Friends (Japanese band)

Friends
フレンズ
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresRock, J-Pop
Years active2015–present
LabelsSony Music Entertainment Japan
Members
  • Emi Okamoto (vocals)
  • Ryōhei Nagashima (bass)
  • Tarō Miura (guitar, vocals)
  • Louie Sekiguchi (drums, vocals)
Past membersHirose Hirose (keyboard, vocals)
Websitefriends-jpn.com

Friends (フレンズ) is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo which is signed to Sony Music Entertainment Japan.[1] It began activities in 2015 after members Hirose Hirose and Emi Okamoto made a collaboration; they would later be joined by bassist Ryōhei Nagashima, guitarist Tarō Miura, and drummer Rui Sekiguchi; Hirose would later leave the band in 2021. The band's music has been featured in movies, TV dramas, and anime series such as Hori-san to Miyamura-kun.

History

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The band's activities began in 2015 when Hirose Hirose, a member of the band Nicoten, decided to hold a live performance to celebrate his 25th birthday. He wanted to form a band with a female lead vocalist for the occasion, and decided to collaborate with musician Emi Okamoto, who at the time was a member of the band The Love Ningen and someone whom he had collaborated with previously.[2][3] Needing a bassist, Hirose invited a friend, Ryōhei Nagashima of the band The Telephones, to join the band; Nagashima in turn invited Louie Sakaguchi to serve as the band's drummer. The band debuted on June 8, 2015, as a highlight of Hirose's birthday live.[2] The band's name came after Okamoto saw a bar named Philippine Pub Friends and sent photos of it to the other band members, who decided that the word Friends would make a good band name.[3] In 2016, Tarō Miura, formerly of the band Holidays of Seventeen, joined Friends.[2]

Many of the band's early releases were only released at their live performances or by mail order, although their first mini-album Show-Time sold over 3,000 copies.[2] Their first full album Baby Tanjō! (ベビー誕生!) was released on April 5, 2017.[4] Their next release was the mini-album Petit Town (プチタウン) on November 22, 2017.[4] This was followed by the extended play Bedside Music (ベッドサイドミュージック) on March 21, 2018.[4] They released their second album Conparch! (コン・パーチ!) on August 1, 2018.[4]

The band released the single "Tanoshimou/I o You" (楽しもう/iをyou) on June 26, 2019; "Tanoshimou" was used as the theme song to the film Bento Harassment, while "I o You" was used as the ending theme to the television drama What Did You Eat Yesterday?.[4]

In December 2020, it was announced that Hirose would suspend activities with the band and would not appear in their upcoming performances;[5] he would ultimately leave the band in April 2021 after his contract was canceled over unspecified issues.[6] The band released the single "Yakusoku" (約束) on March 17, 2021;[4] the title song was used as the ending theme to the anime television series Horimiya.[7] They released their third album Solar on August 4, 2021.[4]

Members

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Current members

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Emi Okamoto (おかもと えみ, Okamoto Emi, born November 10, 1990)[8]
Okamoto serves as the band's lead vocalist. She is also active as a solo musician.[9]
Ryōhei Nagashima (長島 涼平, Nagashima Ryōhei, born May 18, 1984)[10]
Nagashima serves as the band's leader and bassist. He also serves as bassist of the rock band The Telephones.[10] He was chosen to be the leader after a game of Uno.[11]
Tarō Miura (三浦 太郎, Miura Tarō)
Miura serves as the band's guitarist, replacing an earlier temporary member.[2]
Louie Sakaguchi (関口 塁, Sakaguchi Rui)
Sakaguchi, formerly of the band The Mirraz, serves as the band's drummer.[2]

Former members

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Hirose Hirose (ひろせ ひろせ, Hirose Hirose, born June 8, 1990)[2]
Hirose served as the band's keyboardist, composer, and secondary vocalist, before leaving in April 2021.[6]

Discography

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Singles

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  • "Tanoshimou/I o You" (楽しもう/iをyou) (Release date: June 26, 2019)[4]
  • "Akubi o Sureba" (あくびをすれば) (Release date: June 17, 2020)[4]
  • "Yakusoku" (約束) (Release date: March 17, 2021)[4]

Extended plays

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  • Bedside Music (ベッドサイドミュージック) (Release date: March 21, 2018)[4]

Albums

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  • Baby Tanjō! (ベビー誕生!) (Release date: April 5, 2017)[4]
  • Conparch! (コン・パーチ!) (Release date: August 1, 2018)[4]
  • Solar (Release date: August 4, 2021)[4]

Mini-albums

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  • Petit Town (プチタウン) (Release date: November 22, 2017)[4]

References

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  1. ^ "フレンズ | ソニーミュージックオフィシャルサイト" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "フレンズ「ベビー誕生！」インタビュー｜東京ドーム目指す"神泉系"バンド、誕生の経緯と叶えたい夢" (in Japanese). Natalie. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "グッドメロディ、グッドミュージック!!! 誰もが楽しめる音楽を発信する男女5人組バンド、フレンズが 初のワンマンツアーを前に、充実した自身の活動について 結成から未来を語るインタビュー＆動画コメント" (in Japanese). PIA Corporation. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "フレンズの作品" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  5. ^ "「Infinity Live FES 2020」ひろせひろせの出演見合わせに関するお知らせ". Friends official website (in Japanese). 12 December 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "【ご報告】フレンズから大切なお知らせ". Friends official website (in Japanese). April 30, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Horimiya TV Anime's Promo Video Unveils Theme Songs". Anime News Network. December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Okamoto, Emi [@okp_emi] (November 10, 2021). "誕生日！！！！！！いつもありがとう😍 いつも関わってくれる皆様に感謝❤️ありがとー！ありがとー！！！！ 31歳は楽しく生きて、好きなものをとことん好きになって、音楽頑張ってまだ見ぬ最高の景色目指すぞー！みんなで見るぞー！オー！" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved December 2, 2021 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Emi Okamoto official website" (in Japanese). Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Interview – 長島涼平［the telephones］" (in Japanese). Rittor Music, Inc. December 17, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  11. ^ "フレンズが明かす、ハイクオリティなJ-POPが生まれる源泉 「最初の5秒に魔法をかけたい」" (in Japanese). Real Sound. April 5, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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