Kamijo | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | KAMIJO, SHOKI |
Born | Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture | July 19, 1975
Origin | Kantō, Japan |
Genres | 1994-2007: Baroque pop Progressive rock Synthpop Art rock 2007-present: Symphonic power metal Neoclassical metal |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1994–present |
Labels |
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Website | Official website |
Kamijo is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, and music producer. [1] He is best known as lead singer of the visual kei bands Lareine and Versailles. He has also been the head of two independent record labels; the first being Applause Records (formed in 2000), and currently Sherow Artist Society since 2006, being renamed to Chateau Agency since 2016. His music covers many genres, Lareine having mainly a baroque pop style, and Versailles a clear symphonic and neoclassical metal sound. [2] He has an extensive discography with the bands Lareine, New Sodmy and Versailles, consisting of 15 albums, and a large amount of EPs and singles. In 2013, Kamijo began a solo career with his debut single "Louis ~Enketsu no La Vie en Rose~". [3] [4]
Kamijo was raised in a family of musicians; his mother and grandmother were both piano players, and his grandfather a violinist.[ citation needed ] He has cited Paul Mauriat and X Japan as influences. [5] [6] His first steps in rock music were in the mid-1990s, when he worked as a roadie for the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. He shared this job with Mayu, a guitarist with whom he formed the band Lareine. [1] [7]
In August 1994, Mayu and Kamijo (then using the names Maito and Shoki respectively) met for the first time while they were working as roadies for Malice Mizer. The same year, in November, they decided to form a band together, which they named Laliene ru cheri, commonly called just Laliene (named that way for the French Queen Marie Antoinette). Along with guitarist Sakuren and drummer Kyouka, they began to play. Later bass player Emiru entered the band, completing the first line-up. [8]
In March 1996, Laliene held a live concert for their first anniversary, where they changed the name of the band to Lareine. That same year they released their first recording "Saikai no Hana", distributed freely at the anniversary concert in a limited number of 100 copies. They signed with Sony in 1998 and released the songs Metamorphose, Fiançailles, Fuyu Tokyo and Lillie Charlotte. After many years of releasing many albums, EPs and singles, during a short separation of the band, Kamijo created the band New Sodmy, and recorded two albums and five singles. [9] New Sodmy disbanded while Lareine was reformed in 2003 and started releasing new material.
In February 2007, Lareine finally came to its end, having played their last live on October 31, 2006. [9] The last recording of Lareine consists of 10 piano versions of their most popular songs.
In March 2007, Kamijo and Hizaki (ex-Sulfuric Acid), and Jasmine You (ex-Jakura), formed the band Versailles. Later, Teru (ex-Aikaryu) and Yuki (ex-Sugar Trip), who were recommended by the Rock May Kan venue in Tokyo, joined the band. Hizaki, Jasmine You and Teru previously played together as part of Hizaki Grace Project.
Kamijo and Hizaki created the concept of Versailles in the autumn of 2006 and spent six months gathering members to express it. Their band concept is "the absolute youshikibi (beauty of form) sound and extremes of aestheticism". On March 30, 2007 the details of the band were announced. They released promotional material through the internet, set up an English language page on MySpace, and had several interviews with foreign press. Versailles made their first appearance with a showcase on June 23, followed by their first performance on June 24. On these dates they also distributed their first single and DVD single, "The Revenant Choir". [10]
The band signed with the German CLJ Records label and released the EP Lyrical Sympathy on October 31, both in Japan and Europe. Their song "The Love From A Dead Orchestra" also appeared on a compilation album released by Sony BMG in Germany on November 9, called Tokyo Rock City. [10] On September 23, 2008, Kamijo modeled clothing for the brand Alice and the Pirates on the runway at Individual Fashion Expo IV. [11]
In January 2011, he and the rest of Versailles started starring in their own TV mini drama called Onegai Kanaete Versailles (おねがいかなえてヴェルサイユ, "Fulfill My Wish Versailles"). The show also starred Rina Koike and aired on Mainichi Broadcasting System and TV Kanagawa until March. [12] On December 20, 2012, Versailles gave their last concert and ceased all activities. [13] The band released four albums, one EP, eight singles, two live albums, ten music videos, one compilation albums and several DVDs.
In January 2013, Kamijo announced he would start a solo career, with his first release being the single "Louis ~Enketsu no La Vie en Rose~" on August 28. [14] While all the other members of Versailles later formed the band Jupiter with a new singer, and released their first album the same day as Kamijo's single. [15] [16] The music video for Kamijo's single features Malice Mizer and Moi dix Mois leader Mana. [17]
Kamijo also sang backup on the 2013 debut album Heartstrings by Aisenshi, the new band of Eizo Sakamoto (Anthem) and She-Ja (Volcano). [18]
In September 2018, Kamijo was one of three guest vocalists who performed with Malice Mizer for their 25th anniversary reunion concerts. [19]
Studio albums
Other albums
Singles
With New Sodmy
Malice Mizer was a Japanese visual kei rock band active from 1992 to 2001. The band was famous for their music and their live shows, featuring lavish historical costumes and stage sets, short silent theater pieces preluding various songs.
