Panchiko
| Company type | Indie rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | Between 1997 and 1998 |
| Headquarters | Nottingham , England |
Key people | Owain Davies, Andy Wright, Shaun Ferreday, Rob Harris, John Schofield |
| Products | Music albums and EPs |
Panchiko () is an indie rock group originating from Nottingham, England. Established between 1997 and 1998, the founding members were lead singer and guitarist Owain Davies, guitarist and keyboardist Andy Wright, bassist Shaun Ferreday, and drummer John. Following their resurgence in 2020, Rob Harris joined on guitar and John Schofield took over drumming duties, replacing the original drummer.[1]
The band attracted renewed interest in 2016 when their demo EP from 2000, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, was found in a Nottingham charity shop and subsequently shared on 4chan. The EP’s warped audio caused by disc rot contributed to its enigmatic appeal, resulting in a dedicated cult fanbase and an online community focused on uncovering the band’s history. Panchiko remained unaware of this revival until a fan reached out via Facebook in 2020.[2][3]
Since then, Panchiko has issued two compilation albums featuring remastered early recordings: a re-release of D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L combining their first two EPs, alongside Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997-2001). In December 2021, they held their first live performance in over two decades in Nottingham,[4] followed by their inaugural tour across the United States.[5] Their first full-length album, Failed at Math(s), debuted on 5 May 2023, coinciding with a second US tour.[6] Their sophomore album, Ginkgo, was released on 4 April 2025.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
By November 2021, Panchiko had accumulated more than ten million streams on Spotify, and as of October 2025, they maintain over 2.18 million monthly listeners.[3][7]
1997–2001: Origins, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, and dissolution
Panchiko came together between 1997 and 1998 when its members were aged 16 to 17,[8][9] near the conclusion of their secondary education.[1] The lineup consisted of childhood friends from Nottingham—Owain Davies, Andy Wright, Shaun Ferreday, and John.[9] Their band name is a misspelled version of pachinko. Davies identified otaku culture as a significant influence on both their lyrics and visual style,[10] describing himself as an admirer of anime soundtracks, Japanese role-playing games, and works by Studio Ghibli.[11] Musically, they drew inspiration from acts such as Radiohead, Super Furry Animals, Ultrasound, Air, The Beatles, DJ Shadow, Joy Division, New Order, Nirvana, and Kid Loco.[10][11]
Initially performing cover songs live in local pubs despite being underage,[11] Panchiko participated in Battle of the Bands competitions but seldom achieved victories or favorable critiques.[1][11] After an unsuccessful attempt at studio recording, they opted to create music at home with budget equipment.[2] Their debut EP, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, was recorded between 1999 and 2000 with Wright handling production.[11] Completed by June 2000,[11] the cover art features imagery from the manga Mint na Bokura by Wataru Yoshizumi.[9] The liner notes list only first names.[3] This EP encompasses various genres including emo, industrial, dream pop, psychedelic rock, shoegaze, trip hop, and vaporwave.[2][12] Roughly 30 self-made CD-R copies were distributed among friends and sent to reviewers and record labels.[5][2] Aside from some indifferent reviews, only Fierce Panda in London expressed interest.[7] Simon Williams, owner of the label, noted enthusiasm but logistical issues and limited A&R presence in Nottingham prevented signing.[13]
Between 2000 and 2001,[11] Panchiko recorded three further tracks intended for an unreleased EP titled Kicking Cars. By 2001, members were attending sixth form or college; Ferreday juggled academic responsibilities alongside classical guitar lessons and part-time employment. The second EP has been characterized as art rock.[12] Wright recalls performing at a modest festival in Sutton-in-Ashfield during mid-2001[14] before the group disbanded.[2] Davies attributed this breakup partly to members pursuing further education or military enlistment.[1]
Following the split, Wright and Davies continued engaging with music. Wright joined Nottingham’s art rock band Swimming before initiating his project We Show Up on RadaR; he also established a career as a professional sound engineer. Davies produced electronic compositions released via MySpaceCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and worked as a video jockey within the gaming sector,[3] later moving into education. Ferreday sold his guitars and paused musical activities until Panchiko’s reunion; he currently works as a tree surgeon.[15][1] Drummer John enlisted in the armed forces after the breakup; communication with him was lost among other members.[3][11]
2016–2020: Revival and investigation
On 21 July 2016, an anonymous individual browsing the /mu/ music board on 4chan discovered a copy of Panchiko's EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L at an Oxfam charity shop. This user sought to gather information about the band.[5][16] The EP’s liner notes included only the first names of band members and the release year,[3] which made identifying details scarce. Despite the audio suffering from severe disc rot distortion, the user shared ripped tracks after receiving requests.[3][11] Although some suspected the post was a publicity stunt,[5] Panchiko unexpectedly developed a dedicated cult following without their knowledge.[3] No definitive information about the band surfaced at that time.
