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Buck-Tick (stylized as BUCK-TICK) is a Japanese
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band, formed in
Fujioka, Gunma 240px, Takayama-sha Sericulture school is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 64,539 in 27,616 households, and a population density of 360 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geogra ...
in 1983. The group has consisted of lead vocalist
Atsushi Sakurai is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He has been the vocalist of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1985, previously being their drummer from 1983. He released the solo album '' Ai no Wakusei'' in 2004 and was also a member of Schwein alongsi ...
, lead guitarist
Hisashi Imai is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is known as lead guitarist of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1983. He has also performed in musical side-projects such as Schaft (1991–1994, 2015), Schwein (2001), and more recently Lucy (2004). Car ...
, rhythm guitarist
Hidehiko Hoshino , nicknamed "Hide", is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is known as the rhythm guitarist for the rock band Buck-Tick since 1983. Life and career Buck-Tick In 1985, when Hide and Yutaka Higuchi graduated from high school they moved to Toky ...
, bassist Yutaka Higuchi and drummer
Toll Yagami , known exclusively by his stage name , is a Japanese musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1985. He is the older brother of Yutaka Higuchi, Buck-Tick's bassist. Life and career Toll Yagami dropped out of high s ...
since 1985. The band has experimented with many different genres of music throughout their three decade career, including punk rock,
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten a ...
and
gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie a ...
. Buck-Tick are commonly credited as one of the founders of the
visual kei is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock. Som ...
movement. They have released 22 studio albums, nearly all reaching the top ten on the charts.


History


Formation (1983–1985)

Buck-Tick was originally formed in 1983. All five of the band members lived in
Gunma prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima ...
.
Hisashi Imai is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is known as lead guitarist of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1983. He has also performed in musical side-projects such as Schaft (1991–1994, 2015), Schwein (2001), and more recently Lucy (2004). Car ...
originally had the idea for the band, and wanted to start despite not being able to play any instruments at the time. He recruited his friend, Yutaka Higuchi, and the two of them began to practice—Imai on guitar and Higuchi on bass. Then, Higuchi asked
Hidehiko Hoshino , nicknamed "Hide", is a Japanese musician and songwriter. He is known as the rhythm guitarist for the rock band Buck-Tick since 1983. Life and career Buck-Tick In 1985, when Hide and Yutaka Higuchi graduated from high school they moved to Toky ...
, who had been his friend since their first year of high school, to join. Higuchi tried to convince Hoshino to become the vocalist because of his looks, but Hoshino was more interested in playing the guitar, and did not want to be in the spotlight, so Imai's friend Araki became the vocalist instead.
Atsushi Sakurai is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He has been the vocalist of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1985, previously being their drummer from 1983. He released the solo album '' Ai no Wakusei'' in 2004 and was also a member of Schwein alongsi ...
, a rebellious loner in Imai's class who hung out with the bad-kid
Yankī The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...
crowd, volunteered to be the drummer.''Love Me'', Yasue Matsuura, Takao Nakagawa; Shinko Music Publishing Company, Ltd. 1989. . The Buck-Tick members went to high school with
Boøwy Boøwy ( ; stylized as BOØWY) was a Japanese rock band formed in Takasaki, Gunma in 1981. The classic lineup of vocalist Kyosuke Himuro, guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei, bassist Tsunematsu Matsui, and drummer Makoto Takahashi reached legendary status ...
singer
Kyosuke Himuro is a former Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He was lead vocalist of the rock band Boøwy from 1981 to 1988. After the band disbanded he started a successful solo career, becoming one of Japan's best-selling artists. In 2003, HMV Japan ...
.Gunma Television Interview with Atsushi Sakurai, aired April 3, 2005. Imai named the band in the spring of 1984. Once they had practiced enough to be able to play, they began to perform live at small, local events. They started out playing covers of songs by the famous Japanese punk band
The Stalin were a Japanese punk rock band formed in June 1980, by leader and vocalist Michiro Endo. After numerous member changes, he disbanded the group in February 1985. In May 1987 Michiro formed a group called Video Stalin, which mostly made vid ...
. From the beginning, they were conscious of their image and tried to differentiate themselves from other bands. They performed in suits with their hair up and soon added white face makeup, as well. When Imai graduated high school, he moved to
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
with Araki and enrolled in a design school. When Higuchi and Hoshino graduated a year later, they also moved to Tokyo—Higuchi for business school and Hoshino for culinary school. However, they returned home on weekends to practice together and play shows. During the summer of 1984, the band changed their name to Buck-Tick, which is a creative spelling of , the Japanese word for firecracker. They also began to perform original songs, written by Imai and a few by Hoshino. Sakurai's parents wouldn't let him move to Tokyo. In the meantime, he decided to become a singer instead of being a drummer. Higuchi's brother
Toll Yagami , known exclusively by his stage name , is a Japanese musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Buck-Tick since 1985. He is the older brother of Yutaka Higuchi, Buck-Tick's bassist. Life and career Toll Yagami dropped out of high s ...
was also in a band, called SP, and when SP lost their vocalist, Sakurai asked Yagami if he could be the replacement. Yagami politely refused his request, and SP broke up. However, at the same time, the rest of Buck-Tick was becoming frustrated with Araki. As Imai's composing skills improved, Araki became unable to carry the melodies to the songs. The band decided to fire Araki, and Sakurai convinced them to accept him as their vocalist. Higuchi convinced Yagami that the best way for him to get over the loss of his own band was to join theirs instead, thus Toll took Sakurai's place behind the drums. This became the final lineup for the band, and has not changed since.


