Base Ball Bear
Base Ball Bear | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | BBB, Bebobe |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2001—present |
| Labels | Blitz Pia Records (2003–2005) EMI Music Japan (2006–2013) EMI Records Japan (2013–2019) Victor Entertainment (2019–present) |
| Members |
|
| Past members | Shōhei Yuasa |
| Website | baseballbear |
Base Ball Bear is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo that made its major debut in 2006 with EMI Music Japan.[2] Although assembled in autumn 2001, the band formally began in 2002, and started off with self-produced releases.
Their style influences include Japanese indie rock bands Number Girl and Supercar, and British rock bands such as Oasis. They have been noted for the "nostalgic" feel of band leader Yūsuke Koide's lyrics, often about teenage life and memories. Base Ball Bear are also known for their contributions to the soundtrack of the movie Linda Linda Linda (in which bassist Shiori Sekine had a leading role) and performing the themes to the anime series Toshokan Sensō, Ōkiku Furikabutte and Gintama.
The band, initially named Planet, was formed for a one-time performance at a high school culture festival, but decided to continue due to how well-received they were and the fun they had at the festival.[3] The name Planet had likely come from the Supercar song of the same name, and the band's current name also derives partially from a song name. Koide had thought of Japanese singer Chocolat's song "Base Ball and Elvis Presley" and suggested the name "Base Ball". Guitarist Shohei Yuasa thought it would be better if one more word was added to it, and the rest of the band agreed, eventually settling on the word "bear".
In 2016, the band announced the departure of Shohei Yuasa and that they would continue with 3 members.[4]
History
[edit]Formation and early years
[edit]Koide originally assembled the band in 2001 under the name "Planet," to perform at their high school's fall festival.[3] They performed covers of the songs OOYeah!! and OOKeah!! by the band Supercar. Following their festival performance, they decided to continue with the band as a hobby.
In March 2002, the band formally assembled.[5] In April they began sending demo tapes to record labels, whereupon they were advised by Toshiba EMI to change their name. They eventually chose "Base Ball Bear," the name under which they performed their first gig at Shimokitazawa Garage that July. Throughout the rest of the year, they continued playing in the Shibuya and Shimokitazawa areas of Tokyo as their fan base began to grow.
In November 2003, Base Ball Bear signed with Blitz Pia Records, an independent label. They immediately released their first mini-album Yūgata Generation on 26 November. The band released its first single, Yume is Vision, in April of the following year. It was the first of the band's songs to be accompanied by a music video, which was created in collaboration with Yūki, a Japanese fashion magazine model and Base Ball Bear fan. The band spent the rest of 2004 practicing and writing new songs, some of where were featured on compilation CDs.
The band released its first full-length album, High Color Times, on 16 March 2005, and started playing concerts to sold-out crowds in larger venues. Also, Shiori Sekine was cast in one of the lead roles in the film Linda Linda Linda, which featured some of the band's music.
Major debut and increasing popularity
[edit]Base Ball Bear signed with EMI Music Japan in January 2006, and immediately released an introductory album, Band B ni Tsuite, on 12 January. Although they had previously released another version of Band B ni Tsuite on 14 October 2005, this new release included one new song and other remastering. They then played on the "Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour" with Chatmonchy and Snowkel and released their first major album, C, on 29 October.
Their first solo tour "Live by the C" took place in the spring of 2007.[6] Over the course of the year, they released four more singles, as well as their second major album, Jūnanasai. Their live performances included the Rock in Japan Festival, another round on the "Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour", and the "B-Pop High School Tour".
