The House of Pies in Los Feliz is a regular-looking coffee shop with a crusty speciality. For a few bucks, you can share your inflating ass with stool at the counter while you sip a cup of black mud coffee and a slice of pie. It's the type of place where each time you visit, you'll be torn as to which flavor to get, since there's 25 different types. The Pebbles scarfed down the symbol of American fat culture when we met. The pie was good and our conversation was funny and choppyÐthey seemed like aquarium fish with everyone watching, since sitting at the table was Rockin' Jellybean, who is one of the Jackie and the CedricsÐa Japanese surf band; Sven, the Planet Pimp record company owner who puts out the Pebbles releases; the Pebble's friend and photographer Masa; and Hiro, Jellybean's roommate, who looks like a Japanese hick gas-pumping yellow-neck. The men spoke amongst themselves, and I struggled with my broken Japanese and their broken English.

When we all walked into the restaurant, the employees and customers probably thought we were lost Japanese tourists who couldn't find Knott's Berry Farm, but after a while, they realized that something was up since there was a tape recorder being pointed at the three women. I noticed people looking back at our table and then taking a bite of burger and then looking again with a face of curiosityÐno one had a clue as to who I was trying to talk to...

The Pebbles aren't used to getting much attention since they aren't as popular as other Japanese women bands. Their monthly shows in Tokyo are sparse, yielding anywhere from 8-20 people, and they don't get paid a cent to play, unless they are opening for bigger garage bands who draw bigger like the 5,6,7,8's or Jackie and the Cedrics. And even then, their pay is only $20 between the three of them, perhaps just enough to pay for a beer and a ride home for just one of them.

Sitting across from me and having her head down in a pie most of the time was Etsuko, the tallest of the three, who plays bass and sings. She was also the sole consumer of an entire apple pie ala mode. And to her left and sharing a cherry pie was Nana, the guitar player, and Emi, the drummer. I'll admit that I knew nothing about this band, since they've had little exposure in America. Yet after contacting Sven at his bedroom office, he told me that they were coming through L.A. to not play a show, but to hang out in Mexico! They sounded cool. Sven told me that just a few days earlier, they played at the CMJ music fest in NY, and then played in San Francisco, but didn't get a gig in LA, which sucked for their handful of fans.

Wrestling was the first thing to come up since they just went to Mexico, and it turned out that Nana is a huge wrestling fan in Japan! Even though the ticket prices are high as hell, she'll shell out her earnings as a photographer's assistant to see Riki Choshu and Fujiwara slug each other out at the Tokyo Dome! During their trip to Tijuana, she picked up an Ultimo Dragon mask for $4! She should have worn it! Besides shopping for switchblades, the group checked out a cheap wax museum and saw a Dracula!

Yet somehow our talk turned to reality, and I found that while Etsuko sells cosmetics at an Ikebukuro department store, Emi has a fun job as a waitress in a gay host and karaoke bar in Kabuki-choÐthe seedier part of Tokyo. On a daily basis, Yakuza men and old ladies come to pick up on young boys for big bucks. If you want to visit, go check out Emi at the Tokyo Karaoke Hompo (penthouse). When I posed the question of whether her parents know about her employment, she said, "don't knowÐit's secret!" She'd be busted for sure.

The Pebbles are a hobby band, since it's tough for indie bands in Japan to make a career or even a meager living, unlike many small U.S. bands. When I asked if they'd like to make a full time job out of the Pebbles, I got some realistic answers. Etsuko says, "no way," while Nana seriously dreams of being a pro-wrestling photographer. Emi on the other hand says, "really I want to, but Pebbles play not many..." Meaning that the crowds and the sales just aren't high enough. Even though the Pebbles can rock with the rest of them, Etsuko has an explanation for the lack of popularity of indie bands in Japan. "Japanese is popular in karaoke, so people like music that they can sing. So maybe they heard our music, but can't sing it. So people like the songs they can sing.Ó Since Emi works at a karaoke place, she should be stuffing their disc players with the Pebbles Japanese album, but she'd get busted by a punch permed Yakuza kid.

When I asked how long the band had been together, they quickly had to do the math. Emi quickly says that since she's 24, they started five years ago where they met at a Jackie and the Cedrics show! Jellybean at the other end of the table couldn't believe that five years passed since they picked up their instruments. When I asked them to name their favorite bands in Japan, they quickly rattled off Jackie and the Cedrics, and the 5,6,7,8's, while they also dig Buddy Holly, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Shangrilas, and Bo Diddley. There's not too many Japanese bands that they cite as their favorites.

We finished licking our plates and walked back towards the cars, and as we passed a tattoo shop, Emi peeked in. She has a self-done tattoo that's faded and she wants fixed. It's a small flower on her index finger. The shop asked for $40 which was too high, since sheÕs looking for something in the $30 range which she can get in Japan. When I asked her if her parents know about her two tiny tattoos (the other is a tiny flame on her upper arm), she said that's it's all a secret. She wears sleeved shirts and puts a band aid on her finger when she visits home. "They will get angry and disinherit me."

When they get back to Japan, the three will get back into their daily routines, practicing sometimes, and playing a show once a month. Meanwhile, when the band isnÕt in effect they'll do their favorite things. Nana will sleep all day and then check out some wrestling, Etsuko will see the latest Wong Kar-Wai film, and Emi will relax and take walks through parks.

The Pebbles, at this writing, have three 7" singles and will have a full-length recording soon. For any information about their releases, write to: Planet Pimp Records at 1800 Market St. #45 SF, CA 94012.