Independent period (1985–1987)

After the change in the lineup, Buck-Tick became more serious about music. When Sakurai's father died, he too moved to Tokyo. The five members worked during the day and practiced and performed at night. Then, in July 1986, they attracted the attention of Sawaki Kazuo, head of Taiyou Records, an
independent label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
. He had seen the band perform at a live house called
Shinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...
Attic, and had been very impressed. The band signed to Taiyou Records immediately and released their first single, "To-Search" on October 21 of the same year. With Sawaki's help they began promoting themselves very actively. They played the live house circuit in Tokyo and on April 1, 1987, released their first album, ''
Hurry Up Mode ''Hurry Up Mode'' is the debut studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on both vinyl and CD on April 4, 1987 through Taiyo Records with the catalog number LEO 009. The CD version merges "Prologue" into "Plastic Syndrome ...
''. In conjunction with the release, they played a live concert called ''Buck-Tick Phenomenon'' at the 1,200-capacity Toyoto Public Hall in
Ikebukuro is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits. It is considered the second largest ...
. Everyone in the local music scene believed the hall was too large for the band and that the concert would be doomed to failure, but Buck-Tick used an effective advertising strategy: they pasted thousands of eye-catching, black-and-white sticker advertisements all over Tokyo's hip youth districts that read simply "Buck-Tick Phenomenon April 1st Toyoto Public Hall". Their staff members were nearly arrested for defacement of public property. Buck-Tick sold over half the tickets to the show. After the success,
major label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...
s began to be interested in the band.


Major label debut (1987–1988)

Major labels began scouting the band but initially they wanted to continue pursuing music on their own terms, and they refused to sign unless the label would agree to their four conditions: first, that the band would be able to make their own decisions about their hair, makeup, clothing, and general image; second, that they would never be forced to change the band lineup; third, that they would never be forced to use
session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...
s; and last, that they would be able to do all of their own production work.''Picture Product disc 3: "Sen-Sor"'', directed by Takashi Musha & Yuko Sakurai, Victor Entertainment, 2002. Most record companies refused the idea of accepting such demands from a new band, but Takagaki Ken, of Victor Invitation Records, decided to accept their terms. He even offered them Victor's Aoyama studio as a place to practice. On June 16, 1987, Buck-Tick played a show called ''Buck-Tick Phenomenon II'' at the Live Inn in
Shibuya Shibuya ( 渋谷 区 ''Shibuya-ku'') is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. As a major commercial and finance center, it houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station. As of April 1 ...
, to bid farewell to their indie days. The small venue was packed with people and the crowd grew so overexcited that the concert had to be interrupted multiple times so that the venue staff could try to get the fans to calm down. Afterward, a video of the concert called ''Buck-Tick Phenomenon Live at the Live Inn'' was released, reaching No. 4 on the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
video charts. On September 3, Buck-Tick opened their personal administrative office, which they named Shaking Hands, Inc., in honor of all the musical connections they hoped to make in the future. Soon after, they embarked on their first national tour. They released their first major label album, ''
Sexual XXXXX! ''Sexual XXXXX!'' is the second studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was the group's major label debut and was released on vinyl, cassette and CD on November 21, 1987 through on Victor Entertainment. The album was digitally rema ...
'' on November 21, and it climbed to No. 33 on the Oricon charts. Tickets to their large year-end live in Tokyo at the Japan Youth Hall sold out in two days. They had become popular enough that they could only play at large halls now. They missed small live houses, so they organized a secret gig under the false name "Bluck-Tlick" at Shinjuku Loft on January 24, 1988, and used it as an opportunity to play their older songs. They released the EP '' Romanesque'' on March 21, 1988. Their third album, '' Seventh Heaven'', followed on June 21.


''Taboo'' (1988–1989)

In September 1988, Buck-Tick went to
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
to record its fourth studio album, ''
Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
'', which was produced by
Owen Paul Owen Paul (born 1 May 1962) is a Scottish singer best known in the UK for his 1986 No. 3 hit single, "My Favourite Waste of Time", a cover version of a song that was originally written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. ...
. They also played a gig there, at the Greyhound music club, and amongst those who attended were members of the band
Der Zibet Der Zibet is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1984, which made its debut in 1985. They went on an indefinite hiatus in 1996, but resumed activities in 2007. History Der Zibet was formed in 1984 by vocalist Issay and bassist Hal, wh ...
, who were also recording in London at the time. The members of Buck-Tick loved London, especially Sakurai, who felt that the music scene there was more welcoming of dark and serious music.''Words by Buck-Tick'', Shinko Music Publishing Company, Ltd. 2002.
''English translation of 1994 interview with Atsushi Sakurai and Issay available here''
With ''Taboo'', the band broke into a darker, more serious sound which took a fair amount of criticism from members of the Japanese music scene who had previously thought of Buck-Tick as little more than idols. The album became the band's first to reach number one on the charts when it was released in January 1989. Their first major label single "Just One More Kiss", became Buck-Tick's first hit in October 1988. The band made their first live television appearance performing it on the popular music program ''
Music Station is a Japanese music television program. Broadcasting live weekly on TV Asahi since October 24, 1986, it currently airs from 9PM-10PM on Fridays. The program is also colloquially known as , , and . The show is currently syndicated throughout th ...
''. The song was also used in a series of television commercials in which the band appeared advertising Victor's CDian Stereo, with the slogan "The super bass will firecracker." (a pun on Buck-Tick's name, which means "firecracker"). At the end of the year, Buck-Tick won "Rookie of the Year" at the
Japan Record Awards is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Until 2005, the show aired on New Year's Eve, but has since aired every December 30 on TBS Japan at 6:30 P.M JST a ...
.''Buck-Tick'' at CD Journal
Retrieved Aug 26 2007


Hiatus and ''Aku no Hana'' (1989–1990)

In March 1989, the band started its Taboo tour. At this point they had stopped putting their hair up that extensively, and Sakurai had even given up on dyeing his and let it be black. The tour was scheduled to run through May, but it was cancelled abruptly when Imai was arrested for
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
possession. The incident was covered in newspapers and tabloids at the time, but since, the band has kept it very quiet. Buck-Tick went on hiatus and Imai had to appear at a court hearing, which was attended by hundreds of concerned fans and was covered on television. In the fall of 1989, the band went back to the studio and recorded its fifth studio album, ''
Aku no Hana is the fifth studio album by the Japanese Rock music, rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on cassette and CD on February 1, 1990, through Victor Entertainment. It peaked at number one on the Oricon charts and is the group's best-selling album ...
'' ("Evil Flowers") which was named after Baudelaire's ''
Les Fleurs du Mal ''Les Fleurs du mal'' (; en, The Flowers of Evil, italic=yes) is a volume of French poetry by Charles Baudelaire. ''Les Fleurs du mal'' includes nearly all Baudelaire's poetry, written from 1840 until his death in August 1867. First publish ...
'' (a favorite book of Sakurai's), because the album dealt with similar themes. With ''Aku no Hana'', the band went much further into the dark and gothic image they had begun to explore in ''Taboo'' and which would later become their trademark. ''Aku no Hana'' became their second consecutive number one album and remains the group's best-selling to date. Before the album was released they played a huge concert at the
Tokyo Dome is an indoor stadium in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium. Construction on the stadium began on May 16, 1985, and it opened on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of th ...
on December 29 in front of 50,000 people, in order to celebrate their return. It was the largest concert the band had ever played. Since then, the band has held a large concert nearly every year at the end of December, usually at the
Nippon Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. While its primary purpose is to host martial arts con ...
, to celebrate the anniversary of their reunion after Imai's arrest. Since 2001, they have named the concerts ''The Day in Question'', and the shows have often been broadcast live on TV.


