Wink (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Wink


Img_capt = Sachiko Suzuki (left) and Shōko Aida (right)
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Genre = Japanese pop
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Years_active = 1988–1996
Label = PolyStar
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Current_members = Sachiko Suzuki
Shōko Aida
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nihongo|Wink|ウィンク were a popular Japanese pop female duo in the late 1980s and early-to-mid 1990s. The two members were Sachiko Suzuki (鈴木早智子 "Suzuki Sachiko", born February 22, 1969) and Shōko Aida (相田翔子 "Aida Shōko", born February 23, 1970). They released their first single on April 27, 1988, and their final release was on 31 March 1996. Many of their singles topped the Oricon charts in Japan, including their biggest hit, "Sabishii Nettaigyo", which has since been covered by W (Double You).

History of Wink

In 1987, Sachiko Suzuki and Shōko Aida both entered a beauty contest given by the magazine "Up to boy". Sachiko won the grand prize, while Shōko was one of the runner-ups. As a result, Wink was formed the next year, and in April they debuted with the single "Sugar Baby Love", a cover of an English song by The Rubettes. Indeed, many Wink songs were covers of Western songs, but with different lyrics in Japanese.

"Sugar Baby Love" and their next single, "Amaryllis", did decently, but it wasn't until the release of their third single "Ai ga Tomaranai ~Turn It Into Love~" (a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Turn It Into Love") the next year that they became popular. It quickly became #1 on the Oricon charts, along with many of the singles that followed it. During this time, Wink also had their own chain of stores, "Winkers", which sold Wink memorabilia. There were three stores in the Harajuku area of Tokyo alone.

Wink had a different style and image than many other J-pop idols of the era who focused on a 'cute' style with suger coated lyrics. Wink had emotionless facial expressions while they sang, and almost never smiled. They also dressed in extravagant lolita fashions, and almost looked doll-like. This uniqueness helped make them popular.

The break-up of Wink

By the early 1990s, however, Wink's sales were declining. Their singles rarely hit the #1 spot after early 1990, although they sold respectably until 1994. In the 1990s, many people were looking for fresher-sounding music, and Euro dance music became popular thanks to Tetsuya Komuro and the many artists he produced, many of them under the avex trax label. In 1995, Wink tried to generate more sales by putting out a Euro-style single, "JIVE INTO THE NIGHT ~Yaban na Yoru ni~", but it was a flop, only reaching #92 on the Oricon charts. Their next single, "Angel Love Story ~Aki-iro no Tenshi~", did somewhat better, but sales were still poor. Faced with this, Wink officially disbanded in 1996.

Solo careers

After Wink, Sachiko and Shōko became TV personalities, appearing on many TV shows, although not often together. They also continued recording music as solo singers; they released their first solo albums in 1992, and after the break-up, they released their first solo singles. Their solo music is quite different from the music they did as Wink; for example, Shōko's music features a more Mediterranean style.

In 2004, Shōko made a DVD and photobook called nihongo|"Aegekai"|エーゲ海|The Aegean Sea with then-Morning Musume member Kaori Iida.

In 2002, Wink's Ai ga Tomaranai, which is itself a cover of Kylie Minogue's Turn It into Love, was covered by Puffy AmiYumi on their album "The Hit Parade", which contains covers of hits from the 1970s and 1980s.

In 2004, Wink's classic hit "Samishii Nettaigyo" was covered by W (Double You) on their debut album "Duo U&U". Also, on W's "Koi no Fuga" single, the b-side was a cover of "Furimukanaide," which Wink also covered (the song was originally done by The Peanuts).

In 2005, "Samishii Nettaigyo" was performed by ex-Morning Musume member Kaori Iida and Ruca at Flet's Casual Dinner Show.

Discography

Singles

*Sugar Baby Love
*Amaryllis
*Ai ga Tomaranai ~Turn It Into Love~
*Namida wo Misenaide ~Boys Don't Cry~
*Samishii Nettaigyo
*One Night in Heaven ~Mayonaka no Angel~
*Sexy Music
*Yoru ni Hagurete ~Where Were You Last Night~
*New Moon ni Aimashō
*Kitto Atsui Kuchibiru
*Manatsu no Tremolo
*Haitoku no Scenario
*Tsuioku no Heroine / Image na Kankei
*Matenrō Museum
*Furimukanaide
*Real na Yume no Jōken
*Eien no Lady Doll
*Kekkon Shiyō Ne
*Sakihokore Itoshisa yo
*Itsumademo Suki de Itakute
*Twinkle Twinkle
*Cherie Mon Cherie
*Watashi-tachi Rashii Rule
*JIVE INTO THE NIGHT ~Yaban na Yoru ni~
*Angel Love Story ~Aki-iro no Tenshi~

Albums

Original Albums

* Moonlight Serenade
* Especially for You ~Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete~
* Twin Memories
* Velvet
* Crescent
* Queen of Love
* Sapphire
* Each side of screen
* Nocturne ~Yasoukyoku~
* Aphrodite
* BRUNCH
* overture!
* voce
* Flyin' High

Other Albums

* At Heel Diamonds (mini album)
* Fairy Tone (karaoke album)
* Wink First Live Shining Star (live album)
* Wink Hot Singles
* Fairy Tone II (karaoke album)
* Diamond Box (greatest-hits album)
* Raisonné (singles collection)
* Diary (greatest-hits album)
* Back to front (B-sides collection)
* Reminiscence (best-of album)
* WINK MEMORIES 1988-1996 (greatest-hits album)

Bibliography

* [10 Aug 1989] ISBN 4-8470-2117-7 Double Tone (Pictorial)
* [10 Apr 1990] ISBN 4-8470-1107-4 Twinkle Angels [TOTTEOKI NO Wink] (Book)
* [10 Sep 1990] ISBN 4-8470-2151-7 WINKISSIMO (Pictorial)
* [05 Oct 1991] ISBN 4-8470-2215-7 LEGEND (Pictorial)

External links

* [http://www.idollica.com/wink/Wink.html Encyclopedia Idollica's Wink page]
* [http://www.jame-world.com/uk/database-artist.php?id=511 JaME Artist File]