Finger 5
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese pop
group
, composed of the four Okinawa
n Tamamoto brothers, Kazuo, Mitsuo, Masao, Akira, and sister Taeko. Their greatest hit was "Koi No Dial 6700 (恋のダイヤル6700 - Love Call 6700)".
The Okinawa-based group performed catchy songs, wore matching outfits and had choreographed dance routines. They even performed cover versions of Motown hits, including those of the Jackson 5
. The band was formed in 1967 with only the three brothers Kazuo, Mitsuo and Masao, who performed as All Brothers. Conveniently their father owned a bar in Okinawa at which they performed. After winning a local talent contest it was decided that they could go farther if based in Tokyo
, although at the time the eldest brother Kazuo was still only 14. The group, who were partly inspired by the Partridge Family
TV show, struggled in the Tokyo area, often playing at venues that catered to US military, as they had done in Okinawa.
In 1970, they signed with King Records as the Baby Brothers, but their three releases did not sell well. In early 1972 Akira and Taeko were added to the group and they became Finger Five. Later that year they debuted on the Phillips label, with First Album, and scored a huge hit with the single “Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)" in 1973. “Kojin Jugyo” sold almost a million and a half copies, and follow-up singles "Koi no Dial 6700 (Love Call 6700)" and “Gakuen Tengoku” were also major hits.
Their songs were primarily about school life and puppy love, and most of their fans were youngsters. After working hard for years, the group had attained superstar status. They became regulars on the weekly TV show Ginza NOW, and made the movies Hello Finger Five, Chonoryoku Dayo! Zenin Shugo and Finger Five No Dai Boken, all of which were released in 1974. That year they also held a joint concert with Canada’s De Franco Family
. The group, however, were not able to hold onto to their popstar crown very long. In 1975, Kazuo dropped out of the group, and his cousin Minoru Gushiken replaced him. The group was feeling overwhelmed by the sudden stardom thrust on them, and after a good-bye tour, relocated to the United States for late 1975 and early 1976. Besides catching their breath, the members wanted to approach their craft more seriously and evolve beyond being “idols
”. However in their absence, interest in the group waned, and when they returned to release their more mature music, sales evaporated.
In 1978 they disbanded, although some members have attempted comebacks, in 1980 as Fingers, 1985 as Zapp, in 1991 as Finger Five, in 1992 as Finger Five Soul Band, in 1994 as AM Fingers, and allegedally in 2011 as The Finger.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, composed of the four Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
n Tamamoto brothers, Kazuo, Mitsuo, Masao, Akira, and sister Taeko. Their greatest hit was "Koi No Dial 6700 (恋のダイヤル6700 - Love Call 6700)".
The Okinawa-based group performed catchy songs, wore matching outfits and had choreographed dance routines. They even performed cover versions of Motown hits, including those of the Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
. The band was formed in 1967 with only the three brothers Kazuo, Mitsuo and Masao, who performed as All Brothers. Conveniently their father owned a bar in Okinawa at which they performed. After winning a local talent contest it was decided that they could go farther if based in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, although at the time the eldest brother Kazuo was still only 14. The group, who were partly inspired by the Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
TV show, struggled in the Tokyo area, often playing at venues that catered to US military, as they had done in Okinawa.
In 1970, they signed with King Records as the Baby Brothers, but their three releases did not sell well. In early 1972 Akira and Taeko were added to the group and they became Finger Five. Later that year they debuted on the Phillips label, with First Album, and scored a huge hit with the single “Kojin Jugyo (Private Lessons)" in 1973. “Kojin Jugyo” sold almost a million and a half copies, and follow-up singles "Koi no Dial 6700 (Love Call 6700)" and “Gakuen Tengoku” were also major hits.
Their songs were primarily about school life and puppy love, and most of their fans were youngsters. After working hard for years, the group had attained superstar status. They became regulars on the weekly TV show Ginza NOW, and made the movies Hello Finger Five, Chonoryoku Dayo! Zenin Shugo and Finger Five No Dai Boken, all of which were released in 1974. That year they also held a joint concert with Canada’s De Franco Family
The DeFranco Family
The DeFranco Family featuring Tony DeFranco was a 1970s pop music group and family from Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. The group, all siblings, consists of Benny DeFranco , the guitarist; Marisa DeFranco , the keyboardist; Nino DeFranco , the second guitarist; Merlina DeFranco , the...
. The group, however, were not able to hold onto to their popstar crown very long. In 1975, Kazuo dropped out of the group, and his cousin Minoru Gushiken replaced him. The group was feeling overwhelmed by the sudden stardom thrust on them, and after a good-bye tour, relocated to the United States for late 1975 and early 1976. Besides catching their breath, the members wanted to approach their craft more seriously and evolve beyond being “idols
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
”. However in their absence, interest in the group waned, and when they returned to release their more mature music, sales evaporated.
In 1978 they disbanded, although some members have attempted comebacks, in 1980 as Fingers, 1985 as Zapp, in 1991 as Finger Five, in 1992 as Finger Five Soul Band, in 1994 as AM Fingers, and allegedally in 2011 as The Finger.