In 2017, uploading the EP’s ripped audio to YouTube[17][3] garnered approximately two hundred thousand views, motivating fans to delve deeper into uncovering the band’s history.[5][11] On 19 January 2020, investigators traced a barcode on the EP back to an Oxfam store located in Sherwood, Nottingham, leading to inquiries about local musicians named "Owain."
By 21 January 2020, a member of the search group reached out to Panchiko’s lead vocalist via Facebook; Davies confirmed his identity.[5][2] Now approaching his late 30s,[14] Davies had been unaware of the EP’s online presence.[3][2] He then contacted Wright in South Korea, who connected with Ferreday in Cambridge. None were previously aware that their music had gained renewed attention.[11] The original drummer John is no longer part of the band, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.[11][3]
2020–2022: Reunion, reissues, and live performances
Following Davies’ outreach, Wright took on the task of restoring and remastering Panchiko’s earlier recordings. Davies observed that the CD’s deterioration contributed to its unique appeal, implying it might be preferable to preserve it as fans initially encountered it.
At first lacking access to original master recordings, Wright acquired a better-preserved EP copy from an acquaintance. Using this source, he remastered all four tracks from D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, releasing enhanced versions within two weeks. On 16 February 2020, Panchiko reissued D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L on Bandcamp as a comprehensive compilation featuring songs from their unreleased 2001 EP Kicking Cars alongside the original degraded tracks. Upon release day, it became one of Bandcamp’s top-selling offerings. Two months later, the compilation was made available on Spotify.
Between 2020 and 2021, Davies, Wright, and Ferreday revived Panchiko by releasing previously unheard material from 1997–2001 as well as new compositions across streaming services and physical formats such as vinyl and cassette. In July 2020, they unveiled Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001), comprising 18 unreleased demos. Additionally, they released "R>O>B>O>T>S>R>E>P>R>I>S>E" (a re-recorded version of "Laputa") in May 2020 and "Machine Gun Drum", marking their first original song since disbanding, in June 2020. February 2021 saw the release of The Death Of, which included "Infinite Pieces," their last track recorded before 2001.
In November 2020, Panchiko issued remixed versions of "D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L," collaborating with various artists including Tongg—whose members Rob Harris (vocals, guitar, keys) and John Schofield (drums) joined Panchiko in late 2021. The band reunited for their first rehearsal in two decades on 31 August 2021 and held their inaugural live show on 6 December 2021 at Nottingham’s Metronome venue before an audience of roughly 400.
On 13 May 2022, they performed in Hackney, London, followed by a tour across the United States, which included an appearance at Texas’ South by Southwest festival. During this tour, they released the deluxe edition D>E>L>U>X>E>M>E>T>A>L, which climbed to number two on Bandcamp's alternative chart by 20 October 2022.
2023–present: Failed at Math(s) and Ginkgo
On 13 February 2023, Panchiko revealed their first full-length album, Failed at Math(s), which officially launched on 5 May. The album's title track was issued as a single on 7 March, representing their second original composition since reuniting. In May 2023, the band commenced their second comprehensive tour across the United States. Plans for a third North American tour were later publicized for December 2023.
On 22 November 2024, Panchiko debuted a music video for the song "Ginkgo" and simultaneously announced their sophomore album bearing the same name, released on 4 April 2025. Following this, singles such as "Shandy in the Graveyard" (3 January 2025) and "Honeycomb" (14 February 2025) were unveiled.
Band members
Several releases feature members adopting "Panchiko" as a surname (for example, Andy Panchiko).
