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The Back Horn |
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Yamada Masashi
Suganami Eijun
Matsuda Shinji
Okamine Koushu |
Vocals
Guitar
Drums
Bass |
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Profile |
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It's no surprise that Tokyo, as the capital city, serves as a meeting hub for many of the bands that populate Japan's rock scene today. After all, the glitz and glamour of the big city is sure to attract many a rocker wanting to make it big. While they may have come to the city for slightly different reasons, the members of The Back Horn did indeed meet in Tokyo and that's where the band was born.
Each member of the band is from the country, and each one had his own reason for coming to Tokyo. Vocalist Yamada Masashi, originally from Ibaraki, decided to seek vocal training at an institute in Tokyo to pursue his high school dream of being a vocalist. Guitarrist and main songwriter Suganami Eijun, hailing from the country prefecture of Fukushima, thought his hometown devoid of any worthy musical talent and moved to Tokyo to form a band that wouldn't settle for mediocrity. Drummer Matsuda Shinji was also from Fukushima, but after spending most of his life there, and led on mostly by the ideals of a country kid, traveled to Tokyo to see what the big city was all about. Current bassist Okamine Koushu, while not a founding member of the band, used the excuse of wanting to enroll at a university in Tokyo in order to move there.
The idea to start a band was conceived in April of 1998, when Yamada met Matsuda, Suganami and original bassist Hirabayashi Naoki while attending school, and from the get-go Suganami Eijun convinced them to form a band, which was originally named "Gyorai" but later changed to "The Back Horn." Interestingly, the name "The Back Horn" came from a mispronounciation of "The Back Hoe," the original idea agreed upon by the four founding members. So, the band progressed, writing more and more songs. Eventually they were invited to play in the Fuji Rock Festival in 1999, and one month later they released their first CD, the mini-album Doko e Iku under Kando Records in September of 1999. This impressive eight-track debut established a unique sound from the very beginning, introducing a raw, fierce sound that did not attempt to hide the band members' country origins. The songs, while definitely modern with huge distorted riffs and driving rhythms, were also complemented with melodies that bordered on traditional Japanese. Their second album, Yomigaeru Hi, followed seven months later and further expanded on their rapidly evolving style, and then, in September of 2000, they had their final release under Kando Records: the maxi single Fuusen. A few months later, The Back Horn signed to a major label: Speedstar Records.
The new millennium brought forth a new set of changes and challenges to the band. Right before their major label debut single Sunny in April, their original bassist Hirabayashi Naoki decided to leave the band. Scrambling to find a new bassist and with an uneasy future at large, the foursome-turned-trio was not able to enjoy the thrill of being signed to a major label. This, however, did not deter them much, as they made a plethora of festival appearances in August, culminating with their second single, Sora, Hoshi, Umi no Yoru. And only two months later, Ningen Program, the band's first full-length album on a major label was released.
It was around this time that the band met Okamine Koushu, a bassist in the Tokyo area. While they didn't extend a formal invitation immediately, he did serve as their support bassist as the band toured to promote their first album on a major label. It wasn't until 2002 that Okamine started going into the studio with the band, helping them record their third and fourth singles, Sekaiju no Shita de and Namida ga Koboretara, respectively. After another flurry of festival appearances, the band released their second album Shinzou Orchestra on November of 2002, and one month later the band, while touring in support of their newly-released album, announced that Okamine Kohshu would become an official member.
With a newly acquired fourth member, The Back Horn embarked on a bright future in 2003. And a bright future it was indeed, as star director Kiyoshi Kurosawa personally commissioned a song for his new feature film, "Akarui Mirai." So in January of 2003, their first single of the year was released: the single Mirai. Two more single releases followed later in the year, Hikari no Kessho and Seimeisen, and after their usual share of live appearances, the band released their third album, Ikiru Sainou.
Now a large act and filling up venues all across Japan, The Back Horn's fame brought them a second movie tie-in opportunity: this time for Utada Hikaru's husband's ambitious "Casshern" project. Our Last Day, the movie's official soundtrack, was released in late April of 2004 and included an all-new song by The Back Horn, titled Requiem. Three months later, the band performed two shows in Hibiya in their first summer one-man live. It was here where they introduced the new single to be released later that month, Yume no Hana, which continued the band's evolution that had begun in their third album, Ikiru Sainou. A series of festival appearances followed, including a return to the Rock In Japan Festival, and in November the band issued their final releases of this year: a new single entitled Cobalt Blue and a DVD of their summer one-man performance from four months earlier, Bakuon Yume Hanabi.
