Sendai Kamotsu

Sendai Kamotsu
Origin Sendai, Japan
Genres Comedy rock
Years active 2001–present
Associated acts Nightmare
Website www.sendaikamotsu.net
Members Chiba
Satty
Fullface
Wen Chen Chen
Gigaflare
Kurihara

Sendai Kamotsu (仙台貨物, "Sendai Transport") is the comedic side project of Japanese visual kei rock band Nightmare, formed in September 2001. It consists of entirely the same members using aliases (although neither band admits this), with the addition of a programmer. Sendai Kamotsu consists of Chiba (lead vocals), Satty (guitar), Fullface (guitar), Wen Chen Chen (bass), Gigaflare (drums) and Kurihara (programming).

History

2001–2010

Sendai Kamotsu formed in 2001 before Nightmare became successful, beginning their activities in 2002.[1] They took part in the first Cannonball omnibus and toured with Doremidan and Shulla. They were first featured in Nightmare's "Jishou -Shounen Terrorist-" PV, minus Chiba.

Their first two demo tapes, "Kimuchi" and "Saipan" were released in April and July 2002, respectively. Their first album, Okuru Kotoba came out in April 2004. After that was a yearly single and an album release, starting with "N.M.N-No More Nayamimuyo-" in February 2006, "Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake" and their popular album, Jinsei Game in July 2006, "Gei School Otokogumi" in October 2007 and "Umanamide" in October 2008.[2] "Umanamide" was used as the theme song to the anime Zettai Yareru Girisha Shinwa, which also featured Chiba as a voice actor.[3][4]

During a surprise concert on September 5, 2009, Sendai Kamotsu announced that the band would be going on a break due to the company going bankrupt in the economic recession.[5] The story of their bankruptcy was played out in the music video for "Fukyou no Kaze". They released their third album, Deko on October 28, 2009.[6] It reached #15 in the Oricon Charts.[7] The band had their final shows at the end of October in Sendai and at the Nippon Budokan on November 5, 2009, titled "Fukyou no Kaze~Sendai Kamotsu ~Forever~."[8]

During the band's hiatus, vocalist Chiba began a solo career under the name "Igaguri Chiba" (イガグリ千葉). Kurihara joined him again as sound manipulator. His first solo single, "Gira Gira Boys" (ギラギラボーイズ, "Glitter Boys") was released on October 6, 2010. He embarked on a short solo tour in three live houses: Nagoya Diamond Hall, Osaka Big Cat, and Shibuya O-East. The short tour was called On the Road Until Sendai Kamotsu's Revival (仙台貨物 復活までの道のり). Sendai Kamotsu's last Budokan live DVD and CD was released October 6, 2010 alongside "Gira Gira Boys."

Revival (2011–present)

The revival of Sendai Kamotsu was announced on their homepage in May 2011. Chiba stated the reason for their revival was because Japan was in crisis and needed a hero. The sextet returned with their four date tour "Hero ~The Comforting Express Home Delivery Service, Returned~" (「HERO」~帰ってきた癒しの宅配便~) tour in July,[9] as well as releasing two new songs via Dwango for download; "Hero ~Return of the Red Justice~" and "Okuru Kotoba 2." They begin another tour on December 23, 2012 titled "Sendai Kamotsu! All Set?!" (仙台貨物だョ!全員集合!?).[10]

Since the revival, Chiba has been going under his solo name Igaguri Chiba and has released a mini album titled Chiba no Ana Vol.1 (千葉の穴 vol.1). He was also a special musical guest at FanimeCon on May 26, 2012.[11] This was his U.S. debut performance. Upon returning from the U.S., Chiba had embarked on a short tour titled "Bitch Boys ~Forever Your Love~." Sendai Kamotsu participated in Kishidan Banpaku 2012, a rock n' roll Olympic hosted by the band Kishidan.[12]

In April 2013, Sendai Kamorsu left their previous record label, Universal J, and joined Avex Entertainment after Chiba begged his big brother Yomi for a contact. Even though they are officially under Avex, their official label is called "G-nation!".[13] Two best of albums, Suke Best 1 & 2, were released on July 10.[14] The album Chiba no Mikusu (チバノミクス) was then released on December 18.[15] On July 30, 2014, the band released the album Sendie Kamotsu and embarked on a nationwide tour that ended at the end of August with two shows at Shibuya Public Hall.[16][17]

Image

Sendai Kamotsu style themselves as a delivery company,[18] with a uniform of red boilersuits. The members of the band call themselves "Employees". They even cited "company bankruptcy" as the reason for their hiatus in 2009. The band's rallying cry is that they love "Gay People" and fans have been known to shout "one more gay" to begin encores at live performances.[19] Chiba is the younger brother of Nightmare's vocalist, Yomi.[18]

