Base Ball Bear

Base Ball Bear
Also known as BBB, Bebobe
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genres Alternative rock, Pop rock, New wave[1]
Years active 2001 (2001)—present
Labels Blitz Pia Records (2003–2005)
EMI Music Japan (2006–2013)
EMI Records Japan (2013–present)
Website Base Ball Bear / ベースボールベアー
Members Yūsuke Koide
Shiori Sekine
Daisuke Horinouchi
Past members Shōhei Yuasa

Base Ball Bear is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo that made its major debut in 2006 with EMI Music Japan.[2] Although assembled in autumn 2001, the band formally began in 2002, and started off with self-produced releases.

Their style influences include Japanese indie rock bands Number Girl and Supercar, and British rock bands such as Oasis. They have been noted for the "nostalgic" feel of band leader Yūsuke Koide's lyrics, often about teenage life and memories. Base Ball Bear are also known for their contributions to the soundtrack of the movie Linda Linda Linda (in which bassist Shiori Sekine had a leading role) and performing the themes to the anime series Toshokan Sensō, Ōkiku Furikabutte and Gintama.

The band, initially named Planet, was formed for a one-time performance at a high school culture festival, but decided to continue due to how well-received they were and the fun they had at the festival.[3] The name Planet had likely come from the Supercar song of the same name, and the band's current name also derives partially from a song name. Koide had thought of Japanese singer Chocolat's song "Base Ball and Elvis Presley" and suggested the name "Base Ball". Guitarist Shohei Yuasa thought it would be better if one more word was added to it, and the rest of the band agreed, eventually settling on the word "bear".

In 2016, the band announced the departure of Shohei Yuasa and that they would continue with 3 members.[4]

Members

Current members

Past members

History

Formation and early years

Koide originally assembled the band in 2001 under the name "Planet," to perform at their high school's fall festival.[3] They performed covers of the songs OOYeah!! and OOKeah!! by the band Supercar. Following their festival performance, they decided to continue with the band as a hobby.

In March 2002, the band formally assembled.[6] In April they began sending demo tapes to record labels, whereupon they were advised by Toshiba EMI to change their name. They eventually chose "Base Ball Bear," the name under which they performed their first gig at Shimokitazawa Garage that July. Throughout the rest of the year, they continued playing in the Shibuya and Shimokitazawa areas of Tokyo as their fan base began to grow.

In November 2003, Base Ball Bear signed with Blitz Pia Records, an independent label. They immediately released their first mini-album Yūgata Generation on November 26. The band released its first single, Yume is Vision, in April of the following year. It was the first of the band's songs to be accompanied by a music video, which was created in collaboration with Yūki, a Japanese fashion magazine model and Base Ball Bear fan. The band spent the rest of 2004 practicing and writing new songs, some of where were featured on compilation CDs.

The band released its first full-length album, High Color Times, on March 16, 2005, and started playing concerts to sold-out crowds in larger venues. Also, Shiori Sekine was cast in one of the lead roles in the film Linda Linda Linda, which featured some of the band's music.

Major debut and increasing popularity

Base Ball Bear signed with EMI Music Japan in January 2006, and immediately released an introductory album, Band B ni Tsuite, on January 12. Although they had previously released another version of Band B ni Tsuite on October 14, 2005, this new release included one new song and other remastering. They then played on the "Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour" with Chatmonchy and Snowkel and released their first major album, C, on October 29.

Their first solo tour "Live by the C" took place in the spring of 2007.[7] Over the course of the year, they released four more singles, as well as their second major album, Jūnanasai. Their live performances included the Rock in Japan Festival, another round on the "Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour", and the "B-Pop High School Tour".

In 2008, the band went on a solo tour called "17-sai Kara Yattemasu Tour" that ran from the middle to the end of March. Their first single of the year, Changes, was released on May 8, 2008 and was the ending theme to the Production I.G anime series Toshokan Sensō.[8] The band then made its first appearance on the popular music program Music Station on May 9 and performed Changes on the show.[9] Base Ball Bear also performed a two-day show at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall in late September.[10]

In January 2009, they released their eighth single Love Mathematics and a compilation album Kanzenban Band B ni Tsuite containing all their indies songs. Following the releases, the band went on a tour called "Live Mathematics Tour 2009" starting in March. They also held a show named "Hibiya Nonfiction" at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall on June 27.[11] With a total of four singles in 2009, the band closed out the year by releasing their third album (What Is The) Love & Pop? in September and achieving ninth place on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart. It was their first album to reach the top ten, and they held a five-venue tour at Zepp halls to promote the album.

