Show Ya
Encyclopedia
is a female heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

/hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band from 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...

, founded in 1982. The band disbanded in 1998, years after original singer Keiko Terada
Keiko Terada
is a Japanese rock singer. She was the lead singer of the Japanese female heavy metal band Show-Ya from 1982 to 1991, before going solo.Terada's trademark was a fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast...

 had left, and reformed in 2005 for the 20th anniversary of their first release. The music of Show-Ya is deeply rooted in classic rock and in their albums and live shows they have covered songs from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...

, The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...

, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

 and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

. Their music evolved from the pop rock of their first offerings to the heavy metal of their most successful albums Outerlimits
Outerlimits
Outerlimits is the seventh album of the Japanese female hard rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September 1989, in Japan. The album was mixed at the famous Cherokee Studios in California and was arranged by Masanori Sasaji and Show-Ya. Lyricist Yoshihiko Andō wrote most of the lyrics...

and Hard Way
Hard Way
Hard Way is the eighth album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was recorded in Los Angeles, USA and produced by Beau Hill and by Kip Winger's brother Paul. It was released on 24 October 1990 and reached position #4 in Japan . All the lyrics were written by Yoshihiko Andō. This time...

. Show-Ya are still active today in Japan.

Biography

The first nucleus of Show-Ya was formed in 1982 by Keiko Terada
Keiko Terada
is a Japanese rock singer. She was the lead singer of the Japanese female heavy metal band Show-Ya from 1982 to 1991, before going solo.Terada's trademark was a fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast...

 and Miki Nakamura, who had been playing together for a year, in order to enter the East West Grand Prix musical contest organized and sponsored by Yamaha. The new band won the contest for best female group, which resulted in a record contract with Toshiba EMI. In the following two years, Miki Igarashi replaced the original guitarist Mitsuko Numata and the line-up was completed by Miki Tsunoda on drums and Satomi Senba on bass.
Nakamura, Igarashi and Tsunoda adopted the stage names of “Captain”, “Sun-Go” and “Mittan” to avoid confusion with the first name Miki, which they have in common. In this period they wrote material for their debut album Masquerade Show
Masquerade Show
Masquerade Show is the debut album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September 1985 in Japan. Its release was preceded by the pop single "Suteki ni Dancing" Masquerade Show is the debut album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September...

, which was recorded in Japan and mixed at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...

 in London. The album was promoted by the Coca Cola Company, which used their debut single "Suteki Ni Dancing (Coke Is It)" for a TV and radio commercial and a campaign. While in London, the band had the opportunity to play in front of a foreign audience at Dingwalls
Dingwalls
Dingwalls is a venue adjacent to Camden Lock in London, England. It houses bars, cafes, clubs . The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings that were put to new use in the 20th century. The original owner of the building, T.E...

 and at the legendary rock club The Marquee. After the successful release of their first album, the band returned to Abbey Road Studios to mix their second album Queendom the following year.

The interest of the Japanese press and the ever increasing presence of the band on TV shows led soon to a more professional and organized approach to the music business. With their fourth album Trade Last
Trade Last
Trade Last is the fourth album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 4 February 1987 in Japan. All the lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto and half of the music by Tsutsumi Kyohei...

, Show-Ya ceded musical direction to the expert Yasushi Akimoto
Yasushi Akimoto
is a Japanese television writer, lyricist, record producer, professor and vice president at Kyoto University of Art and Design. He also created some of Japan's top idol groups, Onyanko Club and the AKB48 franchise.- Career :...

, famous for being the man behind the success of the Japanese Idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...

 all-female band Onyanko Club
Onyanko Club
was a large all-girl Japanese pop idol group in the 1980s. The group gave a new approach to the idol formula with its 52 official members and three unofficial members...

