Wands (band)

Wands
Genres Rock, pop rock, power pop, alternative rock, hard rock
Years active 1991–2000
Labels Toshiba-EMI (1991–1993)
B-Gram Records (1993–2000)
Website www.being.co.jp/wands
Past members Show Wesugi (vocal, 1991-1997)
Kousuke Oshima (keyboard, 1991-1992)
Hiroshi Shibasaki (guitar, 1991-1997)
Shinya Kimura (keyboard, 1992-2000)
Jiro Waku (vocal, 1997-2000)
Issei Sugimoto (guitar, 1997-2000)

Wands (stylized as WANDS) was a Japanese rock band formed in 1991 as a three-member group. The band, throughout nine years of activity, had two vocalists, guitarists and keyboardists. Show Wesugi (vocalist), Hiroshi Shibasaki (guitarist), Kousuke Oshima (keyboardist) are the original member of the band. Shinya Kimura joined them after Oshima separate early. In 1997, Wesugi and Hiroshi left the band, so then Shinya reformed the band with Jiro Waku (vocalist) and Issei Sugimoto (guitarist). However, the group was officially disbanded in 2000. Wands belonged to the Being music agency.[1]

Members

Wesugi period

Jiro period

Career

1991–1996: commercial success

The band founded in 1991 by main vocalist Show Wesugi, guitarist Hiroshi Shibasaki, and keyboardist Kousuke Oshima. Wesugi was a fan of Axl Rose and Oshima was a guest member of Japanese rock band Loudness.[2] The band was named after wands of tarot.[2] They made a debut with single "Sabishisa wa Aki no Iro" (literally "Loneliness is autumn color"). Their 1992 single "Motto Tsuyoku Dakishimeta Nara" (literally "If I Embrace You More Strongly") reached the number-one position and was charted for 44 weeks on the Japanese Oricon charts.[3]

However, Oshima withdrew from the band and Shinya Kimura joined the band in 1992. Collaborating with Miho Nakayama, in October 1992, they released "Sekaijū no Dare yori Kitto" (lit. "Certainly more than everybody in the world"), which became one of standard "J-pop" songs.[2] In 1992, they took part in Japanese famous year-end show called Kōhaku Uta Gassen by the song.[2] Along with their songs, Wesugi wrote Deen's debut song "Konomama Kimidake wo Ubaisaritai" (lit. "Now, I want to make off with only you"), which was released in March 1993 and sold over a million copies. In April 1993, their album Toki no Tobira (lit. "Temporal Door") and single "Ai wo Kataru yori Kuchizuke wo Kawaso" (lit. "Let's kiss more than talking love") debuted at the number-one positions at the same time on the Oricon charts, making them the second artist to achieve this following Seiko Matsuda.[4] "Ai wo Kataru yori Kuchizuke wo Kawaso" spent in number-one spot for four consecutive weeks.[2] Toki no Tobira was charted for 33 weeks on the Oricon album charts.[5] They sold over 4.11 million singles and 3.18 million albums in a year, winning the "artist of the year" award at the 8th Japan Gold Disc Award.[6]

Their 1994 single "Sekai ga Owaru made wa..." (lit. "Until the End of the World...") reached number-one on Oricon charts[7] and was certified as a million-selling single by Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[8] It was the ending theme of anime series Slam Dunk. However, Wesugi loved grunge and wanted to turn into alternative rock.[2] "Sekai ga Owaru made wa..." became his last song written by his former style because he felt that many musicians around him were doing the same thing.[9] The tune of their next single "Secret Night (It's My Treat)" was more shifted into power pop, creating controversies.[2] However, their 1995 studio album Piece of My Soul also debuted at the number-one position on the Oricon album charts, with the first week sales of over 542,000 copies.[10]

Wesugi's image continued to be changed with song "Same Side".[11] His new style was said to be "painterly" and their new album was nearing completion.[9] According to Wesugi, their new album was influenced by punk and blues.[9] After they released single "Worst Crime (About a rock star who was a swindler)" in February 1996, however, Wesugi and Shibasaki withdrew from the band, which was said to have been its actual disbandment.[2] Their withdrawals were officially announced in 1997.[12]