''Kurutta Taiyou'' and continuing musical maturity (1990–1995)

In 1990, the band threw themselves back into touring, performing at 51 concerts, and over the summer, released an album called ''
Symphonic Buck-Tick in Berlin ''Symphonic Buck-Tick in Berlin'' is an orchestral arrangement album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on July 21, 1990 through Victor Entertainment , also known as in Japan, is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and d ...
'', featuring orchestral versions of some of their songs performed by the Berlin Chamber Orchestra. In the fall, they went back to the studio to work on their sixth album, ''
Kurutta Taiyou is the sixth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on cassette and CD on February 21, 1991, through Victor Entertainment. The album was digitally remastered and re-released on September 19, 2002, with two bonus track ...
'' ("Crazy Sun"). They spent much more time on this album than any of their previous ones, and the difference was noticeable. The sound is much deeper and more sophisticated, using many more studio production effects than previously. It was at this point that the direction of the band began to change subtly, as Sakurai began to write almost all of the lyrics, and exert his creative influence more. Around this time, he was married to the band's stylist, Sayuri Watanabe, but they quickly divorced (the band later got a new stylist, Mr. Takayuki Tanizaki, who is still working for them). Sakurai's mother, who he had been very close to, also died, and due to the band's busy touring schedule, he was unable to visit her before the end.''Snob Rock Mode & Art Magazine'', 「櫻井敦司という男」("A man called Atsushi Sakurai"), Keiko Oshibe, 2005. In interviews, Sakurai said that the pain he felt from these events strongly influenced his lyrics, and that this was when he started writing about real emotions, rather than what he thought was cool. Subsequently, he changed the first
kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
in his name from the standard character "" ("sakura") to the older version "", and since then has brought a continuously evolving sense of melancholy and psychological depth to the band's lyrics. ''Kurutta Taiyou'' was released on February 21, 1991. Four days later, the band performed a unique concert called ''Satellite Circuit'', which was recorded in a studio with no audience and then broadcast on television and at special concert halls around the country. In 1992, Buck-Tick released their first compilation album, '' Koroshi no Shirabe This Is Not Greatest Hits''. As the title suggested, it wasn't a typical "best-of" album. Instead, the band had spent many hours in the studio re-recording (and in some cases radically changing) songs they had already released. A tour followed the album, culminating in a two-day live event called ''Climax Together'', which took place at
Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
on September 10 and 11. The event had been put together specifically to be filmed, and great care had been taken with the lighting and design—for greater dramatic effect, the stage was even set up along the long side of the hall and obscured by a gigantic scrim which was dropped partway through the set. On May 21, 1993, Buck-Tick released the single "
Dress A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...
", which was later re-released in 2005 and used as the opening theme for the ''
Trinity Blood is a series of Japanese light novels written by Sunao Yoshida with illustrations by Thores Shibamoto and originally serialized in ''The Sneaker''. Set 900 years after an apocalyptic war between humans and vampires, the series focuses on the ...
''
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
. Soon after, on June 23, Buck-Tick released their seventh studio album, ''
Darker Than Darkness -Style 93- ''Darker Than Darkness -Style 93-'' is the seventh studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on June 23, 1993, through Victor Entertainment. The album peaked at number two on the Oricon chart, became a certified gold seller ...
'' a loose concept album focusing on death. The album confused fans because after the last track (track 10), the CD skips and picks up at track 75, which began with strange buzzing noises and slowly evolved into another song. This technique was rare in Japan at that time, and apparently some fans tried to return their CDs to stores, claiming that they were broken. On this album, the band also began to experiment with different instruments—Hoshino played keyboards, and during live shows, Sakurai tried his hand at the saxophone. Both Sakurai and Hoshino played these instruments on the band's next album, ''
Six/Nine ''Six/Nine'' is the eighth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released in a clear purple case on May 15, 1995, through Victor Entertainment. It peaked at number one on the Oricon chart. It was certified gold in the sa ...
''. Released on May 15, 1995, ''Six/Nine'' was an even more psychological, conceptual album than ''Darker Than Darkness -Style 93-'' had been. Before the album was released, the band had another set of video concerts, featuring equally conceptual music videos for each song, directed by Hayashi Wataru. One of the songs, "Itoshi no Rock Star", featured Issay (Der Zibet) on backing vocals, he also appeared with the band on the tour.


Label and management changes, "cyberpunk" years (1996–2003)

