Years active 1982–1997
2006–present Origin Japan (1982) | Labels Sony | |
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Albums K2C, KOMEGUNY, DECADE, GO FUNK, Octave Genres Pop music, Psychedelic soul, Funk rock Members Tatsuya Ishii, James Onoda, Takahiro Kaneko, Hakata Megumi, RYO‑J | ||
Kome Kome Club (米米CLUB, Kome Kome Kurabu) is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 1982. It is widely recognized as the only Japanese pop rock musical group which achieved commercial success by blending soul and funk musical styles. They also use the style of rakugo.
Contents
1982–1997: Commercial success
The band was founded in 1982 by vocalist Tatsuya Ishii and fellow members. They released their debut single and album in October 1985. In 1990, "Roman Hikō" became a hit song. In 1992, "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" topped the Oricon chart, remaining in the charts for 33 weeks. It is the fifth best-selling song in Japan since Oricon's establishment, and the second best-selling J-Pop single, slightly behind Southern All Stars' "TSUNAMI", (released in January 2000). "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" was written around the marriage of band members Minako (also Ishii's sister) and Kaneko, the saxophone/keyboardist.
However, drummer Ryo-J and guitarist Joplin Tokunoh parted ways with the band in 1995. Ishii tried to continue the band, but in the end he officially dissolved it in March 1997.
2006–present: Reunion
With the two members returning, the band reformed in the middle of 2006 for a series of concerts as well as a few new recordings, including "Well Come 2" [sic], which spurred a video where the band members were depicted as toys (complete with enlarged doll-like heads, UPC bar codes and one, "James" Onoda Yasuhide bursting out of his "box"). The video also gives a nod to all of its members by having a screen shot with their name and them playing in the scene, this includes members of Big Horns Bee and Sue Cream Sue. It is a part of Sony Music Japan. Sony has frequently had appearances of the "Well Come 2" video on various streaming websites pulled while leaving other videos from the same DVD online.
A combined CD/DVD release featured a parody of the "hentai" (aka "racy') videos where the two dancers (Minako and Mari, also known as "Sue Cream Sue") dance to songs of Kome Kome in various states of dress and undress (and strange costumes like animals). However, this being 20 years later, their costumes are not as skimpy as the ones in their famed "Costume Dance" videos during Kome Kome's heyday. They do poke a bit of fun with it and guitarist Be (a former cross-dresser during their early years), narrates over the slow-motion action of their backsides and when their skirts fly up a little.
Although there was a very long layoff, "Well Come 2" still became a Top 10 hit on the Oricon charts. On October 22, 2006, they announced that they completely revoked their breakup. In September 2007, their new studio album komedia.jp was released. On December 31, 2007, they took part in the 58th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Members
Carl Smoky Ishii: Vocal
James Onoda: Vocal, Chorus
Bon: Bass
be: Guitar
Flash Kaneko: Saxophone, Keyboards, Flute
Toshi: Drums
RYO-J: Drums
Joplin Tokunoh: Guitar
Mataro: Percussion, Chorus
Machiko: Chorus
Juliano Katsumata: Keyboards
Kohtaro: Chorus
Shinji: Chorus
SCS (Sue Cream Sue)
Minako: Vocal, Dance (younger sister of Ishii and wife of Kaneko)
Mari: Vocal, Dance, Percussion
B.H.B. (Big Horns Bee)
G.I. Gyo: Trumpet
Himarayan Shimogami: Trumpet
Kawai Wakaba: Trombone, Saxophone
Orita Nobotta: Saxophone, Flute
Fussy Kobayashi: Trumpet
Songs
Shake Hip!SINGLES · 1987
sure danseKOMEGUNY · 1987
KOME KOME WARGO FUNK · 1988