Remioromen

Remioromen (2009)

Remioromen (レミオロメン) is a Japanese rock group that debuted in 2003 on SPEEDSTAR RECORDS label. They rose in popularity in 2005 when their songs Sangatsu Kokonoka and Konayuki were featured in the dorama 1 Litre no Namida. Though Remioromen has never had a single rank at #1, their recent releases have stayed on the charts for long periods of time and their overall sales have been quite high. Remioromen generally sticks to laid back pop/rock with catchy hooks. In 2009, they transferred to avex trax sublabel OORONG RECORDS.

Members

• Fujimaki Ryota (藤巻亮太) (vocals, guitar)
• Maeda Keisuke (前田啓介) (bass)
• Jinguji Osamu (神宮司治) (drums)

Information

Fujimaki Ryota, Maeda Keisuke and Jinguji Osamu grew up in the Yamanashi Prefecture and attended the same schools together from elementary to high school. In December of 2000, they formed their band Remioromen.

"Remioromen" is not an actual Japanese word, but the result of wordplay. The three played janken to determine the number of Japanese characters that each chose to form a band name. Fujimaki was the first winner and picked "re" (レ) because it was the first character in his favorite band, Radiohead (レディオヘッド). Jinguji was the second winner and picked "mi" (ミ) because it was the first character of his current girlfriend, and "o" (オ) because it was the first character of his first name. Maeda was the third winner and picked "romen" (ロメン), derived from "romendensha" (路面電車) because he likes streetcars.

Remioromen released their first mini-album Festa on March 12, 2003, and their first single Ameagari on May 21, 2003, under the Indie label UK PROJECT. Ameagari received heavy rotation on radio stations and was later featured on HEAVY ROTATIONS ~J-HITS COMPLETE '01~'03 in 2004.

On August 20, 2003, Remioromen released their second single Denwa under SPEEDSTAR RECORDS.

On November 25, 2003, they did their first one-man live at SHIBUYA-AX. Since their inception the band has been steadily climbing to the top of the Oricon charts.

For the release of Sangatsu Kokonoka, Remioromen returned to their home town in the Yamanashi Prefecture to perform a live in their old junior high school's gymnasium. In 2005 Sangatsu Kokonoka was used in a choral arrangement for the dorama 1 Litre no Namida and Konayuki was used as the insert song. For the release of the single Sangatsu Kokonoka was included in an arrangement with a string quartet. This gained the band a great deal of popularity and Konayuki became the #2 best selling single of 2006.

Their third album HORIZON has had high sales, making it #1 on the Oricon album charts for three straight weeks and #16 album of 2006.

Discography

Albums

• [2003.11.19] Asagao (朝顔; Morning Glory)
• [2005.03.09] ether (エーテル)
• [2006.05.17] HORIZON
• [2007.12.19] Asagao (朝顔; Morning Glory) (Re-release)
• [2008.10.29] Kaze no Chroma (風のクロマ)

Other Albums

• [2003.03.12] Festa (フェスタ) (Indie Mini-Album)
• [2006.11.01] Flash and Gleam (Live Album)
• [2009.03.09] Remio Best (レミオベスト) (Best Album)

Singles

• [2003.05.21] Ame Agari (雨上がり; After the Rain) (Indie)
• [2003.08.20] Denwa (電話; Telephone)
• [2004.03.09] Sangatsu Kokonoka (3月9日; March 9th)
• [2004.05.19] Acacia (アカシア)
• [2005.01.12] Moratorium (モラトリアム)
• [2005.02.09] Minami Kaze (南風; South Wind)
• [2005.10.12] Ao no Sekai (蒼の世界; World of Blue)
• [2005.11.16] Konayuki (粉雪; Powder Snow)
• [2007.03.05] Sangatsu Kokonoka / Paradigm (3月9日 / パラダイム) (Special Single)
• [2006.03.01] Taiyou no Shita (太陽の下; Under the Sun)
• [2007.03.14] Akanezora (茜空; Glowing Sky)
• [2007.05.09] Hotaru / RUN (蛍 / RUN; Firefly)
• [2007.12.12] Wonderful & Beautiful
• [2008.07.30] Motto Tooku e / Orchestra (もっと遠くへ / オーケストラ; To Further Distant)
• [2009.01.07] Yume no Tsubomi (夢の蕾; Bud of Dream)
• [2009.07.15] Starting Over

Limited Distribution

• [2009.02.14] Sakura

DVD

• [2005.06.29] Sangatsu Kokonoka Budoukan Live (3月9日武道館ライブ; March 9th)
• [2007.03.14] "ISLAND OVER THE HORIZON" at YOKOHAMA ARENA
• [2008.05.14] TOUR 2008 "Wonderful & Beautiful"

Compilation / Other

• [2004.12.08] HEAVY ROTATIONS ~J-HITS COMPLETE '01~'03 (Disc 2 #7 Ameagari)
• [2007.03.05] Sangatsu Kokonoka / Paradigm (3月9日 / パラダイム; March 9th) (KitKat x Remioromen)
• [2007.11.08] Hammer Songs ~SPEEDSTAR RECORDS 15th ANNIV. COMPILATION~ (ハンマーソングス) (#17 Denwa)
• [2007.12.12] Smile ~Seiya no Kiseki~ Original Soundtrack (スマイル ~聖夜の奇跡~ オリジナル・サウンドトラック) (#22 Wonderland)

External Links

• Official Website
• SPEEDSTAR RECORDS Profile
• OORONG RECORDS Profile
• Oricon Profile