In 2008, the band went on a solo tour called "17-sai Kara Yattemasu Tour" that ran from the middle to the end of March. Their first single of the year, Changes, was released on 8 May 2008, and was the ending theme to the Production I.G anime series Toshokan Sensō.[7] The band then made its first appearance on the popular music program Music Station on 9 May and performed Changes on the show.[8] Base Ball Bear also performed a two-day show at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall in late September.[9]
In January 2009, they released their eighth single Love Mathematics and a compilation album Kanzenban Band B ni Tsuite containing all their indies songs. Following the releases, the band went on a tour called "Live Mathematics Tour 2009" starting in March. They also held a show named "Hibiya Nonfiction" at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall on 27 June.[10] With a total of four singles in 2009, the band closed out the year by releasing their third album (What Is The) Love & Pop? in September and achieving ninth place on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart. It was their first album to reach the top ten, and they held a five-venue tour at Zepp halls to promote the album.
Base Ball Bear managed their first solo concert at the Nippon Budokan on 3 January 2010, titled "Live;(This Is The) Base Ball Bear".[11]
Departure of Shohei Yuasa
[edit]In 2016, also the band's 10th anniversary of debut and their 15th year together, it was announced that guitarist Shohei Yuasa would be leaving the band. According to their management agency, since mid-February that year, Yuasa had been uncontactable and did not turn up at the studio when they were scheduled for production work. He then declared his intention through a third party that he was unable to continue his activities in Base Ball Bear. After that, the staff and members tried to contact Yuasa directly for several days but no one managed to reach him.[4]
On 27 February, Base Ball Bear went through with a scheduled appearance at a festival with the remaining 3 members, announcing that Yuasa could not participate as he was not well.[12][13] However, with the band's own tour "Live By The C2" due to kick off on 5 March, the agency had no choice but to make the decision public on 2 March that it would be difficult for them to continue as four. The tour would instead have ex-Doping Panda member Yutaka Furukawa perform as a support guitarist.[14]
To this, the band's members and staff felt unable to comprehend the situation and expressed regret. Vocalist Koide said that they had spent more than half their lives together and it was "very regretful" that Yuasa would leave the band. Horinouchi said it was "vexing" because he had believed the band would be 4 members "for 20 or even 30 years." Having taken for granted that they would always be four, he could not understand why this had happened and "even feels anger." Bassist Sekine said that she was "extremely bewildered at first by this sudden development", and that she had never thought about anyone leaving. She expressed that she was uneasy that something precious to her had "crumbled", but no matter what she wanted to continue Base Ball Bear, and Koide and Horinouchi felt the same.[15]
Band members
[edit]Current
- Yūsuke Koide (小出 祐介, Koide Yūsuke)
- Born 9 December 1984, in Edogawa, Tokyo[16]
- Vocalist and guitarist
- Primary lyricist and composer of the band's music
- Shiori Sekine (関根 史織, Sekine Shiori)
- Born 8 December 1985, in Saitama Prefecture[16] (youngest member)
- Bassist and backing vocalist
- The only female member and had no experience playing bass before joining
