Straightener is a Japanese rock band. The band started out as a duo with Atsushi Horie (vocals/guitar) and Shinpei Nakayama (drums) in 1998. They established an independent label named Ghost Records in 2002. Hidekazu Hinata joined the band as bassist in 2003, giving the band a heavier sound. In October of the same year they released a single, "Traveling Gargoyle" from Toshiba EMI. They have performed at numerous festivals and live tours. The band toured all over Japan during their Linear tour in 2007. Their latest tour will be promoting the album Nexus. The tour will begin on March 6, 2009.

Members

• Atsushi Horie – guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  , vocals, keyboards
  Electronic keyboard
  An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
  
  

  Also plays guitar and sings for the band FULLARMOR

• Shinpei Nakayama – drums
  Drummer
  A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
  
  

  Also plays drums in the band, The Predators, with Sawao Yamanaka (guitar, The Pillows

  The Pillows

  The Pillows are a Japanese rock band. The group has released more than a dozen original studio albums, along with several EPs, singles and compilations...

  
  ), and Jiro

  Jiro (musician)

  Yoshihito "Jiro" Wayama is the bassist of popular Japanese rock band Glay. He is also the bassist in his sideband The Predators...

  
   (bass, Glay

  Glay

  Glay is a rock/pop band from Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan formed by guitarist Takuro and vocalist Teru in high school in 1988. Glay primarily composes songs in the rock and pop genres, but they have also composed songs using elements of different styles such as reggae and gospel...

  
  )

• Hidekazu Hinata – bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  

  Former bassist of ART-SCHOOL and 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...

  
  . Also plays bass for the bands FULLARMOR and Nothing's Carved in Stone

  Nothing's Carved in Stone

  Nothing's Carved in Stone is a Japanese rock group formed in January 2009. After Ellegarden decided to go into Hiatus in 2008, the group's Guitarist Shinichi Ubukata created Nothing's Carved in Stone as his solo project. Their debut album Parallel Lives was released on May 6, 2009, debuting at No...

  
  .

• Jun Oyama - guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  

  Joined Straightener on October 1, 2008. Former guitarist for the band ART-SCHOOL.

Albums

• STRAIGHTEN IT UP (2000)
• ERROR (2001)
• SKELETONIZED (2002)
• LOST WORLD'S ANTHOLOGY (2004)
• ROCK END ROLL (2004)
• TITLE (2005)
• STRAIGHTENER Early Years (2005)
• Dear Deadman (2006)
• LINEAR (リニア) (2007)
• Immortal (2007)
• Nexus (2009)
• Creatures (2010)
• STOUT (2011)
• STRAIGHTENER (2011)

Singles/EPs

• "March of the Corpse Soldier" (戦士の屍のマーチ) (2000)
• "ANOTHER DIMENSIONAL" (2000)
• SILVER RECORD (2002)
• Silent Film Soundtrack (2003)
• "TRAVELING GARGOYLE" (2003)
• "TENDER" (2004)
• "KILLER TUNE"/"PLAY THE STAR GUITAR" (2004)
• "THE REMAINS" (2005)
• "Melodic Storm" (2006)
• "BERSERKER TUNE" (2006)
• "SIX DAY WONDER" (2007)
• "TRAIN" (2007)
• "Little Miss Weekend" (2008)
• "Lightning" (2009)
• "Clone"/"Donkey Boogie Dodo" (2009)
• "Man-Like Creatures" (2010)
• VANDALISM/SILLY PARADE (2011)
• YOU and I/Hitsuji no Mure wa Oka wo Noboru(2011)

DVDs

• BLACK STAR LUSTER (2005)
• EMOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK (2006)
• Remember Our Drinking Songs -Hello Dear Deadman Tour 2006 (2006)
• Linear Motor City (2007)
• Emotion Picture Soundtrack 2 (2009)
• NEXUS TOUR FINAL (2009)
• The Parade of Creatures (2010)

External links

• Straightener's official site
• Straightener's fansite
• Straightener forum