, better known by his stage name JIRO, is a Japanese musician best known as the bassist of the rock band
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, includ ...
. He is also the bassist in the sideband
The Predators.
Biography
History
Jiro grew up the only son out of four children, his father a carpenter. Jiro used to be a guitarist in his first bands, and only picked up the bass when he joined the indie band "Pierrot" in Hakodate (different from the well-known band of the same name). Jiro first became familiar with
Takuro and the rest of GLAY as they attended another high school in the same town, and were mutually involved in the local indie scene. In 1992, Pierrot moved to Tokyo to expand their career, but disbanded shortly after. He states that during this time he owned nothing other than what he had carried in his backpack when traveling from Hakodate, and had walked part of the journey to save money. Jiro worked in construction in Tokyo before being invited by Takuro to join Glay. At first he declined due to his doubts about a stable career in music but as Takuro insisted, he agreed to play one concert with them. He ended up staying in the band afterward. When asked his name after one of his early gigs with the band, he was reluctant to reveal his given name which he felt was "uncool" and spontaneously chose the pseudonym "Jiro" which he continued to use as a stage name and nickname from that point onward.
[「キャラメルブックス」 Jiro autobiography]
Jiro is considered the baby-faced in the group and was a favorite among teenage girls. Together with his bandmate
Hisashi
Hisashi is a masculine Japanese given name. Its meaning differs depending on the kanji used to write it.
Kanji
Single kanji used to write the name Hisashi include:
*: "long time"
*: "eternal"
*: "still"
*: "standard"
*: "complete"
*: "long"
*: "li ...
, the two are particularly known for their
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 ...
looks and on-stage theatrics, however, in recent years the pair have toned down their image, sporting more contemporary clothing and hairstyles. Jiro appeared on the covers of magazines such as ''Pati-Pati'' and was an early spokesmodel for
Sony's Aibo. He wrote a regular column "Caramel Box" for the magazine ''What's In'' and continues to host a radio show called "Buggy Crash Night" on
Funky802 FM.
Personal life
He was on relationship in 1989
He married in the year 2000 to a woman named Reiko, a former editor of the music magazine ''What's In''.
Songs by Jiro
For Glay
*Shutter Speeds no Tema, from 1996 album ''BELOVED''(music by Jiro, lyrics by
Takuro).
*Kanariya, from BELOVED (music by Jiro, lyrics by Takuro).
*Biribiri Crashman, from 1998 album ''pure soul''(music by Jiro, lyrics by Takuro).
*Good bye bye Sunday, from 2000 single ''Tomadoi/Special Thanks''(music and lyrics by Jiro).
*TIME, from 2000 single ''Missing You''(music e lyrics).
*Highway #5, from 2001 album ''ONE LOVE''(music and lyrics).
*Mister Popcorn, from album ''ONE LOVE''(music and lyrics).
*NEVERLAND, from 2002 album "UNITY ROOTS & FAMILY, away" (music by Jiro, lyrics by Takuro).
*BUGS IN MY HEAD, from 2004 album ''THE FRUSTRATED'' (music and lyrics).
*AMERICAN INNOVATION, from 2007 ''LOVE IS BEAUTIFUL''(music by Jiro, lyrics by Takuro).
For The Predators
*Dizzy Life, from 2005 album ''Hunting!'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by
Sawao Yamanaka
are a Japanese alternative rock band formed in 1989. The group has released 22 studio albums, several EPs and compilations, and over 40 singles. Outside Japan, they are best known as the group responsible for the soundtrack to the '' FLCL'' ani ...
).
*Sleepy Dragon, from 2005 album ''Hunting!'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
*Lizard Man, from 2005 album ''Hunting!'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
*Rock'n'Roll Lay Down, from 2008 album ''Kiba wo Misero'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
*Shoot the Moon, from 2008 album ''Kiba wo Misero'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
*Island, from 2008 album ''Kiba wo Misero'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
*Wild Tiger, from 2008 album ''Kiba wo Misero'' (music by Jiro, lyrics by Sawao Yamanaka).
References
External links
Buggy Crash Night official website- Jiro's radio show on
FM802
(call sign JOFV-FM) is a commercial radio station based at Daiwa Building in Tenjimbashi Nichome, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, broadcasting on 80.2 FM from Mount Iimori to Kansai region. As a latecomer to the radio broadcasting market, it was a fo ...
Glay official websiteTHE PREDATORS' official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jiro
Japanese rock bass guitarists
Visual kei musicians
Glay members
People from Hakodate
1972 births
Living people
Musicians from Hokkaido
21st-century bass guitarists