The Back Horn kicked off 2005 with the release of their third post-Ikiru Sainou single, the ballad Kizuna Song, and this was followed by a fourth album three months later. Entitled Headphone Children, it was their most ambitious project yet, considered by many to be a concept album due to its strong lyrical message regarding social themes of isolation and modernization. Included in this fourth album was a third movie coupling song, as Kiseki was commissioned by the producer of horror movie omni-bus "Zoo", further augmenting The Back Horn's mainstream popularity. The tour following Headphone Children resulted in an amazing success, and this led to the release of a live album Ubugoe Chainsaw, containing their best performances from the tour with the same name. Today, after a brief festival appearance in Spain, The Back Horn are back on their normal touring schedule and preparing what might be their final release of 2005. Black Hole Birthday, their first single in eleven months, is set for an early December release date. As for what The Back Horn have in store for their fans in 2006, only time will tell.
- Ricardo Vilaro (published 2005.11.02, updated 2011.10.28) |
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Links |
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Artist homepage
Speedstar Records
Samples |
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Keikaku Content |
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Review - Headphone Children
Review - Taiyou no Naka no Seikatsu
Features - interview |
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Discography list |
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| Albums |
| VICL-63656 |
アサイラム (Asylum) |
| VICL-62887 |
パルス (Pulse) |
| VICL-62746 |
BEST THE BACK HORN |
| VICL-62372 |
THE BACK HORN |
| VICL-61855 |
Taiyou no Naka no Seikatsu |
| VICL-61708 |
Ubugoe Chainsaw |
| VICL-61567 |
Headphone Children |
| VICL-61746 |
Ikiru Sainou |
| VICL-61745 |
Shinzou Orchestra |
| VICL-61744 |
Ningen Program |
| KACD-0002 |
Yomigaeru Hi |
| KACD-0001 |
Doko e Iku |
Singles |
| Unknown |
世界中に花束を (Sekaijuu ni Hanataba wo) |
| VICL-36592 |
閉ざされた世界 (Tozasareta Sekai) |
| VIZL-375/VICL-36572 |
戦う君よ (Tatakau Kimi yo) |
| VIZL-284/VICL-36436 |
覚醒 (Kakusei) |
| VICL-36361 |
罠 (Wana) |
| VICL-36234 |
美しい名前 (Utsukushii Namae) |
| VICL-36192 |
声 (Koe) |
| VICL-35945 |
カオスダイバー (Chaos Diver) |
| VICL-35940 |
Hajimete no Kokyuu de |
| VICL-35928 |
Black Hole Birthday |
| VICL-35759 |
Kizuna Song |
| VICL-35709 |
Cobalt Blue |
| VICL-35695 |
Yume no Hana |
| VICL-35566 |
Seimeisen |
| VICL-35547 |
Hikari no Kessho |
| VICL-35464 |
Mirai |
| VICL-35425 |
Namida ga Koboretara |
| VICL-35394 |
Sekaiju no Shita de |
| VICL-35293 |
Sora, Hoshi, Umi no Yoru |
| VICL-35236 |
Sunny |
| KACD-0003 |
Fuusen |
Compilations |
| COCP-50871 |
Respectable Roosters->Z a-GOGO |
| VICL-61505 |
Film Beat #1 |
| TOCT-25301 |
Our Last Day |
| SPMD-5001 |
Space Shower Retsugen |
DVDs |