Members

The members of Sendai Kamotsu and their Nightmare counterparts are:[20]

Discography

Sendai Kamotsu discography
Releases
Studio albums 5
Live albums 1
Compilation albums 2
Singles 3
Video albums 9

Studio albums

Release Date Album Details Oricon Peak[21][22]
2004.04.01 Okuru Kotoba (送る言葉) 87
2006.07.12 Jinsei Geimu (人生ゲイム) 30
2009.10.28 Deko (凸 ~デコ~) 15
2013.12.18 Chiba no Mikusu (チバノミクス) 37
2014.07.30 Sendie Kamotsu 24

Singles

Release Date Single Details Oricon Peak[21][22]
2005.02.26 N.M.N ~No More Nayamimuyou~
2006.07.19 Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake (神様もう少しだけ) 37
2007.10.10 Gei School Otokogumi!! / Over The Gaynbow (芸スクール漢組! / オーバーザゲインボー) 5
2008.10.15 Uma Nami de / Zekkomon (うまなみで。 / 絶交門) 9

Compilation albums

Live albums

Demo tapes

Video albums

Release Date DVD Details Oricon Peak[21][22]
2005.02.23 Gay no Karasawagi Live at O-west (芸(ゲイ)のから騒ぎ Live at O-west) 99
2005.10.05 Gaylimpic Ebisu 2005 59
2007.08.08 Tour Jinsei Game (トゥアー人生ゲイム) 33
2008.11.05 Tour 2007 Kyoshi Gingin Monogatari @ Hibiya Yagai Dai Ongakudou (トゥアー2007教師ぎんぎん物語@日比谷野外大音楽堂) 25
2009.09.09 Live & Film Tour 2008 (umanamide) (ライブ&フィルムトゥアー 2008「うまなみで。」) 14
2009.10.28 Zetsu Koumon (絶黄門) 35
2010.10.06 Tour 2009 Fukyou no Kaze~Sendai Kamotsu Forever~ (トゥアー2009 腐況の風~仙台貨物FOREVER~) 27
2012.12.19 Sendai Kamotsu Tour 2011 (HERO)~Kaette Kita Iyashi no Takuhaibin~ (仙台貨物トゥアー2011「HERO」~帰ってきた癒しの宅配便~) 73
2012.12.19 Sendai Kamotsu Best Tour 2013 "Sukebest!" Final @Kokuritsu Yoyogi Kyogijo Daini Taiikukan (Sendai Kamotsu Best tour 2013「スケベスト!」FINAL @国立代々木競技場第二体育館) 35

See also

References

  1. "Sendai Kamotsu Profile" (in Japanese). BARKS. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
  2. 仙台貨物、リリース続々&ツアーも決定) [Sendai Kamotsu Release Success and a Decisive Tour] (in Japanese). BARKS.jp. August 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. "New Single In A Few Days". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  4. "Vocalist In Anime". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  5. "Sendai Kamotsu Announces Bankruptcy!". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  6. Yamada, Yukiko (October 2007). "Sendai Kamotsu Enoshima On Stage!". BPASS. Shinko Entertainment, Inc. pp. 92–93.
  7. "Oricon Charts: Deko" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  8. 噂のヴィジュアル系!? いやヴィジュアルゲイ、仙台貨物が江ノ島で熱唱! [Rumored Visual kei?! No visual gay - Sendai Kamotsu's show at Enoshima!] (in Japanese). BARKS. August 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  9. "Sendai Kamotsu Come-Back! "Fight, Japan!"". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  10. "Shoxx Article". SHOXX (in Japanese) 239. January 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  11. "Igaguri Chiba to Appear and Perform at FanimeCon 2012" (Press release). FanimeCon. May 3, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  12. "トゥアー (Tours)" (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  13. "Sendai Kamotsu, sudden transfer to avex" [Sendai Kamotsu, sudden transfer to avex]. BARKS News. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  14. "Two Best-of Albums from Sendai Kamotsu". jame-world.com. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  15. "Sendai Kamotsu to release new mini-album". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  16. "Sendai Kamotsu's New Mini-Album". jame-world.com. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  17. "Sendaikamotsu's mini album with a bit of metal taste is going to be released on July 30th". musicjapanplus.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  18. 18.0 18.1 "An Interview With Sendai Kamotsu 2006". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  19. "Sendai Kamotsu live report". jame-world.com. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  20. "Sendai Kamotsu". JPop Asia. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 仙台貨物のリリース一覧 1 [Sendai Kamotsu Releases - 1] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 仙台貨物のリリース一覧 - 2 [Sendai Kamotsu Releases - 2] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 January 2013.

External links