Orange Range

Orange Range (オレンジレンジ, Orenji Renji) is a 5-member Japanese alternative rock band, based in Okinawa.^[1] Formed in 2001, the band began with Spice Music and later signed with Sony Music Japan's gr8! records division in 2003.

History

Indies

The band has roots in Okinawa. The area is famous for being the home of many well-known acts. Before they were signed by a major label, Orange Range played mostly in small art houses and clubs until they were found by a record agent. The band is mix of pop- and rock-style music as can be heard by the vocals and the instrumentals. Their style is also made up of many different cultures and musical styles from around the world. This is attributed to their hometown being Okinawa, a well-known station for American military bases and, thus, cultures and different styles often blend. Due to high sales of their works, Orange Range's singles are often attached to various movies, shows or Japanese products. This is usually seen as a sign of a band or singer having hit "the big time" in the Japanese media.

Originally, Orange Range was a cover band, doing mostly covers of songs by other artists. The band was started by childhood friends Kitao "Kat-chan" Kazuhito and Hiroyama Naoto, but Naoto has professed that Kazuhito was the one to come up with the idea of forming a band. Soon a longtime friend of Naoto, Miyamori Yoh, would join the band as a bassist. Unlike the current band members, the next band member to join, Hokama Hiroki, was relatively an "outsider" in the group of friends that made up the original band. Hiroki was also the first vocalist of the band. Next Miyamori Yoh invited his younger brother, Miyamori Ryo, to join the band as a low vocalist and the second overall vocalist. The band stayed like this for a few months before scouting high range vocalist, Yamato Geneko to the band.

Between the time that Yamato joined and the band being signed to Spice Music's Japanese division, Orange Range mainly did covers of already famous singers and bands, like Glay and Mr. Children, for school concerts and for small art houses. In early 2002, the band was signed to Spice Music and released their first official commercial work, the mini-album Orange Ball, which contained the single Michishirube. The single peaked at #250 on the Oricon charts.It was around this time that the band finally left their home of Okinawa and began touring across the country and opening for various Japanese acts such as Do As Infinity.

2003

In June 2003, the band signed with Sony Music and released their first wide release single, Kirikirimai. The single only had a moderate amount of sales and peaked at #50 on the mainstream Oricon charts.The very next month though, any doubts of Orange Range being able to make it to the "big time" in the Japanese music scene were dashed when they released their second single, Shanghai Honey—the single peaked at #5 on the Oricon charts. This was seen as a large feat for the band as the single had almost no promotion due to the low sales of Kirikirimai.

The band then released two more singles, Viva★Rock, in which the title song was used as the third ending to the anime NARUTO, and Rakuyō which was used as commercial song for Daiichi Kosho Mero Dam. 1st Contact, the band's first full album, was then released in late 2003. It entered the charts at #2 and was only able to stay there for a single week. The album's sales dropped by nearly double in the time frame of a month. Even with the low sales, the album became the 15th highest selling album of 2004.

2004

In the time following their first album, the band re-released Michishirube and Kiririmai. During the same year, the band also performed Kirikirimai (Fantastic Four Remix) for the superhero film Fantastic Four and its soundtrack.

Michishirube was used as the ending theme to the popular J-Drama, Fire Boys ~Megumi no Daigo~, this version of the single went straight to #1 on the Oricon charts. It marked the first single from the band that was able to reach the coveted spot on the charts. The band's next single was Locolotion, which rocked the group with plagiarism controversy and accusations. Even with what was seen as "bad media light" for the band, the single still reached the #1 spot, as would their next seven singles, making Orange Range the band with the longest streak of consecutive number one singles since the start of the new millennium.

The band's 8th single, Hana, went on to become the highest selling single from the band; to date, the single has sold nearly 800,000 copies. This single also went on to become the number four highest selling single of 2004 and was able to stay on the Oricon charts for nearly 50 weeks. Their second album, MusiQ, debuted at the #2 spot on the Oricon charts. It only stayed at the spot for one week, as its second week saw the album climb to the number one spot. This would go on to become Orange Range's best selling album, claiming the number one spot for 2005.

2005

The band's next single, *~Asterisk~, was used as the first opening theme to the anime BLEACH and went straight to #1 on the charts and was able to stay in the top 20 for 22 weeks. Because it was released in late 2005, it was counted as a 2005 album; often album sales for albums released late in the year are counted for next year's charts. Asterisk, however, was counted in both 2005 and 2006. The album's chart run ended with over 900,000 sales and was the 11th highest selling album of 2005.

