There are 2 bands with this name: 1.) Turtle Island, a band based in the Japanese automobile city Toyota, plays an up to now unheard mix of rebellious Japanese Tribal Punk and traditional Ohayashi Matsuri (= Japanese Carnival) Music mingled with elements of Ska, Rock, Reggae and World Music. Turtle Island plays a conglomeration of various instruments on stage varying from the standard equipment of drums, guitar, base and saxophone to traditional Japanese and Asian instruments such as taiko (= Japanese drum), bamboo flute, batokin or sitar. Their music is Japanese to the core, but also so different and revolutionary that the band succeeded to gain cult status not only in the local underground music scene, but also throughout Japan soon after their foundation in 1999. Not to be overlooked the distinctive voice of lead singer and band founder Yoshiki, who perishes at least on set of vocal chord in each concert and whose voice resembles the sound of an electric guitar, especially in contrast to the tender voice of female vocalist and drummer Takemai. Till 2006, the current line up of Turtle Island became up to 14 musicians, including famous musicians such as Taro the Tornado, drummer of the well known Japanese Fast-Core Band “Nice View”. With 12 male and 2 female musicians the band may even be called orchestra. Turtle Island celebrates each performance with devotion as if it were the only one and last concert, regardless of the consequences. The musicians sacrifice themselves to the audience that rejoices each performance with frenetic ecstasy. It’s impossible to escape the attraction of Turtle Island’s catchy music. They fascinate. Dancing is a must – just as it is during the season of bon-dancing (bon = honouring the departed spirits) in Japan and Korea – an analogy intentionally chosen by Turtle Island, because their music roots and draws its energy in the bon-dancing. Unlike other bands in the hardcore/ punk scene that draw attention to oneself through aggression, Turtle Island’s main interest is musical creativity. The musicians experiment with new music styles and instruments in order to live up to the claim to create completely new sounds and to go below the limit of the music genre. Turtle Island’s songs reach for a musical peak, but also ask the inevitable question about the meaning of life. In their songs they deal with problems and questions concerning us all, such as personal freedom, delusion and illusion. Turtle Island has released three albums: Shinkai no mizu no youni (Like the water of the ocean, 2002), the live-album Madara de Odore (Dance on the spot, 2004), and Self Navigation CD & DVD (2007). For more info check http://www.turtleisland.jp 2.) Turtle Island is a band from Columbus, Ohio consisting of Dallin Stevenson, Sean Gleeson, Nick Gerden, Andy Sullivan, and Joel Blaeser. Turtle Island is a genre bending pyshcedelic rock group with lo-fi compositions that span dynamically from far out pop melodies to head spinning jams. Their sounds allude to the psychedelic pioneers of prior musical epochs while simultaneously keeping an ear in the present sonic spectrum. Joel Blaeser and Andy Sullivan (formerly of psych-prog group Stereodrift) joined the group in the latter half of 2013 after the departure of Benji Fritz. Work is in progress for a sophomore album in the dawn of 2014. The band's debut; Twelve Togethers of Love Rockets is available for free download on http://turtleisland.bandcamp.com. For updates on current band happenings: http://www.facebook.com/turtleislandband