Flumpool

Flumpool

Flumpool in May 2013
Background information
Origin Osaka, Japan
Genres Pop rock, rock
Years active 2007 (2007)–present
Labels Sonic Form (2007)
Antwork (2008)
A-Sketch (2008–present)
Associated acts Kenji Tamai
Rui Momota
Website www.flumpool.jp
Members Ryuta Yamamura (vocals, guitar)
Kazuki Sakai (guitar)
Genki Amakawa (bass)
Seiji Ogura (drums)
A giant 2D barcode on a billboard advertisement in Shibuya. People may point their cellphone's camera at it to access the website whose URL is coded in the barcode. It advertises Flumpool's debut album Unreal.

Flumpool (stylized as flumpool) is a four-man Japanese pop-rock band. The band, originally from Osaka Prefecture,[1] was formed in January 2007. The band's name is derived from the English word "four", since there are four members, they took the first letter "F", along with the word meaning mass, "lump" and the word "pool".

On October 1, 2008, the band released a download single named "Hana ni Nare" (花になれ, "Become a Flower"). Their debut mini-album (though its length is over 48 minutes), Unreal was released on November 10, 2008. Unreal served Platinum certification from the RIAJ for its shipment of 250,000 copies.[2]

History

2002: cube

In 2002, Yamamura along his childhood friends, Sakai and Amakawa, formed an acoustic unit named 309. Later, when a support drummer joined them, they formed a band. From then, they changed their name to cube. Yamamura plays acoustic guitar as well as does most vocals. Sakai also plays acoustic guitar while Amakawa plays bass guitar. Furthermore, they issued four independent CD productions.

2007: flumpool

In January 2007, Ogura joined the band as the drummer. On January 13, the band's name was changed to flumpool. They held live gigs in Osaka-jō Hall and "live houses" around Osaka. On July 24, the production of an independent single titled "Mirai Kanai" (ミライカナイ, "One's Future") was announced.

2008: Debut

On June 25, "Mirai Kanai" went up for sale on indiesmusic.com. In July, the promotional video of "labo" was made. The video was ranked number one on Access Rankings. On August 27, both Tower Records and Tsutaya held the 5,000 limited copies of the independent trial single, "labo". On September 1, they became the Campaign Song Artist for the telephone service, au KDDI "LISMO". On September 20, their song, "Hana ni Nare" was used for the campaign.

On September 5, the band was featured on Fuji TV's Mezamashi TV and performed on television for the first time. On October 1, they released "Hana ni Nare" (花になれ, "Become a Flower") as their first digital single with Amuse, Inc. under the newly created sub-label A-Sketch. In just ten days, the song reached 1,000,000 downloads (now 2,000,000). On November 5, they released their second digital single, "Over the Rain (Hikari no Hashi)" (Over the Rain~ひかりの橋~, "Over the Rain (Bridge of Light)"). The song was used as the theme song of TBS drama, Bloody Monday. On the same month, they released their 1st mini-album, Unreal on the 19th. It reached No. 2 on Oricon weekly albums chart.

2009: What's flumpool!?

On February 19, the band launched their 1st nationwide tour, "flumpool tour 2009『UNREAL』" at 6 cities and 7 performances in total. Later in that month, the band released their 1st major single, "Hoshi ni Negai o" (星に願いを, "Wish Upon A Star") and reached No. 2 on Oricon weekly singles chart.

Their second single was released on July 1, entitled "MW (Dear Mr. & Mrs. Picaresque)/Natsu Dive" (MW ~Dear Mr. & Ms. ピカレスク~/夏Dive, "MW (Dear Mr. & Mrs. Picaresque)/Summer Dive") and reached No. 3 on Oricon weekly singles chart. On the same day, their 1st Live DVD, "『How did we feel then?~flumpool tour 2009 “Unreal” Live at Shibuya Club Quattro~』" was released and reached No. 1 on Oricon weekly Music DVD Chart.

A week after the releases, the band began their 2nd nationwide tour, "flumpool tour 2009 “Unclose”" at 18 venues. The tour was a total of 19 performances.

On October 14, the band released their 3rd digital single, "Frame". On November 18, they released yet another digital single, "Mitsumeteitai".

