Vow Wow
Encyclopedia
is an influential hard rock
band formed in 1975 in Japan
.
in 1975, with guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito, bassist Kenji Sano and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, Bow Wow soon signed to Victor
and released their self-titled debut a year later. In 1977 they opened for Aerosmith
and Kiss
on their Japanese tours. The following year they played overseas in Hong Kong
and at the Montreux Jazz Festival
in Switzerland
. In 1982 they played the Reading Festival
in England
. Guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito left in November 1983.
and keyboardist Rei Atsumi, this resulted in a more commercial sound and the band decided a name change was necessary. Now called , the band relocated to England in 1987 and were without a bassist for a short-time, as Kenji Sano stayed in Japan. Former Whitesnake
bassist Neil Murray
offered to join, and they began recording the album V with producer Kit Woolven (Thin Lizzy
, David Bowie
). They were asked by Tommy Vance
to create the jingles for his British radio program, the Friday Rock Show
. After another album, they recorded the classic hard rock anthem "Rock Me Now" and returned to Japan for a national tour. Although experiencing commercial success, Genki wanted to remain in Japan to begin a family. The band recorded an album titled Helter Skelter in 1989, which was handled by Tony Taverner (Gypsy Kings, Black Sabbath
). After the album the band stayed in Japan, and seemed to dissolve when Neil joined Black Sabbath.
Shortly after, producers Nick Griffiths (Queen
, Paul McCartney
) and Bob Ezrin
(Kiss
, Pink Floyd
) requested to create an album with them. The band regrouped without Neil, and recruited American studio bassist Mark Gould for their final album, Mountain Top. Vow Wow disbanded after a May 28, 1990 concert at the Nippon Budokan
. Genki became a high school English
teacher, while the other members each continued separate musical careers.
, South Korea
at the O.K.! Crazy!! World Rock Festival. They returned the following year when their next album got a Korean release.
Genki Hitomi and Rei Atsumi reunited with Kyoji and Toshihiro for a Vow Wow reunion concert on December 25, 2009, and for two shows the following year on December 25 and 26.
EPs
Singles
Live albums
Compilations
Soundtrack
EPs
Singles
Live albums
Compilations
Every VHS was re-released on DVD on June 14, 2006.
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band formed in 1975 in Japan
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...
.
1975–1983: Bow Wow
Formed by guitarist and vocalist Kyoji YamamotoKyoji Yamamoto
is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer who is the leader of the hard rock/metal bands Bow Wow and Wild Flag...
in 1975, with guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito, bassist Kenji Sano and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, Bow Wow soon signed to Victor
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
and released their self-titled debut a year later. In 1977 they opened for Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
and Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
on their Japanese tours. The following year they played overseas in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. In 1982 they played the Reading Festival
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito left in November 1983.
1984–1990: Vow Wow
In 1984, the remaining three members were joined by vocalist Genki HitomiGenki Hitomi
is a Japanese singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of Japanese heavy metal band Vow Wow in 1980's.-Biography:...
and keyboardist Rei Atsumi, this resulted in a more commercial sound and the band decided a name change was necessary. Now called , the band relocated to England in 1987 and were without a bassist for a short-time, as Kenji Sano stayed in Japan. Former Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
bassist Neil Murray
Neil Murray (British musician)
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
offered to join, and they began recording the album V with producer Kit Woolven (Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
). They were asked by Tommy Vance
Tommy Vance
Tommy Vance was a British pop radio broadcaster, born in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. He was one of the few music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans...
to create the jingles for his British radio program, the Friday Rock Show
Friday Rock Show
The Friday Rock Show was a radio show in the United Kingdom that was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 10pm to midnight on Friday nights from 1978 to 1993. Throughout most of its run it was hosted by Tommy Vance. Ostensibly for the genre of rock in general, it was most closely associated with heavy metal...
. After another album, they recorded the classic hard rock anthem "Rock Me Now" and returned to Japan for a national tour. Although experiencing commercial success, Genki wanted to remain in Japan to begin a family. The band recorded an album titled Helter Skelter in 1989, which was handled by Tony Taverner (Gypsy Kings, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
). After the album the band stayed in Japan, and seemed to dissolve when Neil joined Black Sabbath.
Shortly after, producers Nick Griffiths (Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) and Bob Ezrin
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
(Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
) requested to create an album with them. The band regrouped without Neil, and recruited American studio bassist Mark Gould for their final album, Mountain Top. Vow Wow disbanded after a May 28, 1990 concert 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...
. Genki became a high school English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
teacher, while the other members each continued separate musical careers.
1995–present: Bow Wow revival and Vow Wow reunion concerts
In May 1995, Kyoji reformed Bow Wow with all new members. They had several releases until dissolving in March 1997. However, in 1998 original members Mitsuhiro Saito and Toshihiro Niimi rejoined Kyoji, and Bow Wow became a trio. In August 2003 they performed in DaeguDaegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
at the O.K.! Crazy!! World Rock Festival. They returned the following year when their next album got a Korean release.
Genki Hitomi and Rei Atsumi reunited with Kyoji and Toshihiro for a Vow Wow reunion concert on December 25, 2009, and for two shows the following year on December 25 and 26.
Members
- Kyoji YamamotoKyoji Yamamotois a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer who is the leader of the hard rock/metal bands Bow Wow and Wild Flag...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocalsSingingSinging 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...
(1975–1983, 1998–present), guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1984–1990, 1995–1997) - Mitsuhiro Saito – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocalsSingingSinging 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...
(1975–1983, 1998–present) - Toshihiro Niimi – drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
(1975–1990, 1998–present) - Daisuke Kitsuwa – support bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Former members
- Kenji Sano – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1975–1987) - Genki HitomiGenki Hitomiis a Japanese singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of Japanese heavy metal band Vow Wow in 1980's.-Biography:...
– vocalsSingingSinging 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...
(1984–1990) - Rei Atsumi – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1984–1990) - Neil MurrayNeil Murray (British musician)Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1987–1990) - Mark Gould – studio bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1990) - Tetsuya Horie – vocalsSingingSinging 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...
(1995–1997) - Hiroshi Yaegashi – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1995–1997) - Shotaro Mitsuzono – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1995–1997) - Eiji Mitsuzono – drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
(1995–1997)
As Bow Wow
Studio albums- Bow Wow (1976)
- Signal Fire (1977)
- Charge (1977)
- Guarantee (1978)
- Glorious Road (1980)
- Telephone (1980)
- Hard Dog (1981)
- Asian Volcano (1982)
- Warning from Stardust (1982)
- Bow Wow # 1 (1995)
- Led by the Sun (1996)
- Beyond (2000)
- Another Place (2001)
- What's Going On? (2002)
- Era (2005)
EPs
- Bow Wow #0 (1995)
- Still on Fire (1998)
Singles
- "Volume On" (1976)
- "Still" (1977)
- "Sabishii Yuugi (1978)
- "Hoshii no wa Omae Dake" (1979)
- "Wasurekaketeta Love Song " (1980)
- "Rainy Train" (1980)
- "Keep on Rockin'" (1980)
- "Soldier in the Space" (1980)
- "Gonna be Alright" (1981)
- "Take Me Away" (1982)
- "Forever" (1983)
- "You're Mine" (1983)
- "One Last Time" (2002)
Live albums
- Super Live (1978)
- Holy ExpeditionHoly ExpeditionHoly Expedition is the second live album of Japanese heavy metal band Bow Wow.-Side One:# "Getting Back on the Road" - 5:05# "You're Mine" - 3:37# "Touch Me, I'm on Fire" - 4:57# "Can't Get Back to You" - 9:18-Side Two:# "Don't Cry Baby" - 4:00...
(1983) - Live Explosion 1999 (1999)
- Super Live 2004 (2005)
Compilations
- The Bow Wow (1979)
- Locus 1976-1983 (1986)
- Back (1998)
- Ancient Dreams (1999)
- The Bow Wow II Decennium (2008)
Soundtrack
- Kumikyoku X Bomber (組曲Xボンバー) (1980, for the series X-Bomber)
As Vow Wow
Studio albums- Beat of Metal Motion (1984)
- Cyclone (1985)
- III (1986)
- V (1987)
- Vibe (1988)
- Helter Skelter (1989)
- Mountain Top (1990)
EPs
- Don't Leave Me Now (1987)
- Revive (1987)
- Rock Me Now (1988)
- I Feel the Power (1989)
Singles
- "Beat of Metal Motion" (1984)
- "U.S.A." (1985)
- "Don't Leave Me Now" (1987)
- "Rock Me Now" (1988)
- "Cry No More" (1988)
- "Don't Tell Me Lies" (1988)
- "Helter Skelter" (1989)
- "I Feel the Power" (1989)
- "Tell Me" (1990)
Live albums
- Hard Rock Night (1986)
- Vow Wow Live (1986)
- Majestic Night (1989)
Compilations
- Shockwaves (1986)
- Vow Wow (1988)
- Legacy (1990)
- Best Now (1992)
- Twin Best (1996)
- Rock Me Forever (2006)
- The Vox (2007, 8CD+DVD)
As Bow Wow
- The Live Empire (2003)
- Live Explosion 1999 (2003)
- 2003.3.22 Live (2003)
- Rock to the Future 2002 Bow Wow vs XYZ→A (2003)
- Super Live 2004 (2005)
- Super Live 2005 (2006)
- Super Live 2006 (2007)
- Super Live 2007 (2008)
- Super Live 2009 (2010)
- XXXV (2011, boxset)
As Vow Wow
- Visions (1985, VHS)
- Live (1986, VHS)
- Live in the U.K. (1989, VHS)
- Japan Live 1990 at Budokan (1990, VHS)
Every VHS was re-released on DVD on June 14, 2006.