Uverworld

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Uverworld
Background information
Origin	Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture
Genres	Industrial rock, alternative rock, hard rock, pop
Years active	2004 - present
Labels	gr8! records
Website	http://www.uverworld.com http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/uverworld/english/
Members
Takuya∞ Katsuya Akira Nobuto Shintarō

Uverworld or stylized as UVERworld is a Japanese rock band consisting of 5 members that originated from Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.^[1]

Contents 1 About 1.1 Members 1.2 Career 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 3 Awards 4 References 5 External links 5.1 Official sites 5.2 Interviews 5.3 Other sites

[edit] About

[edit] Members

Takuya is the vocalist for the group as well as in charge of writing the band's music and programming. He was born on December 21, 1979 in Osaka while he later moved to Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture. Katsuya who is in charge of guitar, rhythm guitar, chorus and being the band's leader. He was born on February 22, 1981. Akira was born on March 8, 1984 and like Katsuya, is in charge of the guitar, rhythm guitar, chorus and programming for the band. Nobuto is in charge of the bass guitar. He was born on February 14, 1980 while Shintarō, the second youngest member of the group was born on November 5, 1983 in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture is in charge of the drums. All the members except Takuya and Shintarō were born and lived in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture.

Sources:^[2]

[edit] Career

The five-member band known as Uverworld first formed in 2003, and were known as Sound Goku Road, (more popularly known as "Sangoku Road" in the independent music scene). The band originally consisted of seven members, and released Prime'03, a demo CD which ended up selling 3,000 copies. Unfortunately, one of the band members, the saxophonist Seika, left the group (the other was Hiko, who left after he married). After his departure, Ace Trigger renamed himself Takuya and the band renamed itself to Uverworld.

According to an interview with the band there was another vocalist who left, however this vocalist hasn't yet been identified. Though it appears that that person may have left some time before Seika did, as Seika is the only one of the two credited on the demo CD and pictured with very early live photos of the band pre-Uverworld.

2005 was the year that the band signed with the label gr8! records, which is under Sony Music Records. The band made their debut with the single "D-tecnoLife", which served as the 2nd opening theme song for the anime Bleach. Three months later, Uverworld's second single, "Chance!" was used as the theme for the PSP game Bleach: Heat the Soul 2 and was the last single released in 2005.

On January 25, 2006 "Just Melody", the band's third single, ended up at #17 on the Oricon charts. Three weeks later Uverworld's 1st album Timeless was released, breaking the top 10 at #5 and selling 60,000 copies. Seika made a brief return during this album, playing saxophone for track 5, Yasashisa no Shizuku (優しさの雫^?). After a three month break, Uverworld released Colors of the Heart as the third opening theme for Blood+, an anime series based on the animated movie, Blood: The Last Vampire. The single debuted at #3 and was the highest position any of Uverworld's singles had reached up to that time. Their 5th single, entitled Shamrock, was released on August 2, 2006, and was used as the ending theme for the J-Drama Dance Drill, a show about a group of girls who aspire to become cheerleaders. Uverworld 6th Single was released on November 15, 2006, entitled Kimi no Suki na Uta, the song was used as the theme song for the TBS TV show Koi Suru Hanikami! or Honey Coming! from October until December. It was the first ballad released as a single, and it reached number two on the Oricon charts (the second highest place for an Uverworld single thus far) until it fell off of the charts three and a half weeks later. It sold around 70,000 copies according to the Oricon sales charts.

On February 21, 2007, Uverworld released their second album titled Bugright. It featured the singles Uverworld had put out after the release of Timeless and also included their song Nagare・Kūkyo・This Word (～流れ・空虚・This Word～^?), which was used for the film soundtrack The songs for Death Note the movie - the Last name Tribute-.

In March 6, 2007, the band was also part of an event called 'We♥Music Vol.2' held in the Shibuya-AX, the second part of the 'We♥Music' had Uverworld performing against Sid.^[3]

The band's third album, titled Proglution, was released on January 16, 2008 and contain full 18 tracks. The album also contain their singles Ukiyo Crossing (浮世Crossing^?), endscape and Shaka Beach: Laka Laka La (シャカビーチ~Laka Laka La~^?). The album was released in a CD-only version and a limited edition that includes an extra DVD. Proglution sold over 150,000 copies.

June 11, 2008 saw the release of the single Gekidou / Just break the limit!. Gekidou was used as the fourth opening theme of the anime series, D.Gray-man, while the song Just break the limit! was used as a support song for Pocari Sweat's CM. Two more singles were released in 2008, Koishikute (恋いしくて^?) and Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi (儚くも永久のカナシ^?). Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi was used as the opening for the second season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 anime.^[4] The single became the band's first number 1 single on Oricon^[5] with approximately 181,784 copies sold. The single has since gone on to become the highest selling single from the band.

