Hisashi Imai, of Buck-tick
Happy 42nd birthday to Hisashi Imai, guitarist of Jrock band Buck-Tick!
(He's really wierd looking....)
Buck-tick originally formed in 1983, with four members: Araki on vocals, Hisashi Imai on guitar, Hidehiko Hoshino on guitar and keyboard, Yutaka “U-ta” Higuchi on bass, and Atsushi Sakurai on drums and percussion. Sakurai decided that he wanted to form a band and spread the word, and the other members gathered. None of them knew how to play their instruments, so they began from scratch.
In 1984 the Hisahi Imai named the band “Hinan Go-Go”, and the band played live for the first time at an amateur band festival called “Little Rock.” Later that year, Hisashi and Araki moved to Tokyo, and the band’s name changed to “Buck-tick.”
In 1985, Araki, who under mutual understanding did not fit in with the rest of the band, departed, and Sakurai switched from drums to vocals. Toll Yagami, U-ta’s older brother, joined the band as the drummer after his previous band broke up. The new members performed for the first time in December at Shinjuku Jam.
Buck-Tick recorded its first demo in 1986, and then signed to the indie label Taiyo Records. After they release their first single in October, their fan club established. They released their first album in April of 1987, the first indie album ever to be released on CD, and after a tour to promote the CD, Buck-Tick signed to the major record company Victor/Invitation.
A year later, while recording their album “Taboo” in London, they performed their first international gig. On new years eve of 1988, they performed at Nihon Record Taisho, a big-time music awards show. In april of 1989while they were touring to promote their “Sabbath I” and “Sabbath II” live videos, Hisashi Imai was arrested for possession of LSD, and the tour was abruptly ended. Despite the scandal, the group reunited and played a live show in December, which was sold-out.
In 1990 more successful singles, as well as an album, was released. They also performed at several live venues, and released a remix album and an orchestra album composed by the Berlin Chamber Orchestra.
1991 sported more releases and live performances, but Sakurai experiences personal conflict when his mother dies. Later, he married the band’s stylist, and several months later they had a child. They divorced in 1992 when his wife’s affair was widely publicized in the media.
Buck-Tick changed their label to Mercury/Polygram in 1997, and released their first single under the new label in November, following with an album in December. In August 1999 Buck-Tick had the privilege of opening for Marilyn Manson at Fuji-kyu Highland Conifer Forest. In 2000 they changed their label again to BMG/Funhouse. They released their first single under this label in September, and another album a few weeks later.
They played for the first time in Korea in 2001 at the Soyo Rock Fetival 2001 in Seoul, and a Korean fan club was established. In September 2002 all the albums released under the Victor label were re-released as digital remasters under the Mercury label.
2004 was the year of solo and side projects. Sakurai released a solo single “Sacrifice” in May and “Taiji/Smell” in July. Hisashi’s side project Lucy released its album “Rockarollica” in June. U-ta’s side project Wild Wise Apes released an album “3rd World” and played 2 live shows, while Toll Yagami released his album “Toll Yagami and the Blue Sky.” Also, Sakurai married again in this year. In 2006 Hoshino announced that he was married as well.
Buck-tick Is now touring for their latest album, “Tenshi no Revolver”, which was released September 12.
Current Label: Mercury/Polygram
Current Members:
Vocals: Atsushi Sakurai
Guitars, noises, backing/second vocals: Hisashi Imai
Guitars, keyboards, backing vocals: Hidehiko “Hide” Yoshino
Bass: Yutaka “U-ta” Higuchi
Drums, percussion: Toll Yagami
Discography:
Singles:
10/21/1986 - To-Search/Plastic Syndrome
10/261988 - Just One More Kiss
01/24/1990 - Aku no Hana
01/21/1991 - Speed
06/05/1991 - M・A・D
10/30/1991 - Jupiter
05/21/1993 - Dress
10/21/1993 - Die
03/24/1995 - Uta
04/21/1995 - Kodou
09/21/1995 - Mienai Mono o Miyo to Suru Gokai Subete Gokai da
05/22/1996 - Candy
11/12/1997 - Heroin
03/11/1998 - Sasayaki
05/13/1998 - Gessekai
07/14/1999 - Bran-New Lover
10/20/1999 - Miu
09/06/2000 - Glamorous
11/21/2001 - 21st Cherry Boy
02/20/2002 - Kyokutou Yori Ai wo Komete
01/18/2003 - Zangai
12/03/2003 - Gensou no Hana
03/02/2005 - Romsnce
08/02/2006 - Kagerou
06/06/2007 - Rendezvous
08/08/2007 - Alice in Wonder Underground
Albums:
04/21/1987 - Hurry Up Mode
11/21/1987 - Sexual xxxxx!