Current lineup
- Owain Davies – lead vocals, guitar, sampler, piano
- Andrew "Andy" Wright – guitar, keyboards, sampler, backing vocals
- Shaun Ferreday – bass guitar, programming, effects
- Robert "Rob" Harris – guitar
- John Schofield – drums, percussion
Former members
- John – drums, percussion
Studio albums
| Album | Release details |
|---|---|
| Failed at Math(s) |
|
| Ginkgo |
|
Compilation albums
| Album | Release information |
|---|---|
| D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L (Remastered reissue) |
|
| Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001) |
|
| D>E>L>U>X>E>M>E>T>A>L |
|
Remix projects
| Project title | Details |
|---|---|
| D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L>S |
|
| R>E>M>I>X>E>D |
Live releases
| Title | Release specifics |
|---|---|
| L>I>V>E>M>E>T>A>L |
|
| Live | |
| Live in Nottingham |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Tracks | EP specifics |
|---|---|---|
| D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L | 1. D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L 2. Stabilisers for Big Boys 3. Laputa 4. The Eyes of Ibad |
|
| Kicking Cars | 1. Cut 2. Sodium Chloride 3. Kicking Cars |
|
Singles
| Title | Date of release | Associated release |
|---|---|---|
| "R>O>B>O>T>S>R>E>P>R>I>S>E" (Re-recorded version of "Laputa") |
18 May 2020 | Standalone single |
| "Machine Gun Drum" | 11 June 2020 | |
| "Untitled Demo - 1997" (Recorded in 1997) |
7 July 2020 | Ferric Oxide (Demos 1997–2001) |
| "Infinite Pieces" (Recorded in 2001) "Untitled Acoustic Song - 1997"[lower-alpha 1] (Recorded in 1997) |
14 February 2021 | The Death Of |
| "Failed at Math(s)" | 7 March 2023 | Failed at Math(s) |
| "Until I Know" | 30 March 2023 | |
| "Portraits" | 12 April 2023 | |
| "Ginkgo" | 22 November 2024 | Ginkgo |
| "Shandy in the Graveyard" (featuring Billy Woods) |
3 January 2025 | |
| "Honeycomb" | 14 February 2025 | |
| "Mac's Omelette" | 14 March 2025 | |
| "Lifestyle Trainers" | 23 May 2025 |
Music videos
| Date | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Until I Know" | Simon Ellis |
| "Portraits" | Shunsaku Hayashi | |
| 2024 | "Ginkgo" | Simon Ellis |
| 2025 | "Shandy in the Graveyard" | |
| "Honeycomb" | Leah Putnam | |
| "Mac's Omelette" | Simon Ellis |
Visualizers
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 2020 | "R>O>B>O>T>R>E>P>R>I>S>E" |
| "Andy and Hugh Panchiko - DEATHMETAL Remix" | |
| "Tongg - DEATHMETAL Remix" | |
| 2021 | "Stabilisers For Big Boys - 1997 Anime Opening Credits Version" |
| 2023 | "Failed at Math(s)" |
Live sessions
| Date | Session title |
|---|---|
| 2020 | "PANCHIKO - DEATHMETAL" |
| 2021 | "PANCHIKO – LAPUTA – LIVE" |
| "PANCHIKO – UNTITLED ACOUSTIC SONG 1997 – LIVE(ISH)" | |
| "MEGA_GHOST_SESSION" | |
| "PANCHIKO – STUCK – FIRST BAND PRACTICE IN 20 YEARS" | |
| "Panchiko – GWEN EVEREST – Acoustic" |
Tours
| Tour name | Duration | Supporting performers | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Tour | 9 October 2022 – 30 October 2022 |
| |
| 'Failed at Math(s)' Tour | '7 May 2023 – 4 June 2023' |
| |
| 'Failed at Math(s)' UK and Europe Tour | '7 October 2023 – 1 December 2023' |
|
|
| '2024 North America Tour' | '16 April 2024 – 18 May 2024' |
|
|
| 'Fall 2024 North America Tour' | '25 October 2024 – 24 November 2024' |
|
|
| 'Spring 2025 UK and Europe Tour' | '25 March 2025 – 5 April 2025' |
| |
| 'Ginkgo US Tour' | '28 May 2025 – 24 June 2025' |
|
|
| 'Fall 2025 US Tour' | '16 September 2025 – 5 October 2025' |
|
|
External links
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