The Pillows
Encyclopedia
The Pillows are a Japanese rock
band. The group has released more than a dozen original studio album
s, along with several EP
s, singles and compilations. The Pillows are currently signed to the Avex Trax
label.
, bassist for Kenzi & The Trips, invited The Coin Locker Babies vocalist Sawao Yamanaka and Kenzi & The Trips drummer Shinichiro Sato to form a new band. Since Yamanaka was not able to play the guitar well yet, Yoshiaki Manabe
, a guitarist of the band Persia, joined them. The Pillows were formed on September 16, 1989.
The Pillows released two mini-albums from the indie label Captain Record. The Pillows contracted with the major label Pony Canyon
, and came out with the single "Ame ni Utaeba" in 1991. They released two singles and two albums.
Originally, Ueda led the band, and Ueda and Yamanaka wrote songs. Because of musical differences, however, Ueda left the group (although Ueda has never been officially replaced).
After a year with no activity or leadership, Sawao Yamanaka took the leadership role and the band was restarted, signing a contract with King Records. The band recruited Tatsuya Kashima as a replacement on bass. Out of respect for Ueda, Kashima was labeled as a guest musician on releases on which he performed. He stayed with the band through 1999 and the release of their 7th overall album Runners High
. Kashima was replaced by current bassist Jun Suzuki.
In 1999, The Pillows were approached by the anime
studio Gainax
, which licensed The Pillows' three previous albums for the soundtrack of their latest anime FLCL
. The Pillows also composed two new songs for the show, "Ride on Shooting Star
" and "I Think I Can
", which were released on their album Fool on the Planet
.
In March 2005, The Pillows played their first show in the United States
at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin
, Texas
, followed by concerts in New York City
and San Francisco. In the following year, The Pillows returned to North America during their tour in support of the album My Foot
, with several more dates in the U.S. and a show in Mexico City
.
The group's album Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
was released on May 2, 2007 their first on the Avex Trax
label.
The single, "Ladybird Girl
", was released on August 15, 2007, and is being used as the theme song for the Japanese version of the children's animated seriesBen 10
.
They returned to the US in 2008 starting with Los Angeles, followed by another appearance at SXSW, San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, and Anime Boston
.
Pied Piper, the fifteenth studio album by The Pillows, was released on June 25, 2008. It includes the singles "Ladybird Girl", "Tokyo Bambi", and "New Animal", as well as the b-side "Across the Metropolis".
In 2008, Oasis
extended an offer for The Pillows to play as the opening act at their concert in Japan, but the Pillows' frontman, Sawao Yamanaka refused their offer. In a January interview for Japanzine, Yamanaka joked that he "turned down the offer in order to have a fun story to tell".
In 2010, the Pillows recorded "Rodeo Star Mate", a theme song for an OP for the series, Stitch - Itazura Alien no Daibouken
.
In 2011, The Pillows recorded "Comic Sonic", as the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga "Sket Dance
".
Buster-kun has been The Pillows' mascot since about 1998, when on a visit to London
, they saw a doll of a "grotesque and creepy-looking teddy bear" (which can be seen in many of their videos, including "Hybrid Rainbow") and subsequently used it for the artwork of the album Little Busters
and on t-shirts sold during the following tour. Buster-kun was named after the album and the group also uses the term "little busters" for its fans.
, rhythm guitar
– lead guitar
– drums
– bass
(support member, since 1999)
Former members – bass (1989–1992) – bass (support member, 1992–1999)
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band. The group has released more than a dozen original studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, along with several EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s, singles and compilations. The Pillows are currently signed to the Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
label.
History
Kenji UedaKenji Ueda
Kenji Ueda is a Japanese rock musician and producer. He is known for his solo work, as well as his work with Kenzi & The Trips and The Pillows.-Early life and influences:...
, bassist for Kenzi & The Trips, invited The Coin Locker Babies vocalist Sawao Yamanaka and Kenzi & The Trips drummer Shinichiro Sato to form a new band. Since Yamanaka was not able to play the guitar well yet, Yoshiaki Manabe
Yoshiaki Manabe
is the lead guitarist for the Japanese rock band The Pillows. As a mixing engineer, Manabe has worked on albums by The Pillows and The Stereo Future. He enjoys reading in his free time and is an enormous fan of Bob Marley. He also has his own signature guitar made by Sago New Material...
, a guitarist of the band Persia, joined them. The Pillows were formed on September 16, 1989.
The Pillows released two mini-albums from the indie label Captain Record. The Pillows contracted with the major label Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
, and came out with the single "Ame ni Utaeba" in 1991. They released two singles and two albums.
Originally, Ueda led the band, and Ueda and Yamanaka wrote songs. Because of musical differences, however, Ueda left the group (although Ueda has never been officially replaced).