Wesugi continued his music career and took part in the sixth anniversary of hide's death as the last singer in 2004.[13] Shibasaki formed rock band Abingdon Boys School with Takanori Nishikawa in 2005. Oshima also associated with Nishikawa on the 2006 album Under Cover.[14]

1997–2000: Alteration and disbandment

Shinya Kimura re-formed the group with vocalist Jiro Waku and guitarist Issei Sugimoto. Jiro Waku, whose real name is Jiro Matsumoto, was the first leader of twelve skateboarding boys (predecessor of SMAP) in Johnny & Associates.[15] Their debut song "Sabitsuita Machine Gun de Ima o Uchinukō", written by Miho Komatsu, was adopted for theme of anime series Dragon Ball GT. Their next single "Brand New Love" was written by Izumi Sakai. Sakai also wrote their song "Ashita moshi Kimi ga kowaretemo" (lit. "Even if you shatter tomorrow"), which was used as the ending theme for Yu-Gi-Oh!. Their next single "Kyo, Nanika no Hazumi de Ikiteiru" (lit. "Today, I live by some chance") was written by Nana Azuki, a future member of Garnet Crow. However, their first studio album Awake, released on October 27, 1999, was charted for only three weeks, peaking at number 18 on the Oricon charts.[16] The band finally disbanded in 2000.

Discography

Singles

Release date Title Album information Oricon charts
1st period 4 December 1991 "Sabishisa wa Aki no Iro" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Seiichirou Kuribayashi
Arrangement: Masao Akashi
Weekly ranking: Number 63 [17]
13 May 1991 "Furimuite Dakishimete" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Kousuke Ohshima
Arrangement: Kousuke Ohshima
Weekly ranking: Number 80
1 July 1992 "Motto Tsuyoku Dakishimetanara" Lyrics: Show Wesugi, Tsutomu Uozumi
Music: Yoshio Tatano
Arrangement: Takeshi Hayama
Weekly ranking: Number 1
(2-week period)

1992 ranking: Number 59
1993 ranking: Number 11
2nd period 26 February 1993 "Toki no Tobira" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Kousuke Ohshima
Arrangement: Masao Akashi
Weekly ranking: Number 1
1993 ranking: Number 7
17 April 1993 "Ai wo Kataru Yori Guchidzuke wo Kawasou" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Tetsurou Oda
Arrangement: Masao Akashi
Weekly ranking: Number 1
(4-week period)

May 1993 ranking: Number 1
1993 ranking: Number 14
7 July 1993 "Koise yo Otome" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Kousuke Ohshima
Arrangement: Takeshi Hayama
Weekly ranking: Number 1
(2-week period)

July 1993 ranking: Number 1
1993 ranking: Number 25
17 November 1993 "Jumpin' Jack Boy" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Seiichirou Kuribayashi
Arrangement: Takeshi Hayama
Weekly ranking: Number 2

1993 ranking: Number 106
1994 ranking: Number 44
8 June 1994 "Sekai ga Owaru Made wa..." Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Tetsurou Oda
Arrangement: 'Takeshi Hayama
Weekly ranking: Number 1
(2-week period)

1994 ranking: Number 10
13 February 1995 "Secret Night: It's My Treat" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Seiichirou Kuribayashi
Arrangement: Daisuke Ikeda
Weekly ranking: Number 1
1995 ranking: Number 53
4 December 1995 "Same Side" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Show Wesugi, Hiroshi Shibasaki
Arrangement: Wands
Weekly ranking: Number 2
1996 ranking: Number 128
1 February 1996 "Worst Crime: About a Rock Star who was a Swindler" Lyrics: Show Wesugi
Music: Hiroshi Shibasaki
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shibasaki
Weekly ranking: Number 9
1996 ranking: Number 183
3rd period 3 September 1997 "Sabitsuita Machine Gun de Ima wo Uchinikou" Lyrics: Miho Komatsu
Music: Miho Komatsu
Arrangement: Daisuke Ikeda
Weekly ranking: Number 4
11 February 1998 "Brand New Love" Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Music: Masaaki Watanuki
Arrangement: Wands
Weekly ranking: Number 17
10 June 1998 "Ashita Moshi Kimi ga Kowaretemo" Lyrics: Izumi Sakai
Music: Aika Ohno
Arrangement: Wands
Weekly ranking: Number 8
1998 ranking: Number 189
31 March 1999 "Kyou, Nanika no Hazumi de Ikiteiru" Lyrics: Azuki Nana
Music: Makoto Miyoshi
Arrangement: Wands
Weekly ranking: Number 32

Original albums

Release date Title Oricon charts
1st period 17 June 1992 Wands Weekly ranking: Number 10 [18]
2nd period 17 April 1993 Toki no Tobira Weekly ranking: Number 1
(4-week period)

1993 ranking: Number 2
6 October 1993 Little Bit… Weekly ranking: Number 2
1993 ranking: Number 10
24 April 1995 Piece of My Soul Weekly ranking: Number 1
(2-week period)
May 1995 ranking: Number 1

1995 ranking: Number 16
3rd period 27 October 1999 Awake Weekly ranking: Number 18

Best albums

Release date Title Oricon charts
2nd period 16 March 1996 Singles Collection +6 Weekly ranking: Number 1
1996 ranking: Number 26
3rd period 6 November 1997 Wands Best: Historical Best Album Weekly ranking: Number 1
1997 ranking: Number 81
9 June 2000 Best of Wands History Weekly ranking: Number 17
Various 25 August 2002 Complete of Wands at the Being Studio Weekly ranking: Number 47
12 December 2007 Best of Best 1000 Wands Weekly ranking: Number 52
27 May 2008 Wands Best Hits

Collaborations

Release date Title Album information Oricon charts
28 October 1992 Sekaijuu no Dare Yori Kitto
with Miho Nakayama
Lyrics: Show Wesugi, Miho Nakayama
Music: Tetsurou Oda
Arrangement: Takeshi Hayama
Weekly ranking: Number 1
1992 ranking: Number 31
January 1992 rRanking: Number 1
1993 ranking: Number 10
9 June 1993 Hateshinai Yume wo
with ZYYG, Rev, Zard featuring Shigeo Nagashima
Lyrics and music:
Show Wesugi
Izumi Sakai
Masayuki Deguchi
Seiichirou Kuribayashi
Weekly ranking: Number 2

VHS and DVDs

Title Release date Format
Best of Wands Video History 1 August 2000 VHS & DVD
Wands Best Live & Clips[19] 8 August 2012 DVD
Legend of 90s J-Rock Best Live & Clips[20] 8 August 2012 DVD

References

  1. ビーイング系アーティスト (in Japanese). uta-net. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "高品質J-POPムーブメントを駆け抜けたWANDS" (in Japanese). Barks News. 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  3. "Motto Tsuyoku Dakishimeta Nara" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  4. "KinKi Kidsがギネス更新!&同時首位に!" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2004-12-28. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  5. "Toki no Tobira" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  6. "Gold Disc Hall of Fame 8th" (in Japanese). Japan Gold Disc Award. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  7. 世界が終るまでは… (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  8. "List of million sellers in 1994" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  9. 1 2 3 "Wands" (in Japanese). J-rock magazine. Archived from the original on 1997-01-04. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  10. "Oricon Weekly Album Charts for the second week of May 1995" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  11. "上杉昇15周年アルバム SPOILS 特集" (in Japanese). meVIEWsa radio. 2006. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  12. "Wands" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  13. "Show Wesugi biography" (in Japanese). Barks. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  14. "UNDER:COVER 通常盤" (in Japanese). Neowing. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  15. "Jiro Waku profile" (in Japanese). Jiro Waku Official Website. Archived from the original on 2004-04-04. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  16. "Awake" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  17. Oricon single rankings http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/25861/rank/single/
  18. Oricon album ranking http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/25861/rank/album/
  19. http://beinggiza.com/beinglegend/wands.html
  20. http://beinggiza.com/beinglegend/legend90.html

External links

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