. The Japanese Idol phenomenon touched the band only marginally, but Akimoto’s management gave Show-Ya the chance to play in front of larger audiences in their “Date Line” national tour. Their performance at Nakano Sun Plaza
Nakano Sun Plaza
is a hotel in Nakano, Tokyo. The hotel includes a concert hall, the Nakano Sun Plaza Hall.- Nakano Sun Plaza Hall :Built in 1973, this concert hall seats 2,222 people and attracts performers from around the world...

 in Tokyo was recorded for their first VHS.

In 1987, the band was approached by producer Andy Johns
Andy Johns
Andy Johns is an engineer and producer who worked on well-known rock albums such as Led Zeppelin's IV and The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street. His sound is exemplified by Free's album Highway, which he engineered and produced....

, who had worked with the likes of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

, Rolling Stones and Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...

. He was responsible for the mixing of the albums Immigration and Glamour in Los Angeles, USA. The explosion of the hair metal phenomenon in California influenced both the style and the sound of the band’s following albums. Songs taken from the “Immigration Tour” and the “Tour of the Immigrant” were recorded for the band’s first live album Turn Over
Turn Over
Turn Over is the first live album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. It is a collection of live songs recorded during concerts from the "Date Line Tour" and "Immigration Tour" in 1987, and from the "Tour of the Immigrant" in 1988. The album reached position No...

.

In September 1987, Show-Ya organized, produced and presented the first Naon no Yaon rock festival, featuring strictly all-female Japanese musicians and bands. The festival has been held regularly until 1999 and then again in 2008 and 2009, with Show-Ya’s production.

On 27 April 1988, Show-Ya performed their first live show on American soil, at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. The name of Show-Ya was soon associated by the specialized press with other pre-eminent female acts of the time, such as Vixen
Vixen (band)
Vixen is an all-female American hard rock band which achieved some commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s as part of the Los Angeles, California glam metal scene.-Early years:...

 and Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...

.

In 1989 they recorded Outerlimits
Outerlimits
Outerlimits is the seventh album of the Japanese female hard rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September 1989, in Japan. The album was mixed at the famous Cherokee Studios in California and was arranged by Masanori Sasaji and Show-Ya. Lyricist Yoshihiko Andō wrote most of the lyrics...

, which reached position No. 3 in the Japanese chart becoming the band's best selling album, with sales exceeding 600,000 copies. The hit single "Genkai Lovers" was used for a Shell campaign and became their best known song. Their live shows went sold out in large theatres all over Japan, filling up even the prestigious Budokan in Tokyo. An international tour touched cities like London, Moscow, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

At the beginning of 1990, the band’s eighth album Hard Way
Hard Way
Hard Way is the eighth album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was recorded in Los Angeles, USA and produced by Beau Hill and by Kip Winger's brother Paul. It was released on 24 October 1990 and reached position #4 in Japan . All the lyrics were written by Yoshihiko Andō. This time...

was produced and recorded in Los Angeles by Beau Hill
Beau Hill
Beau Hill is an American record producer who is best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Kix, Winger, Streets, Warrant, Fiona, Europe and Ratt....

 (Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...

, Winger, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, Ratt
Ratt
Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s. The band is best known for songs such as "Round and Round," "Wanted Man," "Lay It Down," "You're in Love", "Slip of the Lip", "Back For More", "Dance", "Body Talk", "I Want a Woman", and "Way Cool Jr." Ratt...

). The band was featured on the cover of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

 in 1990, where they were considered the all-female version of popular Japanese metal bands Vow Wow
Vow Wow
is an influential hard rock band formed in 1975 in Japan.- 1975–1983: Bow Wow :Formed by guitarist and vocalist Kyoji Yamamoto in 1975, with guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito, bassist Kenji Sano and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, Bow Wow soon signed to Victor and released their self-titled debut a year later. In...

 and Loudness
Loudness
Loudness is the quality of a sound that is primarily a psychological correlate of physical strength . More formally, it is defined as "that attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud."Loudness, a subjective measure, is often...

. They had reached the peak of their popularity in their home country but, despite many promotional attempts by their label and management, the band failed to achieve a significant commercial success in the USA.