The band also performed two extra concerts of their 2nd tour at Nippon Budokan on the 22nd and 23 October. All the tickets were sold out on the day they went on sale. They performed 17 songs in front of 10,000 fans in each concert.

The band released their 1st full album, What's flumpool!? on December 23 and reached No. 2 on the Oricon weekly albums chart.

On December 31, the band attended the 60th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, making it their first time performing on the show.

2010: Vocalist's polypectomy and year-end arena lives

On February 3, the band released their 3rd single, "Zanzō" and reached No. 3 on Oricon weekly singles chart. The song was used as the theme song of the 2nd season of TBS drama, Bloody Monday. On the same month, they released their 2nd Live DVD, "flumpool tour 2009『Unclose』Special!! LIVE at Nippon Budokan". It also reached No. 1 on Oricon weekly Music DVD chart.

On March 5, the band started their 3rd nationwide tour, "flumpool tour 2010「What's flumpool!?~Love&Piiiis Kids Show!!~」" at 40 venues and 46 performances in total. The tour had lasted three months.

On March 14, the band released their 1st artist photobook, "fourbond".

It was made known on April 29 that flumpool's vocalist, Ryuta Yamamura will undergo polypectomy in June. On May 5, Ryuta Yamamura announced on "flumpool LOCKS!", flumpool's corner of the radio program TOKYO FM's SCHOOL OF LOCK!, that he will undergo polypectomy after their last concert of the 3rd tour in Okinawa and spend about a month resting.

The band released their 4th major single entitled "reboot~Akiramenai Uta~/Nagareboshi" (reboot~あきらめない詩~/流れ星, "reboot~Don't Give Up Song~/Shooting Star") on June 23. It reached No. 2 on Oricon weekly singles chart. The song, "reboot~Akiramenai Uta~" is used as a support song of Japanese television network NTV's coverage of the FIFA World Cup.

As of July 7, Yamamura made a Tanabata return after surgery at "flumpool LOCKS!". On August 1, flumpool performed at "SETSTOCK'10" which was held in Hiroshima. It was their first live after the return of their vocalist.

It was announced on July 14 that the band is to sing the theme song entitled "Kimi ni Todoke" (君に届け, "Reaching you") of the movie Kimi ni Todoke. The song "Kimi ni Todoke" was released as a single on September 29. It debuted at number 2 on Oricon weekly singles chart. All five major single releases to date have made it to top 3 on the Oricon weekly singles chart.

The band released a Christmas DVD single entitled "Snowy Nights Serenade~Kokoro Made mo Tsunagitai~" (Snowy Nights Serenade~心までも繋ぎたい~). The release is limited to the members of POOLSIDE, the band's mobile fan club. This first time ever members limited release is a premium package which includes a Special DVD encompassing flumpool's "gratitude" and an original calendar (2011). The song "Snowy Nights Serenade~心までも繋ぎたい~(Xmas ver.)" was the main theme of their year-end arena lives which were held on December 18 and 19 at Osaka-jō Hall and on December 25 and 26 at Yokohama Arena. They express their gratitude to their fans who have supported them throughout the one year since the opening of POOLSIDE by turning the words they can't convey very well into this song.

On December 31, flumpool attended the 61st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, performing on the show for the second time.

2011–2012

flumpool held a live tour with rock band, Nico Touches the Walls in January in 3 cities.

The band released their 2nd full album on January 26. The title of the album, Fantasia of Life Stripe was revealed through a CM, which was aired on November 28, 2010. Details of the album were disclosed on November 29, 2010 on their official website. The album reached No. 2 on the Oricon weekly albums chart.

The band will be in charge of the set piece for the Junior High School section of the 78th NHK National Music Contest. The composition of the set piece was arranged to be sung in a choir, was scheduled to be announced in March as a new set piece. The theme of the contest is “Companions”. It was announced later that the title of the set piece is "Akashi" (). "Akashi" will be NHK’s “Minna no Uta” music broadcast in August to September.

The band released their 3rd Live DVD entitled "3rd Live DVD flumpool Live at YOKOHAMA ARENA!! Special Live 2010「Snowy Nights Serenade~Kokoro Made mo Tsunagitai~」" (3rd Live DVD flumpool Live at YOKOHAMA ARENA!! Special Live 2010「Snowy Nights Serenade~心までも繋ぎたい~」) on April 6. The DVD reached No. 3 on Oricon weekly Music DVD chart.

