- The Brilliant Green
-
This article is about the band. For the album, see The Brilliant Green (album).
The Brilliant Green Origin Kyoto, Japan Genres Pop rock, Pop Years active 1997–present Labels Sony Records (1997-2000),
DefStar Records (2000-2009),
Warner Music Group (2010-present)Associated acts Tommy february6
Tommy heavenly6Members Tomoko Kawase (1997–present)
Shunsaku Okuda (1997–present)Past members Ryo Matsui (1997–2010) [1] The Brilliant Green is a Japanese pop rock[2][3][4] band formed in 1997 who were signed to Sony Music Entertainment Japan. On December 1, 2009, The Brilliant Green announced that they had signed with Warner Music Group Japan.[5]
Contents
Overview
The Brilliant Green take much of their influence from Western music, most predominantly The Beatles,[6] with over half their songs including English lyrics. Their break came in 1998 when their third single, "There Will Be Love There," was chosen as the theme song for the popular Japanese Drama Love Again and, as a result, went straight to the top of the charts. After another number one hit with "Tsumetai Hana" they released their self-titled debut album which sold over one million copies in just two days.[citation needed] On the back of this success their first national tour, titled "There Will Be Love There," sold out across Japan in only three minutes.[7]
In 2001, Time magazine chose The Brilliant Green as one of the top ten contemporary acts outside the U.S.[8] for their "Los Angeles" album. In 2001, Tomoko Kawase started a solo project under the name Tommy February6.
After the release of The Winter Album in 2002, the band members moved on to solo projects, but the group never officially broke up. Kawase continued as a solo artist under the names Tommy February6 and Tommy Heavenly6. Matsui also started a new project called Meister. On November 22, 2003, Kawase and Okuda announced their marriage.
On June 1, 2007, it was announced that after five years of inactivity, The Brilliant Green would be returning with a new single to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The song, titled "Stand By Me," was selected as the ending theme for the new series of TV drama, Detective School Q, which began on July 3, 2007. The comeback began in earnest on August 22, 2007, as the new single hit the stores.
The band appeared in their first proper live show since their comeback by playing at the Iwafune Mountain Cliff Stage on October 21, 2007. This performance was part of the Iwafune Cliff Stage Special 2007 with The Brilliant Green appearing alongside other musical acts including DxD, Sowelu, and Viagrade.
The second single release of their comeback, "Enemy," was released on December 12, 2007. The following single, titled "Ash Like Snow" appears as an opening theme in the anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam 00. On February 20, 2008 a compilation album titled Complete Singles Collection '97-'08 was released. The band has also mentioned in an online interview that a new studio album is currently in the works, consisting of previously unrecorded songs that were written over the previous ten years.[9]
Following the release of their compilation album in February 2008, the group's 18th single, "Like Yesterday" was released on February 2, 2010. It featured a rearrangement of a previous single, "Sono Speed de" that was re-written in English, titled "At Light Speed". It was their first single since 2008's "Ash Like Snow". It was their second-lowest selling single since 2007's "Enemy".
On May 5, 2010, it was announced that guitarist and original member Ryo Matsui had left The Brilliant Green. His reasons for leaving were not stated, but Kawase and Okuda are to continue the group as a duo.
The Brilliant Green's fifth album, "Blackout", was released on September 15, 2010.[10]
Members
- Tomoko Kawase – vocals
- Shunsaku Okuda – acoustic/rhythm guitar, bass
Former members
- Ryo Matsui (松井 亮 Matsui Ryō) – electric/lead guitar (1997–2010)
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
- The Brilliant Green (1998)
- Terra 2001 (1999)
- Los Angeles (2001)
- The Winter Album (2002)
- Blackout (2010)
Compilation albums
Singles
Release Title Oricon charts Album Position First week sales Total sales 1997 "Bye Bye Mr. Mug" 69 2,350 15,780 — "Goodbye and Good Luck" 71 2,360 15,180 1998 "There Will Be Love There (Ai no Aru Basho)" 1 42,650 875,980 The Brilliant Green "Tsumetai Hana" 1 108,330 393,150 1999 "Sono Speed de" (そのスピードで At That Speed) 1 217,520 459,000 Terra 2001 "Nagai Tameiki no Yō ni" (長いため息のように Like a Long Sigh) 4 75,970 141,250 "Ai no Ai no Hoshi" (愛の♥愛の星 Love's Love's Star) 9 58,510 114,340 "Call My Name" 12 21,890 35,480 "Bye! My Boy!" 29 12,650 16,520 2000 "Hello Another Way (Sorezore no Basho)" (それぞれの場所 Every Place) 8 47,860 148,210 Los Angeles "Angel Song (Eve no Kane)" (イヴの鐘 Eve Bells) 3 100,480 289,740 2002 "Forever to Me (Owarinaki Kanashimi)" (終わりなき悲しみ Endless Sorrow) 10 27,020 48,770 The Winter Album "Rainy Days Never Stays" 14 15,420 24,170 "I'm So Sorry Baby" 15 7,350 11,700 2007 "Stand by Me" 10 18,355 31,910 Complete Singles Collection '97–'08 "Enemy" 21 5,804 9,479 2008 "Ash Like Snow" 8 29,127 50,868 2010 "Like Yesterday" 17 6,049 8,591 Blackout "Blue Daisy" 20 3,881 5,232 "I Just Can't Breathe..." 33 3,000 3,763 See also
- Tomoko Kawase, for her solo career as "Tommy February6" and "Tommy Heavenly6" during The Brilliant Green's hiatus.
References
- ^ "The Brilliant Green loses guitarist - TokyoGraph". http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-6088. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ Complete Single Collection '97-'08 release information
- ^ Jpop CD release information
- ^ The Brilliant Green
- ^ http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5649
- ^ Cha Cha Charming Magazine
- ^ "Sony Music Online Japan (see 11/1998 section)" (in Japanese). www.sonymusic.co.jp. http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/thebrilliantgreen/profile/index.html.
- ^ And Our Winners Are... - Time
- ^ "the brilliant green インタビュー" (in Japanese). so-net.ne.jp. http://music.blog.so-net.ne.jp/powerpush07_034. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
- ^ http://wmg.jp/artist/tbg/news.html#31029
External links
- Official website at Warner Music Japan (Japanese)
- Official Sony Music Entertainment Japan (Japanese)
- The Brilliant Green on Twitter (user name:TOMMY_ARMY)
Categories:- Sony Music Japan artists
- Japanese musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1997
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