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Sparta Locals
Abe Kousei
Itou Shinichi
Abe Mitsuhiro
Nakayama Akihito
Vocals/Guitar
Guitar
Bass
Drums (through 9/2006)
Profile
A young band that receives rave reviews from Quruli, gains the respect of hometown heroes the likes of Number Girl's Mukai Shuutoku, and whose concertgoers "entrust rock's future" to them faces tremendous pressure from such high expectations. But that doesn't slow down Sparta Locals, the latest talented act to emerge from the fertile Fukuoka music scene that produced Number Girl and Shiina Ringo.

Sparta Locals formed in Fukuoka city in December of 1998, but for their first two years of existence only played private gigs. Once they started booking their own events, word of their gripping live shows quickly spread across Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu. By Janurary of 2002, the band had recorded their debut album Kanashii Miminari, which showcased their heavy post-punk influences. The tight ryhthmic interplay of their guitars is somewhat simiar to the band apart's, but the Locals' riffs are more demarcated and jagged in style, owing much to Gang of Four. Together with the drums and bass, the band develops a very danceable groove in most of their songs, while Abe's nasally (but memorable) whine rises above the menagerie to deliver the melodic punchline.

Following the release of their debut album in April, Sparta Locals hit the road with their soon-to-be notorious live show, and performed a 16-stop nationwide tour, finishing off in Fukuoka to a crowd of 150. Later, in July, the Locals performed at the Fuji Rock Festival's Rookie A Go Go stage, and blasted the audience with a performance involving passers-by, concert officials, and even a well-known musician from Fukuoka in a wild spectacle that earned the band exposure across Japan. Two months later they earned the honor of performing on Mukai Shutoku's stage at Fukuoka's Music City Tenjin festival, sharing the spotlight with Number Girl, DRY&HEAVY and 54-71. The band capped off the year in December opening for Quruli, giving a performance that Quruli's frontman Kishida Shigeru described as "so cool it made my nose bleed."

2003 turned out to be the Locals' breakthrough year. They started recording their second album Second Fanfare in March and by May had uprooted themselves from Fukuoka, moved to Tokyo, and signed with Universal Japan. Second Fanfare, featuring a more polished and expanded style over their debut, was relased in July. The band toured through the end of the year and into 2004, playing with acts including YO-KING and Zazen Boys while releasing their first live DVD in November, bundled with their single Peace.

In February of 2004 the band reentered the studio. While frontman Abe admitted to feeling the crunch of a major label's tight schedules, the band was confident in their own musicianship to put out a solid follow-up to Second Fanfare and expand upon their current style. In under six months the Locals released the appropriately named Sun Sun Sun in July. The album indeed had a broader style, and featured more hooks and brighter melodies than before.

Sparta Locals continued with a fast pace through 2005, with two more singles in the first half of the year and their fourth album Dreamer in July. The new album brought out a more pensive side of the band, who took a slight detour from their usual bounciness.

In 2006 Sparta Locals moved to the Tokuma Japan label, cutting a self-titled album in September. Hot on the heels of this release, drummer Nakayama Akihito suddenly announced his departure from the group, citing a lack of confidence in his abilities which had also drawn discontent from his bandmates. Sparta Locals is currently touring with a temporary replacement for Nakayama.

- James Route (published 2005.01.31, updated 2011.10.28)
Links
Artist homepage
Universal Japan
Samples
Keikaku Content
Review - Sun Sun Sun
Review - Second Fanfare
Review - Dreamer
Review - Sparta Locals
Review - Leecher
Features - interview
Discography list
Albums
UKDZ-0072 Leecher
TKCA-73245 メロディ泥棒&ビート刑事(デカ) (Melody Dorobo & Beat Deka)
TKCA-73173 まぼろしFOREVER (Maboroshi Forever)
TKCA-73104 Sparta Locals
UPCH-1417 Dreamer
UPCH-1355 Sun Sun Sun
UPCH-1269 セコンドファンファーレ (Second Fanfare)
DCCM-6 悲しい耳鳴り (Kanashii Miminari)

Singles
UKDZ-0075 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda)
UPCH-5314 夢ステーション (Yume Station)
UPCH-5288 FLy
UPCH-5252 トーキョウバレリーナ (Tokyo Ballerina)
UPCH-5222 Peace
DCCM-1003 Pogo

Compilations
KSCL-827 Asian Kung-fu Generation Presents Nano-Mugen Compilation
UPCH-1398 Fine Time 2~A Tribute to New Wave

DVDs
UKDZ-0096DV Last Dance
VRDV-001 Collage
UPBH-1207 FLASH! VIDEO CLIP COLLECTION 2003-2006
Discography
cover image Last Dance (DVD)

Released: 2009.12.16 (UKDZ-0096DV)
Label: UK PROJECT/DAIZAWA RECORDS

Tracklist
Disc 1 [Live]
1. バイオレンスサマー (Violence Summer)
2. パーフェクトソング (Perfect Song)
3. 夜の迎撃 (Yoru no Geigeki)
4. 春忘却 (Haru Boukyaku)
5. Sugar
6. レインボープール (Rainbow Pool)
7. ワールド (World)
8. Ghost Town
9. FLy
10. オールドスクール (Old School)
11. 象 (Elephant)
12. IdOL
13. ロックとハニー (Rock & Honey)
14. Oh! Good Life, No Good Life!
15. エレベーターエレベータ (Elevator Elevator)
16. POGO
17. 赤い砂 (Akai Suna)
18. NEW HERO
19. THE CLUB
20. 夢ステーション (Yume Station)
21. UFOバンザイ (UFO Banzai)
22. GET UP!
23. 黄金WAVE (Golden Wave)
24. パレード (Parade)
25. ピース (Peace)
26. 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda)

