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Japanese band B’z kick off their North American tour at the Warfield in San Francisco on Sept 17 to follow up on the release of their 5-song album in English on July 25 exclusively through iTunes.
The self-titled album includes the newly released single, “Into Free-Dangan-" featured in the video game "Dragon’s Dogma," and has sold over a million units worldwide. The opening track of the album, “Love Bomb,” was originally titled “Ai no Bakudan” and was a number one hit in Japan for B’z in 2005. All of the songs on the album have been re-produced with English lyrics to coincide with the North American tour.
Formed in 1988, B’z are guitarist Tak Matsumoto and vocalist, Koshi Inaba. Over the span of 24 years, B’z have released 18 albums, and 50 singles, with 46 of those singles consecutively debuting #1 on Japan’s Oricon Single Chart. B’z have sold over 80 million CDs in Japan alone, making them the best-selling artist in Japan’s history.
“This will be our 4th US tour,” says Matsumoto. “We have always loved playing here, and felt it was time to release some English songs for the American audience.”
As a world acclaimed six-string virtuoso, Matsumoto joined legendary guitarists Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Ace Frehley and Slash, to become the fifth guitarist in the world to have his own Gibson signature model guitar. Currently his model, the "Tak Matsumoto DC Custom Ebony” is available worldwide.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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skipbeat
One of Japan best rock, pop, and blues duos. Personally, the Japanese version sounds way better than the English version. It's nice to hear it in English.
It would be great if they would add Bad Communication, Easy Come, Easy Go!, 太陽のKomachi Angel, Lady Navigation, Love Phantom etc. on iTunes.
SamuraiBlue
Better than K-POP by a country mile that is for sure.
avenger
Good band but Americans dont want to hear English sung in a accent unless its a british, Jamaican or spanish accent.
SunnysideUp
Good band but Americans dont want to hear English sung in a accent unless its a british, Jamaican or spanish accent.
British yes, Jamaican ???, Spanish no way Jose.
bass4funk
It is true. Most Asian groups have not done so well outside of their countries, including Japan. Personally. I think they are a decent band, but the image of Asian singers and the way most Japanese artist sings is a turn off to the ear for most people. If they are British, Australian, Jamaican or Western European, they will have no problem breaking in. Sad, but true. How many successful Asian artists are superstars in the states?
Pump24
You`re very much correct, bass4funk...
I saw the B`z last tour in the US several years ago, playing a club that held 1,100, but only around 600 attended. It was awesome to see them up-close with just amps, drums and guitars and no excessive stage show, but truthfully, 95% of the audience was Japanese (the 5% were guys with Japanese girlfriends). I imagine this tour will be the same situation.
Spanish? Well, apart from Richie Valens, Ricky Martin and Los Lobos, I do tend to agree, Jose.