Dragon Ash

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Dragon Ash
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genres Rap rock, alternative rock, hip-hop, experimental rock
Years active 1996–present
Labels Victor Entertainment/Mob Squad
Associated acts Steady&Co.
Website dragonash.co.jp
Members KJ
Makoto Sakurai
Bots
Hiroki
Dri-V
Atsushi
Past members Iküzöne

Dragon Ash (ドラゴンアッシュ Doragon Asshu?) is a Japanese rap rock group founded in 1996 by Kenji "Kj" Furuya and Sakurai Makoto.[1] They were one of the first groups to popularize hip hop in Japan. They brought a western flavor to Japanese music and helped to turn rap music mainstream,[citation needed] with a mixture of reggae, hip hop, metal, punk, drum 'n' bass, rhythm 'n' blues and Spanish music influences. Some of their best known songs include "Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo", "Grateful Days", "Life Goes On", and "I Love Hip Hop".[citation needed] Kenji has stated in several interviews[citation needed] that the reason Dragon Ash started out as a pseudo-punk band was because, at the time, punk was popular in Japan, and his handlers felt that the hip hop image would not sell. He has also noted that hip hop has always been first in his book, but he did what was necessary to become successful in the industry. Dragon Ash is a member of Mob Squad, which is an affiliation with the bands Source and Endive.

Contents

History [edit]

Dragon Ash was formed by Kenji Furuya and Makoto Sakurai when the two were in junior high.[2] In 1996, they held an audition and eventually selected bassist Ikuzou Baba to join the band.[1] At the time, Furuya and Sakurai were still only teenagers, while Baba was 30 years old,[3] and was likely selected to act as a mentor for the group.[2] They debuted in February 1997 with the mini single The Day Dragged On.[4] Later the same year, they released their first album, Mustang!. In 1999, Bots joined the group,[4] and that March the band made their first big break with their 4th single, "Let yourself go, let myself go," which hit No. 7 on the Oricon Weekly Singles chart, and eventually climbed to No. 4, selling a total of 640,000 copies.[4][5] In May they simultaneously released their 5th and 6th singles, "Grateful Days" and "I Love Hip Hop," which debuted at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.[6] When these two singles debuted, ""Let yourself go, let myself go" had not yet dropped off the top 10 chart, giving Dragon Ash 3 top 10 singles at the same time. "Grateful Days" would eventually go on to No. 1, becoming both the first hip hop work and the first mixture band single to reach the No. 1 spot.[4] The band finally reached the peak of their success when they released their third album, Viva la Revolution, in July and it hit No. 1 on its debut week. This album selling a total of 2,000,000 copies[7]

The band continued to be successful throughout the turn of the century, collaborating with the hip hop group Rappagariya on Deep Impact in 2000 and consistently pulling in No. 1 spots on both the singles and albums charts with their new releases. In 2003 the group expanded to include its full current roster of members, bringing in Hiroki, Atsushi, and Dri-V.[4] In 2007 they celebrated their 10th anniversary by simultaneously releasing two best-of albums, The Best of Dragon Ash with Changes Vol.1 and The Best of Dragon Ash with Changes Vol.2. Both albums hit No. 1 upon their debut.[8]

Influences [edit]

The group uses various samples, most notably from the famous American alternative rock group, The Smashing Pumpkins.[citation needed] These songs include "Cherub Rock", in which they sample the bass line from The Smashing Pumpkins song by the same name, and "Grateful Days" in which they sample the opening of "Today"; they also named the song "Siva" after the Pumpkins song. Kenji Furuya's influences include artists Tupac Shakur, Kurt Cobain, & Bob Marley.

Side Projects [edit]

Dragon Ash has gained some popularity outside Japan when the song Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo was used as the ending theme for the popular Japanese movie, Battle Royale.[citation needed] Kenji Furuya has also worked on several side projects in recent years, including being the frontman of Steady & Co., a Japanese hip hop and music production group consisting of himself, Bots, Ilmari of Rip Slyme, and Shigeo of SBK (Skebo King).[citation needed] In addition to Steady & Co., Furuya has also collaborated with other Japanese hip hop artists on the Mob Squad album and subsequent label.[citation needed]

Members [edit]

Former member
  • Ikuzo "Iküzöne" Baba – bass (1966–2012)
    • Iküzöne (馬場育三, Baba Ikuzou) died on April 21, 2012 due to acute heart failure, he was 46. He was found by family members in his home studio and rushed to a central Tokyo hospital, but was pronounced dead at 22:55. A private funeral service for family was held.

