Love Psychedelico

Infobox musical artist
Name = LOVE PSYCHEDELICO


Img_capt = "The Greatest Hits" album
Img_size = 200
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Japan
Genre = J-Pop, British Invasion, Blues, Folk
Years_active = 1997 – Present
Label = Victor Records, HackTone Records
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members = Kumi
Naoki Sato
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Love Psychedelico (officially capitalized as LOVE PSYCHEDELICO) (ラブ・サイケデリコ) is a Japanese band, widely popular in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

The band was formed in 1997 by singer Kumi (born April 11, 1976 in Chiba Prefecture) and guitarist Naoki Sato (born July 21, 1973 in Shizuoka Prefecture [ [http://delico.kiy.jp/index2.html LOVE PSYCHEDELICO FAN SITE-delico delico ] ] ), while studying at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo. They signed with major label Victor in 1999. In Japan they are often called Delico for short.

Their first album, "The Greatest Hits", sold over two million copies. [ [http://nippop.com/artist/artist_id-45/artist_name-love_psychedelico/ Nippop | Love Psychedelico | Profile ] ] Their second album "Love Psychedelic Orchestra", released in January 2001, sold 90,000 copies.

They have released two albums since, "Love Psychedelico III", in early 2004, and compilation album "Early Times", in February 2005. This best-of compilation received a positive response in the Taiwanese J-pop market and the group visited Taiwan in June of that year. They held a concert in Taipei on June 22 where many fans gathered, including a sizable number of celebrity attendees. It proved to be a very successful concert for the duo who do not usually appear publicly.

Love Psychedelico also toured extensively through the club and bar circuit in the United States, garnering largely positive reactions. American cities the band has said to have enjoyed playing were Nashville, Austin, and Kumi's childhood home of San Francisco. For the promotion of their new album, "Golden Grapefruit", Love Psychedelico made their first televised music program appearance on Bokura no Ongaku. It is also notable that they were interviewed by Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon. [ [http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/goldengrapefruit/newwin/bokura.html Love Psychedelico ] ]

They released a new album called "This is Love Psychedelico" on May 20 2008 in the United States from HackTone Records, marking their American debut. This album was also released on June 18 2008 in Japan as "This is Love Psychedelico ~U.S.Best~".

Style

Stylistically, Love Psychedelico is highly reminiscent of the British Invasion of the late 60s, both members having cited The Beatles and Led Zeppelin as influences, though the influence of American folk and blues are also present (Kumi having claimed Janis Joplin and Sheryl Crow, and Sato Bob Dylan, as influences). To pay tribute to their influences, Love Psychedelico sometimes borrow song titles from the bands that influence them.

Kumi's lyrics are a mix of English and Japanese, a phenomenon common to popular Japanese music, but uncommon in that significant amounts of the English lyrics are comprehensible and well-crafted, rather than simply employing a few catch phrases as so many J-pop idols tend to do. Kumi often attributes her English language proficiency to her early childhood in San Francisco.

Discography

ingles

* Lady Madonna (LADY MADONNA ～憂鬱なるスパイダー～) - (21 April 2000)
* Your Song - (5 July 2000)
* Last Smile - (1 November 2000)
* Free World - (23 May 2001)
* I Will Be With You - (7 November 2001)
* Hadaka no Osama (裸の王様) - (24 July 2002)
* I Am Waiting For You - (22 January 2003)
* My Last Fight - (5 November 2003)
* Fantastic World - (8 December 2004)
* Right Now - (16 June 2005)
* Aha! (All We Want) - (28 June 2006)

Albums

* "The Greatest Hits" (11 January 2001) - #1
* "Love Psychedelic Orchestra" (9 January 2002) - #1
* "Love Psychedelico III" (25 February 2004) - #2
* "Early Times" (9 February 2005) (best-of compilation) - #1
* "Live Psychedelico" (22 March 2006) #33
* "Golden Grapefruit" (27 June 2007)
* "This is Love Psychedelico" (20 May 2008) - American debut album from HackTone Records

DVD

* "The Film 1999.12-2002.05" (21 November 2002)
* "The Film 1999.12-2002.05" (22 September 2004)
* "In Concert at Budokan" (7 December 2005)
* "Golden Grapefruit Box" (18 June 2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.lovepsychedelico.net/english/pro/index.html Official site]
* [http://www.thisislovepsychedelico.com Official US site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/lovepsychedelicous Love Psychedelico] at MySpace
* [http://musicjapanplus.jp/artistdb/?artist_id=162 Love Psychedelico] at Musicjapanplus
* [http://www.cityonfire.com/japanese/LP_thefilm.html Love Psychedelico - The Film] DVD Review at cityonfire.com
* [http://www.dreamlogic.net/archives/music-review-love-psychedelico-early-times Early Times CD Review]