Usually Barbies are only for little girls, but that's not the case with Japanesian Barbie. Their unique sound and fun lyrics make them accessible to both men and women alike. Read our interview with Japanesian Barbie's keyboardist/singer Noah Harkey, and then check out their music on their MySpace page at MySpace.com/JapanesianBarbie.

Q: How would you describe Japanesian Barbie's sound to someone who has never heard the band before?

NH: We are a combination of the nerd/indie rock, jazz, and classical style.

Q: How did the band's name originate?

NH: "Japanesian Barbie" was lead singer Noah Harkey's aim screen name. We could not think of anything more abstract.

Q: Is there any special meaning behind the artwork for your album Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes?

NH: Yes, all of the animals in our artwork are chthonic and or solar symbols representing people we know.

Q: It's not very often that you see a band with both keyboards and violin, how hard is it to collaborate and get all the different sounds into a song?

NH: Well, we all use the tertian harmonic system and the rules to get things done quickly. Our theory and classical backgrounds do the trick.

Q: How long have the members of Japanesian Barbie been playing together?

NH: Japanesian Barbie has been around since 2004 but, we have switched drummers out and added female vocals and violin. Our current lineup has been together for a little over 1 year.

Q: Do you have a favorite song off of your new album?

NH: My favorite song off "Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes" is "Alarm." I think it can very easily be an emotional song for everyone in the group.

Q: Who would you say has had the biggest influence on your musical career?

NH: I would say that the people I love, the music I do or do not listen to, and myself have the biggest influence on my career.

Q: I think it's safe to say that your guys' song "Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes" is a very unique and fun song. How did this song come about?

NH: Well this song came about differently than any other song or piece. I took Emma back to the study one morning to show her how to write a song. I started playing in key and then went to a strange borrowed chord from the minor version of that key. I said, "let us write a song about Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes!" And we did, and it was fun. The "Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes" represents God because he is in everything and he gives us the power to create the musical alphabet: "abcdefg is the new alphabet that I have made with Poka Dotted Zebra Stripes in my brain!"

Q: Does the band have any upcoming shows you'd like to tell us about?

NH: We are touring in Phoenix and Southern California this summer. Until then we have several shows on our myspace account, including a fundraiser for Ugandian invisible children.

Q: I say "wombat" and you say...

NH: Three salmon berry buddies.