SPILL NEWS: SHONEN KNIFE RE-CUTS LANDMARK ALBUM ‘LET’S KNIFE’ OUT JULY 10 | VIDEO “RIDING ON THE ROCKET” OUT NOW | TOUR DATES

SHONEN KNIFE RE-CUTS LANDMARK ALBUM LET’S KNIFE OUT JULY 10 | VIDEO “RIDING ON THE ROCKET” OUT NOW | TOUR DATES

GOOD CHARAMEL RECORDS

“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 (available on streaming platforms on July 15, 2026).

Unavailable on streaming platforms, the original album held a mythic quality, and 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 is 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).

Tour Dates

♦︎ 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

♦︎ with Men at Work and Toad the Wet Sprocket
❤︎ Shonen Knife headliner show (Osaka Ramones SET)

Artist Links

Background Photo Credit: Kai Taylor