Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
Encyclopedia
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (often abbreviated to TMGE) was a Japan
ese garage rock
band formed in 1991.
's Meiji Gakuin University
. They later drew influence from The Roosters
. Their unusual name originated when a friend mispronounced the title of an early jam session
recording; featuring cover songs of Thee Headcoats
(one of the band's main influences) and from The Damned's album, Machine Gun Etiquette
. After an independently-released EP
in 1995, they signed to Nippon Columbia's Triad label, releasing the album Cult Grass Stars in 1996, followed later that year by High Time, the band enjoying chart success in their home country. Chicken Zombies (1997) gave them a top five hit. The band's 1998 album Gear Blues was the first to be reelased in the US (in 2000).
The band announced that they would break up on October 11, 2003, after their Last Heaven tour of Japan. On July 22, 2009, guitarist Abe Futoshi died of an acute hematoma
.
The lyrics are almost entirely Japanese, with the odd English phrase or word thrown in.
Yusuke Chiba
Kazuyuki Kuhara
Koji Ueno
Futoshi Abe
A box set of some of these will be released by Universal
on the 20th January 2010, consisting of 10 discs under the title of 'THEE LIVE'
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 garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band formed in 1991.
History
The band was formed in 1991, while the members were students at TokyoTokyo
, ; 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...
's Meiji Gakuin University
Meiji Gakuin University
is one of the Christian universities in Tokyo and Yokohama which was established in 1863. The Reverend Dr. James Curtis Hepburn was one of the founders and the first president...
. They later drew influence from The Roosters
The Roosters
The Roosters were a Japanese rock band that mixed punk, blues-rock, ska and straightforward rock and roll.-History:They formed in 1979 in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka. Although there were four different lineups throughout the life of the band—all centered around guitarist Hiroyuki Hanada--Shinya Ohe...
. Their unusual name originated when a friend mispronounced the title of an early jam session
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
recording; featuring cover songs of Thee Headcoats
Thee Headcoats
Thee Headcoats 1989 - 2000, was a band comprising Billy Childish, Bruce Brand, and Johnny Johnson. Childish was featured on guitar and vocals, Brand on drums and backing vocals, and Johnson on bass. The band was the most prolific of Childish's many musical projects, releasing fourteen full...
(one of the band's main influences) and from The Damned's album, Machine Gun Etiquette
Machine Gun Etiquette
Machine Gun Etiquette is the third album by the British punk band The Damned, released in November 1979. The album was the group's first since reforming with Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on lead guitar, Rat Scabies on drums and Algy Ward on bass...
. After an independently-released EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in 1995, they signed to Nippon Columbia's Triad label, releasing the album Cult Grass Stars in 1996, followed later that year by High Time, the band enjoying chart success in their home country. Chicken Zombies (1997) gave them a top five hit. The band's 1998 album Gear Blues was the first to be reelased in the US (in 2000).
The band announced that they would break up on October 11, 2003, after their Last Heaven tour of Japan. On July 22, 2009, guitarist Abe Futoshi died of an acute hematoma
Hematoma
A hematoma, or haematoma, is a localized collection of blood outside the blood vessels, usually in liquid form within the tissue. This distinguishes it from an ecchymosis, which is the spread of blood under the skin in a thin layer, commonly called a bruise...
.
Song titles and lyrics
The majority of the band's songs have English titles, which often appear to be a random selection of words cobbled together - 'Pinhead Cranberry Dance', for example.The lyrics are almost entirely Japanese, with the odd English phrase or word thrown in.
Side projects
All four members have had other musical projects or played with other bands both while in TMGE and after its break-up. Some of these are as follows:Yusuke Chiba
- ROSSORosso (band)Rosso was a Japanese band formed as a side project by Chiba Yusuke, and former Blankey Jet City bassist Toshiyuki Terui.-Members:For BIRD* Yusuke Chiba - Guitar / Vocal * Toshiyuki Terui - Bass...
(Vocals, Guitar and Songwriting on all releases) - The BirthdayThe Birthday (band)The Birthday is a Japanese Garage rock formed by Yusuke Chiba and members of his previous bands, Rosso and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant.-History:...
(Vocals, Guitars and Songwriting on all releases) - The Midwest Vikings (Vocals, Guitars and Songwriting under the alias 'LACOSTE')
- Tokyo Ska Paradise OrchestraTokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, commonly abbreviated by fans as Skapara or TSPO, is a Japanese ska and jazz band officially formed in 1988 by the percussionist Asa-Chang, and initially composed of over 10 veterans of Tokyo's underground scene...
(Vocals on one song on the album 'Stompin' On Down Beat Alley') - Raven
- Bugy Craxone
- Midnight Bankrobbers
Kazuyuki Kuhara
- ROSSORosso (band)Rosso was a Japanese band formed as a side project by Chiba Yusuke, and former Blankey Jet City bassist Toshiyuki Terui.-Members:For BIRD* Yusuke Chiba - Guitar / Vocal * Toshiyuki Terui - Bass...
(Drums on some live appearances) - The BirthdayThe Birthday (band)The Birthday is a Japanese Garage rock formed by Yusuke Chiba and members of his previous bands, Rosso and Thee Michelle Gun Elephant.-History:...
(Drums on all releases) - The Midwest Vikings (Drums and Pianica under the alias 'HANG TEN')
- Yoko UtsumiYoko UtsumiYoko Utsumi is a Japanese musical artist. Her solo music is a blend of punk, rock and ska influences, with some blues and jazz thrown in. During her long career, she has also played Japanese traditional music....
