Gerard (band)
Encyclopedia
Gerard is a Japan
ese progressive rock
band.
The current members are :
Toshio Egawa. After being a member of Rumble in 1976, Fromage in 1976, Scheherazade from 1976, which became Novela in 1979 after a line-up change, he founded Gerard in 1983 with Yukihuro Fujimura
(vocals and guitar), Masaki Tanimoto (drums), and Yasumasa Uotani (bass). The band made several gigs before recording their first album in spring 1984.
The band released a second album in 1985, then, in 1986, their label King Records no longer supported progressive music, and the band dissolved. Toshio Egawa joined the hard rock band Earthshaker
.
In 1990, Toshio Egawa reformed Gerard with Yukihuro Fujimura, Toshimi Nagai (bass) and Kota Igarashi (drums) for the album Irony of Fate.
After musical divergences with Yukihuro Fujimura, Toshio Egawa released, under the name "Tohio Egawa's GERARD", a solo album called Save Night by the Knight, with Toshimi Nagai, Kota Igarashi and Taku Sawamura (guitar).
After Earthshaker definitely disbanded, Toshio Egawa decided to reform Gerard in late 1994. He recruited Masuhiro Goto (drums), Atsushi Hasegawa (bass), both musicians from the metal scene, and Robin Suchy (vocal). They released The Pendulum in 1996 and Pandora's Box in 1997, before Robin Suchy's departure. The band released the following albums as a trio, the vocal parts being sung by Masuhiro Goto and guest musicians.
In 2003 and 2004, Atsushi Hasegawa joined progressive keyboardist and video game composer Motoi Sakuraba
for two concerts, as well as performing on music for the Director's Cut of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
.
In 2004, after the release of Power of Infinity, Masuhiro Goto left the band to join Ars Nova
; he was replaced by Kenichi Fujimoto.
Since 2006, Atsushi Hasegawa and Kenichi Fujimoto have performed with the band Sound Horizon
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band.
The current members are :
- Toshio Egawa : keyboards
- Kenichi Fujimoto (Ken☆Ken) : drums
- Atsushi Hasegawa : bass
Biography
Gerard is led by the keyboardistKeyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Toshio Egawa. After being a member of Rumble in 1976, Fromage in 1976, Scheherazade from 1976, which became Novela in 1979 after a line-up change, he founded Gerard in 1983 with Yukihuro Fujimura
Chachamaru (musician)
, is a Japanese guitarist, singer-songwriter, arranger and producer. Usually referred to by his stage name "Chachamaru", little is known about his early years and personal life...
(vocals and guitar), Masaki Tanimoto (drums), and Yasumasa Uotani (bass). The band made several gigs before recording their first album in spring 1984.
The band released a second album in 1985, then, in 1986, their label King Records no longer supported progressive music, and the band dissolved. Toshio Egawa joined the hard rock band Earthshaker
Earthshaker (band)
is a Japanese heavy metal band that was formed in 1978 in Osaka. Their earlier music was very similar in style to countrymen Loudness and Anthem, but the band steered toward a poppier sound on later albums and dropped from worldwide view, preferring to record and tour in their home country...
.
In 1990, Toshio Egawa reformed Gerard with Yukihuro Fujimura, Toshimi Nagai (bass) and Kota Igarashi (drums) for the album Irony of Fate.
After musical divergences with Yukihuro Fujimura, Toshio Egawa released, under the name "Tohio Egawa's GERARD", a solo album called Save Night by the Knight, with Toshimi Nagai, Kota Igarashi and Taku Sawamura (guitar).
After Earthshaker definitely disbanded, Toshio Egawa decided to reform Gerard in late 1994. He recruited Masuhiro Goto (drums), Atsushi Hasegawa (bass), both musicians from the metal scene, and Robin Suchy (vocal). They released The Pendulum in 1996 and Pandora's Box in 1997, before Robin Suchy's departure. The band released the following albums as a trio, the vocal parts being sung by Masuhiro Goto and guest musicians.
In 2003 and 2004, Atsushi Hasegawa joined progressive keyboardist and video game composer Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
for two concerts, as well as performing on music for the Director's Cut of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
is the third main game in the Star Ocean series. The game was developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 console. It was released in Japan, North America, and the PAL territories. The original Japanese release date was in February of 2003 by Enix, its penultimate...
.
In 2004, after the release of Power of Infinity, Masuhiro Goto left the band to join Ars Nova
Ars Nova (rock)
Ars Nova is a Japanese progressive rock band. The current members are Keiko Kumagai , Shinko "Panky" Shibata , Hazime and Satoshi Handa ....
; he was replaced by Kenichi Fujimoto.
Since 2006, Atsushi Hasegawa and Kenichi Fujimoto have performed with the band Sound Horizon
Sound Horizon
Sound Horizon, abbreviated by fans as Sanhora , is a Japanese musical group with composer Revo as the leader. They call themselves the "fantasy band" and have released their works that closely resemble suites.-History:...
.
Discography
- 1984 : Gerard
- 1985 : Empty Lie, Empty Dream
- 1991 : Irony of Fate
- 1994 : Save Knight By The Night
- 1996 : The Pendulum
- 1997 : Pandora's Box
- 1997 : Evidence Of True Love
- 1998 : Meridian
- 1999 : Live in Marseille
- 2000 : The Ruins Of A Glass Fortress
- 2002 : Sighs of the Water
- 2004 : The Power Of Infinity
- 2010 : Ring Of Eternity