B'z

B'z
B'z is made up of guitarist-composer Tak Matsumoto and vocalist-lyricist Koshi Inaba.
Background information
Origin	Japan
Genres	Rock, Hard Rock, Pop Rock, Blues, Jazz, Dance, Adult Rock, Metal
Years	1988–Present
Labels	BMG Japan (1988-1995) Vermillion Records (1995-Present)
Website	Official website
Members
Tak Matsumoto Koshi Inaba

B'z is a Japanese rock band, comprised of guitarist-composer Tak Matsumoto and vocalist-lyricist Koshi Inaba. Since their debut in 1988, B'z have remained one of the most successful music acts in not just their home country but the world, having set a number of records that still stand today. Not only have they remained at the top of the charts for over two decades, they have done so while experimenting with a great many sounds in virtually every imaginable genre of music. In addition to their work as a group, both members have complimented their musical endeavors with storied solo careers.

Among the records set and held by B'z are the distinctions of having the most number one singles, of which all are consecutive, the most number one albums, and the most number one home video releases. Overall, B'z has sold over 35 million singles—the most in Japanese history—and have moved over 85 million records in total—the most ever sold by a band in their home country. B'z currently has over thirty releases that have sold over a million copies, including their first two best-of compilations, B'z The Best "Pleasure" and B'z The Best "Treasure", that remain the second and fifth highest selling albums in Japanese music history.

B'z concerts, referred to as LIVE-GYMs, have been characterized by their consistent quality, energy, and production value. In addition to playing shows all over Japan, the duo has performed live in the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Canada. In addition to their large-scale concerts, B'z also venture out to see fans in the form of SHOWCASE shows—concerts with setlists that typically include a great many scarcely-performed songs and take place at smaller, more intimate venues. Generally, they are often played as warm-ups to the larger LIVE-GYM concerts as well as a means of still touring for fans even when a major album promotion isn't in order, especially in areas of Japan that the band have not visited previously or have not visited in some time.

Since December 1988, a quarterly magazine has been available to members of the band's fanclub, B'z PARTY. Be With!, previously known as Be+wiZ!, began as more of a newsletter but has since evolved into a full magazine with thorough interviews with the band in each issue, recording diaries, detailed backstage reports, exclusive reveals, and a great deal of special features.

History

Origin of the name B'z

The origin of "B'z" comes in various forms, though both members have stated on more than one occasion that there was no deep meaning behind its creation, with it mostly being spontaneous and spur of the moment. The most prominent explanation was that they wanted to be an "A to Z" sort of band, a band from which you could expect any sort of music. This was shortened to "A~Z" and then "A'z", but the pronunciation possibly being mistaken for "AIDS" made it an unfavorable candidate, which led to "B'z". Koshi repeated this sentiment in the 2012 documentary Only Two in a New York interview during their latest United States and Canada tour. Additionally, the band wanted a name that was easy to recognize, something modern that would lend itself well to a logo and become a recognizable namesake.

The uncertainty behind the exact origin of the band's name has led to much fan and press speculation over the years. With the question being one of the most common the band have received in their decades on the music scene, a few additional and supporting explanations have also arisen. Tak mentioned in a 1989 interview that the idea of having a "Z" at the end was the result of a casual remark by a staff member, while the idea that "B'z" is associated with bees was supported when Koshi explained in an interview on TOKYO FM's "BEAT ZONE" program that the pronunciation of "B'z" was similar to "bees" in English, meaning a swarm of bees. Bee imagery would be featured during the year 1995 on the single for "love me, I love you" as well as serving as a motif for B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'95 "BUZZ!!".

Later, Tak was also quoted as saying he liked the idea of using a "Z" in the name and thought having a "B" would be appropriately masculine, with the number of associated "B" rock artists out there. Thus, adding the two together formed "B'z". Another popular explanation that emerged in the press was that the band wanted to be inclusive of their favorite rock artists, and thus the name "B'z" included "B" for The Beatles and "Z" for Led Zeppelin.