Base Ball Bear managed their first solo concert at the Nippon Budokan on January 3, 2010, titled "Live;(This Is The) Base Ball Bear".[12]

Departure of Shohei Yuasa

In 2016, also the band's 10th anniversary of debut and their 15th year together, it was announced that guitarist Shohei Yuasa would be leaving the band. According to their management agency, since mid-February that year, Yuasa had been uncontactable and did not turn up at the studio when they were scheduled for production work. He then declared his intention through a third party that he was unable to continue his activities in Base Ball Bear. After that, the staff and members tried to contact Yuasa directly for several days but no one managed to reach him.[4]

On February 27, Base Ball Bear went through with a scheduled appearance at a festival with the remaining 3 members, announcing that Yuasa could not participate as he was not well.[13][14] However, with the band's own tour "Live By The C2" due to kick off on March 5, the agency had no choice but to make the decision public on March 2 that it would be difficult for them to continue as four. The tour would instead have ex-Doping Panda member Yutaka Furukawa perform as a support guitarist.[15]

To this, the band's members and staff felt unable to comprehend the situation and expressed regret. Vocalist Koide said that they had spent more than half their lives together and it was "very regretful" that Yuasa would leave the band. Horinouchi said it was "vexing" because he had believed the band would be 4 members "for 20 or even 30 years." Having taken for granted that they would always be four, he could not understand why this had happened and "even feels anger." Bassist Sekine said that she was "extremely bewildered at first by this sudden development", and that she had never thought about anyone leaving. She expressed that she was uneasy that something precious to her had "crumbled", but no matter what she wanted to continue Base Ball Bear, and Koide and Horinouchi felt the same.[16]

Discography

Self-produced works

Title Release
Date
Mae: Front (前－front－, Front: Front) 2002-07
Ushiro: Back (後－back－, Back: Back) 2002-07
Change Up (チェンジアップ) 2002-09
White Twilight (ホワイトワイライト) 2002-10
School Life (スクールライフ) 2002-11
HR 2003-03
Yume Is Vision 2003-06
Yume/Sayonara 2003-10

Indies

Singles

Title Release
Date
Yume Is Vision 2004-07-07
B Beginning!!

Split single with Japanese band Bacon.

 2004-12-24

Albums

Title Release
Date
Yūgata Generation (夕方ジェネレーション, Evening Generation) 2003-11-26
High Color Times 2005-03-16
Band B ni Tsuite (バンドBについて, About Band B)

Exclusively sold at live venues.

 2005-10-14

Various artist compilations

Title Release
Date
Hi-Style vol.7 Grip
9. Shōjo to Nue (少女と鵺 A Girl and a Nue) (demo version)
 2004
Suteki Compilation (素敵コンピレイション, Wonderful Compilation)
9. Sayonara-Nostalgia
 2004-01-21
D Seldom Sono 9 (D★SELDOM其9, D Seldom No.9)
2-8. Sayonara-Nostalgia
 2004-07-28
Linda Linda Linda Original Movie Soundtrack
7. April Mirage
9. Sayonara-Nostalgia
 2005-07-20

Major label

Singles

# Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[17]		 Weeks
on
Chart
1 Electric Summer 2006-06-21 #41 5
2 Stand by Me 2006-10-04 #26 4
3 Dakishimetai (抱きしめたい, I Want to Hold You) 2007-04-04 #26 6
4 Dramatic (ドラマチック) 2007-05-16 #13 16
5 Manatsu no Jōken (真夏の条件, Midsummer Essential) 2007-07-18 #26 3
6 Aishiteru (愛してる, I Love You) 2007-10-31 #22 3
7 Changes 2008-05-08 #10 9
8 Love Mathematics 2009-01-07 #5 4
9 Kamigami Looks You (神々LOOKS YOU, Gods Are Looking At You) 2009-04-15 #10 5
10 Breeeeze Girl 2009-06-25 #7 5
11 Stairway Generation 2009-08-05 #9 6
12 Yoakemae (Before Dawn) 2011-06-29 #17 3
13 Short Hair 2011-08-31 #17 3
14 Tabibito In The Dark/Slow Motion wo Mou Ichido Part.2 (Tabibito In The Dark/スローモーションをもう一度 part.2,
Traveller in the Dark/Slow Motion Again Part 2) 		2011-10-05 #15 3
15 Perfect Blue 2013-02-13 #11 4
16 Fanfare ga Kikoeru/Senkou_hanabi (ファンファーレがきこえる/senkou_hanabi,
I Can Hear the Fanfare/Sparklers) 		2013-11-27 #28 3
17 "Sore tte, for Dare?" Part 1 (「それって、for 誰?」part.1, "Who is that for?" Part 1) 2015-08-05 #25 3
18 Bunkasai no Yoru (文化祭の夜, Night of the Cultural Festival) 2015-09-02 #33 3
19 Fushigi na Yoru (不思議な夜, Strange Night) 2015-10-07 #21 3

Digital download releases

# Title Release
Date
1 Senkou_hanabi 2013-07-24

Albums

# Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[18]		 Weeks
on
Chart
1 C 2006-11-29 #28 8
2 Jūnanasai (十七歳, Age 17) 2007-12-05 #15 8
3 (What Is The) Love & Pop? 2009-09-02 #9 7
3.5 Cypress Girls 2010-09-29 #10 3
Detective Boys #11 4
4 Shinkokyū (新呼吸, New Breath) 2011-11-09 #5 5
5 Nijūkusai (二十九歳, Age 29) 2014-06-04 #8 5
6 C2 2015-11-11 #14 4

