could have hoped to imagine. And they did the best they could to milk it. They appeared on stage wearing chipmunk suits and immediately drove into the classic "Cloned Sheep." I couldn't resist the urge to jump on stage in my Pirate outfit and dance around like a madman. But that's what Spring Scream is all about. The energy that night was so much higher than it would have been at 2:00 in the afternoon, and I'm sure the Braces got more publicity than they would have if they had played the original time slot. Well, thank the gods of Kenting for good fortune. Later that night Jason invited me to dinner with the band, photographer Eatbrain and Lydia of Chasing Sparrow and that was the last I saw of the Braces. Oddly enough, I want my Braces back!

Braces in Sailor Uniforms!