This got submitted as a news story, but I think it would be better here. We periodically get reports of Chicchi. I don't know how old this is due to the language barrier. But some of you might find this interesting.

Hi a new guitar playing style hit all guitar strings with right hand at 3:33 and she is in

8th grade(junior high

Lady surf
band from Japan (middle one is Miss Chicchi) first comments in Japanese says “Chicchi is in 8th grade(junior high) at this performance”

You never seen this guitar playing style before,
at 3:33 Chicchi hit all guitar strings
with right hand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShM6HhdWf7U

Chicchi at 9 year
old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVcdGaEg4so

Jgima

Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

I want to buy her copies of Disintegration, Loveless, and Brotherhood.

She's really improved a ton, not that we should be surprised! Time to write an original album Chichi!

PolloGuitar wrote:

Honestly, I would love to see Chi Chi and this band at SG101 Con and at the Pier next year.

Great idea!

So this happened. She's now in LULUFIN THE WOOHOO, and was just at Hi-Tide Summer Holiday: Asbury Park. Wow, has time flown by! Now who is it who's photobombing us?

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Brian wrote:

Wow I met her at an SG101 convention a few years ago. I think she is married to the lead guitar player in The El Caminos. I had no idea it was the same person...! Are you sure???

Yep! This is from their Facebook Homepage:

Started in 2014

CONTACT INFO
m.me/lulufinthewoohoo

Genre
Surf / Instrumental

Band Members
Chi-Chi - Guitar
Akemi - Bass
Ellie - Guitar
Ami - Drums

Hometown
Osaka, Japan

And the photograph was taken by her husband. But I admit we had a very entertaining time understanding each other.

Check out this Facebook video.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Aug 19, 2019 19:46:47

I'm still confused. Unless she changed the spelling of her name I'm not sure that the "Chicchi" in the older videos from past years is the "Chi Chi" listed as being in "Lulufinthewoohoo" band. None of the photos on that band's website have anyone in them that looks like Chicchi. (even a grown up version of her). I wish I could see the Facebook video Noel refers to but I don't have access. (not a FB user).

My thinking is that these are two different people with a similar name but I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

(edited to say, maybe I AM wrong) - I now see that she has used both spellings, but I still don't think any of the girls in the referenced band look like her, even older. When did she join this band?

Last edited: Aug 19, 2019 21:25:32

Okay then. I was wrong! The conversation took a wrong turn by the food truck as everyone was pleasantly agreeing with each other in a friendly exchange of being unable to understand how we each pronounced names. I really should have done a complete investigation on Facebook and YouTube first.

Here is the Chicchi we were all astonished by:

Chicchi & the Sweet Papas (ちっち ＆ スウィートパパ) are a Japanese band devoted entirely to Surf Guitar music. Chicchi (ちっち) Ikeda was born on August 26, 1997 in Yokohama, Japan. The "Sweet Papas" are a group of fathers from her neighborhood who formed the band on September 1, 2005 (when Chicchi was just 8!).

I think I finally have it correct.

Chicchi's band page. She has three bands.

Between Chi-Chi Nakamura in Lulufin, Chicchi Ikeda in Chicchi and the Sweet Papas with Atsushi Nakamura (her uncle) and everyone being so polite, I never got them correctly identified until now.

I got them all mixed up.

Chicchi & the Sweet Papas (ちっち ＆ スウィートパパ) are a Japanese band devoted entirely to Surf Guitar music. Chicchi (ちっち) Ikeda was born on August 26, 1997 in Yokohama, Japan. The "Sweet Papas" are a group of fathers from her neighborhood who formed the band on September 1, 2005 (when Chicchi was just 8!).

CHICCHI & THE SWEET PAPAS:
The line-up's for Chicchi and the Sweet Papas is:
Lead Guitar:
Chicchi Ikeda (ちっち)
Side Guitar:
Atsushi Nakamura (中村 敦）
Rhythm Guitar:
Takamasa Tomono (友野貴正)
Bass Guitar:
Eiji Hurubayashi (古林英二)
Drummer :Yasuyuki Sakamaki (酒巻 康行)

CHICCHI & JUKEBOX:

The line-up for Chicchi & Jukebox is the same, except for the Drummer:
Yuki Ota (a 20 year old college student）
"Chicchi & Jukebox" mostly plays in the Yokohama area.

CHICCHI & STRAWBERRY PARFAIT:
"Chicchi & Strawberry Parfait" is another all-girl band that Chicchi plays with.
The line-up's for Strawberry Parfait is:

Lead guitar: Chicchi Ikeda
Rhythm guitar: Yukina
Bass guitar: Gori
Drums: Sala

Chicchi & the Sweet Papas have made numerous live and televised performances throughout Japan. As a result of their devotion to Surf Music, they have become good friends with the legendary Ventures and Nokie Edwards, who is a founding member of the Ventures, playing with them on and off through the years, and a guitar legend in his own right.

Nokie gave Chicchi one of his personal guitars in honor of their special friendship and Bob Spalding, the Bassist for the Ventures, wrote a song just for her named, "Chicchi's Star."

On top of these special gifts, Aria & Co. presented Chicci with a "Ventures Model 2001" electric guitar and Fender Japan, Ltd. gave her a black and red "Mickey Mouse Stratocaster" bearing the outline of Mickey's head.

Since the Ventures have maintained a solid following in Japan ever since their formation in the 1960's, the Surf Guitar sound of Chicchi & the Sweet Papas was immediately well received. In traditional 1960's style, the men all wear matching outfits to add to their classic image. Many of their most popular songs are now available as videos on YouTube, and will be posted here as time permits.

Their classic Surf Guitar covers include: Telstar, Walk, Don't Run, Pipeline, Perfida, Diamond Head, Wipeout, and the Theme from Batman. Despite Chicchi's small hands, she still manages to perform the many difficult chord changes these songs require.

You can read more about the band at:

http://www.myspace.com/chicchisweetpapa#ixzz109qQbZnO

My confusion stemmed from Chicchi Ikeda is the niece of Atsushi Nakamura, not his daughter. There's no relation between Chi-Chi Nakamura and Atsushi. I really should have asked him first! I hope this clears up the consusion.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Aug 20, 2019 07:14:09

Rob_J wrote:

Hey Noel, Thanks for the in depth research and clarification. I was able to use another FB account to check out the Chicchi FB page. I wonder how active she still is with her various bands. Didn't see much dated material to determine if she is still playing but I would assume so. There hasn't been anything new on YouTube from her since around 2015.

At any rate, how cool must it be to have been "adopted" by the Ventures and to have been able to spend time with them both as a child and as a young teenager?

Her Uncle Atsushi and Nokie were very close. It must have been something to be there when they played together. I'll ask Atsushi if she's still performing.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.