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Flow (Japanese band)

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Flow
Flow at Japan Expo 2012 in Paris, France
Flow at Japan Expo 2012 in Paris, France
Background information
OriginJapan
GenresAlternative rock, indie rock, pop punk
Years active1998 (1998)–present
LabelsKi/oon records
MembersKeigo Hayashi (vocal)
Kōshi Asakawa (vocal, occasional rhythm guitar)
Takeshi Asakawa (lead guitar)
Hiroshi Iwasaki (drums)
Yasutarō Gotō (bass)
Websiteflow.mu

Flow is a Japanese rock band, that formed in 1998 and signed on to Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records label. Flow is a five-piece band made up of two vocalists, a drummer, a bassist and a guitarist. As of March 2014, the band has released 27 singles and nine albums.

History

The group's base was created in 1993 when brothers Kōshi (elder: vocals, occasional rhythm guitar) and Take (younger: guitar) began playing together. They formed Flow in 1998, and were eventually joined by Keigo (vocals), Gotō (bass) and Iwasaki (drums; joined in 2000). In 2001, the band released its first maxi single, "Flow #0". The group then released two mini-albums within the same year, both of which took nationwide indie charts by storm. "Okuru Kotoba", Flow's first cover single, was released in January 2003. It remained on the Oricon indie chart for seven consecutive weeks and also hit an impressive No. 6 on the overall singles chart. In the spring of that year, their first full-scale album Splash!!! debuted at No. 2. In July 2003, Flow released the single "Blaster" on a major label, Ki/oon Records. In April 2004, they released "GO!!!", which stayed on the Oricon Top 10 Chart for three weeks. In May 2004, Flow released their first major album Game.

A string of singles followed and in July 2005 the band released its third album, Golden Coast. Since the release of Golden Coast, Flow has released two singles with new A-sides, but one of these Around The World / Kandata was a double A-side release. The songs "GO!!!" and "Re:member" both served as opening themes to the anime series Naruto, as well as "Sign" for Naruto Shippuden. "Days" was the first opening for Bones' Eureka Seven anime, and "Realize" was the opening for the PlayStation 2 video games based on the same series. Flow performed live in America for the first time in Dallas, Texas on September 2, 2006 at Anime Fest which was held at the Hyatt Hotel and Convention Center in downtown Dallas. Flow then released "Colors" in 2006, the first opening for Sunrise's original series, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Their song "Answer" is the first opening theme for the live action Japanese drama Tantei Gakuen Q. They performed "Night Parade" with the hip-hop band Home Made Kazoku. In February 2008, they released a new single titled "Arigatō", followed by Persona -trinity soul-'s new opening, "Word of the Voice" in June 2008. They performed Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2's second opening theme "World End" released in 2008. In 2009, the band performed "Sign", the sixth opening for Naruto Shippuden. The band released a B-side compilation album on November 4, 2009. Their single "Calling" was featured as the ending for the anime Heroman. Flow returned to North America to perform at Anime Central, in Rosemont, Illinois on May 20, 2011, and FanimeCon in San Jose, California on May 28, 2010 and in May 2011. Their song "Hey!!!" was the third opening theme for the anime Beelzebub and the song "Brave Blue" was used as the second opening theme for the anime Eureka Seven AO. In 2012, they performed in France for the first time at Japan Expo. They provided a cover of "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" as the main theme song for the film Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods; the song, coupled with an insert song from the film, was released as a double A-side single on March 20, 2013,[1] and subsequently would be featured as the opening theme for in the 2014 video game Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z. Flow released their eighth studio album Flow The Max!!! on March 27, 2013. Flow went to Brazil for the first time to perform at Ressacca Friends in 2013. Their single "Ai Ai Ai ni Utarete Bye Bye Bye" released on February 26, 2014 was used as the second opening to the anime Samurai Flamenco.[2] Flow returned to Brazil in the summer of 2014 to perform at Anime Friends in Sao Paulo and at SuperCon in Recife. They returned to perform at Anime Fest after 8 years in August 2014 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.[3] Their next single, "7-seven", will be a collaboration with the band Granrodeo and it will be featured as the first ending theme to the anime The Seven Deadly Sins.[4]