03/21/1988 - Romanesque (Mini-Album)
06/21/1988 - Seventh Heaven
01/18/1989 - Taboo
02/01/1990 - Aku no Hana
02/08/1990 - Hurry Up (1990 Mix)
07/21/1990 - Symphonic Buck-Tick in Berlin
02/21/1991 - Kurutta Taiyou
03/21/1992 - Koroshi no Shirabe This Is NOT Greatest Hits
06/23/1993 - Darker than Darkness -style93-
08/24/1994 - Shapeless
05/15/1995 - Six/Nine
12/01/1995 - Catalogue 1987-1995
06/21/1996 - Cosmos
12/10/1997 - Sexy Stream Liner
03/11/1999 - LTD
08/12/1998 - Sweet Strange Live Disc
03/20/1999 - BT
03/29/2000 - 97BT99
09/20/2000 - One Life, One Death
03/28/2001 - One Life, One Death Cut Up
12/19/2001 - Super Value Buck-Tick
02/06/2002 - Kyokuto I Love You
02/13/2003 - Mona Lisa Overdrive
04/07/2004 - At The Night Side
12/22/2004 - Akuma to Freud- Climax Together 2004
04/06/2005 - 13kai wa Gekkou
12/07/2005 - Catalogue 2005
09/19/2007 - Tenshi no Revolver
Credits: Buck-Tick Zone, Wikipedia
Buckt-tick is like SUPER OLD OMG. It's pretty rare in Japan for any artist to continue on for 20 years...I think it's because looks are so important in Japanese pop culture. So they must be pretty damn good. In my opinion, they are. Atsushi Sakurai's voice is very smooth and melodic. Their songs usually have slow, dark tones in them, which is the reason why I don't listen to them all the time.
Alice in Wonder Underground
Wow. This is song is like, upbeat and cheeful rock, and the video and the lyrics are so dark and Creepy. I imagine it's about rape...from the translation. But it's a really great song. :O
Lyrics | Translation
Download:
Buck-Tick - Alice in Wonder Underground
Asian Birthdays is a subdivision of the site Much Love, an Asian mp3 rotation page that focuses on spreading the love of Asian pop music and culture. These mp3’s are for sampling, so you can experience the awesomeness that is Asian pop culture. Please buy the CDs at your store of choice (CDJapan, Yesasia, Amazon) to support these great artists.
You may ask for a renewed link to a song…but don’t ask for too many, cuz that’s kinda greedy, dontcha think?
If you do take a song, please be sure to comment, as I’m doing this to share with other people, and opinions would be appreciated. Kay? Thanks!
Main Site
(He's really wierd looking....)
Buck-tick originally formed in 1983, with four members: Araki on vocals, Hisashi Imai on guitar, Hidehiko Hoshino on guitar and keyboard, Yutaka “U-ta” Higuchi on bass, and Atsushi Sakurai on drums and percussion. Sakurai decided that he wanted to form a band and spread the word, and the other members gathered. None of them knew how to play their instruments, so they began from scratch.
In 1984 the Hisahi Imai named the band “Hinan Go-Go”, and the band played live for the first time at an amateur band festival called “Little Rock.” Later that year, Hisashi and Araki moved to Tokyo, and the band’s name changed to “Buck-tick.”
In 1985, Araki, who under mutual understanding did not fit in with the rest of the band, departed, and Sakurai switched from drums to vocals. Toll Yagami, U-ta’s older brother, joined the band as the drummer after his previous band broke up. The new members performed for the first time in December at Shinjuku Jam.
Buck-Tick recorded its first demo in 1986, and then signed to the indie label Taiyo Records. After they release their first single in October, their fan club established. They released their first album in April of 1987, the first indie album ever to be released on CD, and after a tour to promote the CD, Buck-Tick signed to the major record company Victor/Invitation.
A year later, while recording their album “Taboo” in London, they performed their first international gig. On new years eve of 1988, they performed at Nihon Record Taisho, a big-time music awards show. In april of 1989while they were touring to promote their “Sabbath I” and “Sabbath II” live videos, Hisashi Imai was arrested for possession of LSD, and the tour was abruptly ended. Despite the scandal, the group reunited and played a live show in December, which was sold-out.
In 1990 more successful singles, as well as an album, was released. They also performed at several live venues, and released a remix album and an orchestra album composed by the Berlin Chamber Orchestra.
1991 sported more releases and live performances, but Sakurai experiences personal conflict when his mother dies. Later, he married the band’s stylist, and several months later they had a child. They divorced in 1992 when his wife’s affair was widely publicized in the media.
Buck-Tick changed their label to Mercury/Polygram in 1997, and released their first single under the new label in November, following with an album in December. In August 1999 Buck-Tick had the privilege of opening for Marilyn Manson at Fuji-kyu Highland Conifer Forest. In 2000 they changed their label again to BMG/Funhouse. They released their first single under this label in September, and another album a few weeks later.
