THE BACK HORN

THE BACK HORN promoting Akatsuki no Fanfare (2014)

THE BACK HORN (ザ・バックホーン) is a four piece Japanese rock band. The band was formed in 1998 in Tokyo and consists of Yamada Masashi on vocals, Suganami Eijun on guitar, Okamine Koshu on bass and Matsuda Shinji on drums. They debuted with the mini-album Doko e Yuku on Kando Records. In 2001, the band signed with Speedstar Records and released the single, "Sunny".

Members

• Yamada Masashi (山田将司) (vocals)
• Suganami Eijun (菅波栄純) (guitars)
• Okamine Koshu (岡峰光舟) (bass)
• Matsuda Shinji (松田晋二) (drums)

Former Members

• Hirabayashi Naoki (平林直己) (bass)

History

THE BACK HORN was formed in April 1998, when the original members all came to Tokyo from the countryside where they all lived, all for different reasons. They met, and decided to start a band. First called Gyorai, they soon changed their name to THE BACK HORN.

Following their first notable performance at the Fuji Rock Festival in 1999, they released a mini-album Doko e Yuku on Kando Records. Seven months after that, they released their first full-length album, Yomigaeru Hi. After this, the band got signed to a major label, Speedstar Records. Although they, to this day, still remain on Speedstar Records' roster, they're still often thought of as an indie band. It was also around this time when Hirabayashi Naoki decided to leave the band.

It was only after the release of their first major album, Ningen Program, that they found a new bassist, Okamine Koshu, though he was not immediately made a full-time member. He was however involved in recording of the next album, Shinzou Orchestra, and while touring for the album, the band announced that he was now an official member.

As the band was becoming increasingly popular, they were asked to provide music for two movies: Kurosawa Kiyoshi's Bright Future and Kiriya Kazuaki's CASSHERN, releasing the album Ikiru Sainou in between them.

After a couple of tours, including a show at the Rock In Japan festival, a couple of single releases and the release of their first live DVD, they released their fifth full-length album, Headphone Children, considered by many to be a concept album. The song "Kiseki" from the album was used in the horror movie Zoo. The tour following Headphone Children was a success and the band decided to release a live album of it, entitled Ubugoe Chainsaw which contained the best performances of songs from the tour. Two months later, THE BACK HORN played their first show in Europe, at a festival in Barcelona, Spain.

The band then released a couple of singles and did some shows again, including an acoustic street tour with only Yamada and Suganami, where they just performed on the streets of Japan for free. In April 2006, they released their fifth major album, Taiyou no Naka no Seikatsu, and then their sixth album in May, 2007, self-titled THE BACK HORN. Their sixteenth major single, "Wana", was used as the first ending theme to the fall 2007 anime, Mobile Suit Gundam 00.

Discography

THE BACK HORN (2008)

THE BACK HORN promoting "Tatakau Kimi yo" (2010)

THE BACK HORN promoting Live Squall (2012)

Studio Albums

• [2000.04.25] Yomigaeru Hi (甦る陽; Day of Resurrection) (indies)
• [2001.10.17] Ningen Program (人間プログラム; Human Program)
• [2002.11.13] Shinzou Orchestra (心臓オーケストラ; Heart Orchestra)
• [2003.10.22] Ikiru Sainou (イキルサイノウ; Ability to Live)
• [2005.03.16] Headphone Children (ヘッドフォンチルドレン)
• [2006.04.19] Taiyou no Naka no Seikatsu (太陽の中の生活; Life in the Sun)
• [2007.05.23] THE BACK HORN
• [2008.09.03] Pulse (パルス)
• [2010.09.15] Asylum (アサイラム)
• [2012.06.06] Live Squall (リヴスコール)
• [2014.04.09] Akatsuki no Fanfare (暁のファンファーレ; Fanfare of Dawn)

Best Albums

• [2008.01.23] BEST THE BACK HORN
• [2013.09.18] B-SIDE THE BACK HORN

Live Albums

• [2005.08.24] Ubugoe Chainsaw (産声チェインソー)
• [2013.02.06] KYO-MEI Tour ~Live Squall~ (KYO-MEIツアー ~リヴスコール~)

Mini-Albums

• [1999.09.22] Doko e Yuku (何処へ行く) (indies)

Digital Mini-Albums

• [2006.09.27] Live in the Sun ~special edition~ (ライブ イン ザ サン)
• [2011.12.21] Maniac Heaven Best Selection ~Special Edition~ (マニアックヘブン　ベストセレクション)

