Rag Fair
Encyclopedia
RAG FAIR is a Japan
ese male a cappella
band. Its members are Reo Tsuchiya, Yosuke Hikichi, Kenichi Arai, Yoshiyuki Kato, Takamasa Kano, and Masayoshi Okumura.
They met each other at Saitama University
. An a cappella circle named "chocoletz"(チョコレッツ) was formed in Saitama University in 1997, and RAG FAIR emerged from this in 1999. They developed streetlives in those days around Oomiya Station and Musashiurawa Station.
In 2001 "Chikara no kagiri go-gogo-!!" a variety program affiliated with Fuji TV, the a cappella members of group "replica" (レプリカ) (where Masayoshi Okumura participated in those days) appears on the television show "Hamonepu"(ハモネプ). Also in 2001, RAG FAIR debut with album "I RAG YOU".
In 2002, two singles were released simultaneously, "koi no mileage"(恋のマイレージ) and "She side story"(Sheサイドストーリー). Both singles were splendid achievements, snagging the first and second places, respectively, in the singles' first appearances in the Oricon
Weekly Ranking charts. RAG FAIR participated for the first time in the 53rd annual NHK
Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2002, performing "koi no mileage."
In October 2003, their comedy program "Omatase! RAG Teishoku"(おまたせ！ラグ定食) began airing on Fuji TV, running up until March 2004. At the end of the program, the members announced a second "renewal" comedy program, entitled RAG&PEACE. This program ran for another six months in 2004.
A commercial for McDonalds "Fish Mac Dipper" aired in March 2004. It received the "McDonalds Excellent Advertising Award" for 2004.
They performed their first live at the Nippon Budokan
publicly on December 10, 2005, and they released the DVD "streetlive! in Budoukan".
In January 2011, RAG FAIR announced that they would take an indefinite dormancy period starting March 2011, concluding their performance career with a live tour named "THAT'S RAG FAIR".
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese male a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
band. Its members are Reo Tsuchiya, Yosuke Hikichi, Kenichi Arai, Yoshiyuki Kato, Takamasa Kano, and Masayoshi Okumura.
They met each other at Saitama University
Saitama University
Saitama University is a Japanese national university located in a suburban area of Sakura-ku, Saitama City capital of Saitama Prefecture in Tokyo Metropolitan Area....
. An a cappella circle named "chocoletz"(チョコレッツ) was formed in Saitama University in 1997, and RAG FAIR emerged from this in 1999. They developed streetlives in those days around Oomiya Station and Musashiurawa Station.
In 2001 "Chikara no kagiri go-gogo-!!" a variety program affiliated with Fuji TV, the a cappella members of group "replica" (レプリカ) (where Masayoshi Okumura participated in those days) appears on the television show "Hamonepu"(ハモネプ). Also in 2001, RAG FAIR debut with album "I RAG YOU".
In 2002, two singles were released simultaneously, "koi no mileage"(恋のマイレージ) and "She side story"(Sheサイドストーリー). Both singles were splendid achievements, snagging the first and second places, respectively, in the singles' first appearances in the 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...
Weekly Ranking charts. RAG FAIR participated for the first time in the 53rd annual NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2002, performing "koi no mileage."
In October 2003, their comedy program "Omatase! RAG Teishoku"(おまたせ！ラグ定食) began airing on Fuji TV, running up until March 2004. At the end of the program, the members announced a second "renewal" comedy program, entitled RAG&PEACE. This program ran for another six months in 2004.
A commercial for McDonalds "Fish Mac Dipper" aired in March 2004. It received the "McDonalds Excellent Advertising Award" for 2004.
They performed their first live at the Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
publicly on December 10, 2005, and they released the DVD "streetlive! in Budoukan".
In January 2011, RAG FAIR announced that they would take an indefinite dormancy period starting March 2011, concluding their performance career with a live tour named "THAT'S RAG FAIR".
Singles
| Original Japanese Title | Romanized Name | Translation of Title | Release Date |
| ラブラブなカップル フリフリでチュー | RABU RABU na KAPPURU FURIFURI de CHU- | Couple in Love Kiss Frilly | March 21, 2002 |
| 恋のマイレージ | Koi no MAIRE-JI | Love's Mileage | June 19, 2002 |
| She サイド ストーリー | She SAIDO SUTO-RI | She Side Story | June 19, 2002 |
| あさってはSunday | Asatte wa Sunday | The Day after Tomorrow is Sunday | October 23, 2002 |
| 空がきれい | Sora ga Kirei | The Sky is Beautiful | January 6, 2003 |
| 七転び八起き | Nana Korobi ya Oki | Falling Down Seven Times and Getting Up Eight Times | June 18, 2003 |
| 白い天使が降りてくる | Shiroi Tenshi ga Orite Kuru | A White Angel is Coming Down | November 12, 2003 |
| Old Fashioned Love Song | April 21, 2004 | ||
| HANA | Flower | June 30, 2004 | |
| 君でなければ | Kimi de Nakereba | If it isn’t You… | September 8, 2004 |
| ハレルヤ | HARERUYA | Hallelujah | February 23, 2005 |
| Summer Smile | July 13, 2005 | ||
| 降りそうな幾億の星の夜 | Furisona Ikuoku no Hoshi no Yoru | Many Hundred Million Stars About to Rain In the Night | June 14, 2006 |
| 君のために僕が盾になろう | Kimi no Tame ni Boku ga Tate ni Naro | Let Me Become Your Shield For You | September 20, 2006 |
| 夏風便り | Natsukazedayori | Summer Wind News | April 18, 2007 |
| 赤い糸／LIVEラリー | Akai Ito/LIVE Rarii | A Red Thread/Live Rally | October 3, 2007 |
| 早春ラプソディ | Soshun Rapusodi | Early Spring Rhapsody | January 9, 2008 |
| Good Good Day! | October 15, 2008 | ||
| メリミー！ | Merimi- | Marry Me! | June 24, 2009 |
Albums
- I RAG YOU (December 19, 2001)
- AIR (January 22, 2003)
- PON (July 2, 2003)
- CIRCLE (September 8, 2004)
- RAGood STORY (RAGッ STORY) (November 9, 2005)
- Okurimono (オクリモノ) (October 4, 2006)
- Colours(カラーズ) (January 15, 2008)
External links
- Official Web Site of RAG FAIR (Japanese)
- Official Web Site by Toy’s Factory (Japanese)
- Yosuke Hikichi's Blog (Japanese)
- Yoshiyuki Kato's Blog (Japanese)
- Reo Tsuchiya's Blog (Japanese)
- Masayoshi Okumura's Blog (Japanese)
- Livejournal RAG FAIR Community (English)