Formed while their members were still in high school in Okinawa, Mongol800 didn't need much more than an electric guitar, bass and drums—the backbone of punk rock—to get their start. Distinct from the unwavering angst of other punk bands, this trio brought bright, ecstatic rhythms that made their 1999 debut Go on as You Are a smash hit even before it got nationwide distribution. Relying on word-of-mouth buzz, bags of attitude and boundless energy, they sold millions of records, gradually incorporating more irresistible reggae flavours, love songs and traditional sounds into their output.