Rough Cut Diamond
Encyclopedia
" is MAX
's 31st single under the Sonic Groove
label. It was released on July 22, 2009 and was MAX's first single in three years. It was also the first single to be released since the departure of Aki and comeback of original lead singer, Mina. The title track was used as the theme song for TV Tokyo
drama
, "Kariyushi Sensei Chibaru."
between MAX and the drama series, "Kariyushi Sensei Chibaru" revealed the title of one of the songs included on the single to be "Rough Cut Diamond." Initial descriptions from online stores stated it would contain four tracks based on two original songs.
During a concert stop in Fukuoka
on May 5, the group debuted a new song titled, "The Power of Love." Reina
confirmed the inclusion of the new song in the single on her personal blog. On May 30, 2009, the group performed "Rough Cut Diamond" for the first time at the final date of their tour at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall.
The group held several promotional events for the single in Chiba
and Osaka
where fans could come and watch a free mini concert. Handshake events were held after the mini-concerts and required the purchase of the single for participation.
MAX (band)
MAX whose name is an acronym for "Musical Active eXperience" is an Okinawan vocal group popular in Japan. The original members of MAX made their musical debut as members of the Super Monkey's along with lead vocalist, Namie Amuro...
's 31st single under the Sonic Groove
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
label. It was released on July 22, 2009 and was MAX's first single in three years. It was also the first single to be released since the departure of Aki and comeback of original lead singer, Mina. The title track was used as the theme song for TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
, "Kariyushi Sensei Chibaru."
Release and promotion
The group mentioned plans for a new single in an interview with news publication, Chunichi on December 10, 2008. The single was confirmed on April 25, 2009 by their management company's official website. Media reports announcing a tie-inTie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
between MAX and the drama series, "Kariyushi Sensei Chibaru" revealed the title of one of the songs included on the single to be "Rough Cut Diamond." Initial descriptions from online stores stated it would contain four tracks based on two original songs.
During a concert stop in Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
on May 5, the group debuted a new song titled, "The Power of Love." Reina
Reina Miyauchi
Reina Miyauchi is a J-pop singer from Okinawa, Japan, and a current member of the group MAX. She made her debut with the group Super Monkey's on 25 January 1995, and then, after the departure of Namie Amuro, she formed the group MAX with the remaining group members.-References:...
confirmed the inclusion of the new song in the single on her personal blog. On May 30, 2009, the group performed "Rough Cut Diamond" for the first time at the final date of their tour at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall.
The group held several promotional events for the single in Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
where fans could come and watch a free mini concert. Handshake events were held after the mini-concerts and required the purchase of the single for participation.
Music video
The video began production on May 21, 2009 and filmed for two days in an undisclosed studio. The dance routine in the video was choreographed by Fuyuko Kubota. The video was directed by Ippei Morita.CD
| # | Tetsuhiko, Tomoji Sogawa | 5:02 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | "The Power of Love" | K-Muto, Zooco | 4:14 |
| 3. | "Rough Cut Diamond (Instrumental)" | Tetsuhiko, Sogawa | 5:02 |
| 4. | "The Power of Love (Instrumental)" | K-Muto, Zooco | 4:09 |
DVD
| # | Release | Daily | Weekly | Sales Total | Chart Run | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2009 | 13 | 28 | 3,342 | 1 week | ||
Personnel
- Art direction: Shinichi Hara, Hirotomi Suzumoto
- Design: Hirotomi Suzumoto
- Photographer: Sunao Ohmori (Secession)
- Stylish: Akemi Mutoh
- Hair: Azuma (Super Sonic)
- Make-up: Mio (Juice)