- Also bassist of Paranmaum band from the 2005 movie Linda Linda Linda
- Daisuke Horinouchi (堀之内 大介, Horinouchi Daisuke)
Past
- Shōhei Yuasa (湯浅 将平, Yuasa Shōhei)
- Born 16 April 1984, in Chiba Prefecture[16]
- Guitarist
- Favorite artists include Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and Sly & the Family Stone
Discography
[edit]Self-produced works
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Mae: Front (前－front－, Front: Front)
Track list
|
2002-07 |
| Ushiro: Back (後－back－, Back: Back)
Track list
|
2002-07 |
| Change Up (チェンジアップ)
Track list
|
2002-09 |
| White Twilight (ホワイトワイライト)
Track list
|
2002-10 |
| School Life (スクールライフ)
Track list
|
2002-11 |
| HR
Track list
|
2003-03 |
| Yume Is Vision
Track list
|
2003-06 |
| Yume/Sayonara
Track list
|
2003-10 |
Indies
[edit]Singles
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Yume Is Vision
Track list
|
2004-07-07 |
| B Beginning!! Split single with Japanese band Bacon. Track list
|
2004-12-24 |
Albums
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Yūgata Generation (夕方ジェネレーション, Evening Generation)
Track list
|
2003-11-26 |
| High Color Times
Track list
|
2005-03-16 |
| Band B ni Tsuite (バンドBについて, About Band B) Exclusively sold at live venues. Track list
|
2005-10-14 |
Various artist compilations
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
Hi-Style vol.7 Grip
|
2004 |
Suteki Compilation (素敵コンピレイション, Wonderful Compilation)
|
2004-01-21 |
D Seldom Sono 9 (D★SELDOM其9, D Seldom No.9)
|
2004-07-28 |
Linda Linda Linda Original Movie Soundtrack
|
2005-07-20 |
Major label
[edit]Singles
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[17] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric Summer
Track list
|
2006-06-21 | #41 | 5 |
| 2 | Stand by Me
Track list
|
2006-10-04 | #26 | 4 |
| 3 | Dakishimetai (抱きしめたい, I Want to Hold You)
Track list
|
2007-04-04 | #26 | 6 |
| 4 | Dramatic (ドラマチック)
Track list
|
2007-05-16 | #13 | 16 |
| 5 | Manatsu no Jōken (真夏の条件, Midsummer Essential)
Track list
|
2007-07-18 | #26 | 3 |
| 6 | Aishiteru (愛してる, I Love You)
Track list
|
2007-10-31 | #22 | 3 |
| 7 | Changes
Track list
|
2008-05-08 | #10 | 9 |
| 8 | Love Mathematics
Track list
|
2009-01-07 | #5 | 4 |
| 9 | Kamigami Looks You (神々LOOKS YOU, Gods Are Looking At You)
Track list
|
2009-04-15 | #10 | 5 |
| 10 | Breeeeze Girl
Track list
|
2009-06-25 | #7 | 5 |
| 11 | Stairway Generation
Track list
|
2009-08-05 | #9 | 6 |
| 12 | Yoakemae (Before Dawn)
Track list
|
2011-06-29 | #17 | 3 |
| 13 | Short Hair
Track list
|
2011-08-31 | #17 | 3 |
| 14 | Tabibito In The Dark/Slow Motion wo Mou Ichido Part.2 (Tabibito In The Dark/スローモーションをもう一度 part.2, Traveller in the Dark/Slow Motion Again Part 2) Track list
|
2011-10-05 | #15 | 3 |
| 15 | Perfect Blue
Track list
|
2013-02-13 | #11 | 4 |
| 16 | Fanfare ga Kikoeru/Senkou_hanabi (ファンファーレがきこえる/senkou_hanabi, I Can Hear the Fanfare/Sparklers) Track list
|
2013-11-27 | #28 | 3 |
| 17 | "Sore tte, for Dare?" Part 1 (「それって、for 誰?」part.1, "Who is that for?" Part 1)
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2015-08-05 | #25 | 3 |
| 18 | Bunkasai no Yoru (文化祭の夜, Night of the Cultural Festival)
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2015-09-02 | #33 | 3 |
| 19 | Fushigi na Yoru (不思議な夜, Strange Night)
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2015-10-07 | #21 | 3 |
Digital download releases
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Senkou_hanabi | 2013-07-24 |
Albums
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[18] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C
Track list
|
2006-11-29 | #28 | 8 |
| 2 | Jūnanasai (十七歳, Age 17)
Track list
|
2007-12-05 | #15 | 8 |
| 3 | (What Is The) Love & Pop?