The band started their 4th nationwide tour entitled "Fantasia of Life Stripe~Bokutachi wa Koko ni Iru~" (『Fantasia of Life Stripe~僕達はここにいる~』) from April in 10 big cities and 19 performances. Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the band kicked off their tour on April 9 in Fukuoka instead of Yokosuga, Kanagawa on April 4. The two shows which were scheduled in Yokosuga, Kanagawa are replaced by concerts at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall in Kanagawa on June 3 and 4. The concerts scheduled May 7 and 8 in Sendai, Miyagi was cancelled. The band will hold a live at Zepp Sendai on August 12 instead. The title of the live is "4th tour 2011“Fantasia of Life Stripe ~僕達はここにいる~” Zepp Sendai Special Live". In the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the band's members and their record label A-Sketch made a donation of 10 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross as part of the fund raising campaign by their agency Amuse. The band will also donate some of the revenue from sales of concert tickets and official goods. They also set up donation boxes at each concert and encourage donations from the crowds.

In May, it was announced that the band will be in charge of the image song for the “Rugby World Cup 2011”.

In June, flumpool's vocalist, Ryuta Yamamura appeared solo in the CM for the mobile game site "Mobage". The song used in the CM is the band's new song which will be released as a double a-side single entitled "Donna Mirai ni mo Ai wa Aru/Touch" (どんな未来にも愛はある/Touch). The song "Touch" is used as the tie-up song for "au AQUOS PHONE IS11SH" commercial. The single is set to release on July 27.

2012 - present

On December, flumpool released an album titled 'experience'. With the album they made a debut into Taiwan. With a Chinese cover 証明 written by Mayday AShin.

On April 17, a concert EARTH X HEART was performed along with Mayday in Japan. In September 2014, Flumpool makes a Single for Indonesian Tokusatsu Series Satria Garuda BIMA-X titled 'Let Tomorrow be'.

Band members

Discography

Singles

Release Single Title Oricon Singles Charts Album
Peak Sales
(copies)
Debut week Debut week Overall
2008 "Mirai Kanai" (ミライカナイ)
  • Indies debut single
  • Released: June 25, 2008
- - - Unreal
"labo"
  • 2nd Indie single
  • Released: August 27, 2008
- - -
"Hana ni Nare" (花になれ)
  • 1st digital single
  • Released: October 1, 2008
  • au KDDI "LISMO" campaign song.
  • September 2008, Spaceshower TV's Power Push song
Digital released
"Over the Rain (Hikari no Hashi)" (Over the Rain 〜ひかりの橋〜)
  • 2nd digital single
  • Released: November 5, 2008
  • Theme song for the TBS drama Bloody Monday.
Digital released
2009 "Hoshi ni Negai o" (星に願いを Wish Upon A Star)
  • Major debut single
  • Released: February 25, 2009
2 42,203 66,546 What's Flumpool!?
"MW (Dear Mr. & Mrs. Picaresque)/Natsu Dive" (MW ~Dear Mr. & Ms. ピカレスク~/夏Dive)
  • 2nd major single
  • Released: July 1, 2009
3 31,825 49,146
"Frame" (フレイム)
  • 3rd digital single
  • Released: October 14, 2009
Digital released
"Mitsumeteitai" (見つめていたい)
  • 4th digital single
  • Released: November 18, 2009
Digital released
2010 "Zanzō" (残像 Afterimage)
  • 3rd major single
  • Released: February 3, 2010
  • Theme song for Bloody Monday 2
3 31,020 46,936 Fantasia of Life Stripe
"reboot~Akiramenai Uta~/Nagareboshi" (reboot~あきらめない詩~/流れ星)
  • 4th major single
  • Released: June 23, 2010
  • Support song for NTV's coverage of the FIFA World Cup
2 35,435 43,413
"Kimi ni Todoke" (君に届け)
  • 5th major single
  • Released: September 29, 2010
  • Theme song for Kimi ni Todoke
2 38,960 59,739
2011 "Donna Mirai ni mo Ai wa Aru/Touch" (どんな未来にも愛はある/Touch)
  • 6th major single
  • Released: July 27, 2011
  • "Song with Mobage" TV CM Song/"au AQUOS PHONE IS11SH" TV CM Song
6 32,029 41,467
"Akashi" ()
  • 7th major single
  • Released: September 7, 2011
4 34,167 48,419
"Present"
  • 8th major single
  • Released: December 7, 2011
6 - TBA
2012 "Because...I am"
  • 9th major single
  • Released: July 11, 2012
3 - TBA experience
"Answer" 4 - TBA
2013 "Taisetsuna Mono wa Kimi Igai ni Miataranakute / Binetsu Refrain" (大切なものは君以外に見当たらなくて/微熱リフレイン)
  • 11th major single
  • Released: July 3, 2013
5 - - -
"Tsuyoku Hakanaku/Belief-Haru Wo Matsu Kimi He" (強く儚く / Belief 〜春を待つ君へ〜)
  • 12th major single
  • Released: October 2, 2013
6 - - -
2015 "Natsu Yo Tomenaide/You're Romantic" (夏よ止めないで ~You're Romantic~)
  • 13th major single
  • Released: August 5, 2015
7 - - -
2016 "Yoru wa Nemurerukai?" (夜は眠れるかい?)
  • 13th major single
  • Released: February 10, 2016
  • Opening theme song for Ajin: Demi-Human
3 - - -