Singles

• [2000.09.25] Fuusen (風船; Balloon) (indies)
• [2001.04.25] Sunny (サニー)
• [2001.08.22] Sora, Hoshi, Umi no Yoru (空、星、海の夜; A Night Sky, Stars and Sea)
• [2002.05.29] Sekaiju no Shita de (世界樹の下で; Under the World Tree)
• [2002.08.28] Namida ga Koboretara (涙がこぼれたら; When the Tears Come Spilling Out)
• [2003.01.22] Mirai (未来; Future)
• [2003.06.18] Hikari no Kesshou (光の結晶; Crystal Light)
• [2003.08.20] Seimeisen (生命線; Walking the Line of Life and Death)
• [2004.07.21] Yume no Hana (夢の花; Flower Dreams)
• [2004.11.03] Cobalt Blue (コバルトブルー)
• [2005.01.26] Kizuna Song (キズナソング; Song of Bonds)
• [2005.12.16] Black Hole Birthday (ブラックホールバースデイ)
• [2006.02.08] Hajimete no Kokyuu de (初めての呼吸で; In the First Breath)
• [2006.03.22] Chaos Diver (カオスダイバー)
• [2006.12.20] Koe (声; Voice)
• [2007.03.21] Utsukushii Namae (美しい名前; The Beautiful Name)
• [2007.11.14] Wana (罠; Trap)
• [2008.05.21] Kakusei (覚醒; Awakening)
• [2010.04.21] Tatakau Kimi yo (戦う君よ)
• [2010.08.04] Tozasareta Sekai (閉ざされた世界; Closed World)
• [2012.03.07] Sirius (シリウス)
• [2013.09.18] Battle Ima (バトルイマ)
• [2014.02.19] Symmetry / Koware Mono (シンメトリー/コワレモノ)
• [2015.09.02] Akunin / Sono Saki e (悪人/その先へ)
• [2016.10.19] With You
• [2017.02.22] Anata ga Matteru (あなたが待ってる)

Other Singles

• [2010.02.10] Sei to Shi to Shi (生と死と詞) (Book + Single)

Digital Singles

• [2011.03.30] Sekaijuu ni Hanataba wo (世界中に花束を; Presenting Bouquets to the World)

DVDs

• [2004.11.03] Baokuon Yumehanabi (爆音夢花火)
• [2006.02.08] Emotion Picture Vol.1 (エモーションピクチャーVol.1)
• [2006.09.27] Live in the Sun (ライブ　イン　ザ　サン)
• [2006.12.20] Maniac Heaven Vol.0 ~Hatsu Yoru no Kaisou~ (マニアックヘブン Vol.0 ~初夜の回想~)
• [2008.10.08] KYO-MEI Live ~Hadashi no Yoake~ at Nippon Budokan (KYO-MEIライブ ~裸足の夜明け~at 日本武道館)
• [2009.07.22] Souzou no Pulse (創造のパルス)
• [2010.02.10] Emotion Picture Vol.2 (エモーションピクチャーVol.2)
• [2011.12.21] Maniac Heaven Best Selection (マニアックヘブン ベストセレクション)
• [2013.03.27] KYO-MEI Tour ~Live Squall~ at Nippon Budokan 2013.1.6 (KYO-MEIツアー ~リヴスコール~ at 日本武道館 2013.1.6)

Other DVDs

• [2010.06.25] Gundam 00 00 Festival 2009-2010 "A trailer for the trailblazer"

Compilations / Other

• [2002.04.24] Utage (#11 Suna no Tabibito)
• [2004.04.23] OUR LAST DAY -CASSHERN OFFICIAL ALBUM- (#8 Requiem)
• [2004.09.22] FILM BEAT #1 (#8 Mirai)
• [2005.09.28] RESPECTABLE ROOSTERS→a→GOGO (#8 Hey Girl)
• [2006.03.31] SAKURA SONGS (#5 Hanabira)
• [2006.05.31] YELL (#5 Cobalt Blue)
• [2006.06.14] ROCK is LOFT ~SHINJUKU LOFT 30th ANNIVERSARY~ (#22 Sunny)
• [2007.11.08] Hammer Songs ~SPEEDSTAR RECORDS 15th ANNIV. COMPILATION~ (#12 Mirai)
• [2008.07.23] Kyokutou Saizensen 2 (Disc 2 #6 Nanimo Nai Sekai)
• [2009.01.28] DJ Minoru Katahira - ROCK THE MIX (#14 Yaiba)
• [2009.07.08] Mobile Suit Gundam 00 COMPLETE BEST (#2 Wana)
• [2009.12.09] THIS IS FOR YOU ~ THE YELLOW MONKEY TRIBUTE ALBUM (Disc 2 #6 Kyuukon)
• [2010.02.24] GUNDAM 30th ANNIVERSARY BOX "GUNDAM SONGS 145" (Disc 9 #2 Wana)
• [2010.09.15] Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Anthology BEST ADVOCACY OF CONGRUITY (Disc 1 #1 Wana)

Publications

Books

• [2008.06.07] THE BACK HORN no Sekai (ザ・バックホーンの世界)
• [2008.09.03] Fukushimadai Gyakushuu (福島大逆襲)
• [2010.02.10] Sei to Shi to Shi (生と死と詞)

Band Scores

• [2012.06] Band Score THE BACK HORN "Live Squall"

External Links

• Official Website
• Speedstar Records Profile
• Official YouTube Channel
• Official Twitter