Disc 2 [Encore]
1. 森のメロディ (Mori no Melody)
2. ハート (Heart)
3. サイレント (Silent)
4. APOLLO
5. JET JUICE
6. ギャップ (Gap)
7. トーキョウバレリーナ (Tokyo Ballerina)
8. CHAOS
9. GRUNGY SISTER
10. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
11. ウララ (Urara)
cover image Collage (DVD)

Released: 2009.04.04 (VRDV-001)
Label: VINTAGE ROCK std.

Tracklist
1. NEW HERO
2. トラッシュボーイ (Trash Boy)
3. GET UP!
4. まぼろしFOREVER (Maboroshi Forever)
5. 氷のムーン (Ice Moon)
6. ディストーションブルースボーイ (Distortion Blues Boy)
7. JET JUICE
8. Good News
9. 赤い砂 (Akai Suna)
10. Sugar
11. バイオレンスサマー (Violence Summer)
12. エレベーターエレベータ (Elevator Elevator)
13. POGO
14. THE CLUB
15. UFOバンザイ (UFO Banzai)
16. ギャップ (Gap)
17. MONSTER
18. ピース (Peace)
19. チャランボ (Charanbo)
20. 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda)
21. パレード (Parade)
22. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
23. トーキョウバレリーナ (Tokyo Ballerina)
cover image 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda) (Single)

Released: 2009.02.04 (UKDZ-0075)
Label: UK PROJECT/DAIZAWA RECORDS

Tracklist
1. 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda)
2. サーカス小屋の少女 (Circus Koya no Shoujo)
- Live at Akasaka BLITZ 2008.10.04 -
3. パレード (Parade)
4. MONSTER
5. トラッシュボーイ (Trash Boy)
6. NEW HERO
7. Good News
8. JET JUICE
9. チャランボ (Charanbo)
10. 氷のムーン (Ice Moon)
11. 水のようだ (Mizu no Youda)
cover image Leecher (Album)

Released: 2008.07.23 (UKDZ-0072)
Label: UK PROJECT/DAIZAWA RECORDS

Tracklist
1. パレード (Parade)
2. MONSTER
3. トラッシュボーイ (Trash Boy)
4. NEW HERO
5. Good News
6. JET JUICE
7. チャランボ (Charanbo)
8. 氷のムーン (Ice Moon)
cover image メロディ泥棒&ビート刑事(デカ) (Melody Dorobo & Beat Deka) (Album)

Released: 2007.09.26 (TKCA-73245)
Label: Tokuma Japan

Tracklist
CD
1. ウララ (Urara)
2. まぼろしFOREVER (Maboroshi Forever)
3. DANCE QUEEN
4. パーフェクトソング (Perfect Song)
5. ヒビヤ (Hibiya)
6. CHOCO
7. ロックとハニー (Rock & Honey)
8. 平凡ギャング (Heibon Gang)
9. トーキョウバレリーナ (Tokyo Ballerina)
10. ピース (Peace)
11. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
12. ミーハーHer (Mi Ha Her)
13. POGO

DVD
1. リトルガーデン (Little Garden)
2. サンク (Thank You)
3. Ghost Town
4. THE CLUB
5. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
6. APOLLO
cover image FLASH! VIDEO CLIP COLLECTION 2003-2006 (DVD)

Released: 2007.04.04 (UPBH-1207)
Label: Universal Japan

Tracklist
Promotional Videos
1. バイオレンスサマー (Violence Summer)
2. 黄金WAVE (Golden Wave)
3. ピース (Peace)
4. FLy
5. トーキョウバレリーナ (Tokyo Ballerina)
6. 夢ステーション (Yume Station)
7. ロックとハニー (Rock and Honey)
8. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
cover image まぼろしFOREVER (Maboroshi Forever) (Album)

Released: 2007.04.04 (TKCA-73173)
Label: Tokuma Japan

Tracklist
1. リトルガーデン (Little Garden)
2. まぼろしFOREVER (Maboroshi Forever)
3. 平凡ギャング (Heibon Gang)
4. IdOL
5. O.K.
6. Ghost Town
7. 象 (Elephant)
8. スペシャル・ボイス (Special Voice)
9. CHOCO
10. APOLLO
11. ミーハーHer (Mi Ha Her)
cover image Sparta Locals (Album)

Released: 2006.09.06 (TKCA-73104)
Label: Tokuma Japan

Tracklist
1. ばかやろう (Baka Yarou)
2. DANCE QUEEN
3. ディストーションブルースボーイ (Distortion Blues Boy)
4. サンク (Thank You)
5. ANGRY MAN
6. I LOVE YOU
7. ピンクのバイクにまたがって (Pink no Bike ni Matagatte)
8. ジャーニー&ジャーニー (Journey & Journey)
9. ジェネレーションX (Generation X)
10. ハート (Heart)
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