In 1996, Buck-Tick left Shaking Hands Inc, and started their own management company, Banker Ltd., of which Toll is president, and started their new fan club, Fish Tank. On June 21, they released their ninth album, ''
Cosmos The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...
'', which featured a brighter sound than was usual for the band and also electronic,
cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyber ...
-influenced music in such songs as "Living on the Net". The tour for the album had to be canceled halfway through. Sakurai, while in
Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
doing a photo shoot for the band, fell seriously ill with
peritonitis Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and cover of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One part or ...
. When he was told how serious his condition was, he wanted to be flown back to Tokyo so that if he died, he could die at home, but once back in Japan "he felt so relieved that he was able to recover". In 1997, they changed labels from Victor to Mercury Music Entertainment. They played make-up shows for the concerts that had been canceled the previous year. On December 10, they released their tenth studio album, '' Sexy Stream Liner'', marking the maturation of their new cyberpunk style, which emerged in their visual image as well, with the band sporting "tattoos" and electronic gadgetry on their costumes. Imai began to incorporate the use of a
theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
into Buck-Tick's live shows and even into their recordings, beginning with the song "My Fuckin’ Valentine". On May 13, 1998, they released the single "Gessekai", which was used as the opening theme to the anime series '' Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective''. Shortly after this, on the wave of the anime boom, Japanese music began to gain popularity in the West by the internet, and "Gessekai" became the song that first introduced Buck-Tick to many foreign fans. A remix of the song ''Dress'' was also used as a theme song for the anime ''
Trinity Blood is a series of Japanese light novels written by Sunao Yoshida with illustrations by Thores Shibamoto and originally serialized in ''The Sneaker''. Set 900 years after an apocalyptic war between humans and vampires, the series focuses on the ...
''. Later in 1998, and continuing in 1999, Buck-Tick members involved themselves in many collaborations with other artists. However, they continued to release singles as a band and contributed a cover of "
Doubt Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, unable to be certain of any of them. Doubt on an emotional level is indecision between belief and disbelief. It may involve uncertainty, ...
" to ''
Tribute Spirits ''Tribute Spirits'' is a tribute album released on May 1, 1999 in memory of Japanese rock musician hide. It collects cover versions of his songs by various artists, among them most members of hide's former band X Japan. It reached number one on ...
'', an album in memory of hide who died in 1998. In 2000, Buck-Tick changed labels for a second time, leaving Mercury for BMG Funhouse. Their popularity had been growing overseas, especially in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, and the band went to Korea for the first time. They were greeted enthusiastically by fans at the airport, and they held a formal interview, but did not perform live. Later, in 2001, they returned to Korea and played at the
Dongducheon Rock Festival Dongducheon Rock Festival is an annual rock festival, which has been held in late summer since 1999 in Dongducheon, South Korea. The motto of the festival includes hopes and wishes for peaceful reunion of South and North Korea. It is considered o ...
(a.k.a. "SoYo Rock Festival") in
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
. It poured rain on the day of the festival and the band were drenched during their set, but nonetheless, the crowd was ecstatic.
Mega Beat to Mega Hits
' television program, broadcast of Buck-Tick live at the SoYo Rock Festival, Seoul, 2001. (aired on Korean television)
On September 20, 2000, the band released '' One Life, One Death'', their first studio album in nearly three years, and played a tour to support the album. In addition to this, Sakurai and Imai became involved in a
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...
called
Schwein Schwein (German for ''pig'' as well as ''pork'') is a music group comprising members of Buck-Tick, KMFDM, and PIG. Members Raymond Watts (vocals, programming, guitar) and Hisashi Imai (Buck-Tick; guitar and noise), both having worked together in ...
, with
Raymond Watts Raymond Watts (also known by his former stage names Nainz, Nainz Watts and Ray Scaballero) is an English musician, the founding and sole member of the industrial music project PIG, sometimes written as <PIG>. Watts was an early member and p ...
and
Sascha Konietzko Sascha Kegel Konietzko (born 21 June 1961), also known as Sascha K and Käpt'n K, is a German musician and record producer. He is the founder, frontman and "anchor" of the industrial band KMFDM. Konietzko jokingly purports himself to be the fath ...
, which released two albums and toured Japan in August 2001. On March 6, 2002, Buck-Tick released their twelfth studio album, '' Kyokutou I Love You'', which was initially scheduled to be released as a double album with ''
Mona Lisa Overdrive ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' is a science fiction novel by American-Canadian writer William Gibson, published in 1988. It is the final novel of the cyberpunk Sprawl trilogy, following ''Neuromancer'' and ''Count Zero'', taking place eight years after ...
''. Ultimately the two were released separately and ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' came out the following year in February. However musically, the two albums feed into each other in a continuous loop. The last track on ''Kyokutou I Love You'' is an instrumental which becomes the bottom musical layer of the first track on ''Mona Lisa Overdrive''. Likewise, the last track on ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' contains samples from the first track on ''Kyokutou I Love You''. The album title ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' is mistakenly thought to have been inspired by
William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as ''cyberpunk''. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, his ...
's cyberpunk novel of the same name but guitarist Hisashi Imai originally confused it with
Robert Longo Robert Longo (born 1953) is an American artist, filmmaker, photographer and musician. Longo became first well known in the 1980s for his ''Men in the Cities'' drawing and print series, which depict sharply dressed men and women writhing in cont ...
's work ''Samurai Overdrive'', which inspired the album title. Buck-Tick opened for
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...
when he played at
Tokyo Bay NK Hall Tokyo Bay NK Hall was an indoor arena, indoor sporting arena located at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, in Japan. It opened in 1988, closed in 2005 and was demolished in 2015 to make way for Toy Story Hotel. The capacity of the arena ...
and
Osaka-jo Hall is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Layout The main tower ...
in September 2003.


Solo projects and "gothic" years (2004–2005)

