"I see no point in being bored. I just don't understand the concept. So I'm always looking for things to occupy my time and get me excited," Peter Berkman, the songwriter for Anamanaguchi, told me. For fans who know the frenetic pace of their chiptune punk sound, and especially those who've heard it at their sweaty shows, this is no surprise. Anamanaguchi makes instrumental music from an unconventional source: a hacked NES system from 1985. But unlike other chiptune bands who rely solely on the sounds of the NES, Anamanaguchi uses that sound as a complement to their guitar, bass, and drums.
Berkman's personality mirrors his music: he's an excitable guy. And by that, I don't mean hyper. Instead, he finds wonderment in everything around him. He sees creativity--literally, an opportunity to create--in any object that he sees. An NES system? Let's play music! A ball on the shelf at Walmart in the middle of the midwest? Let's buy it, find a field, and play kickball! In Berkman, I heard a wide-eyed eagerness to make the most of his environment.
Read More