The Bawdies

The Bawdies
Origin Japan
Genres Rock, beat music, rhythm & blues
Years active 2004–Present
Labels Seez Records
Getting Better (2009-present)
Website thebawdies.com
Members Roy
Taxman
Jim
Marcy

The Bawdies is a Japanese rock band signed to the Seez Records label and the Getting Better sub-label of Victor Entertainment. The band is heavily influenced by 1950s-1960s beat music and early rhythm & blues styles of music.[1][2]

Background

Band members Roy Watanabe, Jim Kimura, and Marcy Yamaguchi became friends as children, and met fourth member Taku "Taxman" Funayama while in high school. Watanabe discovered The Sonics, a 1960s American garage band, which influenced his musical tastes. The band was formed on New Year's Day in 2004.[1] Starting in 2006, as of September 2011 the band has released five full length albums. The band has been compared to The Beatles is some news stories.[1]

English "modfather" Paul Weller reportedly was impressed with the band's third album This Is My Story, released in April 2009. The album reached # 1 on the iTunes Store rock chart and # 4 on the J-Pop album chart soon after its release.[3] The album was their first album release with Victor Entertainment, and Naoki Sato of Love Psychedelico oversaw production.[4]

In January 2010, the band received the favorite Japanese act award at the CD Shop Awards.[5] Also in 2010, the band's single "Just Be Cool" reached #8 on the Oricon chart, and #5 on the Japan Hot 100. The "Hot Dog" single made it to #7 and #3, respectively.

In April 2011, the band's single "Love You Need You" peaked at #3 on the Japan Hot 100.[6] For the single's title track, the band collaborated with singer and rapper Ai.

The band played at the Budokan in November 2011, and a live CD of the performance is to be released in March 2012.[7]

In February 2012, the band's single "Rock Me Baby" rose to number 6 on the Japan Hot 100 chart. The song was also selected to be the theme song of the new Japanese television drama "Hungry!" (ハングリー!).[8][9]

Members

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
Oricon Albums Chart
[10]
Billboard Japan Top Albums
Yesterday and Today
Awaking of Rhythm and Blues
  • Released: February 6, 2008
  • Label: Seez
  • Format: CD, digital download
146
This Is My Story
  • Released: April 22, 2009
  • Label: Getting Better
  • Format: CD, digital download
30 27[11]
There's No Turning Back
  • Released: April 21, 2010
  • Label: Getting Better
  • Format: CD, digital download
6 8[12]
Live the Life I Love
  • Released: June 8, 2011
  • Label: Getting Better
  • Format: CD, digital download
6 6[13]
1-2-3
  • Released: January 16, 2013
  • Label: Getting Better
  • Format: CD, digital download
TBR TBR

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
Oricon Singles Chart
[14]
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Billboard Japan Hot 100
"I Beg You" 2007 147 Awaking of Rhythm and Blues
"It's Too Late" 2009 21 4[15] There's No Turning Back
"Hot Dog" 2010 21 3[16]
"Just Be Cool" 97 5[17] Live the Life I Love
"Love You Need You"
(featuring Ai)
2011 3 3[18]
"Red Rocket Ship" 12 8[19] 1-2-3
"Rock Me Baby" 2012 6 10[20] 6[21]
"Lemonade" 6 3[22]
"The Seven Seas" rowspan-"2"|2013 - - 5[23] -

Vinyl releases

Video albums

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Despres, Shawn (15 September 2011). "The Bawdies get ready for their Beatles moment". The Japan Times. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  2. Last FM The Bawdies.
  3. (1 May 2009). THE BAWDIESメジャー1stアルバムにポールも太鼓判, ナタリー (Natalie) (In Japanese)
  4. "The Bawdies' potion of emotion". 5 March 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2012. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  5. Lee, Jae (29 January 2010). Bawdies, Lady Gaga win CD Shop Award, The Japan Times
  6. Japan Hot 100 - Week of April 16, 2011, Billboard, Retrieved February 22, 2012
  7. (13 February 2012). THE BAWDIES Mステ初出演!日本武道館公演DVDジャケットも公開, mynavi.jp (マイナビ )(in Japanese)
  8. (10 February 2012). THE BAWDIES、チャートでも絶好調, MSN (in Japanese)
  9. (10 January 2010). THE BAWDIES、新曲「ROCK ME BABY」がいよいよ解禁, Barks
  10. "THE BAWDIESのCDアルバムランキング、THE BAWDIESのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  11. "Japan Top Albums 2009/05/04 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  12. "Japan Top Albums 2010/05/03 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  13. "Japan Top Albums 2011/06/20 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  14. "THE BAWDIESのCDシングルランキング、THE BAWDIESのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  15. "Japan Hot 100 2009/11/16 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  16. "Japan Hot 100 2010/03/29 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  17. "Japan Hot 100 2010/09/27 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  18. "Japan Hot 100 2011/04/11 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  19. "Japan Hot 100 2011/10/31 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  20. レコード協会調べ 2012年02月15日~2012年02月21日 (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  21. "Japan Hot 100 2012/02/20 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  22. "Japan Hot 100 2012/11/12 付け". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  23. http://www.billboard.com/charts/japan-hot-100

External links

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