In 2004, Buck-Tick largely suspended activities in order for the band members to work on their individual musical projects. The only band member who did not release music during this time was Hoshino, who went on to form the band Dropz two years later in 2006. Buck-Tick did play a few shows together, including one at
Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
in 2004 that was a reprise of their "Climax Together" shows 12 years before. The show was released on DVD as '' Akuma to Freud -Devil and Freud- Climax Together''. April 6, 2005 saw the release of ''
Juusankai wa Gekkou is the fourteenth album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on April 5, 2005. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music video for the album's only single, "Romance". It reached number four on the Oricon chart with 28,104 copies sol ...
'' which also happened to be the band's fourteenth studio album. It was a concept album inspired by Sakurai's solo project that focused on the idea of "
Goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
", and despite the residual gothic image Buck-Tick had been cultivating for years, it was a significant departure from any of their previous work.''Fool’s Mate # 283'', 「" 夜" は邪悪にもなれるし、ピュアにもなれる」("The night can become evil, or it can become pure"), Koh Imazu, May 200
''English translation available here''
/ref> Special care was taken with the sets and costumes for the tour. The live shows were very dramatic, and the band even hired a
clown A clown is a person who performs comedy and arts in a state of open-mindedness using physical comedy, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms. History The most ancient clowns have been found in ...
and a
ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...
to perform with them at some of the shows. A BARKS journalist called the show a "gothic theatre" and an illusion between dream and reality. At this time,
visual kei is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock. Som ...
and Gothic & Lolita had been growing significantly in popularity and with ''Juusankai wa Gekkou'', Buck-Tick gained a large number of new fans domestically and overseas who admired the gothic style. On December 21, the tribute album ''
Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick- ''Parade -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick-'' is the first tribute album to Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on December 21, 2005. It collects cover versions of their songs by various artists. It reflected the influence Buck-Tick had on you ...
'' was released, which contains covers of their own songs performed by 13 different artists, including
Kiyoharu , better known by his stage name . is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter, known for his work with Kuroyume and Sads. In 2003, he began his solo career, performing as both a singer and guitarist. Music career Independent career and K ...
, J,
Abingdon Boys School Abingdon Boys School (stylized as abingdon boys school) is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005 and fronted by Japanese singer Takanori Nishikawa. Formed in 2005, the band shares a name with the British independent school Abingdon School, in Abi ...
and Rally (composed of members from
Glay Glay (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese rock band, formed in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, in 1988. Glay primarily composes songs in the rock and pop genres, but they have also arranged songs using elements from a wide variety of genres, includi ...
,
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (often abbreviated to TMGE) was a Japanese garage rock band formed in 1991. History The band was formed in 1991,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 1025-6 while Chiba, Ueno, and Ku ...
and
The Mad Capsule Markets The Mad Capsule Markets (originally known as The Mad Capsule Market's and Berrie) were a Japanese band that formed in 1985 and were active until 2006. The band became known for their experimental style, which melded various kinds of electronic m ...
). It reflected the influence Buck-Tick had on younger generation musicians in Japan, and later in 2007, some of these artists performed at a festival dedicated to the band, which was released on DVD.


20th Anniversary and "straight rock" years (2006–2011)

In 2006, as Buck-Tick prepared to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a major-label band, they released the single " Kagerou", which was used as the ending theme for the '' XxxHolic'' anime. On June 6, 2007, they released the single " Rendezvous", and on the same day embarked on the ''Parade Tour'', finally celebrating their anniversary and tribute album. The tour had a unique format: at each show, a different artist from the tribute album, performed with Buck-Tick. The tour culminated in a giant festival called "Buck-Tick Fest 2007 on Parade", which was held on September 8 at Minato Mirai in the Yokohama port. It lasted all day and featured all 13 artists off the tribute album. Each of the guest artists and Buck-Tick played a set, and as a grand finale, there was a fireworks show over the bay. Soon after this, on September 19, 2007, Buck-Tick released their fifteenth studio album, ''
Tenshi no Revolver is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on September 19, 2007, through BMG Records. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music videos for the singles "Rendezvous" and "Alice in Wonder Underground". ' ...
'' ("Angel's Revolver"). Though they continued using a few gothic elements, they discarded the use of synth for this album, the concept for which was a "band sound".VMC Online Interview No. 71, "Buck-Tick," Eriko Ishii, 2007
The band held a long national tour to support the album, which lasted until December. Also in December, the Japanese cellphone company
SoftBank is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo which focuses on investment management. The Group primarily invests in companies operating in technology, energy, and financial sectors. It also runs the ...
released special-edition Buck-Tick
mobile phones A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...
that had been designed by the band members. At the end of 2008,
BMG Japan Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) was a division of a German media company Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Sony Corporation of America on 1 October 2008. Although it was established in 1987, the music com ...
was bought out by
Sony Music Entertainment Japan , often abbreviated as SMEJ or simply SME, and also known as Sony Music Japan for short (stylized as ''SonyMusic''), is a Japanese music arm for Sony. Founded in 1968 as CBS/Sony, SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Group Corporation and is opera ...
and operated independently still as BMG until early 2009 where a company reorganization folded BMG completely into Sony. Thus he band officially became a Sony Music Entertainment Japan artist, signed to the
Ariola Japan , is a Japanese record label that is part of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It is the successor of BMG Japan. History *2008 – Ariola Japan becomes a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. *2009 – Ariola Japan becomes a full-on record label ...
subsidiary. The band released their next album, titled ''
Memento Mori ''Memento mori'' (Latin for 'remember that you ave todie'Buck-Tick Fest 2007 on Parade disc 2: "Rest Rooms", directed by Kazuhiro Tokutomo, BMG/Funhouse 2008.
English translation available here
'
After the release of the album, they then went on to perform an extended concert tour spanning three months, with 25 performances in total. The final two concerts were held at Tokyo's
NHK Hall The NHK Hall is a concert hall located at the NHK Broadcasting Center, the main headquarters of Japan's Public broadcasting, public broadcaster NHK. The hall is the main venue for the NHK Symphony Orchestra, but it has also played host to other e ...
. In March 2010, the group released the single " Dokudanjou Beauty". The second single of 2010 was released on September 1 titled "
Kuchizuke "Kuchizuke" is Fayray's 18th single. It was released on October 13, 2004 and peaked at #26. The song was used as theme song for the Tōkai TV/Fuji TV series Soap opera "Ai no Solea". The first coupling is a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide". ...
" ("Kisses"), which was used as the opening theme for
Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
's '' Shiki'' anime. On October 13, Buck-Tick released its seventeenth studio album titled ''
Razzle Dazzle ''Razzle Dazzle'' is a Canadian children's television program produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation between October 2, 1961, and July 1, 1966. The series was initially co-hosted by Alan Hamel and Michele Finney who were later replac ...
''. For the most part, it continued the straightforward rock sound, but also contained many instances of
dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco ...
or
dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...
. It also included cover artwork by graphic artist
Aquirax Uno (born March 13, 1934), a Japanese graphic artist, illustrator and painter. His work is characterized by fantasized portraiture, sensuous line flow, flamboyant (and occasionally grotesque) eroticism, and frequent use of collage and bright col ...
. Buck-Tick's song "Jupiter" was covered by
DuelJewel is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in January 1997. History DuelJewel began in 1997; during their early beginnings they released several demos. The vocalist Hayato joined in 1997, left, and returned in 1999. The band released their ...
on the compilation ''Crush! -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-'', which was released on January 26, 2011 and features current
visual kei is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock. Som ...
bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement. Their song "Speed" was covered by 9Goats Black Out on its sequel, ''Crush! 2 -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-'', that was released on November 23, 2011.