1988: Formation and Debut Album

In the mid-1980s, the music scene in Japan was awash with music that consisted primarily and often exclusively of digitally-generated sounds and rarely involved the full instrumentation one would expect of rock music. The state of popular music at the time was at odds with the rock culture that a young guitarist by the name of Tak Matsumoto had admired since his youth. Then a studio musician playing guitar on the albums of some of Japan's top emerging pop acts, such as TM Network and Mari Hamada, Tak was discontent with the lack of distinctive guitar work in the music industry and longed to create his own music. After a stint of touring and recording with Hamada and TM Network, the young guitarist was determined to emerge from the shadow of being a supporting artist and create his own musical identity.

After departing from his supporting commitments, Tak set out to embark on his solo career where he would have control over the sound of his music. Solo instrumental albums were seeing a niche trend within a market that was starving for some sort of innovation, and thus Tak took advantage. On May 21, 1988, Thousand Wave, the debut album from twenty-seven year old guitarist Tak Matsumoto, was released to the Japanese public. The ten track album laid the foundation for Tak's early compositional style and offered the world the very first example of the prototypical B'z sound that would be of vital importance in the years to follow. In addition to offering a taste of what would become B'z music, it was here that Tak cemented another element of B'z history when friend and keyboardist Takanobu Masuda played on over half the album. Masuda had previously served as a fellow supporting member to Mari Hamada and would go on to tour with B'z more so than any other supporting member, having done so beginning in 1992 and would still be doing so even as of 2012.

The young Tak was satisfied with Thousand Wave and his first experience of being in control of the studio. At the same time, he felt he still hadn't even begun to reach his potential for what he wanted to accomplish in his musical career. As such, with the release of Thousand Wave, Tak felt that chapter of his career had ended and the next was soon to begin. It was then that he set out to realize his dream and thus began his search for others with which he could form a band to take to the top of the charts.

In May 1988, Tak—feeling confident with a guitar and not so much in his vocal ability—began searching for a vocalist with which to pair himself and begin his band project with. It was at that time that a music producer and friend by the name of Daiko Nagato introduced Tak to a demo tape from his collection of aspiring artists. The tape was a recording made several years prior by a university student who had made the tape with the hopes of being noticed and becoming a professional musician. The songs from the session that were then heard by Tak were covers of T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle", Led Zeppelin's "You Shook Me", and Billy Joel's "Honest". The tape went unnoticed and unrewarded at the time and was filed away. Years after it had been recorded, the solo guitarist Tak Matsumoto was listening to the tape and immediately sensed a connection with his style of music and the voice he was hearing.

The voice on the tape belonged to a recent Yokohama National University graduate by the name of Koshi Inaba. Though he had been a student at the time the demo tape was authored, he had now graduated with a degree in mathematics and had embarked on the path of teaching the subject instead. The young Koshi had excelled at academics, particularly in English and math, and felt comfortable teaching the latter considering that, during the course of his university days, he had ranked third in the entire country in mathematics. It was not in teaching that his heart really belonged, however, and while his dreams of being a musician had begun to diminish with the responsibilities of the real world, he was not ready to give up entirely. When he suddenly received a call from a man named Tak Matsumoto to request an audition with concern to a demo he had recorded years earlier, Koshi was floored and immediately accepted the meeting.

The rendezvous took place at a small studio in Roppongi, Tokyo called "SOUND JOKER". There, the two mused over the music that they liked and found a great many similarities between them, including a mutual fondness of The Beatles. The pair reconvened the next day without a solid plan and decided to become more familiar with one another's styles by playing Beatles songs together. It was then that the two played through covers of "Oh! Darling" and "Let It Be" with only a microphone and guitar. However, shortly after the second song, the guitar amplifier malfunctioned and they had no choice but to call it a day. Despite the sudden inconvenience, both Tak and Koshi had heard enough and their newfound band was on its way. Twenty years later, after they had long topped the Japanese music scene and become its biggest artists, the two relayed this story and performed "Oh! Darling" under the same conditions, with only a microphone and guitar, to a crowd of over 70,000 during their sold-out 20th anniversary tour.

While the formation of the band came quite easily, Tak and Koshi said in later years that it was more of an organic than an arranged decision to start a band, with it all happening naturally. During their 1993 tour, "RUN", Tak joked on-stage that, "Come to think of it, we never did [outright agree we should form a band]", to which Koshi responded, "Let's do it then!". In the Japanese music industry at the time, the perception was that rookie artists should give up if they are unable to produce a hit within three albums. As a result, Tak said to Koshi in the early days that they should score the cover of Gb, a popular music magazine at the time, within three years.