Track list
|
2009-09-02 | #9 | 7 |
| 3.5 | Cypress Girls
Track list
|
2010-09-29 | #10 | 3 |
| Detective Boys
Track list
|
#11 | 4 | ||
| 4 | Shinkokyū (新呼吸, New Breath)
Track list
|
2011-11-09 | #5 | 5 |
| 5 | Nijūkusai (二十九歳, Age 29)
Track list
|
2014-06-04 | #8 | 5 |
| 6 | C2
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 3
|
2015-11-11 | #14 | 4 |
| 7 | C3 | 2020-01-22 | #16 | 1 |
Mini-albums
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[18] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Girl Friend
Track list
|
2006-04-12 | #113 | 2 |
| 2 | Hatsukoi (初恋, First Love)
Track list
|
2012-07-11 | #9 | 4 |
| 3 | The Cut
Track list
|
2013-06-26 | #18 | 4 |
Live albums
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[18] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1235
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2010-03-17 | #34 | 3 |
Best-of albums
[edit]| # | Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[18] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanzenban "Band B ni Tsuite" (完全版「バンドBについて」, Complete Version "About Band B")
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2009-01-07 | #10 | 4 |
| 2 | Band B no Best (バンドBのベスト, Best of Band B)
Track list Disc 1
Disc 2
|
2013-02-13 | #6 | 5 |
Various artist compilations
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
Rock and Sympathy -Tribute to The Pillows-
|
2014-02-26 |
Video releases
[edit]Live DVDs
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[19] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live;(This Is The) Base Ball Bear. Nippon Budoukan 2010.01.03
Track list
Encore
Double Encore
|
2010-03-17 | #19 | 3 |
| 10th Anniversary Tour (This Is The) Base Ball Bear part.2 "Live Shinkokyū"
Track list
Encore
|
2012-04-04 | #11 | 2 |
| Hibiya Nonfiction III (日比谷ノンフィクションIII)
Track list
Encore
Double Encore
Bonus Disc 2 (Limited Edition only)
|
2013-11-27 | #15 | 2 |
Music video compilations
[edit]| Title | Release Date |
Oricon Weekly Peak Position[19] |
Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eizōban "Band B ni Tsuite" Dai-Ikkan (映像版「バンドBについて」第一巻, Video Edition "About Band B" First Volume) | 2010-03-17 | #32 | 2 |
| Eizōban "Band B ni Tsuite" Dai-Nikan (映像版「バンドBについて」第二巻, Video Edition "About Band B" Second Volume) | 2011-11-09 | #9 | 2 |
Other releases
[edit]- Band B ni Tsuite (バンドBについて About Band B) (2006-01-12)
- Special introducing album limited to 5000 copies.
- This is the same as the indies release except for track eight "Girl of Arms", which was replaced by "Labyrinth e no Timing" as track two for this release.
- Yoakemae no Yoakemae (2011-04-07)
- Limited edition single only sold at live venues on the band's "Base Ball Bear 10th Anniversary 'Sayonara-Nostalgia Tour'".
- Contains live performance audio recordings of two songs, "Yoakemae" and "Changes".
Other collaborative works
[edit]Yusuke Koide only
[edit]- Shiho Nanba "Kodona no Kaidan" (こどなの階段, The Stairs of a Child to Adult) (2011-06-15)[20]
- Lyricist
- Shiho Nanba "Shōjo, Futatabi" (少女、ふたたび, Young Girl, Once Again) (2012-03-07)[21]
- Lyricist
- Becky "15 ~Spring Flag~" (2012-06-27)[22]
- Co-lyricist and composer
- Okamoto's "Aoi Tengoku" (青い天国, Blue Heaven) (2012-07-18)[23]
- Co-lyricist with Okamoto's
- Chocolat "Kaze" (風邪, A Cold)(2012-12-05)[24]
- Lyricist and composer
- Mai Endo "Today is the Day"(2013-07-31)
- Co-lyricist with copywriter Hikaru Arashida, composer
- Tokyo Girls' Style "Partition Love" (2013-09-25)[25]
- Lyricist and composer
- Yasuyuki Okamura w Yusuke Koide "Ai wa Oshare Janai" (愛はおしゃれじゃない, Love Isn't Fashionable) (2014-04-02)[26]
- Vocalist and lyricist
As Base Ball Bear
[edit]- iLL "Utatterunda Baby" (歌ってるんだBaby, Baby I'm Singing) (2010-06-23)
