The Watanabes
Encyclopedia
The Watanabes are a Tokyo
based indie pop rock band with members from the UK, New Zealand, Sweden and Japan. Their sound has drawn comparisons to melody driven British indie bands such as Belle and Sebastian and Teenage Fan Club as well as 1980's Liverpool
band The Pale Fountains
.
In August 2009 they released their debut album Independent Social Power. Recorded at KRH Studios in Harajuku
, the album was independently released in association with Manchester
based record label BabyBoom Records.
The band have featured in several of Japan's English speaking publications including magazines such as Metropolis, Japanzine and Time Out, who referred to the group as "Tokyo's answer to The Smiths
". In November 2009 they began working with Glaswegian music producer David Naughton and released their second album, You're dancing I'm absorbed, in February 2011. It includes guest appearances from American singer songwriter Kate Sikora
and British multi-instrumentalist Nick Duffy
of The Lilac Time
.
The Watanabes have featured on the BBC Introducing Series, and in September 2010, their acoustic green lullaby “Whales Can Sing” was championed by Ric O'Barry
, star of the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove, as well as race car driver and environmental activist Leilani Munter
.
is a common surname in this region of Japan, and the group used the name in order to ingratiate themselves with the locals, whilst also alluding to British band The Smiths
. It was initially inspired however by Toru Watanabe, the slightly troubled and over nostalgic protagonist in Haruki Murakami
's novel, Norwegian Wood
. In April 2007 they sent off their first demo to the Fuji Rock Fesitival
, and were selected alongside bands such as The Bawdies and Avengers in Sci-Fi
in the top 50 new artists for the Rookie a go go stage. In August of the same year they moved to Tokyo
where they began work on their debut album, http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://diskkinoto.up.seesaa.net/image/TheWatanabes_jacket.jpg&imgrefurl=http://diskkinoto.seesaa.net/article/116556820.html&usg=__b1FUlzWqkLQdUWdEGqVvBUwbIhA=&h=538&w=600&sz=51&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=0nTqYt8bMxnVFM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=161&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bwatanabes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1284%26bih%3D600%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=342&vpy=88&dur=115&hovh=182&hovw=204&tx=111&ty=53&ei=imuPTLHaIYGjceintMcM&oei=imuPTLHaIYGjceintMcM&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0Independent Social Power], shortly afterwards establishing Favourite Tree Records with UK based bands Take To The Seas
and Towns and Houses, with a view to releasing the record independently.
There Are Ghosts Around Here EP
You're Dancing I'm Absorbed
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...
based indie pop rock band with members from the UK, New Zealand, Sweden and Japan. Their sound has drawn comparisons to melody driven British indie bands such as Belle and Sebastian and Teenage Fan Club as well as 1980's Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
band The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains
The Pale Fountains were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head , Chris McCaffery , Thomas Whelan and former Dislocation Dance trumpeter Andy Diagram .-Career:...
.
In August 2009 they released their debut album Independent Social Power. Recorded at KRH Studios in Harajuku
Harajuku
Harajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....
, the album was independently released in association with Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
based record label BabyBoom Records.
The band have featured in several of Japan's English speaking publications including magazines such as Metropolis, Japanzine and Time Out, who referred to the group as "Tokyo's answer to The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
". In November 2009 they began working with Glaswegian music producer David Naughton and released their second album, You're dancing I'm absorbed, in February 2011. It includes guest appearances from American singer songwriter Kate Sikora
Kate Sikora
Kate Sikora is an American singer songwriter from New Jersey.In 2005 she released her debut album . The album drew comparisons to the music of Kristen Hersh, Sheryl Crow and Liz Phair, but other artists known to have inspired Sikora include Cat Power and 90's American indie band Neutral Milk Hotel...
and British multi-instrumentalist Nick Duffy
Nick Duffy
Nick Duffy is a musician, artist, illustrator, and filmmaker.Nick is the elder brother of singer/songwriter Stephen Duffy. They are both co-founders of the folk-pop group The Lilac Time. Nick is a multi-instrumentalist, and has been a frequent contributor to Stephen's solo recordings...
of The Lilac Time
The Lilac Time
The Lilac Time is a British alternative rock band that was originally formed in Herefordshire, England by Stephen Duffy, his brother Nick Duffy and their friend Michael Weston in 1986. The band's name was taken from a line in the Nick Drake song "River Man."...
.
The Watanabes have featured on the BBC Introducing Series, and in September 2010, their acoustic green lullaby “Whales Can Sing” was championed by Ric O'Barry
Ric O'Barry
Richard "Ric" O'Barry is an American first recognized in the 1960s for capturing and training the five dolphins that were used in the well-known TV series Flipper. O'Barry made a radical transition from training dolphins in captivity to assertively combating the captivity industry soon after...
, star of the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove, as well as race car driver and environmental activist Leilani Munter
Leilani Munter
Leilani Münter is an American race car driver and environmental activist. She drives in the ARCA Racing Series, and previously drove in the Firestone Indy Lights, the development league of IndyCar. Prior to her debut in open wheel racing, she was a stock car driver in the NASCAR Elite division...
.
Formation
The band formed in the rural prefecture of Ehime in Japan, during the summer of 2005. WatanabeWatanabe
Watanabe is the fifth most common Japanese surname.The first to be named Watanabe were kuge , direct descendants of the Emperor Saga ....
is a common surname in this region of Japan, and the group used the name in order to ingratiate themselves with the locals, whilst also alluding to British band The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
. It was initially inspired however by Toru Watanabe, the slightly troubled and over nostalgic protagonist in Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami
is a Japanese writer and translator. His works of fiction and non-fiction have garnered him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Franz Kafka Prize and Jerusalem Prize among others.He is considered an important figure in postmodern literature...
's novel, Norwegian Wood
Norwegian Wood (novel)
is a 1987 novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.The novel is a nostalgic story of loss and sexuality. The story's protagonist and narrator is Toru Watanabe, who looks back on his days as a college student living in Tokyo...
. In April 2007 they sent off their first demo to the Fuji Rock Fesitival
Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The 3 day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan...
, and were selected alongside bands such as The Bawdies and Avengers in Sci-Fi
Avengers in Sci-Fi
is a Japanese rock band, signed to Victor Entertainment. Their multi-genre sound has been described as such things as "a spaceship of rock" and "spacey dance rock."- Biography :The band members were all classmates at a high school in Kanagawa...
in the top 50 new artists for the Rookie a go go stage. In August of the same year they moved to 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...
where they began work on their debut album, http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://diskkinoto.up.seesaa.net/image/TheWatanabes_jacket.jpg&imgrefurl=http://diskkinoto.seesaa.net/article/116556820.html&usg=__b1FUlzWqkLQdUWdEGqVvBUwbIhA=&h=538&w=600&sz=51&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=0nTqYt8bMxnVFM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=161&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bwatanabes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1284%26bih%3D600%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=342&vpy=88&dur=115&hovh=182&hovw=204&tx=111&ty=53&ei=imuPTLHaIYGjceintMcM&oei=imuPTLHaIYGjceintMcM&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0Independent Social Power], shortly afterwards establishing Favourite Tree Records with UK based bands Take To The Seas
Take To The Seas
Take to the Seas are a four-piece indie rock band from Sheffield, England. They released a two track EP on Favourite Tree Records in March 2009, and are currently working on a second...
and Towns and Houses, with a view to releasing the record independently.
Releases
Independent Social PowerThere Are Ghosts Around Here EP
You're Dancing I'm Absorbed