From the band's founding through writing the music, producing, and recording their original works, it all occurred in a short period of around four months. At the onset of the first album's recording, Tak oversaw all aspects of the album, including presiding over Koshi's lyrics, who had no previous professional experience with songwriting. Very quickly, he recognized his partner's natural proficiency with the art, no doubt due to his extensive vocabulary with both Japanese and English and his ability to develop thematic themes seamlessly around the music Tak had written. This was to be the true beginning of the sound that would define B'z music in the decades to come. Tak continued writing all of the music and performing all guitar while Koshi sang and wrote all of the lyrics freely.

Finally, on September 21, 1988, the simultaneous releases of their self-titled debut album B'z and their first single, "Dakara Sono Te wo Hanashite", marked the beginning of a new era in the lives of Tak Matsumoto and Koshi Inaba as well as serving as the beginning of what would forever change the face and sound of Japanese music.

1989:

B'z during their very first live performance on April 4, 1989. Due to them only being a duo with no stable of support musicians, the performance took place with only Tak on guitar, Koshi providing vocals, and backing tracks used for bass, drums, and other instrumentation.

With the release of their first album, B'z had their first taste of building their own sound and developing their vision of what they wanted to accomplish in music. Their debut releases in 1988 did not make too big of a splash in the music scene, but did garner acclaim amongst those in the music community. The band were not especially concered with the sales, however, as they had already decided they would not tour in support of the album and had a very different plan to most other new artists of the era. Their feeling was that, until they had enough material to perform a full live show, they would not be taking the stage as they wanted enough variety in their songs to give those who appeared at their shows a lasting, unique experience. The goal was to have 90 minutes of material to play a full show before going on tour, and as such, they immediately went back into the studio to write more music with the experience they had developing the first album together.

The aim was to create an album with songs that would be single-worthy. However, this was also the most trying time for Koshi as a lyricist. In subsequent interviews, Koshi mentioned feeling like giving up at several points, but was encouraged by Tak who said his lyrics were getting better and better. Though a stressful recording process, one of which consumed nearly 1,000 total hours in and around the studio by some accounts, Koshi's resilience with the album's lyrics paid off. Through the album, he was able to explore lyrical themes dealing with daily life, as well as romantic relationships and endeavors as well as its place in friendships. From the sessions, the unexpected live hit "OH! GIRL" emerged: an upbeat and optimistic pop-rock number that still frequents their live setlists to this day and is arguably their most successful of their older songs.

The ten-track resulting album entitled OFF THE LOCK was released only nine months after the first on May 21, 1989. The band's second single "Kimi no Naka de Odoritai" was, as was the case with their original releases, released simultaneously. The album's title came from the idea that the work would be "removing the lock" for the band, to allow them to explore their potential as a full rock band on the live stage with nothing left holding them back. The releases did not lead to especially great mainstream success, but did lay the foundation for their upcoming live shows that would bring B'z to the attention of the music industry and music fans alike.

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2012: English Album, 50th Single and Largest North American Tour

2013: 25th Anniversary, B'z The Best XXV Albums and ENDLESS SUMMER

Hot on the heels of their 2012 foray into North America, B'z began the new year with the triad of home videos announced in November 2013 that would serve to begin their 25th anniversary campaign. Accordingly, B'z LIVE-GYM 2008 -ACTION- was released in January, B'z LIVE-GYM 2005 -CIRCLE OF ROCK- in February, and finally B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 -ELEVEN- in March. Previous interviews in Be With! hinted for months what fans already knew: a 25th anniversary tour would commence sometime in 2013, but the exact timing, extent, and form it would take would go unknown in the year's early months. As had been the case with earlier anniversaries, a compilation album was expected sometime in the year to commemorate the band's twenty-five years on the music scene.

Finally, in late March, all silence was broken and the band's full anniversary plans were announced. Instead of one new compilation, fans were treated to two collections that, for the first time, set out to gather together all 50 singles and came in the form of B'z The Best XXV 1988-1998 and B'z The Best XXV 1999-2012. The two compilations also contained four brand new songs between them, with the limited edition copies coming with, for the first time, all of the associated music videos on home video. Additionally, B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER- was at last announced: a full-blown tour that would tour halls throughout Japan from June to July, and then take on the nation's biggest domes from August all the way through their September 21 and 22 anniversary shows at B'z favorite Nissan Stadium.