They played for the first time in Korea in 2001 at the Soyo Rock Fetival 2001 in Seoul, and a Korean fan club was established. In September 2002 all the albums released under the Victor label were re-released as digital remasters under the Mercury label.
2004 was the year of solo and side projects. Sakurai released a solo single “Sacrifice” in May and “Taiji/Smell” in July. Hisashi’s side project Lucy released its album “Rockarollica” in June. U-ta’s side project Wild Wise Apes released an album “3rd World” and played 2 live shows, while Toll Yagami released his album “Toll Yagami and the Blue Sky.” Also, Sakurai married again in this year. In 2006 Hoshino announced that he was married as well.
Buck-tick Is now touring for their latest album, “Tenshi no Revolver”, which was released September 12.
Current Label: Mercury/Polygram
Current Members:
Vocals: Atsushi Sakurai
Guitars, noises, backing/second vocals: Hisashi Imai
Guitars, keyboards, backing vocals: Hidehiko “Hide” Yoshino
Bass: Yutaka “U-ta” Higuchi
Drums, percussion: Toll Yagami
Discography:
Singles:
10/21/1986 - To-Search/Plastic Syndrome
10/261988 - Just One More Kiss
01/24/1990 - Aku no Hana
01/21/1991 - Speed
06/05/1991 - M・A・D
10/30/1991 - Jupiter
05/21/1993 - Dress
10/21/1993 - Die
03/24/1995 - Uta
04/21/1995 - Kodou
09/21/1995 - Mienai Mono o Miyo to Suru Gokai Subete Gokai da
05/22/1996 - Candy
11/12/1997 - Heroin
03/11/1998 - Sasayaki
05/13/1998 - Gessekai
07/14/1999 - Bran-New Lover
10/20/1999 - Miu
09/06/2000 - Glamorous
11/21/2001 - 21st Cherry Boy
02/20/2002 - Kyokutou Yori Ai wo Komete
01/18/2003 - Zangai
12/03/2003 - Gensou no Hana
03/02/2005 - Romsnce
08/02/2006 - Kagerou
06/06/2007 - Rendezvous
08/08/2007 - Alice in Wonder Underground
Albums:
04/21/1987 - Hurry Up Mode
11/21/1987 - Sexual xxxxx!
03/21/1988 - Romanesque (Mini-Album)
06/21/1988 - Seventh Heaven
01/18/1989 - Taboo
02/01/1990 - Aku no Hana
02/08/1990 - Hurry Up (1990 Mix)
07/21/1990 - Symphonic Buck-Tick in Berlin
02/21/1991 - Kurutta Taiyou
03/21/1992 - Koroshi no Shirabe This Is NOT Greatest Hits
06/23/1993 - Darker than Darkness -style93-
08/24/1994 - Shapeless
05/15/1995 - Six/Nine
12/01/1995 - Catalogue 1987-1995
06/21/1996 - Cosmos
12/10/1997 - Sexy Stream Liner
03/11/1999 - LTD
08/12/1998 - Sweet Strange Live Disc
03/20/1999 - BT
03/29/2000 - 97BT99
09/20/2000 - One Life, One Death
03/28/2001 - One Life, One Death Cut Up
12/19/2001 - Super Value Buck-Tick
02/06/2002 - Kyokuto I Love You
02/13/2003 - Mona Lisa Overdrive
04/07/2004 - At The Night Side
12/22/2004 - Akuma to Freud- Climax Together 2004
04/06/2005 - 13kai wa Gekkou
12/07/2005 - Catalogue 2005
09/19/2007 - Tenshi no Revolver
Credits: Buck-Tick Zone, Wikipedia
Buckt-tick is like SUPER OLD OMG. It's pretty rare in Japan for any artist to continue on for 20 years...I think it's because looks are so important in Japanese pop culture. So they must be pretty damn good. In my opinion, they are. Atsushi Sakurai's voice is very smooth and melodic. Their songs usually have slow, dark tones in them, which is the reason why I don't listen to them all the time.
Alice in Wonder Underground
Wow. This is song is like, upbeat and cheeful rock, and the video and the lyrics are so dark and Creepy. I imagine it's about rape...from the translation. But it's a really great song. :O
Lyrics | Translation
Click to viewDownload:
Buck-Tick - Alice in Wonder Underground
Asian Birthdays is a subdivision of the site Much Love, an Asian mp3 rotation page that focuses on spreading the love of Asian pop music and culture. These mp3’s are for sampling, so you can experience the awesomeness that is Asian pop culture. Please buy the CDs at your store of choice (CDJapan, Yesasia, Amazon) to support these great artists.
You may ask for a renewed link to a song…but don’t ask for too many, cuz that’s kinda greedy, dontcha think?
If you do take a song, please be sure to comment, as I’m doing this to share with other people, and opinions would be appreciated. Kay? Thanks!
Main Site