- Co-lyricist and co-composer with Koji Nakamura, vocals
- Hyadain "23:40 feat. Base Ball Bear" (23時40分 feat. Base Ball Bear) (2013-01-13)
- Arrangement and guest vocals
Media appearances
[edit]Film
[edit]- Linda Linda Linda (2005) - Sekine as Nozomi Shirakawa[27]
- Library War: The Wings of Revolution (2012) - Koide as Rikudō Mark Ingram (voice acting)[28]
Television
[edit]- Base Ball Bear no Base Ball Variety (Space Shower TV)
- Base Ball Bear no Base Ball Variety 2 (Space Shower TV)
- Base Ball Bear no Base Ball Variety 3 (Space Shower TV)
- Base Ball Bear no Base Ball Variety 4 (Space Shower TV)
Radio
[edit]- Base Ball Bear no All Night Nippon R (JOLF, 2 December 2006, 3 March 2007)
- Base Ball Bear no Soft Ball Dōkō-kai (JFN, 2009)
- School of Lock "Bebobe Locks!" (TFM, 2009–present)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Base Ball Bear / バンドBのベスト [2CD]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear / BIOGRAPHY" (in Japanese). Sony Music Artists Inc. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Base Ball Bear - Biography". Apple Inc. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ a b "Base Ball Bearギター湯浅将平が脱退 2月中旬から直接連絡つかず" (in Japanese). Oricon, Yahoo Japan. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- ^ ベースボールベアー (in Japanese). Blitz Pia Records. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "[Base Ball Bear] 期待の新作がライブ映像付きで到着" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear、新曲がアニメ『図書館戦争』エンディングテーマに" (in Japanese). Barks News. 10 March 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "2008年ブレイク最右翼、Base Ball BearがMステ初出演" (in Japanese). Barks News. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear、初ホール・ワンマン2days発表" (in Japanese). Barks News. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear、満員野音に爽やか夏風を吹き込む" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear初武道館ライブが早くも映像化決定" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball BearのGt湯浅将平が失踪後にバンド脱退" (in Japanese). CINRA.net. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear湯浅が体調不良で「こなそんフェス」欠席、代打は石毛輝" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- ^ "Base Ball Bearから湯浅将平が脱退、ツアーはフルカワユタカ迎えて敢行" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- ^ "「Base Ball Bear」の湯浅将平が脱退 メンバー・スタッフも納得できないまま" (in Japanese). IT Media Inc. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d "CD＆DLでーた.com : HeadPhones. - Base Ball Bear -" (in Japanese). CD&DL Data Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ Ｂａｓｅ Ｂａｌｌ Ｂｅａｒのシングル売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d Ｂａｓｅ Ｂａｌｌ Ｂｅａｒのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Ｂａｓｅ Ｂａｌｌ ＢｅａｒのDVD売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "サカナ山口×ベボベ小出制作の南波志帆新曲が2つのCM曲に" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "南波志帆、ベボベ小出祐介作詞の新曲をSOLで初フルOA" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "ベッキー♪♯ニューシングルc/wにベボベ小出提供曲" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "OKAMOTO'S、Base Ball Bearの小出祐介と共作した新曲がTBS系深夜ドラマの主題歌に。1月27日（金）24時20分から放送" (in Japanese). Rockin'on. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "Chocolatベストに小出祐介×永井聖一制作の8年ぶり新曲" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ "東京女子流、ベボベ小出提供の新曲"Partition Love"ティザー公開" (in Japanese). Tower Records Online. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
- ^ 岡村靖幸、小出祐介＆久保ミツロウと「愛はおしゃれじゃない」 (in Japanese). Barks. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
- ^ "Linda Linda Linda (2005)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ "Base Ball Bear、ミニアルバムを7/11にリリース＆小出祐介が声優に挑戦" (in Japanese). Rockin'on. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
External links
[edit]- Base Ball Bear Official Website (in Japanese)
- Base Ball Bear @ Nippop
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
