Raphael (band)

Last updated

Raphael
Also known asRaphael -Starring Kazuki-
Origin Japan
Genres
Years active1997–2001, 2012, 2016
Labels
MembersYuki
Yukito
Hiro
Past members Kazuki
Website raphael.jp

Raphael was a Japanese visual kei rock band that formed in 1997, when the members were only 15. [1] They disbanded in 2001, after guitarist Kazuki died at age 19. [2] The remaining members reunited Raphael for two concerts in 2012 and for a 2016 tour.

Contents

Biography

Kazuki and Yukito originally worked together in a punk cover band in 1995, prior to Raphael's formation. After both Kazuki and Yukito began writing their own material, Yukito formed Raphael in 1997, and was later joined by Kazuki, vocalist Yuki and finally drummer Hiro, [3] and Raphael had their first concert on December 10, 1997. Their first album Lilac was released in 1998 and was followed with a home video. They charted on the Oricon chart for the first time when their song "Yume Yori Suteki na" was used for the TBS show Kyaiin Kanbyō no Megami no Hāto (キャイーン・寛平の女神のハート). They released two singles on the same day, one hitting number 37, and one number 38. [4]

In 1999 their major label debut, "Hanasaku Inochi Aru Kagiri", [1] reached number 25 on the Oricon. [4] Their later releases centered about graduation because it was around the time the members would have graduated from high school, had they not dropped out to pursue music. [5] They performed their first show at the Nippon Budokan in March 2000. [6]

However, on October 31, 2000, guitarist Kazuki died of a sedative overdose. [2] In January 2001, after finishing a nationwide tour, Raphael decided to disband. [6] Yuki and Hiro went on to form Rice, while Yukito formed Black Love. [3]

Raphael's song "Yume Yori Suteki na" was covered by Dog in the Parallel World Orchestra on the compilation Crush! -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-. The album was released on January 26, 2011 and features current visual kei bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement. [7]

On April 7, 2012, it was announced that the remaining members Yuki, Yukito and Hiro would reunite Raphael for two nights at Zepp Tokyo on October 31 and November 1. [6] [8] With Yuki claiming he had made the decision back in 2010, while visiting Kazuki's grave. [8] [6] The shows featured Anchang (Sex Machineguns), Lida (Dacco, Psycho le Cému), Sakito (Nightmare) and Yumehito (AYABIE) as guest guitarists. [9] They released a single under the name "Raphael -Starring Kazuki-" on the day of the first show; a re-recording of their hit 1999 single "Eternal Wish (Todokanu Kimi e)" that also includes the previously unreleased songs "Dear", "Haikei Nervous" and "Elf no Yuutsu". [10] A 2-disc live album of the two concerts titled Tenshi no Hinoki Butai was released on December 26 and includes 30 songs. [11] Footage from both reunion concerts was also released on DVD that same day, titled Tenshi no Hinoki Butai Dai Ichi Ya "Hakuchumu", while the second show was released on January 30, 2013 as Tenshi no Hinoki Butai Dai Ni Ya "Kokuchumu". [12] [13]

In 2016, Raphael reunited for several concerts, including the nationwide tour Iyashikoya which began in May. [14] The album Never -1997040719990429- was released on May 18 and is composed of re-recordings of songs from their indie period. [15] The albums covering their major label recordings, Ending -1999072319991201- and Love Story -2000020220161101-, followed on August 3 and October 26 respectively. [16]

Members

Former member

Discography

Albums and mini-albums
Singles
Demo tape

Home videos

VHS
DVD

Related Research Articles

Siam Shade was a five-piece Japanese rock band, formed in Tokyo in 1991. The classic line-up of Hideki on vocals, Natchin on bass, Kazuma and Daita on guitar, and Jun-ji on drums broke onto the visual kei scene alongside a multitude of other artists in the early 1990s and enjoyed a decade of relative popularity before disbanding in early 2002. The members have reunited several times since 2007 for one-off concerts and short tours. Outside Japan, Siam Shade is best known for "1/3 no Junjō na Kanjō", which was the sixth ending theme of the Rurouni Kenshin anime. Daita's work on their song "Triptych" was named the 83rd best guitar instrumental by Young Guitar Magazine in 2019.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miyavi</span> Japanese musician and actor (born 1981)

Takamasa Ishihara, better known by his stage name Miyavi, is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor known for his finger-slapping style of playing a guitar.

Pierrot was a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1994 in Nagano. After changing their name from Dizy-Lizy to Pierrot and several member changes, the final lineup was completed in 1995 with Kirito on vocals, Jun and Aiji on guitar, Kohta on bass and Takeo on drums. After roughly ten years together, Pierrot disbanded in 2006. Their final single was named "Hello", an apt title for a band who started their major career with an album called Finale.

Laputa was a Japanese Nagoya kei rock band, active from 1993 to 2004. The band chose its name from the flying island in Gulliver's Travels and tried to portray a similar unrealistic view of the world with their performance. Their 1997 album Emadara was named one of the top albums from 1989 to 1998 in a 2004 issue of the music magazine Band Yarouze.

