Number Girl
Encyclopedia
was a rock band formed in Fukuoka
, Japan
in August, 1995 by guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. They disbanded in 2002 following bassist Nakao Kentarou's departure from the band.
Number Girl played fast, guitar-driven rock similar to the Pixies, Sonic Youth
, and Hüsker Dü
. Over the course of seven years their sound evolved greatly, serving as a basis for Mukai's post-Number Girl project, Zazen Boys
.
The original incarnation of Number Girl was unsuccessful, and the collaborating musicians quickly left the group. Mukai invited bassist Nakao Kentarou, who in turn invited guitarist Tabuchi Hisako, whom Nakao knew from his former job operating lighting at the Vivre Hall venue. Mukai convinced a fellow Fukuoka scene musician Inazawa Ahito to play drums, finalizing Number Girl's lineup. The band self-released two demos, "Atari Shock" and "Omoide In My Head", and was also featured on several compilations. Number Girl released their first full-length studio album, School Girl Bye Bye
in November 1997 on independent label Automatic Kiss, and released their first single, Drunken Hearted, several months later.
area of Tokyo
. Gaining a higher profile in Japan's indie rock scene, the band quickly attracted major label attention, and signed with Toshiba EMI. In May 1999, their major debut single, 透明少女 (Toumei Shoujo) was released with their major debut,School Girl Distortional Addict
, released the following July. Number Girl quickly gained popularity throughout Japan, playing shows with other high-profile indie acts such as Bloodthirsty Butchers
and Eastern Youth
. In fall of 1999, Number Girl released the single Destruction Baby, produced by Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, as well as a live album, シブヤROCKTRANSFORMED状態 (Shibuya ROCKTRANSFORMED Joutai).
In 2000 the band again entered the studio with producer Dave Fridmann
and released their third full-length studio album, Sappukei
. Fridmann's production helped the band to reach their full potential, and Sappukei served to combine Number Girl's aggressive rock with traditional Japanese sounds. During this time, they embarked on a brief US tour with Polysics
, playing in small clubs through several cities.
After a year of touring, the band again enlisted Dave Fridmann to produce what would become their final studio album, Num-Heavymetallic. Num-Heavymetallic took elements of their previous sound and combined it with Mukai's newly found experimentation. Unusual rhythms, effects-laden guitar lines, and a vocal style which alternated between punk-inspired grit and spoken word, would eventually be incorporated into Mukai's subsequent band, Zazen Boys
.
Following the demise of Number Girl, the members each went on to other projects. Nakao played support for Spiral Chord before joining Sloth Love Chunks. Guitarist Tabuchi Hisako became a member of Bloodthirsty Butchers
and also formed her own band, Toddle. Mukai continued performing as both a solo artist with his "Mukai Shutoku Acoustic & Electric" shows and formed a new band, Zazen Boys
, alongside drummer Ahito Inazawa. In 2005, Inazawa left Zazen Boys to form post-punk revival
band Vola and the Oriental Machine
.
Toshiba EMI released several posthumous Number Girl recordings under the title "Omoide In My Head," consisting of a best-and-b-sides collection, two comprehensive live volumes, a three DVD set consisting of the band's two earlier live albums, and a rare tracks collection.
ategory:Japanese rock music goups]
Category:Japanese indie rock groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1995
ja:ナンバーガール
khar madar sag jende khar kose
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan
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...
in August, 1995 by guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. They disbanded in 2002 following bassist Nakao Kentarou's departure from the band.
Number Girl played fast, guitar-driven rock similar to the Pixies, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, and Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
. Over the course of seven years their sound evolved greatly, serving as a basis for Mukai's post-Number Girl project, Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys is a Japanese band formed by former Number Girl guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. Stylistically, their music consists mostly of complex rhythmic songs reminiscent of math rock, as well as extended improvisational songs characterized through live performances.-History:After the...
.
Formation
Number Girl was formed in August 1995, when Mukai Shutoku decided to form a band to play at a local event. A solo artist at the time, Mukai was briefly involved in one band called "Number Five". Learning that his new members were previously in a band called "Cowgirl", he combined the names, and christened his new band "Number Girl".The original incarnation of Number Girl was unsuccessful, and the collaborating musicians quickly left the group. Mukai invited bassist Nakao Kentarou, who in turn invited guitarist Tabuchi Hisako, whom Nakao knew from his former job operating lighting at the Vivre Hall venue. Mukai convinced a fellow Fukuoka scene musician Inazawa Ahito to play drums, finalizing Number Girl's lineup. The band self-released two demos, "Atari Shock" and "Omoide In My Head", and was also featured on several compilations. Number Girl released their first full-length studio album, School Girl Bye Bye
School Girl Bye Bye
School Girl Bye Bye is the first album to be released by the indie band "Number Girl".- Track listing :# Omoide In My Head# Ooatari no Kisetsu# Sentimental Kajou# September Girlfriend# Iggy Pop Fan Club# Mizuiro Kakumei# Nagisa Nite...
in November 1997 on independent label Automatic Kiss, and released their first single, Drunken Hearted, several months later.
