Punk-Rock Sleepover: Mika Miko

THE MEMBERS OF MIKA MIKO are really good at not being able to play their instruments.

On its Kill Rock Stars debut, "C.Y.S.L.A.B.F.," the all-girl Los Angeles-based punk band bash out some of the messiest racket since Huggy Bear broke up.

Guitarist Michelle Suarez said this isn't an affectation.

"I didn't know how to play guitar at all when we started," she said. "I knew, like, one chord — the E chord. You know when people start playing and they can't hold down the strings and it makes that buzzing sound? It was kind of like that."

But that buzzing is a big part of Mika Miko's allure. Songs such as "Take It Serious" and "Business Cats" are shouty, dirty punk blow-outs that could have fit onto the "Repo Man" soundtrack.

Mika Miko's members are between the ages of 20 and 23 but most of them met while they were still in high school.

"Jenna and Jennifer played in a crust band called Dead Banana Ladies. I played bass a few times," said Suarez. "After D.B.L. we just started hanging around in the basement and were like, 'Let's start a band, we can play parties' — we never really thought we would put out a record."

As a result, there's a lingering teen mentality in Mika Miko. When Suarez describes the writing, recording or touring with the band, Mika Miko sometimes seems less like D.I.Y-or-die grrrl group and more like a pretty fun punk-rock sleepover — complete with high school-style Ouija board occultism.

The recently released 12-inch EP, "666" (Post Present Medium), contains six particularly raw songs recorded by No Age drummer Dean Spunt.

"We recorded it on June 6, 2006. I think we just thought it would be funny to do that," Suarez said. "Also, I'm kind of obsessed with occult stuff — anti-Christian occult stuff — I think it's because I went to Christian school. It's really hard to imagine — you know, when you're 10 years old and someone is screaming that you're going to go to hell if you read Harry Potter."

There's also a fair share of inside-jokes with Mika Miko, as with its album title. "It's kind of a secret," said Suarez who refused to disclose the true meaning behind the acronym "C.Y.S.L.A.B.F."

"We just encourage people to make up their own meaning for it. My favorites are 'Can You Stay Longer and Butt****' and 'Christ Your Savior Lurks About Barren Seals.' But there's only one meaning and only one person in the band knows it."

» Velvet Lounge, 915 U St. NW; with Japanther and Ingrid, Mon., 9 p.m., $8; 202-462-3213. (U St.-Cardozo)

Written by Express contributor Aaron Leitko

Photos courtesy Kill Rock Stars