The band then somewhat slowed down as they had what many fans called a "face change". This was because founding member, Kitao Kazuhito, left the band in the middle of 2005. At first it was reported by the Japanese media that he left the band due to tendinitis that had increased in severity. It was later revealed that he left the band due to "creative differences", it was said that Kazuhito did not like that the band was moving more and more to hip-hop and away from rock. As of December 2006, the band has yet to find a replacement member.

2006

The band finally returned to the studio and release their first single of 2006, Champione, in mid-2006. The single became the official song of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Un Rock Star, the band's next single, would break the string of consecutive number one singles. The single debuted at #3 and never rose higher. However, it should be noted that this single had a limited release, as only 100,000 copies were made.

The band's 16th single is titled Sayonara, contrary to rumors of this being the band's final single, this is supposed to mark the second phase of the band's life, thus they are saying goodbye to the first phase. Sayonara was used as the theme song for the TBS drama Teppan Shōjo Akane!!. In addition, the band has also created new songs with commercial tie-ins, one titled Dance Dance to be used in a Pocky advertisement and the other called Hello, which will be used by the Disney Channel.

Their fourth album, the self-titled Orange Range was released on December 6, 2006; it contained 17 tracks; three were re-releases and 14 were new tracks. Even with a #2 peak, this was the band's lowest charting album in four years, as well as their lowest selling album to date.

Orange Range performed at Music Station Super Live 2006 on December 22. Music Station is a long-running Japanese music television program that holds a "Super Live" extended edition to celebrate Christmas and the end of the year every December. This was the second year in a row that Orange Range was invited.

2007

Their 17th single, Ika Summer, was released in April and had a weekly peak of #3 on Oricon. This was the band's lowest selling and charting single in years, only staying in the top five for one week.

July saw three major releases from Orange Range. To celebrate their 5th anniversary, the band released two separate best albums entitled Orange and Range, each containing a different selection of their hit singles and popular album tracks. On the first day of their release, Orange and Range would obtain the top two spots on the Oricon charts and the same spots on the weekly charts. Two weeks later, the albums would go on to obtain the top two spots in the United World Music charts. Their next single, Ikenai Taiyō, was used as the opening theme to the J-Drama adaptation of the popular manga series Hana-Kimi. Ikenai Taiyō would go on to have to obtain the #3 spot on Oricon in its first week, obtaining the band's highest sales in a year.

2008

The band's first single of the year, Kimi Station, was released on March 5, 2008. The band also performed the opening and ending themes to the Sunrise anime series, CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2. They are titled O2 (02~ｵｰ･ﾂｰ~, Ō Tsū) and Shiawase Neiro (シアワセネイロ, Shiawase Neiro). The song "O2" was released as a single late May. "Shiawase Neiro" was included on Orange Range's fifth studio album, PANIC FANCY, which was released on July 9, 2008 and immediately topped the Oricon Album Charts on its launch date. The DVD version of the album also included an Orange Range Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 commercial, along with the music videos for its single releases.

Members

Current

• Naoto Hiroyama - guitar
• Ryo Miyamori - low vocals
• Yamato Ganeko - high vocals
• Yoh Miyamori - bass
• Hiroki Hokama - mid-range vocals

Past

• Kitao Kazuhito "Katchan" - drums (Left the band due to tendinitis on his left little finger around the end of July 2005, though his illness was apparently not the direct cause of his decision to leave.)

Discography

Independent releases

• Orange Ball (オレンジボール) (April 21, 2002, Okinawa-only released album)
• Orange Ball (オレンジボール) (February 22, 2002, nation-wide release album)
• Michishirube (ミチシルベ Guidepost) (August 25, 2002) (single)

Singles

1. "Kirikirimai" (キリキリマイ) (June 4, 2003)
2. "Shanghai Honey" (上海ハニー) (July 16, 2003, 222,385 copies sold)
3. "Viva Rock" (ビバ★ロック) (October 22, 2003)
4. "Rakuyō" (落陽) (November 27, 2003)
5. "Michishirube ~A Road Home~" (ミチシルベ～a road home～) (February 25, 2004, 278,193 copies sold)
6. "Locolotion" (ロコローション) (June 9, 2004, 487,267 copies sold)
7. "Chest" (チェスト) (August 25, 2004, 116,206 copies sold)
8. "Hana" (花) (October 20, 2004, 999,322 copies sold)
9. "*~Asterisk~" (＊~アスタリスク~) (February 23, 2005, 628,329 copies sold)
10. "Love Parade" (ラヴ・パレード) (May 25, 2005, 447,393 copies sold)
11. "Onegai! Señorita" (お願い！セニョリータ) (June 8, 2005, 417,464 copies sold)
12. "Kizuna" (キズナ) (August 24, 2005, 410,924 copies sold)
13. "Champione" (チャンピオーネ) (May 10, 2006, 220,955 copies sold)
14. "Un Rock Star" (August 30, 2006, 79,683 copies sold)
15. "Sayonara" (October 25, 2006, 102,737 copies sold)
16. "Ika Summer" (イカSUMMER) (April 25, 2007)
17. "Ikenai Taiyō" (イケナイ太陽) (July 18, 2007)
18. "Kimi Station" (君station) (March 3, 2008)
19. "O2" (02~オー･ツー~) (May 28, 2008)

Albums

Studio albums

1. 1st Contact (December 17, 2003, Oricon #2, 690,282 copies sold)
2. musiQ (December 1, 2004, Oricon #1, 2,630,763 copies sold)
3. Иatural (October 12, 2005, Oricon #1, 919,650 copies sold)
4. Orange Range (December 6, 2006, Oricon #2, 347,832 copies sold)
5. PANIC FANCY (July 9, 2008)

Other albums

• Squeezed (April 12, 2006, remix)
• Orange (July 25, 2007, Oricon #2, 210,804 copies sold, compilation)
• Range (July 25, 2007, Oricon #1, 214,149, compilation)

Asian Kung-Fu Generation

Asian Kung-Fu Generation (AJIアジアンカンフージェネレーションKanfū Jenerēshon?) is a Japanese rock banda signed by Ki / Oon Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The band was created in 1996 by Kensuke Kita, Takahiro Yamada, Masafumi Gotō and met in a circle of music Kanto Gakuin University, with Kiyoshi Ijichi join banda shortly thereafter. They played in many small places, until the date on which he launched his first indie EP in 2000, a six-song EP of songs sung in English. The following year, the banda has tried to get its first Japanese, "Kona Yuki" (粉雪?), In indie radio. The song was taken from a popular radio DJ and put into rotation because of strong demand from listeners. La banda launched its second indie CD containing songs with Japanese lyrics later in 2001. In 2003, the banda version would be his first mini-album Hōkai amplifier (崩壊アンプリファー?), Who has received enormous critical acclaim album with sales reaching 35 in the Oricon charts.

In 2003, the banda has published The Singles "Mirai no Kakera" (未来の破片?) "For Kimi Hana IU" (君という花?) What catapult to fame. Her first album, Tsunagi Five Kimi M (君繋ファイブエム?), A sold more than 250000 copies and landed on the site number 5 in the Oricon charts in its first week. As his fame grew, fans began to call simply Ajike (アジカン?) O AKFG, abridged version of his full name.

When they arrived around 2004, la banda won the award for best new artist, his video "Hana Kimi IU" won the award for best music video. During the year, the bandwidth would release four other people: "Siren" (サイレン?), "Loop & Loop" (ループ&ループ?), "Reescritura" (リライト?), Is the fourth song L Opening of souls Fullmetal Alchemist and "Kimi no Machi Made" (君の街まで?). His song "Haruka Kanata" is the second opening of Naruto souls. The band has also released their second album, Sol-fa (ソルファ?), In 2004. The album has sold more than 600000 copies and reach a number in the Oricon charts for two weeks straight.

In 2005, they launched a DVD which has remained number one in the Oricon charts DVD for a whole month, and has played in places exhausted during its Re: tour. The band also took into Nano-Mugen Festival 2005, where eight different groups played a sold-out crowd. Later that year, the banda has released another single "Blue Train" (ブルートレイン?) (Success for # 5 spot in the rankings), and held a brief visit in winter.

The band has released two albums in 2006: Fanclub (ファンクラブ?) And a B-side collection of files known voice. Fanclub Oricon suspended in the top five for nearly two months, while classified archives voice is entered at number two. In July, banda held Nano-Mugen Festival 2006, which included 12 different artists and sold all their shares. The band moves to release two singles in 2006, "World Apart" and "Aru Machi not Gunjō" which appeared in the film Amer Concrete souls. In addition to the World banda became the first number one.

In February 2008, la banda published a single Korogaru IWA, Kimi ga nor Asa Furuya (転がる岩,君に朝が降る?), Seguita quickly his sixth album, World International. The album has debuted at No. 1 on Oricon charts, ultimately, a relapse in # 6 and # 9 week after. " His song "After Dark" is the seventh opening souls Bleach. Asia Kung-Fu Generation and kits solo albums were designed and created by Yusuke Nakamura.

Profiles of members

Masafumi Goto (后藤正文Gotō Masafumi?)
• Date of birth: December 12, 1976
• Birthplace: Fujieda City, Shizuoka Prefecture
• Status: Married
• Lead singer and rhythm guitarist
• Equipment:
Gibson or 75 Marauder
Gibson Les Paul faded double-edged sword (faded yellow)
Gibson Les Paul Junior faded double-edged sword (increased Cherry)
Custom or Roland JC-160 amps
• Major: Economics
• The band: Oasis, Radiohead, Weezer, Number Girl, Teenage Fanclub, Youth and East Howard Jones

Kensuke Kita (喜多建介Kensuke Kita?)
• Date of birth: January 24, 1977
• Birthplace: Kanagawa prefecture
• The main guitarist and voice of funds
• Equipment:
Gibson Les Paul Standard (Cherry solar)
Gibson Les Paul Standard or Premium Plus (Cherry solar)
Custom Shop 1954 Gibson Les Paul Standard reissue (Ice Tea)
Marshall JCM 900 or 4100 Chief of Staff (half-stack).
Bogner ecstasy or 4x12 cabinet with 1 and 2 in the studio live (seen in "Aru Machi Ganjou not" and "Korogaru IWA, Kimi ga nor Asa Furuya" PV)
• Major: Economics
• The group favorite: Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, Supergrass and XTC

Takahiro Yamada (山田贵洋Takahiro Yamada?)
• Date of birth: August 19, 1977
• Birthplace: Shizuoka Prefecture
• bass and choirs
• Equipment:
"62 or Fender Jazz Bass (Blue Lake Placid, 3-Tone Solar)
bass amp head Ampeg 300 AH
• Grand: Literature
• The favorite bands: The Beatles, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pet Shop Boys

Kiyoshi Ijichi (伊地知洁Ijichi Kiyoshi?)
• Date of birth: September 25, 1977
• Birthplace: Kanagawa prefecture
• Drummer
Pearl Batteries (custom set)
O dishes Sabian
• Major: Engineering
• The group favorite: Brian Setzer and Hi-Standard

Malice Mizer

Malice Mizer (マリスミゼル; Marisu Mizeru) is a rock band movement and the Japanese Visual Kei. Fires in August 1992 to December 2001. Created by Mana and Közi, banda name means "malice and misery," Excerpts from "nothing but a being of malice and misery" - its answer to the question "What is man ". Before his music and voices are characterized by their strong influence classical french and, later, the transition from romantic french deliberate and integration of Victorian Gothic, after several aspects tragedies befell the band. Despite archetypes, Malice Mizer is better recognized as an original.
Malice Mizer is so famous for its music as for their live shows with splendid historical costumes and scenery, a short silence preluding plays various songs, dance routines fantasy, and also a particularly striking example of the singer descends on Earth (Phase) as a fallen angel, but then increased again at the end of the concert. Throughout its history, banda has seen three different files and change the image.
On December 11, 2001, it was announced that Malice Mizer pause indefinitely.

History
Tetsu age; Indies The era of Malice Mizer (1992-1994)
Mana and Közi Malice Mizer founded in 1992, with the voice of Tetsu, Mana and Közi the guitar / synthesizer, Yu ~ ki on bass and drums Gaz. From the outset, banda has created its trademark "double guitar" sound, two guitars to play different melodies create polyphony. Malice Mizer sound during an era of Tetsu is a mixture of rock, Gothic early 1980, and a strong classical influence. His first official launch was the song "Speed of despair" in the compilation 1993 Brain Trash. Before that, freed a band demonstration called Without logic that has no voice. Shortly after the launch of Brain Trash, Gaz left to join the banda Kneuklid Romance, Romance Kneuklid while drummer Kami, in turn, joined Malice Mizer. In 1994, the banda has released its first album, memory, Mana new independent label founded Lunch: Nette, and shortly after the re-issuance of a Bonus Track, "baroque" with the title MEMORY DX. A few days later, de la banda singer Tetsu left. Although the exact causes are unknown, Tetsu went to take another direction in their work and some say it is because not that the flamboyant image band. La banda continue to use his words in songs that continue to play a second time with the voice suggest a distribution agreement.

Gackt era; Travel and wonders (1995-1999)

Malice Mizer at the time of Gackt (left to right: Mana, Gackt, Kami, Yu and Közi ~ KI).
In 1995, after a year of inactivity, Malice Mizer Gackt hired as the new singer. With a new concept created by Mana, banda music has become more complex and progressive rock, integrating more traditional and electronic elements. Visually, the banda has left its goth 1980 to see the colorful costumes with a gothic feel historic. In 1996, Malice Mizer released their second album, Voyage of no return ~ ~. The banda has become increasingly popular, and in 1997 signed with Columbia Records, which issued a series of successes, a short film (Bel Air Kuuhaku not Shunk ~ ~ No Naka of the image) and in 1998 Her third album, Wonders. The band also has its radio at that time and has played two days to live Nippon Budokan which involved a large building as a stage prop and theatrical incredible; individual members perform a skit with another member of his. It is a huge success and was released on video wonders of space. In January 1999, at the height of success Malice Mizer, Gackt suddenly left the band, and after only four months released his first solo album. There are many voices circulating about why he left, but none has yet been confirmed. Malice Mizer Columbia and left shortly after his return to Lunch: Net.
A few months after the departure of Gackt, drummer Kami died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage on June 21, 1999, leaving behind a handful of songs that banda finally released as part of JV / video boxset Shinwa, consisting of 2 songs composed by Kami and short-track "Saikai" which was drafted by the banda. Kami has never been replaced since then, Malice Mizer use only batteries support (ie Shue, who does not appear as a result of Banda music and video, or credited) and Kami east credited as "eternal report" In all his future releases.Because Kami of premature death and other factors, the band decided to change his image and music.

Klaha era; Bara not Seidou (2000-2001)

In the second half of 1999 and early 2000, Malice Mizer - even without singer official - delivered a series of singles and began working on a new album. Finally, they recruited Klaha (real name Masaki Haruna), the singer banda darkwave Pride of Mind. Since then, the banda has abandoned the pop music sound of a minimum of Gackt a spectacular mixture of classical music, gothic / heavy metal and gothic music, and adopted a Goth look funeral. During the summer of 2000, launched what would be his last album, Bara not Seidou, followed by a very dramatic and theatrical live with fireworks, a chorus of veiled nuns and a reduction in the Cathedral as a stage prop. In 2001, Malice Mizer star in a film of vampires (Bara not Konrei ~ ~ Mayonaka nor Kawashita Yakusoku), and released three more singles: "Gardenia", "Beast of Blood" and "kinder and Granato ~ ~ I am not" "Gardenia" and "Granato" be a much lighter tone on his previous album, which means the beginning of a new era for the banda. Unfortunately, these few were single the world would be reborn again Malice Mizer, as band members decided to split ways in 2001, leaving dissolve messages on his official website, Mirror, which can still be seen today by day. The division has been talk of a "vacuum" However, in order not exclude the possibility of a future reform.

Post projects

After his departure in 1994, Tetsu took part in a series of groups like Zigzo and 8 Mega Ball and launched a solo album, his most recent was published banda independent Nile.
After his departure in early 1999, Gackt began a solo career after nearly a year has been a huge success, is now one of the best artists from Japan and television personalities.
Klaha launched a solo career and in December 2002 but in mid-2004, it was announced that his fanclub off, and after that there were long periods of silence, broken only by rare updates on your site. Because of health problems which took a break to create music, but last year said on its website that it would resume musical activities in 2007. More details were not announced.
Mana has formed his solo project, Moi ten month, will perform live concerts throughout Europe. In addition to the success of the project alone, Mana at the same time pursue a career as a designer for his label, myself-half, which focuses on Gothic elegant aristocrat (EGA) and elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL). GIS also operates its independent label, Noon: Nette, and is looking for bands to sign and produce.
Közi joined Haruhiko Ash's Eve industrial banda spell and also has a solo project.