The Japanese all-girl rock band Mean Machine was initially born of an idea by J-Pop singer Chara and musician/DJ Chiwaki Mayumi in 1998. Over the next few months they gathered a kind of J-Pop supergroup around them, recruiting ex-Judy & Mary singer Yuki, solo artist and the Thrill saxophonist Yukarie, and actress Ito Ayumi, with whom Chara had appeared in the 1996 film Swallowtail Butterfly. Conceived as a side project and done largely for fun by the members, all of whom had active careers outside the band, the group arranged themselves around the rule that everyone should play an unfamiliar instrument. Yuki and Chara, both primarily vocalists, played drums, Mayumi took the role of guitarist, Yukarie played bass rather than her more familiar tenor sax, and Ayumi became the vocalist. Rehearsals began in spring 1999 and recording began the following year. The band was finally unveiled to the public in 2001 when the single "Suuhaa," the title drawn from breathing exercises Chara learned during her pregnancy, was released and the band was featured heavily in a promotional campaign for Tower Records. The album Cream was released later the same year, featuring 14 self-penned and self-produced tracks in a garage rock style. Mean Machine then saw out the year with a second single, Knock on You before the members returned to their respective solo careers. ~ Ian Martin, Rovi