In April, the band were announced for a double-headling gig with Aerosmith—their second occasion joining forces following the 2002 FIFA World Cup International Day Concert eleven years earlier. Set for August 8, the event was dubbed AEROSONIC and was to take place as the opening event for the year's annual SUMMER SONIC music festival. When the show came, the two bands each performed full sets, with B'z also joining Aerosmith on stage for a rendition of their classic rocker "Mama Kin".

The band rounded out 2013 with plenty of performances, including a showing on Music Station during a "B'z 25th Anniversary Special" that featured an unprecedented four performances from B'z alone, with three coming as a result of fan requests. The show began with a B'z performance of new song "Q&A" and was followed by "LOVE PHANTOM", "Hadashi no Megami"—itself receiving its television debut—and finally "ultra soul" as the top vote-getter. A special YouTube program featuring an hour long interview with Tak and Koshi was also later aired live, featuring the band answering in-depth questions from fans that had been gathered in the weeks prior.

In November, B'z appeared as the inaugural performers for a special show at EX THEATER ROPPONGI. Shortly thereafter, news came down that B'z would be releasing the home video for the year's tour early in 2014 entitled B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 ENDLESS SUMMER -XXV BEST-. The package was announced to come in a standard package and a complete edition, the latter of which features nearly six hours of footage between the tour finale at Nissan Stadium and the special hall tour finale earlier in the tour, as well as a documentary documenting the full 25th anniversary year.

< NOTE: This article is a perpetual work in progress that will be expanded gradually with time. >

Success Abroad

The band's success has led them to receive accolades and acknowledgment far outside of Japan. In 2002, American rock icons Aerosmith were invited to headline the International Concert Day event at the 2002 FIFA World Cup that was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, and they agreed, but with the stipulation that they would only do so if B'z headlined with them. Ultimately, B'z and Aerosmith shared the same stage as the two bands performed hit after hit until finally the two joined forces for a rendition of the classic rock tune "Train Kept A Rollin'".

On November 19, 2007, B'z received the honor of becoming the first Asian musicians to be inducted to the Hollywood RockWalk in Los Angeles, California. This was not the first time B'z broke new ground in the global music industry, however. In 1999, Tak became the first Asian guitarist to become a signature Gibson artist and has, ever since, sported and introduced to the public numerous Gibson guitars designed to his specifications—most of which have quickly sold out in their initial production runs.

B'z have forged relationships with many of the top personalities in rock music, including guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, fellow American guitarist Stevie Salas, Slash of Guns N' Roses, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Juan Alderete of the Mars Volta, the members of rock band Mr. Big, as well as Canadian drummer Shane Gaalaas and bassist Barry Sparks, who have become fixtures of the B'z touring crew as they tour in Japan and abroad. In 2010, Tak collaborated with renowned jazz guitarist Larry Carlton on an "east meets west"-themed instrumental album titled Take Your Pick, which would go on to earn the pair a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album and make Tak the first Japanese guitarist to be bestowed with the honor.

B'z Discography

Singles

1. Dakara Sono Te wo Hanashite (1988)

2. Kimi no Naka de Odoritai (1989)

3. LADY-GO-ROUND (1990)

4. BE THERE (1990)

5. Taiyou no Komachi Angel (1990)

6. Easy Come, Easy Go! (1990)

7. "Itoshii Hito yo" Good Night... (1990)

8. LADY NAVIGATION (1991)

9. ALONE (1991)

10. BLOWIN' (1992)

11. ZERO (1992)

12. Ai no Mama ni Wagamama ni... (1993)

13. Hadashi no Megami (1993)

14. Don't Leave Me (1994)

15. MOTEL (1994)

16. Negai (1995)

17. love me, I love you (1995)

18. LOVE PHANTOM (1995)

19. Mienai Chikara/MOVE (1996)

20. Real Thing Shakes (1996)

21. FIREBALL (1997)

22. Calling (1997)

23. Liar! Liar! (1997)

24. Samayoeru Aoi Dangan (1998)

25. HOME (1998)

26. girigiri chop (1999)