Major Label Debut
In 1998, the band began playing shows in the ShimokitazawaShimokitazawa
is a neighborhood in Setagaya, Tokyo. It consists of the neighborhood immediately surrounding Shimo-Kitazawa Station, where the Odakyū and Keiō Inokashira Lines intersect. Also known as "Shimokita", the district is a center for stage theater and live music venues. It is home to the historic Honda...
area of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Gaining a higher profile in Japan's indie rock scene, the band quickly attracted major label attention, and signed with Toshiba EMI. In May 1999, their major debut single, 透明少女 (Toumei Shoujo) was released with their major debut,School Girl Distortional Addict
School Girl Distortional Addict
School Girl Distortional Addict is the second studio album released by the Japanese indie band, NUMBER GIRL.- Track listing :# Touch# Pixie Du# Hadashi no Kisetsu# Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing# Sakura no Dance# Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo...
, released the following July. Number Girl quickly gained popularity throughout Japan, playing shows with other high-profile indie acts such as Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers are a long-running indie rock and punk rock band from Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Although little-known in the West, they have contributed to two compilations on the Olympia, Washington based Yoyo label. The band has also released a split single with Rocket from the Crypt and a...
and Eastern Youth
Eastern Youth
Eastern Youth is a Japanese indie rock trio. Despite being primarily punk rock-influenced, their sound blends many different styles, and is especially complex for a three-piece band. Their lyrics express the helplessness of Japanese youths...
. In fall of 1999, Number Girl released the single Destruction Baby, produced by Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, as well as a live album, シブヤROCKTRANSFORMED状態 (Shibuya ROCKTRANSFORMED Joutai).
In 2000 the band again entered the studio with producer Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann
Dave Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. From 1990 onwards he co-produced all releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips...
and released their third full-length studio album, Sappukei
SAPPUKEI
SAPPUKEI is a 2000 released album by the Japanese band, NUMBER GIRL. This album was produced by Dave Fridmann who is known for producing bands such as The Flaming Lips and frontman, Mukai Shutoku's, subsequent band, Zazen Boys...
. Fridmann's production helped the band to reach their full potential, and Sappukei served to combine Number Girl's aggressive rock with traditional Japanese sounds. During this time, they embarked on a brief US tour with Polysics
Polysics
is a Japanese new wave and rock 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 Tokyo...
, playing in small clubs through several cities.
After a year of touring, the band again enlisted Dave Fridmann to produce what would become their final studio album, Num-Heavymetallic. Num-Heavymetallic took elements of their previous sound and combined it with Mukai's newly found experimentation. Unusual rhythms, effects-laden guitar lines, and a vocal style which alternated between punk-inspired grit and spoken word, would eventually be incorporated into Mukai's subsequent band, Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys is a Japanese band formed by former Number Girl guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. Stylistically, their music consists mostly of complex rhythmic songs reminiscent of math rock, as well as extended improvisational songs characterized through live performances.-History:After the...
.
Disbanding
The band then set out on their largest tour ever, playing over thirty dates, to support Num-Heavymetallic. However, on September 20, 2002, the band shocked fans by announcing their dissolution. The reason behind the band's demise is not entirely clear, although it is widely known that bassist Kentarou decided to leave the band. The other members decided that the band was a specific group, and opted to disband rather than replace Nakao. Number Girl played their final show on November 11, 2002 in Sapporo. The recording of the performance would later be released as Sapporo OMOIDE IN MY HEAD Joutai (サッポロOMOIDE IN MY HEAD状態).Following the demise of Number Girl, the members each went on to other projects. Nakao played support for Spiral Chord before joining Sloth Love Chunks. Guitarist Tabuchi Hisako became a member of Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers
Bloodthirsty Butchers are a long-running indie rock and punk rock band from Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Although little-known in the West, they have contributed to two compilations on the Olympia, Washington based Yoyo label. The band has also released a split single with Rocket from the Crypt and a...
and also formed her own band, Toddle. Mukai continued performing as both a solo artist with his "Mukai Shutoku Acoustic & Electric" shows and formed a new band, Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys is a Japanese band formed by former Number Girl guitarist and vocalist Mukai Shutoku. Stylistically, their music consists mostly of complex rhythmic songs reminiscent of math rock, as well as extended improvisational songs characterized through live performances.-History:After the...