Album

Released Album Title Weekly peak
[3]
Yearly rank Debut week sales
(copies)
Overall sales
(copies)
Certification
2008 Unreal
  • Released: November 19, 2008
  • 1st mini-album
2 63 110,832 246,617 Platinum[4]
2009 What's Flumpool!?
  • Released: December 23, 2009
  • 1st studio album
2 47 90,102 159,879 Gold[5]
2011 Fantasia of Life Stripe
  • Released: January 26, 2011
  • 2nd studio album
2 - 83,310 118,488 Gold[6]
2012 "experience"
  • Released: December 12, 2012
  • 3rd studio album
5 - - - Gold[7]
2016 "EGG"
  • Released: March 16, 2016
  • 4th studio album
- - - - -

Compilation Album

Released Album Title Weekly peak
[8]
Yearly rank Debut week sales
(copies)
Overall sales
(copies)
Certification
2014 The Best 2008-2014「MONUMENT」
  • Released: May 21, 2014
  • 1st compilation album
3 80 41,295 61,482 -

DVD

Released DVD Title Weekly
Chart
Debut Week Sales
(copies)
Overall Sales
(copies)
2009 How did we feel then? (flumpool Tour 2009 "Unreal" Live at Shibuya Club Quattro)
  • Released: July 1, 2009
1 11,623 13,400
2010 flumpool tour 2009 "Unclose" SPECIAL LIVE at NIPPON BUDOKAN
  • Released: February 24, 2010
1 14,013 17,686
2011 flumpool Live at YOKOHAMA ARENA!! Special Live 2010 『Snowy Nights Serenade~Kokoro Made mo Tsunagitai~』
  • Released: April 6, 2011
3 16,670 21,438
2012 Live DVD『flumpool Special Live 2011「Present~Arigato Matsuri! Konnya wa utao! Odoritsukuso!~」 at Saitama super arena』
  • Released: April 1, 2012
2013 flumpool Special Live 2013“experience”at YOKOHAMA ARENA
  • Released: April 24, 2013
8
flumpool 5th Anniversary Special Live "For our 1,826 days & your 43,824 hours" at Nippon Budokan"
  • Released: December 25, 2013
33
2014 flumpool 5th Anniversary tour 2014 "MOMENT" ARENA SPECIAL at YOKOHAMA ARENA"
  • Released: December 3, 2014
8

Concerts/tours

Books

Radio

Awards

Billboard Japan Music Awards

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2010 Unreal King of the Year 2009 Won[9]

References

  1. "New band flumpool does Bloody Monday music". Tokyograph. 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  2. ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2008年12月 (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
  3. "Flumpool album ranking" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  4. ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2008年12月 (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  5. ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2010年1月 (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  6. ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2011年2月 (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  7. 一般社団法人 日本レコード協会 (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  8. "Flumpool album ranking" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  9. "Billboard Japan Music Awards: EXILE named Artist of the Year". Tokyograph. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
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