AB'S (often written "A.B.'s" in the UK) is a male Japanese rock band formed in Tokyo in 1982. Their song "Deja Vu" was released in the U.K. and often categorized as instrumental and or jazz funk, but the music of AB'S, including "Deja Vu" is also known for their chorus performance in Japan.
The band currently consists of Fujimaru Yoshino (芳野藤丸) (guitars, vocals), Makoto Matsushita (松下誠) (guitars, vocals), Atsuo Okamoto (岡本郭男) (drums, vocals), Kazuyuki Takekoshi (越かずゆき) (keys, vocals) and Yosuke Toyama (遠山陽介) (bass, vocals).[1] As all the members are session players, sometimes the band is compared to Toto in Japan.
The members are Fujimaru Yoshino and the recording members of his first solo album Yoshino Fujimal released in 1982. Yoshino recruited Matsushita when he listened to Matsushita's first album First Light (1981) and he wanted to form a band with Matsushita.[2] Yoshino also recruited Watanabe and Okamoto, both of whom were formerly a Bassist and Drummer (respectively) for the Brass-Rock band, SPECTRUM from 1979 to 1981, and Ando also for his ability of writing lyrics.
The band name came from the blood types of the original members. The blood type of Yoshino, Matsushita and Watanabe is AB, and the blood type of Ando and Okamoto is A.[3] Therefore, the name "A.B.'s", written on the 12-inch single Deja Vu released in the U.K. is incorrect.
The leaflet for their second album promotion published by Alfa Moon Records, shows the blood types of each member with profiles. They also thought that the name starting with AB would become first in a catalogue.[4] In 2012, Yoshino said in his Facebook that he saw the result of his latest medical check and learned that his blood-type is not AB but B, after Matsushita's reissued CD (see above) was released.
1982–96
The band released their first single Girl/ Django in December, 1982, and their first album AB'S in January, 1983. Then they recorded their second album in London,[5] and released the 12inch single Deja Vu/ Asian Moon in the U.K., which were contained in the first album. They released the second album AB'S-2 in 1984. Yoshino and Matsushita also released solo albums respectively.[6][7]
To start his new progressive rock band Paradigm Shift, Matsushita left the band after the tour in 1984. The third album was recorded again in London and all guitars were performed by Yoshino and overdubbed. The album AB'S-3 and the 12-inch single C.I.A. were released in 1985, but soon they stopped their band career in 1985.
After three-year interval, Yoshino recorded several songs and released as AB'S-4 in 1988, but the other musicians were different from the original lineup. The band stopped their career again.
The CDs "Classic Jazz-Funk Series" were released in UK, and the original version of the song "Deja Vu" was included. The band name was corrected in the liner-note and written as "AB's".
Matsushita's return and A5B3S, New and Blue (2004-2007)
Yoshino said AB'S restarted again with the original lineup, and did a gig and released a limited mini album A5B3S(A-go-B-san-zu), and toured in 2004.[8] During the rehearsal, Yoshino suffered cerebral infarction, but he continued the gig. The mini album was sold only at the official website and the gigs from an independence label.
The band decided to continue the band and to perform on the stage of Crossover Japan '05. Ando did not hope to perform except in special events, he decided to leave the band. Watanabe recruited Hidetoshi Yamada (山田秀俊) (keyboards, vocals), and the two keyboard players performed together on the event. Their maxi single "SINGLE" released at the event day, in which only Yamada played keyboards.
The song "Dead or Alive" is the rearranged version of "Turquoise Blue", the theme of Golgo 13 Queen Bee, all music of which was composed by Fujimaru Yoshino. After the event, they released their 5th original full album New and toured in fall, 2005, did a gig in 2006. The album title came from just the fact that the album was new. Soon they started to record their 6th album and released in 2007. The album title Blue came from the color of the album jacket. Around the end of this year, Yamada decided to play only acoustic piano and chose to leave the band. After Yamada's leaving, the band temporarily stopped their activity.
2013
In 2013, four albums from the Alpha Moon era ("AB'S", "AB'S-2", "AB'S-3", "AB'S-4") were converted to SHD-CDs under the supervision of and with commentary by Toshikazu Kanazawa. A limited edition was also released with liner notes containing Kanazawa's interview with Yoshino and Matsushita.
2019-
On February 3, 2019, AB's performed in a new formation that consisted of the original members Fujimaru Yoshino, Makoto Matsushita and Atsuo Okamoto and new members Ikuya Meguro (bass, vocals) and Kazuyuki Takekoshi (keys, vocals). Meguro left the group and was replaced by Yosuke Toyama sometime after.[9]
AB's will record a new album in March 2020, set for release sometime after the summer of 2020.[10]
Band members
Current members
Fujimaru Yoshino: A guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, producer. (1982-)
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