's YOKOLOCO BAND (Drums on later releases) - Shigeki Hamabe (Drums on first two albums)
- M.J.Q (drums on all releases)
Koji Ueno
- Radio Caroline (Bass on all releases)
- The HiatusThe HiatusThe Hiatus is a Japanese rock band formed by Takeshi Hosomi; the former lead vocalist of Ellegarden. Their official site defines The Hiatus as "a project of music and art, depicters."...
(Bass on all releases)
Futoshi Abe
- KOOLOGI (Guitar on first album)
- Barebones
- Strawberry Jean (Guitar - This was Futoshi Abe's pre-TMGE band - their one album is sometimes available via Japanese online auctions)
Albums
- Maximum! Maximum!! Maximum!!!Maximum! Maximum!! Maximum!!!Maximum! Maximum!! Maximum!!! is the debut album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1993.-Track listing:# "GOOD-BYE GIRL 2" - 5:25# "偉大なる大うそつき" - 4:24# "HEY, ドクター" - 4:11# "ブラックタンバリン" - 2:53# "グラグラ" - 3:28# "太陽はまだ" - 3:48...
(1993) Self-released - Cult Grass StarsCult Grass StarsCult Grass Stars is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1996. It is their first full release since being signed to Triad, following the self-released Maximum! Maximum!! Maximum!!! in 1993.-Track listing:# "Lizard" - 4:28...
(1996) Triad - High TimeHigh Time (TMGE album)High Time is the second studio album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1996.-Track listing:#"brand new stone" - 4:38#"Lily" - 4:12#"Let's get love." - 4:58#"sweet MONACO" - 3:18#"chandelier" - 4:40...
(1996) Triad - Chicken ZombiesChicken ZombiesChicken Zombies an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1997.- Album cover :The CD album cover is somewhat similar to the cover of Vincebus Eruptum by Blue Cheer. The cover of the vinyl release is a parody of The Who's Odds & Sods album...
(1997) Triad - Gear BluesGear BluesGear Blues is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 1998.- Track listing :# "West Cabaret Drive" – 5:26# "Smokin' Billy" – 3:26# "Satanic Boom Boom Head" – 2:50# "Dog Way" – 3:15# "Free Devil Jam" – 2:42# "Killer Beach" – 5:10...
(1998) Triad - Casanova SnakeCasanova SnakeCasanova Snake is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Dead Star End" - 3:38#"Cobra" - 4:56#"Young Jaguar" - 3:11#"Plasma Dive" - 3:01#"Revolver Junkies" - 4:26#"Dust Bunny Rides On" - 2:55#"Naked Sun" - 3:46...
(2000) Triad - Rodeo Tandem Beat SpecterRodeo Tandem Beat SpecterRodeo Tandem Beat Specter is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 2001.- Track listing :# "CITROËN NO KODOKU " - 5:42# "Alligator Night" - 3:07# "ABAKARETA SEKAI " - 3:44...
(2001) Triad - Sabrina HeavenSabrina HeavenSabrina Heaven is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 2003.-Track listing:# ブラック・ラブ・ホール - 5:47# 太陽をつかんでしまった - 8:26# ヴェルヴェット - 4:13# メタリック - 4:01# ブラッディー・パンキー・ビキニ - 5:01# マリアと犬の夜 - 7:52# ジプシー・サンディー - 5:06# マリオン - 4:38...
(2003) Island - Sabrina No HeavenSabrina No HeavenSabrina No Heaven is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 2003.-Track listing:# チェルシー - - 7:38# ミッドナイト・クラクション・ベイビー - - 3:39# デッドマンズ・ギャラクシー・デイズ - - 3:52...
(2003) Island
Live albums
- Casanova Said "Live or Die" (2000) Triad
- Last Heaven's Bootleg (2003) Island
Singles
- Sekai no Owari (1996) Triad
- Candy House (1996) Triad
- Lily (1996) Triad
- Culture (1997) Triad
- Get Up Lucy (1997) Triad
- The Birdmen (1997) Triad
- G.W.D (1998) Triad
- Out Blues (1998) Triad
- Smokin' Billy (1998) Triad
- GT400 (2000) Triad
- Baby Stardust (2000) Triad
- Abakareta-Sekai (2001) Triad
- Taiyou wo Tsukande Shimatta (2002) Island
- Girl Friend (2003) Trippin' Elephant
- Electric Circus (2003) Island
Best of compilations
- TMGE 106 (2000) Triad
- CollectionCollection (Thee Michelle Gun Elephant album)Collection is an album by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, released in 2001.This release was for North America only. Around the same time, in Japan, the band released 'TMGE 106', which contained similar tracks.- Track listing :...
(2001) Alive Records (US release) - Grateful Triad Years (2002) Triad
- Thee Greatest Hits (2009) Columbia
Other releases
- Wonder Style (1995) Trippin' Elephant
- Wonder Style (reissue) (1997) Triad
- Vibe On! (1998) Trippin' Elephant
- Kwacker (with Mick Green) (2001) Trippin' Elephant
DVDs
TMGE have released a number of live and PV DVDs.A box set of some of these will be released by Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
on the 20th January 2010, consisting of 10 discs under the title of 'THEE LIVE'
External links
- [ AllMusic.com: Biography]
- Official Site