Quruli

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Quruli


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Kyoto, Japan
Instrument =
Genre = Rock, alternative rock, techno, house
Years_active = 1996–present
Label = Speedstar Records
Bad News Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.quruli.net/ www.quruli.net]
Current_members = Shigeru Kishida
Masashi Satō
Past_members = Nobuyuki Mori
Christopher McGuire
Tasshin Ōmura
Notable_instruments =

Quruli (くるり, "kururi") is a popular Japanese music group formed in 1996. As of March 2007, the lineup consists of Masashi Satoh (佐藤征史 "Satō Masashi", bass) and Shigeru Kishida (岸田繁 "Kishida Shigeru", vocals, guitar). Their music is produced and distributed by Victor Entertainment.

Career Summary

* After meeting at "Rock Commune," Ritsumeikan University's music club, Shigeru Kishida, Masashi Satō, and Nobuyuki Mori formed the original three-piece band. The name "Quruli," an onomatopoeic word expressing rotation, was taken from a sign in the Kyōto subway.Fact|date=August 2007
*In October 1998 Quruli released "Tokyo" (東京 "Tokyo") on Victor Entertainment.
* Released their first major label album, "Sayonara Stranger" (さよならストレンジャー "Goodbye Stranger") in 1999.
* Quruli released the albums "Zukan" (図鑑 "illustrated encyclopedia") in 2000 and "TEAM ROCK" in 2001, both produced by Jim O'Rourke.
* During production of "THE WORLD IS MINE" (2001), Quruli added guitarist Tasshin Ōmura to its lineup. In 2002, Mori left the band.
* In 2003, after a trip to England, Quruli returned with a single, "How to Go," and created the soundtrack for "Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish" (ジョゼと虎と魚たち "Joze to tora to sakana tachi").
* After working with a number of session drummers, Quruli officially added drummer Christopher McGuire to their lineup in November of 2003.
* In 2003, HMV Records Japan rated Quruli #74 in their "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists".Fact|date=August 2007
* In 2004 Quruli released the album "Antenna". After the tour for the album was completed, Christopher McGuire left the group.
* 2005 saw the release of several Quruli singles along with a new album, "Nikki" ("Diary"), released in December of that year.
* In 2007 Quruli released a new album, "ワルツを踊れ Tanz Walzer," recorded in Vienna.

Quruli first appeared on television performing "Aoi Sora" (青い空 "Blue Sky") on NHK. Since then, they have decided to no longer appear on television.Fact|date=August 2007 On September 9, 2005, however, Quruli appeared on the popular "Music Station" program and performed their song, "Akai Densha" (赤い電車 "Red Train"). The song was also featured as the theme song to a Keihin Electric Express Railway commercial. Popular television personality Tamori, himself a train enthusiast (like Kishida), became quite animated when he addressed the new commercial and hummed a bit of "Akai Densha" on his program.Fact|date=August 2007Quruli's latest release (as of February 2008) is a live album recorded with an orchestra from Vienna entitled "Philharmonic or die".

Members

Current members

*Shigeru Kishida (April 27, 1976 - , vocals, electric guitar), was born in Kyōto, Japan and is Quruli's primary songwriter and leader of the band. He is particularly famous for singing his song, "Harukaze" at his own wedding.Fact|date=August 2007
** Equipment: He is known as a Fender Telecaster player but has played various guitars over the years. As Kishida chooses never to use an effects pedal, he has used guitars besides the Telecaster to create various tones. He currently uses a Rickenbacker guitar and a Vox amplifier.Fact|date=August 2007
** Tunings: Kishida uses a strange tuning on many of the songs (EADGAD) or (DADGAD) which was revealed in the behind the scenes footage on their 2004 Documentary Film.
**
Kishida's image was for several years built around his wearing glasses; recently, though, he has chosen to appear without them. He says his glasses were broken and he cannot wear them.Fact|date=August 2007
*Masashi Satō (February 1, 1977 - , bass guitar, was born in Kameoka city, Kyōto Prefecture. Besides his musical duties, he also serves as the president of Quruli's label, Noise McCartney Records. For most of his career, Satō used a Fender Jazz Bass, but during the recording of Quruli's "Antenna" album, switched to a Fender Precision Bass.Fact|date=August 2007

Former Members

*Nobuyuki Mori (森 信行 Mori Nobuyuki, June 20, 1975 -, drum set) 1996–2002
*Christopher McGuire (November 28, 1975 -, drum set) 2003–2004
*Tasshin Ohmura (大村 達身 Ōmura Tasshin, December 17, 1975 - , electric guitar), is from Hyōgo Prefecture. He uses a Flying-V guitar. It was announced on February 26th, 2007 that Ohmura had quit the band.Fact|date=August 2007

upport Musicians

*Takefumi Tsujimura (guitar)
*Inazawa Ahito (drum set)
*Yuko Araki (drum set)
*Taro Dai (drum set, percussion)
*Cliff Almond (drum set)
*Takashi Numazawa (drum set)
*Hirohisa Horie (keyboards, guitar)
*Yuya Kikuchi (drum set)

External links

* [http://www.quruli.net/ Quruli official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/quruliofficial Quruli official MySpace page]
* [http://www.hmv.co.jp/news/newsDetail.asp?newsnum=308280036 HMV Japan "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists"] (in Japanese)