, alongside drummer Ahito Inazawa. In 2005, Inazawa left Zazen Boys to form post-punk revival
Post-punk revival
The post-punk revival was a development in alternative rock of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in which bands took inspiration from the original sounds and aesthetics of garage rock of the 1960s and post-punk and New Wave of the late 1970s...
band Vola and the Oriental Machine
Vola and the Oriental Machine
Vola and the Oriental Machine is a four-member Japanese rock band formed by ex-Number Girl and Zazen Boys drummer Ahito Inazawa in 2005. The group is named after the soccer team Vola F.C...
.
Toshiba EMI released several posthumous Number Girl recordings under the title "Omoide In My Head," consisting of a best-and-b-sides collection, two comprehensive live volumes, a three DVD set consisting of the band's two earlier live albums, and a rare tracks collection.
Members
- Shutoku Mukai (向井秀徳 October 26, 1973 -) Guitar, Vocals
- Hisako Tabuchi (田渕ひさ子 December 9, 1975 -) Guitar
- Kentaro Nakao (中尾憲太郎 June 17, 1974 -) Bass
- Ahito Inazawa (アヒト・イナザワ June 6, 1973 -) Drums
Singles
- Toumei Shoujo (透明少女, May 26, 1999)
- DESTRUCTION BABY (September 26, 1999)
- URBAN GUITAR SAYONARA (May 31, 2000)
- Teppu Surudoku Natte (鉄風 鋭くなって, November 29, 2000)
- NUM-AMI-DABUTZ (March 30, 2002)
- I Don't Know (April 8, 2002)
Albums
- School Girl Bye ByeSchool Girl Bye ByeSchool Girl Bye Bye is the first album to be released by the indie band "Number Girl".- Track listing :# Omoide In My Head# Ooatari no Kisetsu# Sentimental Kajou# September Girlfriend# Iggy Pop Fan Club# Mizuiro Kakumei# Nagisa Nite...
(January 20, 1999) - School Girl Distortional AddictSchool Girl Distortional AddictSchool Girl Distortional Addict is the second studio album released by the Japanese indie band, NUMBER GIRL.- Track listing :# Touch# Pixie Du# Hadashi no Kisetsu# Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing# Sakura no Dance# Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo...
(July 23, 1999) - Shibuya ROCKTRANSFORMED JoutaiShibuya ROCKTRANSFORMED Joutai- Tracks :# EIGHT BEATER# Iggy Pop Fan Club# タッチ # 桜のダンス # YOUNG GIRL SEVENTEEN SEXUALLY KNOWING# 透明少女 # 狂って候 # DESTRUCTION BABY# 日常に生きる少女 # 我起立一個人...
(シブヤROCK TRANSFORMED状態, December 16, 1999) - SAPPUKEISAPPUKEISAPPUKEI is a 2000 released album by the Japanese band, NUMBER GIRL. This album was produced by Dave Fridmann who is known for producing bands such as The Flaming Lips and frontman, Mukai Shutoku's, subsequent band, Zazen Boys...
(July 19, 2000) - NUM-HEAVYMETALLIC (April 26, 2002)
- Sapporo OMOIDE IN MY HEAD Joutai (サッポロOMOIDE IN MY HEAD状態, January 29, 2003)
- Omoide In My Head 1: Best & B-Sides (March 2, 2005)
- Omoide In My Head 2: Kiroku Series 1 (記録シリーズ１, June 22, 2005)
- Omoide In My Head 2: Kiroku Series 2 (記録シリーズ２, June 22, 2005)
- Omoide In My Head 4: Maruchin NG & Rare Tracks (December 14, 2005)
DVD
- Sawayakana Ensou (騒やかな演奏, October 29, 2003) (Re-released version)
- Number Girl Eizoshuu (NUMBERGIRL映像集, April 26, 2003)
- Omoide In My Head 3: Kiroku Eizou (記録映像)
External links
- Number Girl official site
- Mukai Shutoku website
- Keikaku.net Number Girl profile
- Lyrics translated into English
ategory:Japanese rock music goups]
Category:Japanese indie rock groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1995
ja:ナンバーガール
khar madar sag jende khar kose