Butter 08

Butter 08 was a short-lived but unforgettable collision of New York's downtown creative scene in the mid-1990s, a project that brought together an eclectic mix of talent from influential indie acts and the art world. This "supergroup" was less a meticulously planned alliance and more an accidental, chaotic fusion that resulted in one of the decade's most delightfully unpredictable, genre-hopping records.

Biography

Butter 08's foundation traces back to a chaotic, late-night recording session during the production of the debut single, "Know Your Chicken," for the innovative Japanese-American duo Cibo Matto. From that initial spark, Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori (vocals, multi-instrumentalist) and Yuka Honda (keyboards, sampler, production) joined forces with Russell Simins, the explosive, driving drummer of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Rounding out the line-up were percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Rick Lee of the experimental rock group Skeleton Key, and graphic designer and filmmaker Mike Mills (later an acclaimed director), who provided basslines and backing vocals.

The collective's demo was reportedly passed directly to Beastie Boy Mike D, who immediately signed the project to his fledgling, genre-agnostic Grand Royal label. The resulting sole album, simply titled Butter (1996), became a testament to the spontaneous cross-pollination of the East Village art and music scene of that era. The sound of Butter is an anarchic mix-tape of downtown culture, drawing from hip hop, funk, punk rock, acid rap, lounge jazz, and experimental pop. It's a record that shifts styles with giddy, almost reckless confidence, feeling both spontaneous and highly curated. A central creative tension of the album is the vocal interplay: Miho Hatori's bright, sharp, often whimsical vocal delivery contrasts sharply with Russell Simins' husky, gravelly, and at times deadpan "paranoid growl." Around them, Yuka Honda anchored the sound with her distinctive use of analog keys (Hammond, Farfisa, synthesizer, sampler), while Rick Lee twisted rhythmic guitar noise into strange, textural layers. Mike Mills’ simple, gliding basslines provided a steady undercurrent over Simins' pile-driven, mechanical beats.

Critics were largely fascinated by the band's fearless genre-hopping and sense of fun; AllMusic called the album "Often hilarious and consistently groovy; in a word, dynamite." Though some reviewers found certain songs "fragmented" due to the music's impulsive nature, the record's looseness ultimately became its identity—a cherished snapshot of five artists meeting in the middle to see what would happen. Following the single album and brief period of live performances, the members returned to their primary projects, leaving Butter as a brilliant, singular anomaly of 90s alternative music.

Watch

"Butter Of 69" Music Video

Personnel

• Miho Hatori: Vocals, Piano, Organ, Drums

• Yuka Honda: Hammond Organ, Farfisa, Synthesizer, Piano, Sampler, Guitar, Backing Vocals (Also served as Producer)

• Russell Simins: Drums, Vocals, Guitar, Bass (Also served as Producer)

• Rick Lee: Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Sampler

• Mike Mills: Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals

Discography

• Butter (1996) The sole album by the collective, released on Grand Royal Records. It is a wildly eclectic, genre-fluid document of the mid-90s New York underground, fusing elements of lounge, funk, noise-rock, and hip-hop. The record's chaotic energy is grounded by the push-and-pull between Miho Hatori's sweet, high vocals and Russell Simins' low, deadpan growls. Key tracks include "Butter Of 69," "Dick Serious," and "Mono Lisa."