MICABOMB: TURNING RAW ENERGY INTO ROCK ’N’ ROLL
Some bands make music. Others create an experience.
Micabomb belongs firmly in the second category. With their explosive combination of attitude, melody, punk-rock energy and an unmistakable sense of individuality, Micabomb has carved out its own place in the underground music world. Their music doesn’t simply sit in the background—it demands attention, grabs you by the collar and pulls you into their world.
Behind the noise, the energy and the attitude is a band driven by a genuine love for rock ’n’ roll and a desire to do things their own way. From their songs and recordings to the intensity of their live performances, Micabomb brings the kind of raw spirit that has always made rock music exciting.
“We’re an all-female Japanese/UK punk rock band based in London. Our energetic shows and catchy songs will never let you down!” said Mika Handa. “It’s a pure rock and roll attitude. That is what fuels my fire.’
Mika relocated to England to form a band and, her band stood out as there were not any all female Japanese bands there. “I love music, which is why I went to England. I watched so many bands and, one day, I thought, “Maybe I should form a band too.” There weren’t any Japanese bands playing in London at the time, so we got a lot of attention!”
“Mikabomb started in 1999, and the beginning was great. We were Radio 1 presenter Steve Lamacq’s favourite band, and we quickly signed with Sanctuary Management, which was owned by Iron Maiden. We turned down an offer from Epitaph and released two singles on the Beastie Boys’ label, Grand Royal. Both singles charted in France and Sweden. However, the label went bankrupt after we recorded our first album. We managed to release the album through Damaged Goods in 2001. We toured around Europe and the US and had some really successful years.And then, a tragic accident happened in 2005. After the release of our second album, our drummer became critically ill. Fortunately, he survived, but both of his legs had to be amputated. It was heartbreaking — he was my best friend. I thought, “That’s it. I don’t want to play in a band anymore.”
The original lineup included Mika Handa — lead vocals; Agi (LongKuan on guitar; Mika Kanayama on bass and Ergi Ahmed on drums.
The band split up in 2006 however returned in 2010 with a new lineup. They played occassional shows, however went silent for several years until reforming in 2025 with a new lineup. The band includes Mika Handa – lead vocal; Mel Roxy on guitar; Emiko on bass and Debbie on drums. They just completed a UK tour in August and have more tours in the works for the end of the year.
“After your long break what brought the band back together? We played some festivals and other shows on and off from 2012, but we came back to the scene last year, 2025 by playing Rebellion Festival, one of the biggest punk festivals in the world. Big bands like The Damned, The Stranglers and the Buzzcocks play there. We were somehow asked to play, so we did a UK tour around the festival. All our old fans came back to see us, and we had a great crowd. We were invited back again this year and played the main stage at Rebellion. That was awesome! We’ve just finished our UK tour. We’re going to play in Japan in the autumn. Between these, we will work on our new songs.”
When it comes to a song of Mika Bomb that represents the band, Mika said, “Is there one song in your catalog that best represents who Micabomb is today? I’d say “Super Sexy Razor Happy Girls” because it has everything that represents Mikabomb — energy, catchy melodies, attitude!”
We’re foreigners and women in punk rock, so it hasn’t always been easy! We’ve always faced challenges, but we’ve never let them stop us. We’ve had to prove ourselves and show everyone: don’t underestimate us!”
This is the kind of band that makes you remember why punk and rock ’n’ roll mattered in the first place. Three chords, attitude, volume and a whole lot of fuck-you energy. The songs hit hard, the guitars bite, and the live show isn’t something you politely watch from the back of the room. It’s something you survive. They have toured the United States and hopefully a return to the U.S.A isin the works as this is one band tha brings energy and intensity to the stage and a must see band that will rock you into the stratosphere!
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mikabombrock/
Instagram – www.instagram.com/mika.bomb2025
Record label – https://damagedgoods.co.uk/bands/mikabomb/
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mika_Bomb
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/6QhHstz3WXuDqBVvLHluuI?si=-ASWbFffTV-YZKDE5oKw6w
A couple of interesting details
The original group was notable because, despite being based in London, it was largely made up of Japanese/Asian women with a Norwegian male drummer, Ergi. Contemporary Damaged Goods material describes them as four Japanese/Asian women plus the male drummer.
They were already playing extensively around the UK by 1999, attracting attention from BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq, and signed with the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label in 2000.
Their first album, The Fake Fake Sound of Mikabomb, came out in 2001 on Damaged Goods after Grand Royal folded.