25th Anniversary and Lingua Sounda (2012–2021)

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, Buck-Tick opened a special website where they announced the creation of their own record label Lingua Sounda, and that its first releases will be a new single in spring 2012 and an album in the summer. They released two separate boxsets in March 2012, one containing work from 1987 to 1999 and the other from 2000 to 2010, titled '' Catalogue Victor→Mercury 87–99'' and '' Catalogue Ariola 00–10'' respectively. The single "Elise no Tame ni" was released on May 23, the same day as the DVD of their 2011 Day in Question concert. The band also performed the theme song for the
play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...
''Tenshu Monogatari''. Their next single, "Miss Take ~Boku wa Miss Take~", was released on July 4. Fans who ordered both "Miss Take" and "Elise" had a chance to win tickets to the band's promotional video shoot for the new song "Climax Together". A second tribute album to Buck-Tick was released on July 7, titled ''
Parade II -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick- ''Parade II -Respective Tracks of Buck-Tick-'' is the second tribute album to Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on July 4, 2012. The album reached number 14 on Billboard Japan Top Albums and number 16 on the Oricon chart. Produced in cel ...
'' it featured 13 artists including
acid android Acid Android (stylized as ACID ANDROID and formerly as acid android) is the solo project of yukihiro, drummer of the Japanese rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. While yukihiro provides the vocals and many of the instruments himself, he also utilizes many su ...
,
Polysics is a Japanese Techno/Electronic Music band from Tokyo, who dubs its unique style as "technicolor pogo punk". It was named after a brand of synthesizer, the Korg Polysix. The band started in 1997, but got their big break in 1998 at a concert in ...
and
Acid Black Cherry Acid Black Cherry (abbreviated as ABC) is the solo project of the former lead vocalist of Janne Da Arc, Yasu. The group was formed after Janne Da Arc announced their indefinite hiatus. Information Acid Black Cherry is the solo project of Yasunor ...
. The band released their eighteenth studio album, ''
Yume Miru Uchuu is the 18th studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on September 19, 2012. It is their first on their own record label Lingua Sounda, which was founded the previous year. The album reached the number 14 position on the Oricon cha ...
'', on September 19 before holding Buck-Tick Fest 2012 On Parade on September 22 and 23, which attracted an estimated 14,000 fans and included bands who appear on the tribute album such as
D'erlanger D'erlanger (stylized as D'ERLANGER) is a Japanese rock band from Kyoto Prefecture, formed in 1983 by guitarist Cipher and bassist Seela. While they originally played speed and power metal, after recruiting drummer Tetsu and vocalist Kyo they ...
,
Mucc is a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1997. The classic line up of Tatsuro on vocals, Miya on guitar, Yukke on bass, and Satochi on drums was solidified in 1999 following the departure of original bassist Hiro. Af ...
, Merry,
Pay money To my Pain Pay Money to My Pain (stylized as Pay money To my Pain and abbreviated as P.T.P.) was a Japanese alternative rock/metal band. All of the band's lyrics are in English.
, and others. The special 25th Anniversary film ''Buck-Tick ~Buck-Tick Phenomenon'' was shown in theaters in two parts in 2013, part one opening on June 15 and two on June 22, each for one week only. The band wrote two new songs exclusive for the film, "Love Parade" composed by Hoshino and "Steppers -Parade-" by Imai. Buck-Tick released the single "Keijijou Ryuusei" on May 14, 2014, and their nineteenth studio album, '' Arui wa Anarchy'', on June 4. On June 28, 2015, Buck-Tick performed at the Lunatic Fest hosted by
Luna Sea Luna Sea (stylized as LUNA SEA) is a Japanese Rock music, rock band formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1986. Due to the use of make-up and costumes early in their career and their widespread popularity, they are considered one of the most success ...
and were joined onstage by J for "Iconoclasm". At the end of their ''Day in Question'' concert on December 29, 2015, the band announced their return to Victor Entertainment with Lingua Sounda becoming its sub label. On September 11, 2016 the group played the live show entitled ''Climax Together 3rd'' at Yokohama Arena, 12 years after their second one and 24 years after their first one. Buck-Tick released the single "New World" on September 21, 2016, and their twentieth studio album '' Atom Miraiha No.9'' on September 28 which peaked 9th on the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
album chart. Buck-Tick won the special "Inspiration Award Japan" at the 2017
MTV Video Music Awards Japan The MTV Video Music Awards Japan (MTV VMAJ for short) are the Japanese version of the MTV Video Music Awards. Like the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States, in this event artists are awarded for their songs and videos through online votin ...
. Their single "Babel" was released on November 15, 2017. Following the February 21, 2018, release of its second single "Moon Sayonara wo Oshiete", Buck-Tick's twenty-first album '' No.0'' was released on March 14. They performed on the first night of the special hide 20th Memorial Super Live Spirits event at Tokyo Otaiba Yagai Tokusetsu Stage J Chikuon on April 28, 2018, in memory of
X Japan was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...
's guitarist, hide. On December 9, 2018, Sakurai was visibly unwell during Buck Tick's concert at Zepp Divercity, but he insisted on finishing the performance. After the concert, he was diagnosed with
gastrointestinal bleeding Gastrointestinal bleeding (GI bleed), also called gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIB), is all forms of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the rectum. When there is significant blood loss over a short time, symptoms may incl ...
and subsequent shows had to be postponed for his treatment. In 2020, Buck-Tick released the single " Datenshi" on January 29. A fan club tour was announced, but postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
. Another new single, "Moonlight Escape", was released on August 26. On July 22, 2020, the band announced their new album, ''Abracadabra'', released on September 21. In September 2021, they released a single titled "
Go-Go BT Train Go-go is a subgenre of funk music with an emphasis on specific rhythmic patterns, and live audience call and response. Go-go was originated by African-American musicians in the Washington, D.C. area during the mid-60s to late-70s. Go-go has lim ...
" and announced a nation-wide tour despite the COVID-19 pandemic.


35th anniversary (2022–present)

In June 2022, the band announced its plans for their 35th debut anniversary. They will release a special concept best-of album titled ''CATALOGUE THE BEST 35th anniv.''. During autumn, the band will play several large-scale concerts at the
Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
to celebrate the anniversary.