After a year with no activity or leadership, Sawao Yamanaka took the leadership role and the band was restarted, signing a contract with King Records. The band recruited Tatsuya Kashima as a replacement on bass. Out of respect for Ueda, Kashima was labeled as a guest musician on releases on which he performed. He stayed with the band through 1999 and the release of their 7th overall album Runners High
Runners High
Runners High is an album released by The Pillows on January 22, 1999. It was the last album to feature guest bassist, Tatsuya Kashima. Several songs from the record were later featured in the anime OVA series FLCL by Gainax.-Track listing:...
. Kashima was replaced by current bassist Jun Suzuki.
In 1999, The Pillows were approached by the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
studio Gainax
Gainax
is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...
, which licensed The Pillows' three previous albums for the soundtrack of their latest anime FLCL
FLCL
is an original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records....
. The Pillows also composed two new songs for the show, "Ride on Shooting Star
Ride on Shooting Star
"Ride on Shooting Star" is a song and single by Japanese alternative rock group The Pillows. The song "Ride on Shooting Star" was featured in the anime series FLCL as the main theme song....
" and "I Think I Can
I Think I Can (song)
"I Think I Can" is a song and single by The Pillows. The song "I Think I Can" was used in the anime FLCL. The song is featured in FLCL Original Soundtrack, Vol. 2: King of Pirates as well as FLCL: Original Sound Track №. 3. The song is about believing in mind-over-matter and thinking positively...
", which were released on their album Fool on the Planet
Fool on the planet
Fool on the Planet is a greatest hits album released by The Pillows on February 7, 2001. It features two new songs, "Fool on the Planet" and "I Think I Can".-Track listing:# "Fool on the Planet"# "Swanky Street"# "I Think I Can"...
.
In March 2005, The Pillows played their first show in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, followed by concerts in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and San Francisco. In the following year, The Pillows returned to North America during their tour in support of the album My Foot
My Foot
My Foot is an album released by The Pillows on January 12, 2006 in Japan and on July 4, 2006 in the United States.-Reception:Said to "condense true pop into the heart of rock n' roll," this album has been praised in the US for its upbeat, poppy sound coupled with sincere lyrics. It currently holds...
, with several more dates in the U.S. and a show in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
The group's album Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up! is an album that was released by The Pillows on May 2, 2007.-Track listing:# "Wake up! Dodo"# "Youngster "# "Propose" # "Scarecrow" # "Boat House"# "The Pleasure Song"...
was released on May 2, 2007 their first on the Avex Trax
Avex Trax
, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
label.
The single, "Ladybird Girl
Ladybird Girl
"Ladybird Girl" is a single by The Pillows, released on August 15, 2007. The song will be featured in the cartoon series Ben 10 in the Japanese version only....
", was released on August 15, 2007, and is being used as the theme song for the Japanese version of the children's animated seriesBen 10
Ben 10
The Omnitrix was originally created by a Galvan named Azmuth. The Omnitrix was intended to allow beings to experience life as other species in order to bring understanding and foster peace in the universe....
.
They returned to the US in 2008 starting with Los Angeles, followed by another appearance at SXSW, San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, and Anime Boston
Anime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The convention features a number of events which include a masquerade, an anime music video contest, video programming rooms, an artists' alley and art show, karaoke, game shows,...
.
Pied Piper, the fifteenth studio album by The Pillows, was released on June 25, 2008. It includes the singles "Ladybird Girl", "Tokyo Bambi", and "New Animal", as well as the b-side "Across the Metropolis".
In 2008, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
extended an offer for The Pillows to play as the opening act at their concert in Japan, but the Pillows' frontman, Sawao Yamanaka refused their offer. In a January interview for Japanzine, Yamanaka joked that he "turned down the offer in order to have a fun story to tell".
In 2010, the Pillows recorded "Rodeo Star Mate", a theme song for an OP for the series, Stitch - Itazura Alien no Daibouken
Stitch!
is the anime adaptation of the animated feature film Lilo & Stitch and the subsequent successor for the Lilo & Stitch series by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It takes place after the film and debuted in Japan on October 2008. The show features a Japanese girl named Yuna in place of Lilo, and is...
.
In 2011, The Pillows recorded "Comic Sonic", as the ending theme for the anime adaptation of the manga "Sket Dance
Sket Dance
is a manga series written and illustrated by Kenta Shinohara and serialized, beginning in July 2007, in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump. Sket Dance won the 55th annual Shogakukan Manga Award in 2009 for best shōnen manga...
".
Logo and mascot
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, they saw a doll of a "grotesque and creepy-looking teddy bear" (which can be seen in many of their videos, including "Hybrid Rainbow") and subsequently used it for the artwork of the album Little Busters
Little Busters
Little Busters is an album released by The Pillows on February 2, 1998. Several songs from the record were later featured in the anime mini-series FLCL by Gainax.-Track listing:# "Hello, Welcome to Bubbletown's Happy Zoo " - 2:20...
and on t-shirts sold during the following tour. Buster-kun was named after the album and the group also uses the term "little busters" for its fans.