| VIZL-453 |
マニアックヘブン ベストセレクション (Maniac Heaven Best Selection) |
| VIBL-589 |
エモーションピクチャー(Emotion Picture) Vol.2 |
| VIZL-338 |
創造のパルス (Sozo no Pulse) |
| VIZL-306 |
KYO-MEI LIVE ~裸足の夜明け~ (Hadashi no Yoake) at Nippon Budokan |
| VIBL-365 |
Maniac Heaven Vol.0 〜初夜の回想〜 (Hatsu Yoru no Kaisou) |
| VIBL-330 |
ライブ イン ザ サン (Live in the Sun) |
| VIBL-308 |
Emotion Picture vol. 1 |
| VIBL-178 |
Bakuon Yume Hanabi |
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アサイラム (Asylum) (Album)
Released: 2010.09.15 (VICL-63656)
Label: Speedstar Records
Tracklist
1. 雷電 (Raiden)
2. ラフレシア (Rafflesia)
3. 戦う君よ (Tatakau Kimi yo)
4. 再生 (Saisei)
5. 羽衣 (Hagoromo)
6. 海岸線 (Kaigansen)
7. ペルソナ (Persona)
8. 太陽の仕業 (Taiyou no Shiwaza)
9. 閉ざされた世界 (Tozasareta Sekai)
10. 汚れなき涙 (Yogorenaki Namida)
11. パレード (Parade) |
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閉ざされた世界 (Tozasareta Sekai) (Single)
Released: 2010.08.04 (VICL-36592)
Label: Speedstar Records
Tracklist
1. 閉ざされた世界 (Tozasareta Sekai)
2. 真夜中のライオン (Mayonaka no Lion)
3. 警鐘 (Keisho) |
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エモーションピクチャー(Emotion Picture) Vol.2 (DVD)
Released: 2010.02.10 (VIBL-589)
Label: Speedstar Records
Tracklist
1. 夢の花 (Yume no Hana)
2. レクイエム (Requiem)
3. コバルトブルー (Cobalt Blue)
4. キズナソング (Kizuna Song)
5. 奇跡 (Kiseki)
6. ブラックホールバースデイ (Black Hole Birthday)
7. 初めての呼吸で (Hajimete no Kokyuu de)
8. カオスダイバー (Chaos Diver)
9. 声 (Koe)
10. 美しい名前 (Utsukushii Namae)
11. 美しい名前 (Utsukushii Namae) <Lighter version>
12. 罠 (Wana)
13. 覚醒 (Kakusei)
14. 何もない世界 (Nanimo nai Sekai)
15.「何もない世界」メイキング (making of Nanimo nai Sekai)
16. 幾千光年の孤独 (Ikusen Kounen no Kodoku) Live at Shibuya C.C.Lemon Hall in 2006 |
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創造のパルス (Sozo no Pulse) (DVD)
Released: 2009.07.22 (VIZL-338)
Label: Speedstar Records
Tracklist
1. 世界を撃て (Sekai wo Ute)
2. グラディエーター (Gladiator)
3. ブラックホールバースデイ (Black Hole Birthday)
4. 白夜 (Byakuya)
5. フロイデ (Freude)
6. 赤い靴 (Akai Kutsu)
7. アカイヤミ (Akai Yami)
8. 人間 (Ningen)
9. 罠 (Wana)
10. 生まれゆく光 (Umare Yuku Hikari)
11. 蛍 (Hotaru)
12. サニー (Sunny)
13. 声 (Koe)
14. コバルトブルー (Cobalt Blue)
Encore 1
15. 無限の荒野 (Mugen no Kouya)
16. 刃 (Yaiba)
Encore 2
17. 泣いている人 (Naiteiru Hito)
18. 覚醒 (Kakusei) |
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KYO-MEI LIVE ~裸足の夜明け~ (Hadashi no Yoake) at Nippon Budokan (DVD)
Released: 2008.10.08 (VIZL-306)
Label: Speedstar Records
Tracklist
1. オープニング~夜明けの雫~ (opening ~ Yoake no Shizuku ~)
2. 覚醒 (Kakusei)
3. 野生の太陽(Yasei no Taiyou)
4. 幾千光年の孤独(Ikusen Kounen no Kodoku)
5. 光の結晶(Hikari no Kesshou)
6. 生命線(Seimeisen)
7. 罠(Wana)
8. 世界樹の下で(Sekaiju no Shita de)
9. ジョーカー(Joker)
10. アカイヤミ(Akai Yami)
11. ひとり言(Hitori Gen)
12. 夢の花(Yume no Hana)
13. 未来(Mirai)
14. 声(Koe)
15. ブラックホールバースデイ(Black Hole Birthday)
16. コバルトブルー(Cobalt Blue)
17. 刃(Yaiba)
18. キズナソング(Kizuna Song)
Encore 1
19. サニー(Sunny)
20. 涙がこぼれたら(Namida ga Koboretara)
21. 無限の荒野(Mugen no Kouya)
Encore 2
22. 冬のミルク(Fuyu no Milk) |
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