In February 1991, lead singer Keiko Terada
Keiko Terada
is a Japanese rock singer. She was the lead singer of the Japanese female heavy metal band Show-Ya from 1982 to 1991, before going solo.Terada's trademark was a fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast...

 left the group, considering the musical direction the band was taking too mainstream orientated. Wishing to explore new and more varied musical influences, she started a solo career. After many auditions, the band recruited Japanese-American singer Steffanie Borges
Steffanie Borges
Steffanie Reiko Borges, best known in the years 1970-1980 under her stage name Steffanie is a Japanese American born in 1961, who has worked both as model and singer.-Biography:...

. The new singer could sing and speak in fluent English and Show-Ya hoped that this could help their attempt to break in the US market. In June of the same year, the North Korean government invited the band to perform at the Art Theatre in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

 and the historic two day concerts were heavily covered by the Japanese media. On 4 January 1992, the band performed theme music at the wrestling event Starrcade 1992 in Tokyo Dome, for a match between Sting and The Great Muta
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...

 and The Steiner Brothers
The Steiner Brothers
The Steiner Brothers are the professional wrestling tag team of American brothers Robert "Rick Steiner" Rechsteiner and Scott "Scott Steiner" Rechsteiner...

.

After years of hard work and financial support, at the end of 1992, Master Works Co. solved its management contract with Show-Ya, preferring to continue managing only Keiko Terada. At the same time, the band lost their long engagement with EMI Japan, just after the release of the first single with Steffanie Borges "Flame of the Angels". The band spent some time in Los Angeles, recording and playing shows constantly, and in 1995 they released their only album with Borges, Touch the Sun
Touch The Sun
Touch the Sun is the ninth album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was released on February 21, 1995 only in Japan. It would be their only album with singer Steffanie Borges and the only one sung entirely in English.-Track listing:...

on the Creedence label. At the end of the tour in 1996, Borges left, to be substituted by the singer Yoshino. Show-Ya produced the EP This My Way
This My Way
This My Way is a mini-album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was released on 2 February 1998 in Japan and had limited distribution. It is Show-Ya's only recording with singer Yoshino and their last studio album to date.-Track listing:...

in 1998 and, by the end of the year, the band officially disbanded. Each member parted and went their separated ways, pursuing individual careers and playing with various artists. Igarashi was reunited briefly with Terada in the All Japans’ Women Pro Band, which included also members of Princess Princess
Princess Princess
Princess Princess may refer to:*Princess Princess - Japanese girl rock band*Princess Princess - Anime and manga series*Princess-Princess , a character from the webcomic Sluggy Freelance...

.

Show-Ya officially reunited in 2005, with Keiko Terada back as lead vocalist, in time for their 20th Anniversary shows at NHK Hall
NHK Hall
NHK Hall is a part of the NHK Broadcasting Center, located in Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Address is 2-2-1, Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-8001. This facility has a 3677-seat capacity.* 1955, NHK Hall opened in Tokyo's Uchisaiwai-cho district...

 in Tokyo. The shows were recorded and released on DVD. For the event, EMI Japan reprinted all the band’s back catalogue in remastered CD editions and released an extensive compilation with a few remixed tracks.

The band continues to perform live and has released another DVD in 2007. Show-Ya is also featured on the Naon no Yaon rock festival DVDs from 2008 and 2009.

Current members

  • Keiko Terada
    Keiko Terada
    is a Japanese rock singer. She was the lead singer of the Japanese female heavy metal band Show-Ya from 1982 to 1991, before going solo.Terada's trademark was a fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast...

     - vocals (1982–1991; 2005–present)
  • Miki "Sun-go" Igarashi - guitar (1982–1998; 2005–present)
  • Miki "Captain" Nakamura - keyboards (1982–1998; 2005–present)
  • Satomi Senba - bass (1982–1998; 2005–present)
  • Miki "Mittan" Tsunoda - drums (1982–1998; 2005–present)

Studio albums

  • Masquerade Show
    Masquerade Show
    Masquerade Show is the debut album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September 1985 in Japan. Its release was preceded by the pop single "Suteki ni Dancing" Masquerade Show is the debut album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September...