Lineup
– vocalsSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
– lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
– drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
– bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(support member, since 1999)
Former members – bass (1989–1992) – bass (support member, 1992–1999)
Discography
Studio albums
- Moon GoldMOON GOLDMoon Gold is an album released by The Pillows on June 21, 1991. It is the band's first full-length record.-Track listing:# "You Are" – 4:02# "This Is My Fashion" – 2:36# "I Need Somebody" – 4:33# "Dear, My 'First Step" – 5:00...
(1991) - White IncarnationWHITE INCARNATIONWhite Incarnation is an album released by The Pillows on May 21, 1992. It is the band's last record to feature the original lineup, as bassist Kenji Ueda left shortly after...
(1992) - Kool SpiceKool SpiceKool Spice is an album released by The Pillows on July 2, 1994. It is the band's first record to be released through King Records and features a blend of alternative rock and jazz. Original bassist, Kenji Ueda, left the band after their previous album, White Incarnation, for unknown reasons...
(1994) - Living FieldLiving FieldLiving Field is an album released by The Pillows on March 24, 1995. The record builds on the alternative rock/Jazz mix of its predecessor Kool Spice.-Track listing:# "Angel Fish" – 4:07# "Sunday" – 3:15# "Daydream Wonder" – 3:28...
(1995) - Please Mr. LostmanPlease Mr. LostmanPlease Mr. Lostman is an album released by The Pillows on January 22, 1997. After a series of successful singles, such as "Strange Chameleon" and "Swanky Street", it would become the band's breakthrough album. The record's title is a play on "Please Mr...
(1997) - Little BustersLittle BustersLittle Busters is an album released by The Pillows on February 2, 1998. Several songs from the record were later featured in the anime mini-series FLCL by Gainax.-Track listing:# "Hello, Welcome to Bubbletown's Happy Zoo " - 2:20...
(1998) - Runners HighRunners HighRunners High is an album released by The Pillows on January 22, 1999. It was the last album to feature guest bassist, Tatsuya Kashima. Several songs from the record were later featured in the anime OVA series FLCL by Gainax.-Track listing:...
(1999) - Happy BivouacHappy BivouacHappy Bivouac is an album released by The Pillows on December 2, 1999. It marks the band's first record with Jun Suzuki on bass and contains several references to the United States band Pixies. Track eight is named after Pixies bassist Kim Deal and at the end of "Back Seat Dog", The Pillows can be...
(1999) - SmileSmile (the pillows album)Smile is an album released by The Pillows on October 31, 2001. It contains several references to the work of Charlie Chaplin, such as "Smile" and "Calvero".-Track listing:# "Good Morning Good News" – 3:26# "Waiting at the Busstop" – 2:11...
(2001) - Thank You, My TwilightThank you, my twilightThank You, My Twilight is an album released by The Pillows on October 23, 2002. The song "Biscuit Hammer" contains a reference to The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin's first film to employ spoken dialog.-Track listing:# "Rain Brain"...
(2002) - Penalty LifePenalty Lifeis an album released by The Pillows on November 6, 2003. It is the first album to be also released in America.-Track listing:All songs by Sawao Yamanaka, except when noted.#"Dead Stock Paradise" – 2:31#"Lonesome Diamond" – 4:27...
(ペナルティーライフ, 2003) - Good DreamsGood DreamsGood Dreams is an album released by The Pillows on November 3, 2004. It was the band's last album released with King Records, prior to their signing with Avex Trax in 2006.-Track listing:#"Xavier" – 2:00#"Walkin' on the Spiral" – 3:25...
(2004) - My FootMy FootMy Foot is an album released by The Pillows on January 12, 2006 in Japan and on July 4, 2006 in the United States.-Reception:Said to "condense true pop into the heart of rock n' roll," this album has been praised in the US for its upbeat, poppy sound coupled with sincere lyrics. It currently holds...
(2006) - Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up! is an album that was released by The Pillows on May 2, 2007.-Track listing:# "Wake up! Dodo"# "Youngster "# "Propose" # "Scarecrow" # "Boat House"# "The Pleasure Song"...
(2007) - Pied PiperPied Piper (The Pillows album)PIED PIPER is the fifteenth studio album by the pillows, released on June 25, 2008. It includes the singles "Ladybird Girl", "Tokyo Bambi", and "New Animal" as well as the b-side "Across the Metropolis".- Tracks :# PIED PIPER# New Animal# No Surrender...
(2008) - Ooparts (Out of Place Artifacts)OoParts (Out of Place Artifacts)Ooparts is the sixteenth album by The Pillows, released on October 14, 2009. The album marks the 20th anniversary of the band.-Track listing:# "Dance with God"# "YOUR ORDER"# "MELODY"# "Lemon Drops"# "FOXES"...
(2009) - Horn AgainHorn AgainHorn Again is the seventeenth studio album by Japanese alternative rock band The Pillows. It was released on January 26, 2011.- Track listing :...
(2011)
External links
- Official website
- The Pillows at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....