Tokyo Jihen
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
band started by , after leaving her solo career. The band's debut single Gunjo Biyori was released in September 2004.
Hirama, pianist
HZM, drummer
Hata, and familiar bassist
Kameda. The musicians she selected became the core of what would become Tokyo Jihen.
After the tour, she announced that she would stop her solo career to join "Tokyo Jihen" as a full-fledged member.
, and made their major debut with the single "Gunjou Biyori" on September 8. Tokyo Jihen released one album and two singles, and held their first concert tour -Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "dynamite!"-.
On July 1, 2005, it was announced during the tour that keyboardist H ZETT M and guitarist Mikio Hirama would leave Tokyo Jihen. HZM returned to his duties as pianist for PE'Z, and Hirama went back to being a solo artist. It was decided that they would withdraw from the band before the "dynamite!" tour started.
player join because two people left the band at the same time. HZM recommended his friend and former bandmate, Keitaro Izawa, as a substitute for him to Shiina, but she began visiting music clubs to look for other keyboardists. In the end she found no one who was better than Izawa, and Shiina decided to invite him to join. He is called Ichiyo Izawa now.
On the other hand, the search for a new guitarist ran into difficulties. She invited some guitarists, but she was declined by all of them. They might have disliked being considered her "backing band". At worst, she planned to choose a different guitarist each time without having a regular guitarist. However, when the other members listened to the 1st album "Kyouiku
" demos
by chance, the situation changed. All of them were pleased with the guitarist who played them on the guitar, and asked Shiina his name. The guitarist was Ryosuke Nagaoka. He is called Ukigumo now. Shiina and Ukigumo had been friends since her days as a soloist. He turned down the offer to join Tokyo Jihen at first, but finally accepted just before recording began for "Adult
."
With so many members replaced, Shiina considered changing the name of the band, but decided against it in the end.
In September 2005, keyboardist Izawa Ichiyou and guitarist Ukigumo joined Tokyo Jihen. After this, the lineup including the former members came to be called , with the current one referred to as .
chart for the first time as the band. They held two performance -"DOMESTIC!" Virgin LINE- in which new members appeared for the first time in Nippon Budokan Hall and Osaka-jo Hall
in February, and went to the concert tour -"DOMESTIC!" Just can't help it- for about two months from April.
In the latter half of 2006, Shiina produced the film score
of the movie "Sakuran
", and the other band members except Hata who broke his leg cooperated with her work.
In 2007, they released two singles and the third album in which Shiina didn’t compose at all for the first time, and they went to the concert tour –Tokyo Jihen live tour 2007 Spa & Treatment-, which featured the third album.
On March 15, 2008, the music video
of "Killer Tune" was chosen as "Best Technical Works Video" of Space Shower Music Video Awards 08 by Space Shower TV which is the first pay channel specialized in music in Japan.
In 2008, Shiina resumed her solo career for the first time since joining Tokyo Jihen because of the tenth anniversary of her debut as "Ringo Shena". Therefore, she participated in Rising Sun Rock Festival
held in the summer, both as a solo singer and with a band. As a result, the activity of Tokyo Jihen was restricted during this period.
In 2009, Shiina continued her solo activity from the previous year, and she released a new solo album after a long absence in June. Therefore, the other members of Tokyo Jihen each also engaged in other activities in the first half of 2009. Ukigumo and Izawa worked in their respective bands. Kameda and Hata also did some side work. Kameda helped many bands and singers place in the top ten of the album & singles charts as a producer, and Hata participated in the recording of Fujifabric's album and their concerts as a session musician
. Shiina, Ukigumo, and Izawa participated in Rie Tomosaka
's album production. Ukigumo and Izawa accompanied her promotional campaign and performed as her backing band.
On May 25, 2009, it was announced that Izawa joined "The Hiatus
" which Takeshi Hosomi (ex-Ellegarden
) formed newly. They define the HIATUS as "a project of music, arts, and depicters" in their site. The recording artists and the tour artists are made public there, respectively, and Izawa appears as a tour artist. He joined their Trash We'd Love Tour 2009. Izawa also held some concerts with Hosomi as from October to December.
On December 2, 2009, Tokyo Jihen released the single "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan" after an interval of about 2 years, and resumed their activity.
On December 30, 2009, Tokyo Jihen appeared on Countdown Japan 09/10.
which is not usually used for their names, but as they are the phonetic equivalent, the pronunciation is not changed.
Since Ryosuke Nagaoka always drifted unsteadily and nobody knew where he would go, Shiina named Nagaoka "Ukigumo" which means the drifting cloud.
Shiina planned to give Keitaro Izawa a stage name, but he refused and chose one for himself - Ichiyo Izawa.
Hata keeps refusing writing music firmly. When Shiina requested him to write even a text, he refused it, too.
Since Ukigumo write music without considering a song, it is hard for Shiina to put the words to his music. Thus he often writes a text.
Music of Japan
The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 , combining the kanji 音 with the kanji 楽...
band started by , after leaving her solo career. The band's debut single Gunjo Biyori was released in September 2004.
Origins
Tokyo Jihen was formed as Shiina Ringo's backing band at first for her last concert tour before ending the first half of her solo career. Shiina was contemplating working with a band while working on her last solo album, Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana. She began looking for members of her backing band to support her solo tour "Sugoroku Ecstasy" in the Autumn of 2003. The tour band was introduced as Tokyo Jihen during the tour for the first time, featuring guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Hirama, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
HZM, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Hata, and familiar bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Kameda. The musicians she selected became the core of what would become Tokyo Jihen.
After the tour, she announced that she would stop her solo career to join "Tokyo Jihen" as a full-fledged member.
Phase 1
On May 31, 2004, the members of the Tokyo Jihen declared that they worked as a permanent band. On July 24, they appeared in the presence of fans at the live 0724 Yamabikari for the first time. They played some live sets during that year's Fuji Rock FestivalFuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The 3 day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan...
, and made their major debut with the single "Gunjou Biyori" on September 8. Tokyo Jihen released one album and two singles, and held their first concert tour -Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "dynamite!"-.
On July 1, 2005, it was announced during the tour that keyboardist H ZETT M and guitarist Mikio Hirama would leave Tokyo Jihen. HZM returned to his duties as pianist for PE'Z, and Hirama went back to being a solo artist. It was decided that they would withdraw from the band before the "dynamite!" tour started.
Phase 2
After the departure of the band's former guitarist and keyboardist, Shiina began a search for new members. She was going to have at least a keyboardKeyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player join because two people left the band at the same time. HZM recommended his friend and former bandmate, Keitaro Izawa, as a substitute for him to Shiina, but she began visiting music clubs to look for other keyboardists. In the end she found no one who was better than Izawa, and Shiina decided to invite him to join. He is called Ichiyo Izawa now.
On the other hand, the search for a new guitarist ran into difficulties. She invited some guitarists, but she was declined by all of them. They might have disliked being considered her "backing band". At worst, she planned to choose a different guitarist each time without having a regular guitarist. However, when the other members listened to the 1st album "Kyouiku
Kyouiku (album)
-Japan Sales Rankings:-Singles:...
" demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
by chance, the situation changed. All of them were pleased with the guitarist who played them on the guitar, and asked Shiina his name. The guitarist was Ryosuke Nagaoka. He is called Ukigumo now. Shiina and Ukigumo had been friends since her days as a soloist. He turned down the offer to join Tokyo Jihen at first, but finally accepted just before recording began for "Adult
Adult (album)
Adult is the English title of Tokyo Jihen's second album, released on January 25, 2006.Adult marked the debut for guitarist Ukigumo and keyboardist Izawa Ichiyo, who joined Tokyo Jihen after the departure of previous members Mikio Hirama and HZM...
."
With so many members replaced, Shiina considered changing the name of the band, but decided against it in the end.
In September 2005, keyboardist Izawa Ichiyou and guitarist Ukigumo joined Tokyo Jihen. After this, the lineup including the former members came to be called , with the current one referred to as .
2006-Present
The second album "Adult" released on January 25, 2006 won the 1st place in OriconOricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
chart for the first time as the band. They held two performance -"DOMESTIC!" Virgin LINE- in which new members appeared for the first time in Nippon Budokan Hall and Osaka-jo Hall
Osaka-jo Hall
, or Osaka Castle Hall, is a multi-purpose arena, in the Kyōbashi area, of Osaka, Japan. The hall opened in 1983 and can seat up to 16,000 people...
in February, and went to the concert tour -"DOMESTIC!" Just can't help it- for about two months from April.
In the latter half of 2006, Shiina produced the film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
of the movie "Sakuran
Sakuran
, is a manga series created by Moyoco Anno. The manga is about a girl, Kiyoha who becomes a tayu or oiran courtesan.- Plot :...
", and the other band members except Hata who broke his leg cooperated with her work.
In 2007, they released two singles and the third album in which Shiina didn’t compose at all for the first time, and they went to the concert tour –Tokyo Jihen live tour 2007 Spa & Treatment-, which featured the third album.
On March 15, 2008, the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of "Killer Tune" was chosen as "Best Technical Works Video" of Space Shower Music Video Awards 08 by Space Shower TV which is the first pay channel specialized in music in Japan.
In 2008, Shiina resumed her solo career for the first time since joining Tokyo Jihen because of the tenth anniversary of her debut as "Ringo Shena". Therefore, she participated in Rising Sun Rock Festival
Rising Sun Rock Festival
Rising Sun Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan. The two-day event is organized by WESS. The festival sells itself as "A True Rock Festival", referring to the fact that only Japanese artists perform at this event...
held in the summer, both as a solo singer and with a band. As a result, the activity of Tokyo Jihen was restricted during this period.
In 2009, Shiina continued her solo activity from the previous year, and she released a new solo album after a long absence in June. Therefore, the other members of Tokyo Jihen each also engaged in other activities in the first half of 2009. Ukigumo and Izawa worked in their respective bands. Kameda and Hata also did some side work. Kameda helped many bands and singers place in the top ten of the album & singles charts as a producer, and Hata participated in the recording of Fujifabric's album and their concerts as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. Shiina, Ukigumo, and Izawa participated in Rie Tomosaka
Rie Tomosaka
is a Japanese actress and pop star from Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, born on October 12, 1979 in Nagano-shi, Nagano.She works for Itoh Company. From 1996 to 1997, she has also released music under the name .-Profile :She is 168 cm in height....
's album production. Ukigumo and Izawa accompanied her promotional campaign and performed as her backing band.
On May 25, 2009, it was announced that Izawa joined "The Hiatus
The Hiatus
The Hiatus is a Japanese rock band formed by Takeshi Hosomi; the former lead vocalist of Ellegarden. Their official site defines The Hiatus as "a project of music and art, depicters."...
" which Takeshi Hosomi (ex-Ellegarden
Ellegarden
Ellegarden is a Japanese rock group formed in December 1998 in Chiba, Japan. Ellegarden consists of drummer Hirotaka Takahashi, vocalist Takeshi Hosomi, guitarist Shinichi Ubukata, and bassist Yuichi Takada...
) formed newly. They define the HIATUS as "a project of music, arts, and depicters" in their site. The recording artists and the tour artists are made public there, respectively, and Izawa appears as a tour artist. He joined their Trash We'd Love Tour 2009. Izawa also held some concerts with Hosomi as from October to December.
On December 2, 2009, Tokyo Jihen released the single "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan" after an interval of about 2 years, and resumed their activity.
On December 30, 2009, Tokyo Jihen appeared on Countdown Japan 09/10.
Current members
- Active: 2003–present
- Instruments: Lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, Electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, Acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Electronic keyboards, MelodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, KazooKazooThe kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by... - Real name:
- Shiina is a famous female singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
in Japan. - She is the founder and the leader of this group. She initially wrote almost all songs of Tokyo Jihen, but now shares songwriting duties with the other bandmembers.
- Active: 2003–present
- Instruments: Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, Electric upright bassElectric upright bassThe electric upright bass is an electronically amplified version of the double bass that has a minimal or 'skeleton' body, which greatly reduces the size and weight of the instrument. The EUB retains enough of the features of the double bass so that double bass players are comfortable performing...
- Kameda is a music producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and a music arranger of many musicians, and session bassist. - He knew Shiina Ringo before her debut, and he has supported her since then. Shiina Ringo calls him "Shisho"(=master or teacherTeacherA teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
). He rose to fame with her and became a famous producer, but he devotes himself to only playing the bass guitar in Tokyo Jihen. - He produces many musicians such as Angela AkiAngela Aki, born Kiyomi Angela Aki on September 15, 1977, is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist from Itano, Tokushima, Japan.-Early life:...
, Yui AragakiYui Aragakiis a Japanese idol, model, actress, singer, seiyū and occasional radio show host of Ryukyuan ancestry.She is particularly recognized for her beauty and her movie projects.- Overview :...
, AyakaAyakais a Japanese female singer formerly signed to Warner Music Japan. Born in Osaka, she moved to Tokyo to pursue a singing career. She married actor Hiro Mizushima on February 22, 2009.-2006:...
, CharaChara (singer), better known by her stage name Chara, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress and video jockey. She debuted in 1991 with the single Heaven...
, ChatmonchyChatmonchy' is a two-piece all-female rock band which consists of Eriko Hashimoto , Akiko Fukuoka , and formerly Kumiko Takahashi who are from Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan....
, Do As InfinityDo As InfinityDo As Infinity is a Japanese pop and rock band that formed in 1999 with three members: vocalist Tomiko Van, guitarist Ryo Owatari, and guitarist and composer Dai Nagao. The band's name is sometimes abbreviated as D.A.I., alluding to the fact that Do As Infinity was named after Dai Nagao...
, Elephant KashimashiElephant KashimashiElephant Kashimashi is a rock band from Japan. Their work can be divided into two major stylistic periods: the "Epic Sony years" and the "Pony Canyon & Faithful, EMI Music, Universal Music years" .A major change in songwriting, production, and general playing style...
, FlowFlow (band)Flow is a Japanese rock band, that formed in 1998 and signed on to Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records label. Flow is a five-piece band made up of two vocalists, a drummer, a bassist and a guitarist...
, FujifabricFujifabricis a Japanese rock band formed in 2000. While their music can be mostly categorized as alternative rock or power pop, their music usually consists of an eclectic mix of genres, including jazz, disco and progressive rock.- Name origin :...
, Ayaka Hirahara, Ken HiraiKen Hiraiis a Japanese R&B and pop singer. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, and spokesperson.During his career, Hirai has released 32 singles and 11 albums up until October 2010. According to Oricon, his single Hitomi Wo Tojite became the best-selling single...
, Ikimono-gakariIkimono-gakariis a Japanese pop rock band that debuted in 1998. They record on Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Epic Records label.The band was formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in February 1999 by Hotaka Yamashita and Yoshiki Mizuno, and was later joined by lead vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka in December the same year...
, JujuJuju (singer)is a Japanese jazz singer. She is represented by Sony Music Associated Records Inc.-Biography:She currently resides in New York City. She dreamed of being a jazz singer while growing up in Kyoto, and participated in all sorts of music-related activities. At age 18, she left for the US alone...
, Nico Touches the WallsNico Touches the WallsNico Touches the Walls is a Japanese rock band formed in 2004. In the same year, they won the Lotte Prize at the Yamaha Teen Music Festival. Rising quickly, they signed to "Senha & Co." before signing to Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records in 2007...