27. Konya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni (2000)

28. May (2000)

29. juice (2000)

30. RING (2000)

31. ultra soul (2001)

32. GOLD (2001)

33. Atsuki Kodou no Hate (2002)

34. IT'S SHOWTIME!! (2003)

35. Yasei no ENERGY (2003)

36. BANZAI (2004)

37. ARIGATO (2004)

38. Ai no Bakudan (2005)

39. OCEAN (2005)

40. Shoudou (2006)

41. Yuruginai Mono Hitotsu (2006)

42. SPLASH! (2006)

43. Eien no Tsubasa (2007)

44. SUPER LOVE SONG (2007)

45. BURN -Fumetsu no Face- (2008)

46. Ichibu to Zenbu/DIVE (2009)

47. MY LONELY TOWN (2009)

48. Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo (2011)

49. Don't Wanna Lie (2011)

50. GO FOR IT, BABY -Kioku no Sanmyaku- (2012)

Albums

Studio Albums

1. B'z (1988)

2. OFF THE LOCK (1989)

3. BREAK THROUGH (1990)

4. RISKY (1990)

5. IN THE LIFE (1991)

6. RUN (1992)

7. The 7th Blues (1994)

8. LOOSE (1996)

9. SURVIVE (1998)

10. Brotherhood (1999)

11. ELEVEN (2001)

12. GREEN (2002)

13. BIG MACHINE (2003)

14. THE CIRCLE (2005)

15. MONSTER (2006)

16. ACTION (2007)

17. MAGIC (2009)

18. C'mon (2011)

Mini Albums

1. BAD COMMUNICATION (1989)

2. WICKED BEAT (1990)

3. MARS (1991)

4. FRIENDS (1992)

5. FRIENDS II (1996)

Compilation Albums

1. B'z The Best "Pleasure" (1998)

2. B'z The Best "Treasure" (1998)

3. B'z The "Mixture" (2000)

4. The Ballads ~Love & B'z~ (2002)

5. B'z The Best "Pleasure II" (2005)

6. B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" (2008)

7. B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure" (2008)

8. B'z The Best XXV 1988-1998 (2013)

9. B'z The Best XXV 1999-2012 (2013)

Specialty Releases

B'z TV Style SONGLESS VERSION (1992)

B'z TV STYLE II Songless Version (1995)

Flash Back -B'z Early Special Titles- (1997)

DEVIL (2002)

The Complete B'z (2005)

B'z EP (2007)

B'z English Album (2012)

Home Videos

1. FILM RISKY (1990)

2. JUST ANOTHER LIFE (1991)

3. LIVE RIPPER (1993)

4. "BUZZ!!" THE MOVIE (1996)

5. The true meaning of "Brotherhood"? (1999)

6. once upon a time in Yokohama ~B'z LIVE GYM'99 "Brotherhood"~ (2000)

7. a BEAUTIFUL REEL. B'z LIVE-GYM 2002 GREEN ~GO★FIGHT★WIN~ (2002)

8. Typhoon No.15 ~B'z LIVE-GYM The Final Pleasure "IT'S SHOWTIME!!" in Nagisaen~ (2004)

9. B'z LIVE-GYM 2006 "MONSTER'S GARAGE" (2006)

10. B'z LIVE in Namba (2008)

11. B'z SHOWCASE 2007 -19- at Zepp Tokyo (2008) — Included in limited edition of B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure"

12. B'z LIVE-GYM Hidden Pleasure ~Typhoon No.20~ (2008)

13. B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008 -GLORY DAYS- (2009)

14. B'z LIVE-GYM 2010 "Ain't No Magic" at TOKYO DOME (2010)

15. B'z LIVE in Namba 2006 & B'z SHOWCASE 2007 -19- at Zepp Tokyo (2010) — Blu-ray double package collecting B'z LIVE in Namba and B'z SHOWCASE 2007

16. B'z LIVE-GYM 2011 -C'mon- (2012)

17. B'z LIVE-GYM 2008 -ACTION- (2013)

18. B'z LIVE-GYM 2005 -CIRCLE OF ROCK- (2013)

19. B'z LIVE-GYM 2001 -ELEVEN- (2013)