Southern All Stars

Current revision

Southern All Stars is a rock/pop band formed in 1976 and fronted by singer-songwriter Keisuke Kuwata. The band's signature sound is Kuwata's distinctive husky voice and unusual singing style. Since releasing their first single Katte ni Shindobaddo in 1978, they have constantly been in the charts and have a fan base of all ages. Southern All Stars have had numerous hits and million-selling singles and their songs have often been covered by other performers.

Keisuke Kuwata was in a band called Better Days and a student at Aoyama Gakuin University when he met Yuko Hara (who he married in 1982) and Kazuyuki Sekiguchi. They were soon joined by guitarist Omori Takashi, drummer Matsuda Hiroshi and Nozawa Hideyuki on percussion.

They first played together in public at a local festival in 1976. A friend of Kuwata’s came up with their name after listening to Neil Young’s Southern Man and then a cut by the Fania All Stars on the radio. The band were first criticized as a comic band.

Their third single dearly Erie (Itoshi no Ellie) became a huge success in 1979 and the band continued to release hit records throughout the 1980's. Their eleventh studio album Young Love was mastered by George Marino, famous for working on Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, John Lennon and Yoko Ono albums and sold over two million copies.

Kuwata experimented with new musical styles in 1997 and there was a decline in the band’s popularity. Success soon returned as in 1998, their compilation album Umi no Yeah!! sold over 3,300,000 copies and is the highest-selling double-album in Japan,

The band’s 44th single Tsunami was used as the theme song of Mirai Nikki III part of the TBS PROGRAM Un-nan no Hontoko! This single became the third best-selling single in Japan of all time, and won the Japan Record Prize.

Takashi Omori left the band in 2001. Omori and his wife were well known as Soka Gakkai adherents. This caused rumors about religious problems between himself and other members. In 2003, HMV Japan announced Southern All Stars to be the No.1 Japanese pop artist of all-time. In autumn 2005, Southern All Stars started their biggest nationwide concert tour ever, and played to over half a million people in eleven cities.

All the members of SAS have embarked on solo or side projects over the years, Kuwata has performed and recorded both as a solo act and as leader of the Kuwata Band.

Trivia

In 1989, Ray Charles sang Itoshi no Ellie in English as the background music of a Japanese whiskey company TV advertisement.

Members

• Vocals: Keisuke Kuwata
• Keyboards: Yuko Hara
• Bass: Kazuyuki Sekiguchi
• Drums: Hiroshi Matsuda
• Percussion: Hideyuki Nozawa
• Guitar: Omori Takashi (left 2001)

Discography

Singles

• Katte ni Shindobaddo (1978)
• Kibun Shidai de Semenaide (1978)
• Itoshi no Erie (1978)
• Omoi-Sugoshi mo Koi no Uchi (1979)
• Shi-Cho Kotoba ni Goyojin (1979)
• Namida no Abenyu (1980)
• Koi Suru Mansuri Dei (1980)
• Inase na Rokomoshon (1980)
• Jazu Man (1980)
• Wasureji no Reido Bakku (1980)
• Sha Ra Ra/Gomenne Chari (1980)
• Biggu Suta Burusu (Biggu Suta no Higeki) (1981)
• Shiori no Tema (1981)
• Chako no Kaigan Monogatari (1982)
• Nijiiro Za Naito Kurabu (1982)
• Ya Ya (Ano Toki o Wasure Nai) (1982)
• Bodi Supesharu Tsu (Bodi Supesharu) (1983)
• EMANON (1983)
• Tokyo Shaffuru (1983)
• Misu Burannyu Dei (1984)
• Tarako (1984)
• Bai Bai Mai Rabu (Yu a za Wan) (1984)
• Merodi (1984)
• Minna no Uta (1988)
• Megami Tachi e no Joka (Hodo Sarenai Wai-Kei no Kanata e) (1989)
• Sayonara Beibi (1989)
• Furi Furi Shikkusuti-Faibu (1989)
• Manatsu no Kajitsu (1990)
• Neo Burabo!! (1991)
• Shuraba-Ra-Banba/Kimi Dake ni Yume o Mo Ichi-do (1992)
• Namida no Kissu (1992)
• Erotika Sebun (1993)
• Suteki Na Badi (Na Na Badi) (1993)
• Kurisumasu Rabu (Namida no Ato ni wa Shiroi Yuki ga Furu) (1993)
• Manpi no Ji-Supotto (1995)
• Anata Dake o - Sama Hatobureiku (1995)
• Ai no Kotodama - Supirichuaru Messeji (1996)
• Taiyo wa Tsumi na Yatsu (1996)
• Zero Wan Messenja - Denshi Kyo no Uta (1997)
• Buru Hebun (1997)
• Rabu Afea - Himitsu no Deto (1998)
• Paradaisu (1998)
• Iero Man - Hoshi no oji-sama (1999)
• TSUNAMI (2000)
• Hoteru Pashifikku (2000)
• Kono Aoi Sora and Midori - Buru in Gurun (2000)
• Namida no Umi de Dakare Tai - Shi obu Rabu (2001)
• Aya (2004)
• Kimi Koso Suta da/Yume ni Kieta Juria (2004)
• Ai to Yokubo no Hibi (2004)
• Bobo Nanba Faibu/Kami no Shima Haruka Kuni (2005)
• Dati orudo Man - Saraba Natsu yo (2006)

Albums

• Atsui Muna-Sawagi (1978)
• Ten Nanbazu Karatto (1979)
• Taini Baburusu (1980)
• Sutereo Taiyo-zoku (1981)
• Nudo Man (1981)
• Kirei (1983)
• Ninki-Mono de Iko (1984)
• KAMAKURA (1985)
• Southern All Stars (1990)
• Yo ni Man' yo no Hana ga Saku Nari (1992)
• Yangu Rabu (1996)
• Sakura (1998)
• Kira Sutorito (2005)

Best of Albums

• Ballads '77- '82 (1982)
• Ballads 2 '83- '86 (1987)
• Watermelon - 61 Southern All Stars Songs (1989)
• HAPPY! (1995)
• Umi no Ye!! (1998)
• Ballads 3 - The Album of Love (2000)

Videos and DVDs

• Martial arts mansion concert (1982)
• Southern All Stars THE BEST (1983)
• Odor gloss THE NIGHT CLUB (1983)
• Gift story of [sa] good fortune (1984)
• Megami Tachi e no Joka (Hodo Sarenai Wai-Kei no Kanata e) (1989)
• The Japan series 1992~1993 LIVE at YOKOHAMA ARENA 29th Dec.1992 (1993)
• Hotaru Kariforunia (1995)
• Heiwa no Ryuka - Sutajiamu Tsua Naintin Nainti-Shikkusu “Za Garuzu Manza Bichi” in Okinawa (1997)
• 1998 Super Live in Nagisaen (1998)
• SPACE MOSA (1999)
• Secret Live' 99 SAS Case File in Kabukicho (2000)
• Inside Outside UMI (2003)
• Summer Live 2002 (2003)
• Best Hit USAS (Ultra Southern All Stars) (2005)
• FILM KILLER STREET (Director's Cut) & LIVE at TOKYO DOME (2006)

External Links

• Officical Website (Japanese)