Zigzo is a Japanese rock supergroup that originally started activities in 1999 and disbanded in 2002. Each member came from a prominent band and they became very popular in the indies scene. They disbanded after their last show on March 16, 2002, reportedly due to musical differences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D (band)</span> Japanese visual kei metal/rock band

D is a Japanese visual kei metal/rock band formed in 2003 by Asagi, Ruiza and Sin, after their previous band Syndrome disbanded. D's music includes heavy guitar songs, as well as melancholic ballads and even medieval music and folk dance from around the world. Their lyrics focus on love, human nature and esoteric themes, such as spirituality and the relationship between persons and nature, and their costumes are closely related to the stories they tell. Their styling matches their music: fantastical, gothic and elegant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazuki Watanabe (musician)</span> Japanese musician

Kazuki Watanabe, known by his stage name Kazuki (華月), was a Japanese musician known as guitarist and lead songwriter of the visual kei rock band Raphael. The group became quite popular, with all their releases entering the top 40 of the Oricon chart, before disbanding after Kazuki died at the age of 19.

Rice are a Japanese visual kei rock band formed by ex-Raphael members Yuki and Hiro. Like Raphael, a lot of rice's music is in the rock genre although instead of guitar the cello is a much more prominent instrument in their work.

Cali Gari is a Japanese visual kei experimental rock band formed with the concept erotic grotesque.

Sophia is a Japanese rock band formed in 1994 by vocalist Mitsuru Matsuoka, guitarist Kazutaka Toyota, bassist Yoshio Kuroyanagi, drummer Yoshitomo Akamatsu and keyboardist Keiichi Miyako. Currently signed to Avex Trax since 2011, they made their major debut in 1995 on Toy's Factory. They changed over to Toshiba EMI in 2004, and Universal Music Japan in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryuichi Kawamura</span> Japanese singer (born 1970)

Ryuichi Kawamura is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. He started a solo career in 1997, three years before Luna Sea disbanded in 2000. In 2005, Kawamura formed Tourbillon with fellow Luna Sea member Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama. He rejoined Luna Sea when they reunited in August 2010.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hizaki</span> Japanese musician and record producer

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Versailles (band)</span> Japanese visual kei metal band

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.

Angelo is a Japanese visual kei rock supergroup, formed in 2006 by three members of Pierrot. Originally a trio of vocalist Kirito, bassist Kohta and drummer Takeo, guitarists Karyu (ex-D'espairsRay) and Giru (ex-Vidoll) joined in 2011. After 15 years and 13 studio albums, Angelo began an indefinite hiatus following two concerts at Yoyogi Daini Taiikukan on January 15 and 16, 2022.

Heidi. is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in Tokyo in February 2006. They gained popularity after performing at the memorial concert on the 10th anniversary of the death of the musician hide on May 4, 2008, to tens of thousands of people. Their third album was released in Europe by Gan-Shin records in 2009 and the following year Heidi. signed to major label Geneon Universal Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jupiter (band)</span> Japanese visual kei power metal band

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.

Fate Gear is a Japanese female heavy metal band from Tokyo, formed in 2015 by guitarist Mina.

Destrose was a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 2007. The group remained an independent band their entire career and experienced frequent line-up changes until going on indefinite hiatus in 2015. Although considered pioneers of the Girls Metal Band Boom, Destrose never achieved commercial success and is best known for the subsequent bands later formed by its many members.

References

  1. 1 2 Raphael Artist Profile cdjournal.com. retrieved 2011-02-19
  2. 1 2 Google Music Artist Profile Archived 2009-03-09 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2008-08-25
  3. 1 2 "JaME profile". jame-world.com. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Oricon Singles Ranking oricon.co.jp. retrieved 2011-02-19
  5. ↑ www.barks.jp Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine Barks Raphael Profile retrieved August 25, 2008
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Raphael announces comeback live after 12 years". tokyohive.com. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  7. ↑ "'90s Visual Kei Cover Album". jame-world.com. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "V系・Raphaelが12年ぶり復活！ 華月さん13回忌ライブで"決着"". yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 9, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Three New Releases from Raphael". jame-world.com. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Raphael to release their first single in 12 years". tokyohive.com. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Raphael to release their first single in 12 years". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Tenshi no Hinoki Butai Dai Ichi Ya "Hakuchumu"". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Tenshi no Hinoki Butai Dai Ni Ya "Kokuchumu"". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Raphael Live Tour 2016". jame-world.com. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Raphael、現メンバーで再レコーディングしたアルバム『Never -1997040719990429-』". barks.jp. March 14, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Raphael、解散直前に再録アルバム3部作完結「ようやく想いが叶いました」". Natalie . Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Oricon Albums Ranking oricon.co.jp. retrieved 2011-02-19
  18. 1 2 Oricon DVDs Ranking oricon.co.jp. retrieved 2013-01-19
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.