Visual kei, abbreviated v-kei, is a category of Japanese musicians that have a strong focus on extravagant stage costumes that originated in Japan during the early 1980s. Koji Dejima of Bounce wrote that visual kei is not a specific sound, but rather it "revolves around the creation of a band's unique worldview and/or stylistic beauty through visual expressions in the form of makeup and fashion". While visual kei bands can be of any music genre, it is generally associated with glam rock, punk rock, and heavy metal.
Moi dix Mois is a Japanese visual kei gothic metal band, founded in 2002 by Mana after Malice Mizer paused activities. The guitarist and sole songwriter has been the only constant member in a series of lineup changes, and the band's material is released on his own record label Midi:Nette.
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Shazna is a Japanese visual kei rock band originally active from 1993 to 2000. Originally having a strong gothic/post-punk influence, the band's sound greatly shifted to a more new wave direction by 1996. At their peak, they were considered one of "the big four of visual kei" alongside La'cryma Christi, Fanatic Crisis and Malice Mizer. Their 1998 major label debut album Gold Sun and Silver Moon reached the number two position on the Oricon chart, sold over a million copies and was named "Rock Album of the Year" at the Japan Gold Disc Awards. In 2006, Shazna reunited, though after releasing an album and a single they disbanded once again in 2009. In 2017, Shazna officially reunited again for their 20th anniversary.
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La'cryma Christi was a Japanese visual kei rock band originally active from 1991 to 2007. At their peak, they were considered one of "the big four of visual kei" alongside Fanatic Crisis, Malice Mizer and Shazna. They reunited for a concert in 2009 at the V-Rock Festival, for their short reunion tour in 2010, and for a 15th anniversary tour in 2012.
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Hizaki is a Japanese visual kei metal musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as guitarist of the symphonic power metal band Versailles. He is also a member of Jupiter and has a solo career. Before forming Versailles he was in several independent bands.
Versailles is a Japanese visual kei symphonic power metal band formed in 2007 by vocalist Kamijo and guitarist Hizaki. After recruiting bassist Jasmine You, drummer Yuki and guitarist Teru, they performed their first show on June 23. Their key characteristics are their Rococo-esque costumes, dueling guitars and heavy but melodic arrangements. The group gained a significant worldwide following soon after forming as their debut EP Lyrical Sympathy (2007), released by Kamijo's own label Sherow Artist Society, received a simultaneous European release and they performed in Europe and the United States the following year. Their first full-length album, Noble released in 2008, was also released in North America in 2009.
Lareine was a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1994. The band's name is reported to have come from the French Queen Marie Antoinette. In 1999 the group signed to Sony, later in 2000 when all other members left, Kamijo created Applause Records. After a number of line-up changes and the release of several albums, EPs and singles, the group disbanded in 2007.
Shibuya Public Hall is a theatre located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was completed in 1964 to host the weightlifting events in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Tetsu Takano is a Japanese rock musician and singer-songwriter. He first became known as vocalist of the visual kei rock band Malice Mizer from 1992 to 1994. After leaving them, Tetsu formed and performed with Mega8Ball from 1995 to 1997. From 1999 to 2002 he was part of the supergroup Zigzo, who became quite popular despite being an independent band and reunited in 2012. In addition to Zigzo, Tetsu is currently active in the bands Nil, The JuneJulyAugust, The Black Comet Club Band, and Disco Volante, all of which are on his record label Afro Skull Records.
9mm Parabellum Bullet is a Japanese rock band, formed in March 2004 in Yokohama. It consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Takuro Sugawara, guitarist and backing vocalist Yoshimitsu Taki, bassist Kazuhiko Nakamura, and drummer Chihiro Kamijo, who came up with the band's name. Piano pieces included in some songs are performed by Taki, while the characteristic shouts are provided by Nakamura.
Jasmine You was a Japanese musician, best known as original bassist of the symphonic metal band Versailles. Jasmine You, then known as Yuu, entered the visual kei music scene in 1998 after joining Jakura, who managed to become somewhat successful before disbanding in 2003. In 2006 he was invited by his long-time friend Hizaki to join his solo project. Soon after he also took part in the theatrical rock show Node of Scherzo, with Hizaki, Kamijo, Juka and Kaya. In 2007 he joined Versailles and stayed with them until his illness and death in 2009.
The discography of Versailles, a Japanese visual kei metal band formed in 2007 by vocalist Kamijo and guitarist Hizaki. After recruiting bassist Jasmine You, drummer Yuki and guitarist Teru, they performed their first show on June 23. Their key characteristics are their Rococo-esque costumes, dueling guitars and heavy but melodic arrangements. Versailles gained a significant worldwide following soon after forming as their debut EP Lyrical Sympathy (2007), released by Kamijo's own label Sherow Artist Society, received a simultaneous European release and they performed in Europe and the United States the following year. Their first full-length album, Noble released in 2008, was also released in North America in 2009.
Teru is a Japanese visual kei metal musician, songwriter and artist. He is best known as guitarist for the symphonic metal band Versailles. He is also a member of Jupiter. Before Versailles he was previously in Aikaryu and supported his future bandmate Hizaki in his solo project.
Jupiter is a Japanese visual kei symphonic power metal band, formed in 2013 by four of the five members of Versailles. After several personnel changes, guitarists Hizaki and Teru remain the only original members, with drummer Daisuke and vocalist Kuze completing the current lineup.