chatmonchy

chatmonchy (チャットモンチー) is a Japanese rock band under the Sony sub-label Ki/oon Records. The band made their debut in 2005 with the mini-album, "chatmonchy has come, but it wasn't until their third single, "Shangrila", that the band really got noticed. The single was the bands first break into the top ten on the Oricon, and since then all their releases have charted in the top twenty.

Members

• Hashimoto Eriko (橋本絵莉子) (Guitar / Vocals)
• Takahashi Kumiko (高橋久美子) (Drums / Chorus)
• Fukuoka Akiko (福岡晃子) (Bass / Chorus)

Information

chatmonchy promoting "Ren'ai Spirits" (2006)

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chatmonchy promoting "Ren'ai Spirits" (2006)

Pre-debut

Hashimoto Eriko made a decision to start a band, which she dubbed "chatmonchy". During the next couple of years she started to recruit members. It wasn't until 2002 when Eriko approached her fellow class mate Fukuoka Akiko about joining her band. The two soon started practicing together, and played as a two piece group for two years.

In March 2004 the girls met and recruited Takahashi Kumiko as their permanent drummer. Soon after they started playing together, the band enter a local battle of the bands in Tokushima. They ended up winning the battle, and were awarded the grand prize.

After their victory the band started recording CD's and distributing them throughout their area of Tokushima. During one of their live performances, the band caught the attention of a scout and was offered a deal by Sony Music Entertainment. The band soon signed to the label under their Ki/oon Records sub-label.

Debut - Miminari

chatmonchy promoting "Joshi Tachi ni Asu wa Nai" (2007)

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chatmonchy promoting "Joshi Tachi ni Asu wa Nai" (2007)

In November of 2005 the band released their debut mini-album, "chatmonchy has come". The album barely made it to #50 on the Oricon charts. The song "Hana no Yume" was used as the radio single from the album and ended up becoming a power play song on various radio stations. The group's popularity soon went up and they were performing at many places.

After the release of their first single "Koi no Kemuri", chatmonchy announced they would be starting their first nationwide tour, "smoke ON '06". One of the shows at the Shinjuku venue even sold out on the first day of ticket sales. Three months later the group released their second single "Ren'ai Spirits" which reached higher than "Koi no Kemuri". Only a month later came the release of their debut album, "Miminari". The album did significantly well, reaching #10 on the Oricon.

During the next couple of months chatmonchy played at various places including NANO-MUGEN FES.2006, ROCK IN JAPAN FES.2006, SUMMER SONIC 2006 OSAKA and MONSTER baSH 2006. It wasn't until October 2nd that the band announced their second nationwide tour, "Miminari '06". The tour was a smash hit, and went through 16 cities, where the band played a total of 17 shows.

Shangrila - Onwards

chatmonchy promoting "Daidai" (2007)

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chatmonchy promoting "Daidai" (2007)

In November of 2006 (almost a year after their debut) chatmonchy released their third single, "Shangrila". The title track had a tie-in with the Hataraki Man anime, which helped make the single the band's most successful single. The single ended up reacheing the #6 position in its first week and, spent three weeks within the top 20. It then went on to spend six more weeks in the top 200.

In February of 2007 the band announced their fourth single, "Joshi Tachi ni Asu wa Nai". The single was released in April, and was followed in June with "Tobiuo no Butterfly / Sekai ga Owaru Yoru ni". Both singles did well, the first only staying the top 20 one week, and the latter spending two weeks.

The band's next single "Daidai" had yet another anime tie-in. This time around, the song was used as the ending theme to the shonen anime Bleach. Even with the hype of the Bleach fanbase the single ended up only reaching #12, then dropping to #34. It sold less then their previous single.

The has recently released their second full-length album, "Seimeiryoku". The album was released on 2007.10.24, and it contains all their singles from "Shangrila" up until "Daidai". The album also contains the song "Bus Romance", a b-side from the "Joshi Tachi ni Asu wa Nai" single. The album reached #1 it's first day on the Oricon charts but was soon knocked down to #2, with the Backstreet Boys' "Unbreakable" album taking over the #1 position for the week.

Discography

Albums

• [2005.11.23] chatmonchy has come (Mini-Album)
• [2006.07.05] Miminari (耳鳴り; Ringing Ears)
• [2007.10.24] Seimeiryoku (生命力; One's Life Force)
• [2009.03.04] Kokuhaku (告白; Confession)

Singles

• [2006.03.01] Koi no Kemuri (恋の煙; Smoke of Love)
• [2006.06.07] Ren'ai Spirits (恋愛スピリッツ; Love Spirits)
• [2006.11.15] Shangrila (シャングリラ)
• [2007.04.18] Joshi Tachi ni Asu wa Nai (女子たちに明日はない; Girls Won't Have Tomorrow)
• [2007.06.20] Tobiuo no Butterfly / Sekai ga Owaru Yoru ni (とび魚のバタフライ / 世界が終わる夜に; The Butterfly of the Flying Fish / The Night When the World Ends)
• [2007.09.05] Daidai (橙; Bitter Orange)
• [2008.02.27] Hira Hira Hiraku Himitsu no Tobira (ヒラヒラヒラク秘密ノ扉; Open the Secret Door)
• [2008.06.25] Kaze Fukeba Koi (風吹けば恋; Love Blows in the Wind)
• [2008.11.05] Somaru Yo (染まるよ; Stain)
• [2009.02.04] Last Love Letter

DVD

• [2007.11.28] chatmonchy Restaurant Zensai (チャットモンチー　レストラン　前菜; chatmonchy Restaurant Appetizer)

External Links

• Official Site