Mini-albums

# Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[18]		 Weeks
on
Chart
1 Girl Friend 2006-04-12 #113 2
2 Hatsukoi (初恋, First Love) 2012-07-11 #9 4
3 The Cut 2013-06-26 #18 4

Live albums

# Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[18]		 Weeks
on
Chart
1 1235 2010-03-17 #34 3

Best-of albums

# Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[18]		 Weeks
on
Chart
1 Kanzenban "Band B ni Tsuite" (完全版「バンドBについて」, Complete Version "About Band B") 2009-01-07 #10 4
2 Band B no Best (バンドBのベスト, Best of Band B) 2013-02-13 #6 5

Various artist compilations

Title Release
Date
Rock and Sympathy -Tribute to The Pillows-
4. Funny Bunny (cover)
 2014-02-26

Video releases

Live DVDs

Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[19]		 Weeks
on
Chart
Live;(This Is The) Base Ball Bear. Nippon Budoukan 2010.01.03 2010-03-17 #19 3
10th Anniversary Tour (This Is The) Base Ball Bear part.2 "Live Shinkokyū" 2012-04-04 #11 2
Hibiya Nonfiction III (日比谷ノンフィクションⅢ) 2013-11-27 #15 2

Music video compilations

Title Release
Date		 Oricon
Weekly
Peak
Position[19]		 Weeks
on
Chart
Eizōban "Band B ni Tsuite" Dai-Ikkan (映像版「バンドBについて」第一巻, VIdeo Edition "About Band B" First Volume) 2010-03-17 #32 2
Eizōban "Band B ni Tsuite" Dai-Nikan (映像版「バンドBについて」第二巻, VIdeo Edition "About Band B" Second Volume) 2011-11-09 #9 2

Other releases

Other collaborative works

Yusuke Koide only

As Base Ball Bear

Media appearances

Movies

Television

Radio

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Base Ball Bear / バンドBのベスト [2CD]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  2. ↑ "Base Ball Bear / BIOGRAPHY" (in Japanese). Sony Music Artists Inc. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  3. 1 2 "iTunes - Music - Base Ball Bear - Biography". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  4. 1 2 "Base Ball Bearギター湯浅将平が脱退　2月中旬から直接連絡つかず" (in Japanese). Oricon, Yahoo Japan. 2016-03-02. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "CD＆DLでーた.com : HeadPhones. - Base Ball Bear -" (in Japanese). CD&DL Data Magazine. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
  6. ↑ ベースボールベアー (in Japanese). Blitz Pia Records. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  7. ↑ "[Base Ball Bear] 期待の新作がライブ映像付きで到着" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2007-02-15. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  8. ↑ "Base Ball Bear、新曲がアニメ『図書館戦争』エンディングテーマに" (in Japanese). Barks News. 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  9. ↑ "2008年ブレイク最右翼、Base Ball BearがMステ初出演" (in Japanese). Barks News. 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  10. ↑ "Base Ball Bear、初ホール・ワンマン2days発表" (in Japanese). Barks News. 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  11. ↑ "Base Ball Bear、満員野音に爽やか夏風を吹き込む" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  12. ↑ "Base Ball Bear初武道館ライブが早くも映像化決定" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  13. ↑ "Base Ball BearのGt湯浅将平が失踪後にバンド脱退" (in Japanese). CINRA.net. 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  14. ↑ "Base Ball Bear湯浅が体調不良で「こなそんフェス」欠席、代打は石毛輝" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2016-02-26. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  15. ↑ "Base Ball Bearから湯浅将平が脱退、ツアーはフルカワユタカ迎えて敢行" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  16. ↑ "「Base Ball Bear」の湯浅将平が脱退　メンバー・スタッフも納得できないまま" (in Japanese). IT Media Inc. 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  17. ↑ Ｂａｓｅ　Ｂａｌｌ　Ｂｅａｒのシングル売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Ｂａｓｅ　Ｂａｌｌ　Ｂｅａｒのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  19. 1 2 "Ｂａｓｅ　Ｂａｌｌ　ＢｅａｒのDVD売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  20. ↑ "サカナ山口×ベボベ小出制作の南波志帆新曲が2つのCM曲に" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2011-04-04. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  21. ↑ "南波志帆、ベボベ小出祐介作詞の新曲をSOLで初フルOA" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  22. ↑ "ベッキー♪♯ニューシングルc/wにベボベ小出提供曲" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  23. ↑ "OKAMOTO’S、Base Ball Bearの小出祐介と共作した新曲がTBS系深夜ドラマの主題歌に。1月27日（金）24時20分から放送" (in Japanese). Rockin'on. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  24. ↑ "Chocolatベストに小出祐介×永井聖一制作の8年ぶり新曲" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  25. ↑ "東京女子流、ベボベ小出提供の新曲"Partition Love"ティザー公開" (in Japanese). Tower Records Online. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  26. ↑ 岡村靖幸、小出祐介＆久保ミツロウと「愛はおしゃれじゃない」 (in Japanese). Barks. 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-05-31.
  27. ↑ "Linda Linda Linda (2005)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  28. ↑ "Base Ball Bear、ミニアルバムを7/11にリリース＆小出祐介が声優に挑戦" (in Japanese). Rockin'on. 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
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