Members

Kohshi
Kohshi[5]
  • Position: Vocalist, Guitarist
  • Real name: Kōshi Asakawa
  • Birthday: April 22, 1977
  • Birth place: Saitama
Kohshi is one of the vocalists of Flow and helped create the band with his younger brother Take. He and his brother were huge fans of X Japan and so he bought himself and Take their own guitars so they could play X Japan's songs. They decided to form a X Japan cover band called Wyburn in 1999 with Kohshi acting as Hide and Take acting as Pata. When X Japan disbanded Kohshi decided to change Wyburn's name to Pinking and to become a full original band with light hip hop influences. Later on he would change the band's name to Flow because he had a friend who created hip hop songs and used the word flow a lot in his songs. By 2000 the other three members joined the band and completed its formation.
Kohshi can also play other instruments besides the guitar such as the harmonica. In high school, he was very athletic and his favorite sporting events were the hurdles and the 4x400m relay race. Kohshi once ripped his pants during a concert in San Jose, California.
Keigo
Keigo[5]
  • Position: Vocalist
  • Real name: Keigo Hayashi
  • Birthday: July 1, 1977
  • Birth place: Tokyo
Keigo is one of the vocalists of Flow and was Kohshi's friend in high school. When Kohshi decided to have two vocalists in the band he approached Keigo, who was a fan of Pinking and Wyburn, on being the second vocalist of Flow and he agreed.
Keigo is one of the main song writers for Flow, having written many of their songs including "Colors" and "Days". Like Kohshi, Keigo was very athletic and likes to play soccer but suffered a leg injury. Keigo has two sisters and should wear glasses but he refuses to since they "spoil the mood". He is also a radio host.
Take
Take[5]
  • Position: Guitarist
  • Real name: Takeshi Asakawa
  • Birthday: August 31, 1978
  • Birth place: Saitama
Take is the guitarist of Flow and helped create Flow with his older brother Kohshi. He and his brother were huge fans of X Japan and so Kohshi bought himself and Take their own guitars so they could play X Japan's songs. Kohshi would later decide to form Flow and the other three members would eventually join. Take is the youngest member of Flow.
Got's
Got's[5]
  • Position: Bassist
  • Real name: Kasutarō Gotō
  • Birthday: January 26, 1977
  • Birth place: Niigata
Got's is the bassist of Flow and the second oldest member. In 1999, Kohshi was working a part time job at a club called Shibuya Quattro where he met Got's who was also working part time there. Got's had watched one of Flow's concerts before they met and asked if he could join the band. Kohshi agreed and he became the fourth member of Flow.
Iwasaki
Iwasaki[5]
  • Position: Drummer
  • Real Name: Hiroshi Iwasaki
  • Birthday: November 21, 1969
  • Birth Place: Osaka
Iwasaki is the drummer of FLOW and the oldest member. In March 2000, Kohshi was working a part time job at a club called Shibuya Quattro and Iwasaki was the manager of a catering company that provided food for the club. Iwasaki introduced himself to Kohshi and asked if he could join Flow. Kohshi hesitated at first but decided to accept him into the band. After he joined, Iwasaki often didn't show up to band practices so in August the other members held a meeting and told Iwasaki they would dismiss him from the band if he didn't come. Iwasaki finally decided to show up and was officially announced as Flow's fifth member.
When the members first met Iwasaki, they were scared him of because he was much older than them and had tattoos all over his arms. Iwasaki is considered the father of the band because of his age.

Discography

Singles

  1. "Blaster" (ブラスター, Burasutā, July 2, 2003)
  2. "Dream Express" (ドリームエクスプレス, Dorīmu Ekusupuresu, September 18, 2003)
  3. "Ryūsei / Sharirara" (流星/シャリララ, February 18, 2004)
  4. "GO!!!" (April 28, 2004) - Naruto fourth opening theme
  5. "Life is beautiful" (November 3, 2004)
  6. "Rookie / Stay Gold" (April 27, 2005) - theme song for the Korean movie Make It Big
  7. "Days" (June 1, 2005) - Eureka Seven first opening theme
  8. "Garden (Summer Edit)" (August 3, 2005)
  9. "Re:member" (May 31, 2006) - Naruto eighth opening theme
  10. "Around The World / Kandata" (September 13, 2006) - CM for Suzuki Swift
  11. "Colors" (November 8, 2006) - Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion first opening theme
  12. "Answer" (August 1, 2007) - Tantei Gakuen drama theme song
  13. "Fuyu no Amaoto / Night Parade" (冬の雨音/Night Parade, November 28, 2007) - by Flow∞Home Made Kazoku
  14. "Arigatō" (ありがとう, February 20, 2008)
  15. "Word of the Voice" (June 4, 2008) - Persona -trinity soul- second opening theme
  16. "World End" (August 13, 2008) - Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 second opening theme
  17. "Snow Flake (Kioku no Koshitsu) / Pulse" (Snow Flake ～記憶の固執～/PULSE, December 10, 2008)
  18. "Sign" (January 13, 2010) - Naruto Shippuden sixth opening theme
  19. "Calling" (May 12, 2010) - Heroman first ending theme
  20. "Tabidachi Graffiti" (November 24, 2010) - ending theme for the TV show Uchikuru!?
  21. "1/3 no Junjō na Kanjō" (March 9, 2011) cover of the Siam Shade song, "1/3 no Junjou na Kanjou", originally used as Rurouni Kenshin sixth ending theme
  22. "Hey!!!" (August 31, 2011) - Beelzebub third opening theme.
  23. "Rock Climbers" (February 22, 2012) - ending theme for TV shows Nounai Word Q Hikidas! and Roke Mitsu: Roke x Roke x Roke
  24. "Brave Blue"[6] (ブレイブルー, Bureiburū) (September 5, 2012) - Eureka Seven AO second opening theme.
  25. "Hero (Kibō no Uta) / Cha-La Head-Cha-La" (March 20, 2013) - Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods insert song and theme song.
  26. "Tokonatsu Endless" (September 4, 2013)
  27. "Ai Ai Ai ni Utarete Bye Bye Bye" (February 26, 2014) - Samurai Flamenco second opening theme

Albums

EPs

Compilations

DVDs

  • The Play Off: Game 1 (December 1, 2004)
  • Flow Countdown Live 2006-2007 "Kizuna Factory: Differ Toshiake" (March 21, 2007)
  • Flow Live Tour 2007-2008 'Isle' Final at Nippon Budokan (December 24, 2008)
  • Flow First Zepp Tour 2011 'On The Line' (September 11, 2011)
  • Flow Live Tour 2013 "tour THE MAX!!!" -Grand Final-at Maihama Amphitheater (December 18, 2013)

References

  1. ^ "FLOW announces new single + album + nationwide tour". Tokyohive. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "愛愛愛に撃たれてバイバイバイ" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 21, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "FLOW to perform at AnimeFest 2014". Anime News Network. March 7, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "The Seven Deadly Sins Anime's New TV Spot Previews FLOW, GRANRODEO Song". Anime News Network. September 21, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Flow's Biography". Flow. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  6. ^ "FLOW – Brave Blue – updated release details, opening theme anime Eureka Seven AO". Comtrya. August 10, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
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