Music style

Buck-Tick's music has changed and evolved hugely over the course of their career. Their early work is what the Japanese call "positive
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
". It used simple rhythms and chords, with the songs mostly in major keys and using some English words in the lyrics. Starting with 1989's ''
Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
'', they experimented with a darker sound, which grew more mature with ''
Kurutta Taiyou is the sixth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on cassette and CD on February 21, 1991, through Victor Entertainment. The album was digitally remastered and re-released on September 19, 2002, with two bonus track ...
'' in 1991. ''
Darker Than Darkness -Style 93- ''Darker Than Darkness -Style 93-'' is the seventh studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on June 23, 1993, through Victor Entertainment. The album peaked at number two on the Oricon chart, became a certified gold seller ...
'' delved into a harsher
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten a ...
sound which continued all the way up through ''
Mona Lisa Overdrive ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' is a science fiction novel by American-Canadian writer William Gibson, published in 1988. It is the final novel of the cyberpunk Sprawl trilogy, following ''Neuromancer'' and ''Count Zero'', taking place eight years after ...
'' in 2003. More recently, with 2005's ''
Juusankai wa Gekkou is the fourteenth album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on April 5, 2005. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music video for the album's only single, "Romance". It reached number four on the Oricon chart with 28,104 copies sol ...
'', they have deliberately adopted a "
goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
" concept, which they combined with a retro straight rock sound for the albums ''
Tenshi no Revolver is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on September 19, 2007, through BMG Records. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music videos for the singles "Rendezvous" and "Alice in Wonder Underground". ' ...
'' (2007) and ''
Memento Mori ''Memento mori'' (Latin for 'remember that you ave todie' Their next album, 2010's ''
Razzle Dazzle ''Razzle Dazzle'' is a Canadian children's television program produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation between October 2, 1961, and July 1, 1966. The series was initially co-hosted by Alan Hamel and Michele Finney who were later replac ...
'', then incorporated many instances of
dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco ...
.


Influence

Some elements that persist throughout their music are resounding, jangling guitar chords, throbbing, prominent bass lines, harsh roars of electronically distorted noise, and ambivalent melodies that wander between major and minor keys, as well as Sakurai's distinctive rich
baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
voice. ''Jrockrevolution'' described the band's style as having gone "from the bubbly sounds of pop to the buzz of electronic cyberpunk to lustful velvety goth to the smooth style of hard rock and back again". Sakurai, who is the main lyricist of the band, is famous for the erotic decadence of his lyrics (which are now predominantly in Japanese), but he also often addresses
existential Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and value ...
psychological themes. His lyrics is also described as "dance in a daydream about reality". The song " Rakuen (Inori Koinegai)" caused controversy because some of the lyrics were lifted from the
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...
and later the album was re-issued with the offending part removed by November 1995. Imai, the main composer, has written many songs that read like
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
stories, involving
genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...
and
computer hackers A security hacker is someone who explores methods for breaching defenses and exploiting weaknesses in a computer system or network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, such as profit, protest, information gathering, challenge ...
, but more recently has branched out into simple love songs. Buck-Tick was most strongly influenced by Western rock, especially British
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
from the 1970s and 1980s, though they cite a few Japanese influences as well. The influences that the band members collectively name the most often are Love & Rockets, Robert Smith, and
Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 200 ...
(the band admitted to going together to see Peter Murphy live.) They also mention the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
and
XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...
. Imai was especially influenced by Love & Rockets, and this is very evident on Buck-Tick's album ''Kurutta Taiyou''. He was also influenced by
Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO for short) is a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, vocals). The group is conside ...
,
Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the ...
,
Ultravox Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
and other new wave and
electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...
acts, and the punk band
The Stalin were a Japanese punk rock band formed in June 1980, by leader and vocalist Michiro Endo. After numerous member changes, he disbanded the group in February 1985. In May 1987 Michiro formed a group called Video Stalin, which mostly made vid ...
. Sakurai was hugely influenced by
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, and he even played a cover of Bowie's song "Space Oddity" at his solo live in 2004. He is also influenced by post-punk/first wave
goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
acts such as
The Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is an English rock band, formed in 1980 in Leeds. After achieving early underground fame there, the band had their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasin ...
,
Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...
,
Clan of Xymox Clan of Xymox, also known as simply Xymox, are a Dutch rock band from Nijmegen formed in 1981 best known as pioneers of darkwave music. Clan of Xymox featured a trio of singers and songwriters – Ronny Moorings, Anka Wolbert, and Pieter Noot ...
, and
Der Zibet Der Zibet is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1984, which made its debut in 1985. They went on an indefinite hiatus in 1996, but resumed activities in 2007. History Der Zibet was formed in 1984 by vocalist Issay and bassist Hal, wh ...
and
Masami Tsuchiya is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician, coming to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and guitarist in the group Ippu-Do. His subsequent output includes solo work and collaborations. Tsuchiya's career in music started with ...
. He claims to love "dark" music in general. Hoshino and Yagami love
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. Yagami is also a fan of
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
and other classic metal/punk acts like
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
and
The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
.''Hyp No. 3'' Buck-Tick ''Special Issue'', Hideaki Utsumi, Fool’s Mate Inc. 1990. Regarded as one of the founders of
visual kei is a movement among Japanese musicians that is characterized by the use of varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics, similar to Western glam rock. Som ...
, Buck-Tick have influenced as many bands and musicians as they have been influenced by.
Kiyoharu , better known by his stage name . is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter, known for his work with Kuroyume and Sads. In 2003, he began his solo career, performing as both a singer and guitarist. Music career Independent career and K ...
(
Kuroyume is a Japanese rock band formed in Nagoya in May 1991, initially with the vocalist Kiyoharu, bassist Hitoki and guitarist Shin. The group had a definite influence on the visual kei scene, being credited as inspiration to many bands of the late 1 ...
, Sads) interviewed Sakurai twice on his personal radio show in conjunction with Buck-Tick's anniversary festival and declared Sakurai to be "so hot" and "a wonderful person"."BayFM UpSound Radio (hosted by Kiyoharu)" interview with Atsushi Sakurai, August 31st 2007 broadcast
''English translation available here''
"BayFM UpSound Radio (hosted by Kiyoharu)" interview with Atsushi Sakurai, September 7th 2007 broadcast

