NO COSTUME NO GIMMICK ANGLO-NIPPONESE GARAGE PUNK/ROCK!! The Routes are based in the mountains of Oita prefecture, playing independently over 600 miles south of the Tokyo garage scene. The Routes make music taking influence from UK and US 60s music and culture, happily oblivious to the fads and trends of today. The Routes started life as as a garage punk band called The Facials, and were formed by Chris Jack and Masao Nakayama in 2003. The Facials released 3 demo CD-Rs, before changing their name to The Routes in 2005. They made their first appearance on the Motor Sounds Records compilation album Blood On The Scratchplate 65. The band were joined by Toru Nishimuta on bass, and their debut album “Left My Mind” was released in 2007 on Motor Sounds Records(UK). The album title track also appeared on a compilation for Sazanami Label the same year. In late 2007 Masao Nakayama had to move away due to his job, and Chris Jack operated as a One Man Band for a short time. Around 2009, Chris met drummer Shinichi Nakayama, and The Routes were active again. The band released their debut single Do What's Right By You on Dirty Water Records(UK) in April 2010. In early 2011 Toru Nishimuta was had to leave due to his job. He was replaced at the last minute by Takafumi Kakizoe on bass, just as the band were putting the finishing touches to the second album Alligator. The band released "Alligator" on Dirty Water Records in April 2011. The Routes also released their version of the Jesters Of Newport song Stormy on Groovie Records (Portugal). That same month The Routes embarked on their first European Tour, playing in Portugal, Spain, France, and UK. The tour went well, but took it's toll on band relations, and Takafumi Kakizoe was dsimissed within 3 weeks of returning to Japan. Shortly after The Routes joined Los Wakamonos and The Paralyz for a split 7" single on New York label Go Ape Records. The recording was made prior to the band going to Europe. In 2012 The Routes released the album Instrumentals. As with Alligator, the band recruited a bass player (Satomi Okubo) during the final stages of recording. Shortly after the recording was completed, Shinichi Nakayama quit, and Chris Jack decided to use totally different members to continue The Routes. Chris was joined by Yuichiro Tomishige on drums and Yusuke Nakamura on bass. The band released the 4 song Better Off EP on Groovie Records (Portugal), before embarking on a tour of Portugal and Spain. May 2013 saw the release of The Routes cover of I Got A Feelin' by The Mondels, backed with All I Really Need Is Love by Reasons Why, on Action Weekend Records, Spain. In December 2013 The Routes released the Hole In My Soul EP on KOTJ Records/Ghost Highway Recordings. The routes plan to release a full album in 2014.