SPEED (Japanese group)

Left to Right: Eriko, Hitoe, Hiro and Takako

SPEED is a Japanese pop female group managed by VISION FACTORY and signed under avex trax sublabel SONIC GROOVE.

Members

• Shimabukuro Hiroko (島袋寛子)
• Imai Eriko (今井絵理子)
• Uehara Takako (上原多香子)
• Arakaki Hitoe (新垣仁絵)

Information

SPEED is a female pop group consisting of four members. SPEED's two main vocalists are hiro and Eriko. At the begining, Takako and Hitoe were ropped in to be dancers for the group but later contributed with their voices as well.

Since debuting in 1996 with Body & Soul, they've won multiple Japan Gold Disk Awards such as New Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.

They also started in a sci-fi movie Andromedia in 1998 with Hiro as the lead. Hiro played a character named Mai and Ai, Eriko as Yohko, Takako as Rica and Hitoe as Nao.

The group disbanded at the end of March 2000, with each of the members pursuing solo projects. They did get back together temporarily twice; once in 2001 releasing One More Dream and in 2003 released new works as part of the Save the Children charity project. However, Announced in 2008 the group decided to get back together and since then have been releasing new material.

SPEED's songs are typically fast and upbeat, incorporating a little bit of a hip-hop feel, and they have also been known to do Ballads on occasion.

Discography

SPEED promoting "ALIVE" (1998)

SPEED promoting Carry On my way (1999)

SPEED promoting "Ashita no Sora" (2008)

SPEED promoting S.P.D. (2009)

Albums

• [1997.05.21] Starting Over
• [1998.04.29] RISE
• [1999.12.22] Carry On my way
• [2003.11.27] BRIDGE

Other Albums

• [1998.08.05] Andromedia Original Soundtrack (film soundtrack)
• [1998.12.16] MOMENT (best album)
• [2000.03.29] Dear Friends 1 (best album)
• [2000.03.29] Dear Friends 2 (best album)
• [2001.12.19] SPEED MEMORIAL LIVE "One More Dream" + Remix!!! (live + remix album)
• [2004.02.25] BEST HITS LIVE ~Save The Children SPEED LIVE 2003~ (live album)
• [2009.08.05] SPEEDLAND -The Premium Best Re Tracks- (self cover album)

Singles

• [1996.08.05] Body & Soul
• [1996.11.18] STEADY
• [1997.03.26] Go! Go! Heaven
• [1997.08.06] Wake Me Up!
• [1997.10.15] White Love
• [1998.02.18] my graduation
• [1998.07.01] ALIVE
• [1998.10.28] ALL MY TRUE LOVE
• [1999.02.17] Precious Time
• [1999.05.19] Breakin' out to the morning
• [1999.11.03] Long Way Home
• [2001.12.12] One More Dream
• [2003.08.27] Be My Love
• [2003.11.27] Walking in the rain / Stars to shine again
• [2008.11.12] Ashita no Sora (あしたの空; Tomorrow's Sky)
• [2009.05.27] S.P.D.
• [2010.04.21] Himawari ~Growing Sunflower~ (ヒマワリ; Sunflower)
• [2010.09.01] Yubiwa (指環; Ring)
• [2010.11.10] Let's Heat Up!

Videos / DVDs

• [1997.11.19] SPEED First Live ~Starting Over from ODAIBA~
• [1998.03.18] SPEED SPIRITS
• [1999.01.20] SPEED // TOUR RISE IN TOKYO DOME
• [2000.03.01] SPEED FINAL DOME TOUR REAL LIFE
• [2000.09.27] SPEED SPIRITS II
• [2000.12.20] SPEED VIDEO CLIPS SPEED SPIRITS COMPLETE
• [2003.12.25] Save the Children SPEED LIVE 2003
• [2009.12.30] ｢Welcome to SPEEDLAND｣ SPEED LIVE
• [2010.11.24] GLOWING SUNFLOWER SPEED LIVE 2010 @ Osaka Jo Hall
• [2011.04.27] BIBLE -SPEED BEST CLIPS-

Books

• [1997.04.25] SPEED 1st Photobook
• [1998.06.27] SPEED in Andromedia
• [1998.11.14] SPEED 2nd Photobook
• [2000.01.21] SPEED 3rd Photobook
• [2000.02.14] hai! SPEED de iko u! (ハイ！SPEEDで行こう！)
• [2000.02.15] SPEED supirittsu 1335 DAYS]] (SPEEDスピリッツ 1335DAYS)
• [2000.03.25] SPEED 4th Photobook
• [2004.01.09] BRIDGE
• [2009.11.28] SPEED―Welcome to SPEEDLAND

Filmography

Movies

• [1998.12.21] Andromedia (アンドロメディア)

Awards & Achievements

• [1996] Rookie of the Year - 9th Nihon-yusen Award
• [1996] Rookie of the Year - 38th Nihon-RECORD Award
• [1997] Music Rookie of the Year - 34th Gorden-Arrow Award
• [1997] Best Five New Artist - 11th Nihon-Gord-Disc Award
• [1997] YOSHIDA TADASHI award - 30th Nihon-YUSENHOSO Award
• [1997] Golden Second Best Award - 30th Nihon-Record-Sales Award
• [1997] Excellent Award - 39th Nihon-Record Award
• [1998] Best Pop Album of the Year Award - 12th Nihon-Gold-Disc Award

External Links

• Official Website
• VISION FACTORY Profile