Awards & nominations [edit]

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2007

2011

2012

Discography [edit]

EPs
Albums
Compilation albums
Singles/maxi singles

Digital download-limited singles

Gramophone records
Split albums
Remix Albums
DVD
  • 2001: Buzz Clips
  • 2001: Lily Da Video
  • 2003: Posse In Video
  • 2005: Video de Emoción
  • 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes
  • 2011: Mixture - Video Mix & Document

Music videos [edit]

1997
  • Tenshi no Rokku
  • Ability → Normal
  • Rainy Day And Day
1998
  • Hi Wa Mata Noborikuri Kaesu
  • Under Age's Song
1999
  • Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go
  • Grateful Days (feat. Zeebra & Aco)
  • I Love Hiphop
  • Rock The Beat
2000
  • Deep Impact (feat. Rappagariya)
  • Summer Tribe
  • Amploud
  • Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo
  • Bring It
2001
  • Revolater
  • Sunset Beach
2002
  • Life Goes On
  • Fantasista
2003
  • Morrow
  • Revive
  • Episode 4 (feat. Shun & Shigeo)
2004
  • Shade
2005
  • Crush The Window
  • Yuunagi Union
  • Los Lobos
  • Palmas Rock (feat. Uzi-One)
  • Scarlet Needle
2006
  • Ivory
  • Few Lights Till Night
  • Yume de Aetara
2007
  • Fly
  • Wipe Your Eyes (feat. Kaori Mochida)
2008
  • Velvet Touch
  • Tsunagari Sunset
2009
  • La Bamba
  • Unmei Kyoudoutai
  • Callin'
2010
  • Ambitious
  • Rock Band (feat. Satoshi & Ko-Ji Zero Three)
  • Time Of Your Life
  • Economy Class
  • Fire Song
2012
  • Walk With Dreams
  • Run To The Sun

Collaboration music videos [edit]

1999
  • Sugar Soul - Garden (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
  • Wyolica - Kaze wo Atsumete (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2000
  • Miho - Esperanza (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
  • SBK (Skateboard King) - Episode 1 (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
  • TMC Allstars - TMC Graffiti (w/ KJ of Dragon Ash)
2001
  • Air - Right Riot (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
  • Steady&Co. - Stay Gold (w/ KJ & DJ Bots of Dragon Ash)
  • Steady&Co. Four Seasons (w/ KJ & DJ Bots of Dragon Ash)
  • Steady&Co. - One Holy Story (feat. Azumi from Wyolica) (w/ KJ & DJ Bots from Dragon Ash)
2003
  • Mondo Grosso - Shinin' (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2004
  • m-flo - Way You Move (feat. Dragon Ash)
2006
  • Skapontas - Amber Music (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2008
  • Ko-Ji Zero Three - Esperanza (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
  • SBK (Skateboard King) - Episode 5 (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2009
  • Miss Monday - The Light (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2010
  • Dabo - AZS (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2011
  • Special Others - Sailin' (feat. KJ of Dragon Ash)
2012
  • Japan United with Music - All You Need Is Love (w/ KJ of Dragon Ash)

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Dragon Ash Official Website : BIOGRAPHY 1996". Dragon Ash Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  2. ^ a b Mills, Ted. "Dragon Ash biography at Allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  3. ^ "Dragon Ash（ドラゴンアッシュ）-　原点回帰ではない今のDAの音 - インタビュー". Excite! Music (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "Dragon Ashのプロフィール・ヒストリーならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  5. ^ "検索結果-ORICON STYLE アーティスト/CD検索". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  6. ^ "検索結果-ORICON STYLE アーティスト/CD検索". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  7. ^ "検索結果-ORICON STYLE アーティスト/CD検索". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 
  8. ^ "Dragon Ashのベスト2作が初日1、2位独占！". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-12-22. 

External links [edit]

Dragon Ash
  • Kenji Furuya
  • Makoto Sakurai
  • Bots
  • Hiroki
  • Atsushi
  • Dri-v
  • Ikuzo Baba
Studio albums
Remix albums
Compilation albums
Singles
LPs
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