, Plastic TreePlastic TreePlastic Tree is a Japanese rock band which formed in December 1993 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. They released their first mini-album in December 1995, and in 1997, they debuted by releasing their first single on a major label.-Biography:...
, Shota ShimizuShota Shimizuis a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter from Yao, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, who made his debut in 2008. On June 1, 2008, Shimizu performed at Central Park during the annual Japan Day Festival. Shota Shimizu went to a local Christian school in Osaka where he learned how to sing gospel music. He...
, SpitzSpitz (band)is a Japanese rock band formed in 1987. They gained remarkable commercial success in the mid and late 1990s, and are known for their abstract and eccentric songs penned by primary singer-songwriter and guitarist Masamune Kusano....
, Shikao SugaShikao Sugais a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter from Tokyo. Though he uses katakana for his recording name, the kanji for his name are 菅 止戈男, but the romanization is the same. Suga is his family name and Shikao is his given name....
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, The BoomThe BoomThe Boom is a Japanese rock band. Its members are Kazufumi Miyazawa , Kobayashi Takashi , Yamakawa Hiromasa , and Tochigi Takao .-History:...
, Wise.
- Active: 2003–present
- Instruments: DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Real name:
- Hata has played the drums as a session musicianSession musicianSession musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
and a tour musician of various musicians, such as Mika NakashimaMika Nakashimais a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She has achieved five number-one albums in Japan and also embarked on an acting career, most notably in the live-action movie Nana, based on the manga of the same name.- Early life and debut :...
(2002, 2004, 2005), Dreams Come True (2008 in recording), FujifabricFujifabricis a Japanese rock band formed in 2000. While their music can be mostly categorized as alternative rock or power pop, their music usually consists of an eclectic mix of genres, including jazz, disco and progressive rock.- Name origin :...
(2009). Moreover, he was the drummer in the band of , Shiina's elder brother. - Hata supports the band; scoop of which he was a member before, and he also formed the band; with Hideaki Yamazaki (ex-scoop, a bassist of School Food PunishmentSchool Food Punishmentis a four member Japanese band. They are currently signed onto Sony Music Japan's Epic Records Japan record label. The lyrics of each of the band's songs are written by lead vocalist and guitarist Yumi Uchimura.-Band history:...
).
- Active: 2005–present
- Instruments: Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar, Backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, RappingRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”... - Real name:
- Ukigumo is an old friend of Shiina, and he had played in a band with Ringo's elder brother Junpei Shiina, with Hata and Tabu Zombie who was a leader of Soil & "Pimp" Sessions before, and also participated in the production of her third solo album. Also when the former members left her, he had given Shiina advice.
- He has his own band; .
- Active: 2005–present
- Instruments: Piano, Electronic keyboards, Electric guitar, Background Vocals
- Real name:
- Izawa and HZM are alumni of Kunitachi College of MusicKunitachi College of MusicThe is a private music school in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in 1926 as the Tokyo Conservatory of Music.It is located at Kashiwa-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo.-Notable alumni:*Masamichi Amano, composer*Ahn Eak-tai, composer and conductor...
, and have formed the band with him before. - He has his own band; and he is also recently a member of the band; "The Hiatus."
Former members
- Active: 2003-2005
- Instruments: Piano, Electronic keyboards, Background Vocals
- Real name:
- HZM is originally a member of the Japanese instrumental jazz bandJazz bandA jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
, "PE'ZPE'Zis a Japanese jazz instrumental band consisting of five men, dubbed "The Samurai Jazz Band." They have been signed onto Sony Music Japan since 2008.-Members:* Ohyama "B.M.W" Wataru, born in Kanagawa, trumpet* Kadota "Jaw" Kouske, born in Ehime, saxophone...
" which had already come out on a major label before Tokyo Jihen. - He decided to concentrate only on that band after all.
- Active: 2003-2005
- Instruments: Guitars, Background Vocals
- Real name:
- Nickname: Micky
- Hirama had released two mini-albums on indie labels as a solo musician, and he also was in the band "peppermints kiss cafe" as a guitarist at that time.
- Shiina Ringo had met him before from a certain audition. She decided to look for him, and she just employed him.
- He decided to return to a solo singer after all.
Producers
- Main occupation: Audio engineer
- Inoue has produced Shiina's works all the time since her second album. Shiina calls him "the sixth member".
Naming of members
The real names of Hirama and Hata are "平間 幹央" and "畑 利樹" respectively, but, Shiina Ringo gave them stage names, using KanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
which is not usually used for their names, but as they are the phonetic equivalent, the pronunciation is not changed.
Since Ryosuke Nagaoka always drifted unsteadily and nobody knew where he would go, Shiina named Nagaoka "Ukigumo" which means the drifting cloud.
Shiina planned to give Keitaro Izawa a stage name, but he refused and chose one for himself - Ichiyo Izawa.
Music production
Shiina and Izawa write a musical score. Kameda takes various means, recording a humming and using musical instruments or the PC. Since Ukigumo cannot write a score, Izawa or Shiina (mainly Izawa) copies down his tune in the studio.Hata keeps refusing writing music firmly. When Shiina requested him to write even a text, he refused it, too.
Since Ukigumo write music without considering a song, it is hard for Shiina to put the words to his music. Thus he often writes a text.
Concert, Concert tour
- 2004
- FUJI ROCK FESTIVALFuji Rock FestivalFuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The 3 day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan...
’04- July 30
- in Naeba Ski Resort of NiigataNiigata Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
- SUNSET LIVE 2004
- September 3
- in Keya CampsiteCampsiteA campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
of FukuokaFukuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen.... - with SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS
- FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL
- 2005
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "dynamite!"
- January 17 - February 16
- 14 performances in ten places
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "dynamite!"
- 2006
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "DOMESTIC!" Virgin LINE
- February 19 and February 21
- On February 19, in Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo.
- On February 21, in Osaka-jo HallOsaka-jo Hall, or Osaka Castle Hall, is a multi-purpose arena, in the Kyōbashi area, of Osaka, Japan. The hall opened in 1983 and can seat up to 16,000 people...
in OsakaOsakais 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...
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- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "DOMESTIC!" Just can't help it.
- April 7 - May 30
- 21 performances in 17 places
- SOCIETY OF THE CITIZENS vol.1
- July 2
- in Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall
- The organizer： Tokyo Jihen.
- Yasuo Sano(佐野康夫) played the drums in place of Toshiki Hata who broke a bone.
- COUNTDOWN JAPAN 06/07-WEST-
- December 31
- in Intex OsakaIntex Osakais an exhibition center located in Suminoe-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. With nearly 70,000 square meters of exhibition space, it ranks third in Japan, behind Tokyo Big Sight and Makuhari Messe.-Principal events:...
of Osaka
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2005 "DOMESTIC!" Virgin LINE
- 2007
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2007 "Spa & Treatment"
- October 18 - November 21
- 14 performances in seven places
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2007 "Spa & Treatment"
- 2008
- RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVALRising Sun Rock FestivalRising Sun Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan. The two-day event is organized by WESS. The festival sells itself as "A True Rock Festival", referring to the fact that only Japanese artists perform at this event...
2008 in EZOEZOEZO is the American self-titled debut album from the Japanese metal band Ezo. It was released in 1987 on Geffen Records and co-produced by Gene Simmons of KISS fame. Songwriters from the Kiss’ entourage contributed heavily to the songs of the album....
- August 15 and August 16
- at the Tarukawa Wharf Outdoors Specially Built Stage of the new port of Ishikari bay of HokkaidoHokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
- Shiina Ringo appeared as solo on August 16.
- SOCIETY OF THE CITIZENS vol.2
- August 23 and August 24
- in JCB HallJCB HallTokyo Dome City Hall is a sport, fashion show, circus, and live music hall located in Tokyo, inside of Tokyo Dome City. It is on the opposite corner of the Tokyo Dome, and has a variety of events at any given time, including Boxing and live concerts...
of Tokyo - The organizer： Tokyo Jihen.
- RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL
- 2009
- COUNTDOWN JAPAN 09/10
- December 30
- in Makuhari MesseMakuhari Messeis a Japanese convention center outside Tokyo, located in the Mihama-ku ward of Chiba city, in the northwest corner of Chiba prefecture. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is easily accessible by Tokyo's commuter rail system. Makuhari is the name of the area, and Messe is a German word meaning "trade...
of ChibaChiba, Chibais 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....
- COUNTDOWN JAPAN 09/10
- 2010
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2010 "Ultra C"
- March 26 - May 23
- 22 performances in 18 places
- EMI Rocks
- November 6
- in Saitama Super ArenaSaitama Super Arenais a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and...
- Tokyo Jihen live tour 2010 "Ultra C"
Albums
| Year | Album Information | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Albums Charts |
Soundscan Album Top 20 | ||
| 2004 |
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2 | 2 |
| 2006 |
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1 | 1 |
| 2007 |
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2 | 2 |
| 2010 |
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1 | TBA |
| 2011 |
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1 | TBA |
Singles
| Release | Title | Notes | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Singles Charts |
Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... † |
RIAJ Digital Track Chart RIAJ Digital Track Chart The is chart ranks the best selling digital singles in Japan, provided by the Recording Industry Association of Japan since April 2009. The chart measures cellphone downloads .... † |
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| 2004 | 2 | — | — | Kyōiku | |||
| 2 | — | — | |||||
| 2005 | 5 | — | — | Adult Adult (album) Adult is the English title of Tokyo Jihen's second album, released on January 25, 2006.Adult marked the debut for guitarist Ukigumo and keyboardist Izawa Ichiyo, who joined Tokyo Jihen after the departure of previous members Mikio Hirama and HZM... |
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| 2006 | "Shōjo Robot Shōjo Robot is a song by Rie Tomosaka, written by rock musician Ringo Shiina. It was released as her final single before her hiatus, on .The song was used as an ending theme song for the Nippon Television variety show Fun.-Background:... " |
Rie Tomosaka Rie Tomosaka is a Japanese actress and pop star from Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, born on October 12, 1979 in Nagano-shi, Nagano.She works for Itoh Company. From 1996 to 1997, she has also released music under the name .-Profile :She is 168 cm in height.... self cover. Digital download single from live DVD Just Can't Help It. |
— | — | — | Just Can't Help It. (DVD) | |
| 2007 | "O.S.C.A." | 2 | — | — | Variety | ||
| 5 | — | — | |||||
| DVD release/digital download. | — | — | 22* | Sports Sports (Tokyo Incidents album) is the fourth album by Japanese rock band Tokyo Incidents, released on February 24, 2010.-Background:This is the first Tokyo Incidents album since 2007's Variety. In 2008, vocalist Ringo Shiina focused on a string of releases to celebrate her 10th anniversary since her solo debut, such as a B-side... |
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| 2009 | "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan" | 1 | 1 | 7 | |||
| 2010 | Digital download. | — | 38 36 |
31 | Dai Hakken Dai Hakken Dai Hakken is the fifth studio album by Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen, released on June 29, 2011.- Outline :In this album, the characters making up the song titles are aligned in all songs except for the additional English words in the first and last song as well as the additional seven... |
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| 2011 | 6 | 5 11 |
40 54 |
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RIAJ Digital Track Chart The is chart ranks the best selling digital singles in Japan, provided by the Recording Industry Association of Japan since April 2009. The chart measures cellphone downloads .... . †Japan Hot 100 established February 2008, RIAJ Digital Track Chart established April 2009. |
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DVDs
| Release | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Tokyo Incidents Vol .1 | Music video collection |
| 2005 | Dynamite In | Live concert documentary |
| Dynamite Out | Live concert | |
| 2005 | Adult Video | Music video collection |
| 2006 | Just Can't Help It. | Live concert |
| 2007 | Music video collection |