Blankey Jet City

Infobox musical artist
Name = ‎


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|Japan
Genre = Rockabilly, Jazz, Punk
Years_active = 1990 - 2000
Label = Toshiba EMI (1990 - 1997) Polydor (1997 - 2000)
Associated_acts = Ajico Friction Rosso Jude Losalios Sherbets
URL = [http://bjc.wilddisk.com// Official Website]
Current_members = Kenichi Asai Toshiyuki Terui Tatsuya Nakamura
Past_members =

Blankey Jet City was an influential rockabilly trio from Japan. Since their inception in 1990, they have been a prominent figure in Japanese pops, and are renowned for their distinctive songwriting, and confrontational lyrics. [ [http://www.hmv.co.jp/news/article/308280037 音楽 情報ニュース/Top 100 Japanese pops Artists - No.73/HMV ] ]

Members

nihongo|Kenichi Asai|浅井健一 (born December 29, 1964) Vocals, Guitar

nihongo|Toshiyuki Terui|照井利幸 (born February 2, 1964) Bass

nihongo|Tatsuya Nakamura|中村達也 (born January 1, 1965) Drums

History

Blankey Jet City was formed in February of 1990, in Tokyo, Japan.

Their recording career began the following August, when they appeared on a popular TBS television show for amateur bands, and attracted the attention of the major record labels. The band decided to sign a record contract with Toshiba EMI, who sent the band to London to record their first album. Released in 1991, their memorable debut album "Red Guitar And The Truth" focused on topics such as juvenile delinquency, broken families, and the pain experienced by neglected children. Fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, used the album to promote his 1991 Paris collection.

The band embarked on their first nationwide tour and released their second album "Bang!" in 1992, which received numerous album of the year awards by music publications. Blankey Jet City gained a reputation for shows that portrayed their raw, emotional sound, and the label duly brought out a live album in the same year.

The next two years set the pace for the bands prodigious output. Releasing their third album "C.B. Jim" in 1993, they again received acclaim from critics, when each song on the album was about the same fictitious person. Enjoying success, they released their fourth album "Metal Moon" during the same year, and quickly followed in 1994 with the release of their fifth album, which was more Jazz orientated than previous titles. Deciding the next step was to compile a selection of singles and re-recordings, they released a compilation titled "The Six" in 1995, and followed up with the album "Skunk" eight months later. It was at this time, that the bands rebel attitude caught up with their record label. They refused to endorse advertising, and other commercial prospects imposed by Toshiba EMI.

Taking a break from Blankey Jet City, Asai started his own indie label "Sexy Stone Records" in 1996, and formed the dream pop band "Sherbets" at the same time. Meanwhile, Nakamura started his own band "Losalios" with members from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. After extended disagreements with Toshiba EMI, Blankey Jet City left the label and signed with Polydor to release their new surf-rock sounding album "Love Flash Fever" in 1997.

In 1998, another compilation was released, along with their eighth album nihongo|"Romeo's Heart"|ロメオの心臓 which sold more than 300,000 copies in the first week. Following the success of four more hit singles, they released their final studio album "Harlem Jets" in May, 2000, followed by their swan-song "Saturday Night" within the next month. Their final live performance was at the Fuji Rock Festival on July 28, 2000, with the announcement that they wish to pursue indie careers.

Discography

Singles

* "不良少年のうた" (12 January 1991)
* "TEXAS" (5 July 1991)
* "冬のセーター" (11 December 1991)
* "悪いひとたち" (9 November 1992)
* "青い花" (20 April 1994)
* "風になるまで " (7 September 1994)
* "Girl/自由" (25 January 1995)
* "くちづけ" (25 October 1995)
* "ガソリンの揺れかた" (28 May 1997)
* "左ききのBaby" (3 September 1997)
* "赤いタンバリン" (21 January 1998)
* "小さな恋のメロディ" (10 June 1998)
* "ダンデライオン" (26 August 1998)
* "SWEET DAYS" (18 November 1998)
* "ペピン" (2 June 1999)
* "SEA SIDE JET CITY" (12 April 2000)
* "SATURDAY NIGHT" (5 July 2000)

Albums

* "Red Guitar And The Truth" (12 April 1991)
* "Bang!" (22 January 1992)
* "LIVE!!!" (30 September 1992)
* "C.B. Jim" (24 February 1993)
* "METAL MOON" (1 December 1993)
* "幸せの鐘が鳴り響き 僕はただ悲しい振りをする" (25 May 1994)
* "The Six" (1 March 1995)
* "SKUNK" (22 November 1995)
* "LOVE FLASH FEVER" (18 June 1997)
* "国境線上の蟻" (21 January 1998)
* "ロメオの心臓" (24 June 1998)
* "HARLEM JETS" (10 May 2000)
* "LAST DANCE" (20 September 2000)
* "BLANKEY JET CITY 1990-1995" (25 October 2000)
* "BLANKEY JET CITY 1997-2000" (25 October 2000)

Video

* "DOG FOOD" (22 April 1992)
* "MONKEY STRIP" (28 September 1994)
* "Are You Happy?" (13 December 1995)
* "BLANKEY JET CITY SOLO WORKS" (28 August 1995)
* "BABYFACE PRESIDENT" (7 October 1998)
* "BARRACUDA - TOKYO SIX DAYS -" (2 December 1998)
* "SOLO WORKS II" (10 November 1999)
* "CANDY or HELL" (26 July 2000)
* "LAST DANCE" (20 September 2000)

DVD

* "LAST DANCE" (20 September 2000)
* "DOG FOOD" (27 March 2002)
* "Are You Happy?" (27 March 2002)
* "SOLO WORKS" (27 March 2002)
* "Angel Fish Complete edition" (16 May 2002)
* "MONKEY STRIP" (16 May 2002)
* "CLIPS" (16 May 2002)
* "BARRACUDA -TOKYO SIX DAYS-" (16 May 2002)
* "SOLO WORKS II" (16 May 2002)

References

External links

* [http://bjc.wilddisk.com/ Blankey Jet City Official Website]