On February 18, 2009 the band released their 4th album titled Awakeve. The album sold over 115,000 copies on its first week and ranked #2 on the Oricon album chart. A DVD of their live performance in Nippon Budokan was released on April 29, 2009.

The band's 13th single was released on August 5, 2009 titled as Go-On. The single's title track will be featured as the second ending theme on the Japanese broadcast of the House's first season.

The band is scheduled to perform at 2009's Inazuma Rock Fes. held in Shiga Prefecture.^[6] They are also releasing their 4th DVD of the Awakeve Tour 09 on September 30, 2009.

The band has confirmed releasing their 14th single on October 28, 2009 named Kanashimi wa Kitto (哀しみはきっと^?) for the Tokyo Broadcasting System drama based on the children's novel, A Little Princess written by Frances Hodgson Burnett.^[7] The song's lyrics will be written by Takuya∞ and will be co-composed by both the lyricist and Satoru Hiraide while the arrangement will be done by the band and Hiraide.^[8]

On October 9, 2009, an English official website was announced and it went online at 12pm Japan Standard Time.^[9]

A best of album was announced on November 9, 2009, titled, Neo Sound Best will be released on December 9, 2009.^[10]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

#	Information	Sales
1st / Debut Single	D-tecnoLife Released: July 6, 2005 Format: CD5" Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #4	108,579 copies sold
2nd	Chance! Released: October 26, 2005 Format: CD5" Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #5	36,058 copies sold
3rd	Just Melody Released: January 25, 2006 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #17	22,405 copies sold
4th	Colors of the Heart Released: May 17, 2006 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #3	77,657 copies sold
5th	Shamrock Released: August 2, 2006 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #6	97,091 copies sold
6th	Kimi no Suki na Uta 君の好きなうた Released: November 15, 2006 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	82,172 copies sold
7th	Endscape Released: May 30, 2007 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #4	71,958 copies sold
8th	Shaka Beach: Laka Laka La シャカビーチ~Laka Laka La~ Released: August 8, 2007 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	49,730 copies sold
9th	Ukiyo Crossing 浮世Crossing Released: November 14, 2007 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #3	71,508 copies sold
10th	Gekidō/Just Break the Limit! 激動/Just break the limit! Released: June 11, 2008 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD double A-side single Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	94,325 copies sold
11th	Koishikute 恋いしくて Released: September 10, 2008 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #3	68,112 copies sold
12th	Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi 儚くも永久のカナシ Released: November 19, 2008 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #1	181,784 copies sold
13th	Go-On Released: August 5th, 2009 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	69,775 copies sold
14th	Kanashimi wa Kitto 哀しみはきっと Released:October 28th, 2009 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	TBA copies sold

[edit] Albums

#	Information	Sales
1st / Debut Album	Timeless Released: February 15, 2006 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #5	88,935 copies sold
2nd	Bugright Released: February 21, 2007 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	127,488 copies sold
3rd	Proglution Release Date: January 16, 2008 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #3	149,898 copies sold
4th	Awakeve Release Date: February 18, 2009 Format: CD5", CD5"+DVD Oricon Top 200 Weekly Peak: #2	162,458 copies sold

[edit] Awards

The band received 'New Artist of the Year' in year 2005 by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.^[11]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Official sites

• Uverworld Official Site (Japanese)
• Uverworld Official English page (English)
• Uverworld Official Site, managed by Powerplay (Japanese)
• Uverworld Oricon Profile (Japanese)
• Uverworld @ Musicnet.co.jp (Japanese)

[edit] Interviews

• Tofu Records Interview (English)
• UVERworld『賞味期限のない曲を書き続けていきたい』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld 『賞味期限がないアルバム！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『新曲は話題のTVアニメソング！！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『デビュー1周年を迎えた今と音楽への想いを熱く語る！！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『聴いたすべての人が共感できる初のバラードソング！！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『想いが詰まったストイックかつ奔放なロックアルバム！！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『新曲は、話題のドラマ『働きマン』主題歌！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『前3作を超える最新作で魅せる彼らが今思うこととは？！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)
• UVERworld『“音楽”に対する揺るがない強い気持ちを語る！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック (Japanese)

[edit] Other sites

• UVERworld.org - English fansite (English)
• ZOMG!UVERx3 - Uverworld English forum (English)
• UVERdake - Pág y Foro de Uverworld en Español (Spanish)
• Uverworld Brasil
• Uverworld en Español

v • d • e Uverworld Albums Timeless | Bugright | Proglution | Awakeve Singles D-tecnoLife | Chance! | Just Melody | Colors of the Heart | Shamrock | Kimi no Suki na Uta | Endscape | Shaka Beach: Laka Laka La | Ukiyo Crossing | Gekidō/Just Break the Limit! | Koishikute | Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi | Go-On  | Kanashimi wa Kitto