Takanori Nishikawa is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, voice artist, radio personality, and businessman. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for , stemming from the famous '80s pop electronic band TM ...
(
Abingdon Boys School Abingdon Boys School (stylized as abingdon boys school) is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005 and fronted by Japanese singer Takanori Nishikawa. Formed in 2005, the band shares a name with the British independent school Abingdon School, in Abi ...
) is another open fan of Buck-Tick, and interviewed the entire band on the TV program ''Pop Jam''.''PopJam PJ Live Gold'' Interview with Buck-Tick by Takanori Nishikawa, aired April 1st, 2005 on NHK television.
Dir en grey Dir En Grey (stylized as DIR EN GREY and previously as Dir en grey) is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in February 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. With a consistent lineup of guitarists Kaoru and Die, ...
vocalist Kyo was inspired to become a rock star after seeing a picture of Sakurai on the desk of a junior high school classmate. Likewise, his bandmate
Die Die, as a verb, refers to death, the cessation of life. Die may also refer to: Games * Die, singular of dice, small throwable objects used for producing random numbers Manufacturing * Die (integrated circuit), a rectangular piece of a semicondu ...
became interested in rock music in junior high after hearing ''Aku no Hana''. D vocalist Asagi listed Buck-Tick as one of their biggest influences. His bandmate Tsunehito named Buck-Tick as one of his two favorite Japanese bands.
Nagoya kei is a subgenre of the Japanese visual kei movement that developed in the early 1990s music scene of Nagoya, Japan. The term actually developed before visual kei was coined, and gradually died out as the latter gained more popularity. Often consi ...
band
Deadman Deadman or Deadman's may refer to: * "Deadman" or "dead man", are alternative terms for a dead man's switch * "Deadman's foot" is another name for a Salamander in metallurgy * "Deadman anchor" is a buried object (log, concrete, block, etc.) used ...
cited Buck-Tick as an inspiration. Well-known visual kei rock musicians Tatsurou (
Mucc is a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1997. The classic line up of Tatsuro on vocals, Miya on guitar, Yukke on bass, and Satochi on drums was solidified in 1999 following the departure of original bassist Hiro. Af ...
), Yuu ( Merry), Aie (Deadman), Lay (Fatima) and Tsuyoshi (Karimero) formed a Buck-Tick cover band called Bluck-Tlick in 2001.


Band members

;Current members * –
lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
,
tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though ...
(1985–present), drums (1983–1985) * –
lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
,
backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...
,
theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named afte ...
, occasional lead vocals (1983–present) * –
rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
, backing vocals,
keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
(1983–present) * – bass (1983–present) * –
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
(1985–present) ;Former members * – lead vocals (1983–1985)


Discography

* ''
Hurry Up Mode ''Hurry Up Mode'' is the debut studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on both vinyl and CD on April 4, 1987 through Taiyo Records with the catalog number LEO 009. The CD version merges "Prologue" into "Plastic Syndrome ...
'' (1987) * ''
Sexual XXXXX! ''Sexual XXXXX!'' is the second studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was the group's major label debut and was released on vinyl, cassette and CD on November 21, 1987 through on Victor Entertainment. The album was digitally rema ...
'' (1987) * '' Seventh Heaven'' (1988) * ''
Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
'' (1989) * ''
Aku no Hana is the fifth studio album by the Japanese Rock music, rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on cassette and CD on February 1, 1990, through Victor Entertainment. It peaked at number one on the Oricon charts and is the group's best-selling album ...
'' (1990) * ''
Kurutta Taiyou is the sixth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on cassette and CD on February 21, 1991, through Victor Entertainment. The album was digitally remastered and re-released on September 19, 2002, with two bonus track ...
'' (1991) * ''
Darker Than Darkness -Style 93- ''Darker Than Darkness -Style 93-'' is the seventh studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on June 23, 1993, through Victor Entertainment. The album peaked at number two on the Oricon chart, became a certified gold seller ...
'' (1993) * ''
Six/Nine ''Six/Nine'' is the eighth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released in a clear purple case on May 15, 1995, through Victor Entertainment. It peaked at number one on the Oricon chart. It was certified gold in the sa ...
'' (1995) * ''
Cosmos The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...
'' (1996) * '' Sexy Stream Liner'' (1997) * '' One Life, One Death'' (2000) * '' Kyokutou I Love You'' (2002) * ''
Mona Lisa Overdrive ''Mona Lisa Overdrive'' is a science fiction novel by American-Canadian writer William Gibson, published in 1988. It is the final novel of the cyberpunk Sprawl trilogy, following ''Neuromancer'' and ''Count Zero'', taking place eight years after ...
'' (2003) * ''
Juusankai wa Gekkou is the fourteenth album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on April 5, 2005. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music video for the album's only single, "Romance". It reached number four on the Oricon chart with 28,104 copies sol ...
'' (2005) * ''
Tenshi no Revolver is the fifteenth studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. It was released on September 19, 2007, through BMG Records. The limited edition came with a DVD of the music videos for the singles "Rendezvous" and "Alice in Wonder Underground". ' ...
'' (2007) * ''
Memento Mori ''Memento mori'' (Latin for 'remember that you ave todie'Razzle Dazzle ''Razzle Dazzle'' is a Canadian children's television program produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation between October 2, 1961, and July 1, 1966. The series was initially co-hosted by Alan Hamel and Michele Finney who were later replac ...
'' (2010) * ''
Yume Miru Uchuu is the 18th studio album by Japanese rock band Buck-Tick, released on September 19, 2012. It is their first on their own record label Lingua Sounda, which was founded the previous year. The album reached the number 14 position on the Oricon cha ...
'' (2012) * '' Arui wa Anarchy'' (2014) * '' Atom Miraiha No.9'' (2016) * '' No.0'' (2018) * ''
Abracadabra ''Abracadabra'' is a magic word, historically used as an incantation on amulets and common today in stage magic. Etymology ''Abracadabra'' is of unknown origin, but according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', its first known occurrence ...
'' (2020)


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Visual kei musical groups Japanese alternative rock groups Japanese gothic rock groups Japanese punk rock groups Musical groups established in 1983 Musical quintets Musical groups from Gunma Prefecture Japanese industrial rock musical groups Sibling musical groups