The three members of long-running Japanese action comic punk band Peelander-Z were seriously injured in a car crash last Monday (May 18) afternoon in Albuquerque, N.M. According to KOB4 TV, the band’s booking agent said the trio were driving westbound on I-40 an hour from the city when a semi-truck rear-ended their tour van.
The Japanese-born members of the high-energy band formed in Austin, Texas in 1998 — who each take on color-based pseudonyms such as those used by current members Peelander Yellow or Peelander Pink — have all been receiving treatment in an intensive care unit for injuries including broken bones, fractured vertebrae, broken ribs and other serious traumas.
Member Yellow (born Kengo Hioki) reportedly remains unresponsive, though a band spokesperson said doctors have taken him off a ventilator. “With the reports from the hospitals and from the doctors and the staff, things look very promising. It just was just, it was really bad,” booking agent Brad Raffenaud told the station. “Just lucky that they’re all three alive. I mean, if you were to drive past an accident like that, you wouldn’t imagine that anyone would survive that.”
The band has canceled all their remaining dates on their current tour and a GoFundMe has been raised to cover the medical expenses for Yellow, Pink and Tiger; at press time it had raised more than $156,000 of its $170,000 goal. According to the post, Yellow has “multiple fractures to his spine, ribs and arm and evidence of traumatic brain injury, which is being closely monitored.” The injuries are no longer considered life-threatening, but he will require additional surgeries and “significant rehabilitation.”
It reported that Pink (born Yumiko Kanazaki) suffered several bone fractures in her legs and pelvis, as well as abdominal trauma and organ injuries. She has reportedly undergone several surgeries and will also require quite a bit of rehabilitation. Third member, Tiger, reportedly “suffered a head injury and is being monitored for traumatic brain injury but has show significant progress and is expected to be discharged soon.” He will also reportedly require occupational and physical rehab after discharge.
In an Instagram post last week, Raffenaud wrote, “Friends. Please keep Peelander-Z in your thoughts. The band had a terrible accident yesterday in New Mexico while on tour. The van was rear ended by a semi truck and all members are currently hospitalized with major injuries and being closely monitored.”
At press time a spokesperson for the group could not be reached for comment on their current status of when they are expected to be discharged from the hospital. While all their upcoming headline shows have been canceled, some local Albuquerque bands will play a benefit show at the InsideOut on Friday (May 29) to help support the group, with sets from Night Child, Weedrat, Dazeyrot, Rebilt, 27 Devils Joking and more.