    (1985)
  • Queendom (1986)
  • Ways
    Ways
    Ways is the third album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 3 September 1986 in Japan. All the songs were arranged by Tadashi Namba & Show Ya.-Overview:...

    (1986)
  • Trade Last
    Trade Last
    Trade Last is the fourth album of the Japanese rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 4 February 1987 in Japan. All the lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto and half of the music by Tsutsumi Kyohei...

    (1987)
  • Immigration (1987)
  • Glamour (1988)
  • Outerlimits
    Outerlimits
    Outerlimits is the seventh album of the Japanese female hard rock group Show-Ya. The album was released on 6 September 1989, in Japan. The album was mixed at the famous Cherokee Studios in California and was arranged by Masanori Sasaji and Show-Ya. Lyricist Yoshihiko Andō wrote most of the lyrics...

    (1989)
  • Hard Way
    Hard Way
    Hard Way is the eighth album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was recorded in Los Angeles, USA and produced by Beau Hill and by Kip Winger's brother Paul. It was released on 24 October 1990 and reached position #4 in Japan . All the lyrics were written by Yoshihiko Andō. This time...

    (1990)
  • Touch the Sun
    Touch The Sun
    Touch the Sun is the ninth album of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The album was released on February 21, 1995 only in Japan. It would be their only album with singer Steffanie Borges and the only one sung entirely in English.-Track listing:...

    (1995)

Compilation albums

  • New Best Now (1987)
  • New Best Now 70 (1988)
  • White (1988)
  • Show-Ya Greatest 1985–1990 (1991)
  • Complete Best: Back Fire
    Complete Best: Back Fire
    Complete Best: Back Fire is a compilation of songs and of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The collection was released in 1992 in Japan...

    (1992)
  • Show-Ya Twin Best (1996)
  • Show-Ya Golden Best (2002)
  • Show-Ya 20th Anniversary The Best
    Show-Ya 20th Anniversary The Best
    Show-Ya 20th Anniversary The Best is a CD and DVD collection of songs and videos of the Japanese hard rock band Show-Ya. The Anniversary collection was released in 2005 in Japan, just after the band's reunion.-CD:#"Genkai Lovers" Show-Ya 20th Anniversary The Best is a CD and DVD collection of songs...

    (2005)

Singles

  • "Suteki ni Dancing (Coke Is It)" / "Au Revoir (Last Scene)" (1985/08/31)
  • "Shidokenaku Emotion" / "You Can Dance" (1986/02/01)
  • "One Way Heart" / "Love Sick" (1986/08/22)
  • "Sono Ato de Koroshitai" / "Yoru ga Kuru Made Nemuretai" (1987/01/22)
  • "Mizu no Naka no Toubousha" / "Fermata" (1987/05/25)
    Theme for the TV Asahi
    TV Asahi
    , also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....

     series Metropolis 25
  • "Kodoku no Meiro (Labyrinth)" / "Uso da to Itte yo, Moon Light" (1987/10/26)
  • "Aisazu ni Irarenai - Still Be Hangin' On" / "Get Down" (1988/06/25)
    Also available with the English version of "Still Be Hangin' On" as B-side
  • "3 Dome no Christmas" / "Go" (1988)
  • "Genkai Lovers" / "What Do You Say?" (1989/02/01)
    Used for a Shell
    Royal Dutch Shell
    Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...

    commercial
  • "Watashi wa Arashi" / "Ai no Frustration" (1989/06/07)
  • "Sakebi" / "Ubaitore" (1990/03/07)
  • "Gambling" / "Naze" (1990/09/05)
  • "Flame of the Angels" / "Don't Say Goodbye" (1992/01/29)

Videography

  • Date Line (1987)
  • Rollin World (1989)
  • 1990 Budokan - Reach for the World (1990)
  • Distance on Their Way (1991)
  • Hard Way Tour 1991 (1991)
  • 20th Anniversary Live (2005)
  • Show-Ya Live 2006 (2007)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK