Blankey Jet City

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‎
Origin Flag of Japan
Genre(s) Rockabilly, Jazz, Punk
Years active 1990 - 2000
Label(s) Toshiba EMI (1990 - 1997)
Polydor (1997 - 2000)
Associated acts Ajico
Friction
Rosso
Jude
Losalios
Sherbets
Website Official Website
Members
Kenichi Asai
Toshiyuki Terui
Tatsuya Nakamura

Blankey Jet City (ブランキー・ジェット・シティ?) was an influential rock band from Japan, and have been a major figure in Japanese popular music since their inception in 1990. They are renowned for their distinctive songwriting, and confrontational lyrics. [1]

Contents

[edit] Members

Kenichi Asai (浅井健一?) (born December 29, 1964) Vocals, Guitar

Toshiyuki Terui (照井利幸?) (born February 2, 1964) Bass

Tatsuya Nakamura (中村達也?) (born January 1, 1965) Drums

[edit] History

Blankey Jet City was formed in February of 1990, in Tokyo, Japan.

Their recording career began the following August, when they appeared on a popular TBS television show for amateur bands, and attracted the attention of the major record labels. The band decided to sign a record contract with Toshiba EMI, who sent the band to London to record their first album. Released in 1991, their memorable debut album "Red Guitar And The Truth" focused on topics such as juvenile delinquency, broken families, and the pain experienced by neglected children. Fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, used the album to promote his 1991 Paris collection.

The band embarked on their first nationwide tour and released their second album "Bang!" in 1992, which received numerous album of the year awards by music publications. Blankey Jet City gained a reputation for shows that portrayed their raw, emotional sound, and the label duly brought out a live album in the same year.

The next two years set the pace for the bands prodigious output. Releasing their third album "C.B. Jim" in 1993, they again received acclaim from critics, when each song on the album was about the same fictitious person. Enjoying success, they released their fourth album "Metal Moon" during the same year, and quickly followed in 1994 with the release of their fifth album, which was more Jazz orientated than previous titles. Deciding the next step was to compile a selection of singles and re-recordings, they released a compilation titled "The Six" in 1995, and followed up with the album "Skunk" eight months later. It was at this time, that the bands rebel attitude caught up with their record label. They refused to endorse advertising, and other commercial prospects imposed by Toshiba EMI.

Taking a break from Blankey Jet City, Asai started his own indie label "Sexy Stone Records" in 1996, and formed the dream pop band "Sherbets" at the same time. Meanwhile, Nakamura started his own band "Losalios" with members from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. After extended disagreements with Toshiba EMI, Blankey Jet City left the label and signed with Polydor to release their new surf-rock sounding album "Love Flash Fever" in 1997.

In 1998, another compilation was released, along with their eighth album "Romeo's Heart" (ロメオの心臓?) which sold more than 300,000 copies in the first week. Following the success of four more hit singles, they released their final studio album "Harlem Jets" in May, 2000, followed by their swan-song "Saturday Night" within the next month. Their final live performance was at the Fuji Rock Festival on July 28, 2000, with the announcement that they wish to pursue indie careers.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

[edit] Albums

[edit] Video

[edit] DVD

[edit] References

  1. ^ 音楽 情報ニュース/Top 100 Japanese pops Artists - No.73/HMV

[edit] External links

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