The name is a reference to Lucio Fulci's film Zombi 2, where a real shark and a zombie engage in combat.
While life-sized cut-outs of the band's members at HMV stores in Japan may indicate a popularity outside the arena of punk, the band still adheres to the punk lifestyle.It has been said that bouncers have had to "manually take down microphones and disassemble gear in order for the band to stop playing. They are known to wear dressesand attempt to provoke their audience with statements such as "Jesus Christ and what a great Fuck he must have been..
Henry Rollins has stated that they are one of his favorite new bandsand has played them several times on his radio show Harmony In My Head.
Fake Shark-Real Zombie! have opened for artists such as Mindless Self Indulgence, Klaxons, Genghis Tron and Test Icicles. They have also and completed three tours of the United Kingdom and performed four sold out dates in Japan. 2008 will see Fake Shark with a North American release of Zebra! Zebra! on March 11, 2008 and the release their new EP Style of Substance followed by additional tours of North America and the UK and festival appearances in Japan.
Currently, they are recording in the studio with music producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie