Dragon Ash is a Japanese rap rock group founded in 1996 by Kenji "KJ" Furuya and Sakurai Makoto. They were one of the first groups to popularize hip hop in Japan. Dragon Ash is a member of Mob Squad, which is an affiliation with the bands Source and Endive. Dragon Ash uses the French fleur-de-lis as their band logo/symbol.
Asian Kung-Fu Generation is a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Yokohama in 1996. For its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotoh, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi. Starting out as a college band, Asian Kung-Fu Generation released a series of independent EPs featuring lyrics mostly sung in English. In 2002, they released their major-label EP debut Hōkai Amplifier, from that point singing their lyrics in Japanese. The band's musical style is influenced by seminal Western alternative rock acts as well as their own local Japanese indie-rock and punk scene. Their songs incorporate various aspects of the genres, most typically expressing fast tempos and prominent power chord guitar riffs in addition to rhythmic groove and emotional lyrics. Despite the indie nature of their music, the band has enjoyed worldwide commercial success in addition to critical acclaim. Asian Kung-Fu Generation has been cited as one of the best, most balanced modern rock bands to emerge from Japan in the 2000s.
American Hi-Fi is an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1998. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Stacy Jones, lead guitarist Jamie Arentzen, bassist and backing vocalist Drew Parsons, and drummer Brian Nolan. Prior to the group's formation, Jones was well known for being a drummer in the successful alternative rock bands Veruca Salt and Letters to Cleo. American Hi-Fi has a close relationship with Miley Cyrus, whose band shares two members with American Hi-Fi. The group has a mixed musical style that includes influences from pop-punk, alternative rock, and power pop.
Hi-Standard is a Japanese punk rock band formed in 1991 by bassist and lead vocalist Akihiro Nanba, guitarist and vocalist Ken Yokoyama, and drummer Akira Tsuneoka. The release Making the Road sparked sold-out Japan shows and U.S./European tours with punk bands such as NOFX, No Use for a Name, and Wizo. Although the members of Hi-Standard are Japanese, all of their major releases are sung in English. Tsuneoka died in February 2023, with Nanba and Yokoyama continuing the band as a two-piece.
Ken Yokoyama may refer to:
Growing Up is the debut album by Japanese punk rock band Hi-Standard. It was released on an American label, Fat Wreck Chords, in February 1996. According to Fat Mike in a 2015 interview with CBC, it sold 700,000 copies during the heyday of Fat Wreck Chords in the late nineties.
Angry Fist is the second album by Japanese punk rock band, Hi-Standard. It was released on American label, Fat Wreck Chords, in July 1997.
Making the Road is the third album by the Japanese punk rock band Hi-Standard. Recorded in their native country, it was released on American label Fat Wreck Chords in November 1999. The album has sold more than 650,000 copies.
Love Is a Battlefield is a four-track EP from Japanese punk rock band, Hi-Standard. It was released on American label, Fat Wreck Chords, in July 2001.
Maximum the Hormone is a Japanese heavy metal band from Hachiōji, Tokyo. Their lineup has consisted of vocalist Daisuke-han, drummer Nao, guitarist Maximum the Ryo-kun, and bassist Ue-chan since 1999. Each member alternates singing lead vocals, often within the same song, with the exception of Ue-chan, who provides backup vocals almost exclusively.
Tenshi no Revolver is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on September 19, 2007, through BMG Records. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music videos for the singles "Rendezvous" and "Alice in Wonder Underground". Tenshi no Revolver peaked at number five on the Oricon chart with 23,114 copies sold. For the album Buck-Tick went for a "band sound," the sound of an ordinary straight rock band.
Radwimps is a Japanese rock band who debuted independently in 2003 and signed with Toshiba EMI in 2005. The band's name, Radwimps, was formed from two English slang terms, "rad" and "wimp". According to the band, the coined word had several meanings, including "excellent weakling" and "superlative coward".
"Kimi to Iu Hana" is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the second single of their major-label debut album, Kimi Tsunagi Five M, on October 16, 2003. The song's b-side, "Rocket No.4," was later included on the band's 2006 anniversary compilation, Feedback File. "Kimi to Iu Hana" was ranked at 3rd on fans request for band's 10th anniversary live setlist on September 14, 2013.
"Rewrite" is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the third single of their second full-length studio album, Sol-fa, on August 4, 2004. In 2016, they re-recorded Rewrite along with all songs from Sol-fa and released on November 30, 2016.
"After Dark" is a song by Japanese Indie rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the second single of their fifth studio album, World World World, on November 7, 2007, nearly a whole year after the release of the album's lead single. The single debuted in the top ten on the Oricon charts and was selected to be used as the seventh opening theme of the anime series Bleach.
"Kimi no Machi Made" is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the fourth and final single of their second full-length studio album, Sol-fa, on September 23, 2004.
"Blue Train" is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the first single of their third studio album, Fanclub, on November 30, 2005. The song entered the top five on the Oricon charts and sold well over 100,000 copies by 2006, becoming the 94th single of the year.
"Aru Machi no Gunjō" is a song by Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation. It was released as the lead single of their fifth studio album, World World World, on November 29, 2006. The song was conceived on tour when the director of the then-upcoming anime film, Tekkonkinkreet, approached the band and requested a theme song for his film. AKFG proceeded to compose the track and released it as a single a month prior to the film's December 23 debut. The single peaked at number four on the Oricon charts and sold over 50,000 copies in 2006 alone, becoming the 199th single of the year. The song was ranked 5th on fans request for band's 10th anniversary live setlist on September 14, 2013.
Pizza of Death is a Japanese record label founded in Tokyo in 1994 by Hi-Standard guitarist Ken Yokoyama. It was created as a record label inside a larger record label, Toy's Factory. Pizza of Death then switched to under the Howling Bull label, before establishing itself as fully independent in 1999 with the release of Hi-Standard's Making the Road. The label currently holds 19 bands, 5 of which are based in The United States and Europe. One of these is Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, which is associated with several well-known American punk musicians from the United States, including producer and bassist Fat Mike of NOFX.
United is a Japanese thrash metal band formed in 1981. They took their name from Judas Priest's song of the same name. United have had many personnel changes in their four decade career, with no member of the original lineup remaining. Bassist Akihiro Yokoyama joined in 1983, held de facto leadership of the group from 1988, and appeared on every recording the band had until his death in 2014. Guitarist Yoshifumi "Hally" Yoshida joined United in 1988 and is currently the longest-serving member. He and fellow guitarist Singo Otani, who joined in 1990, are the only two members who have performed on all 10 studio albums.
