Half Japanese is a punk and indie rock duo formed by brothers Jad and David Fair in 1975. The Maryland group has never experienced even marginal mainstream success in its over 35 years of existence, yet it has constantly been regarded as a diamond in the rough cult band by the likes of Kurt Cobain, Moe Tucker of the Velvet Underground, members of Sonic Youth and Daniel Johnston. Half Japanese's style has ebbed and flowed a bit throughout its nearly 15 albums, as Jad has taken over more and more control of its output, but its overall sound is characterized by raw, loose, jangly pop punk full of beat up, untuned guitars and rudimentary drumming. During live shows, Jad will bring a revolving cast of musicians on stage to perform, often utilizing extra guitars and a saxophone player. In 1993, filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig created a documentary on the band's cult legacy called Half Japanese: The Band that Would be King.
