Miscellany info collected and translated from magazines and TV . I'm not sure if I got them all right, so if anyone would like to make corrections, please e-mail me.
LUNA SEA ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Inoran and J were only in high school when they formed the band LUNACY in 1986. Shinya, Sugizo, and J joined them in 1989, and their name was changed to LUNA SEA around November 1990. According to them, "the old name LUNACY meant confusion, and that meaning has been retained but we wanted our image to broaden".
~ J's solo single [Burn Out] was released on June 25, 1997 by MCA Victor, and Sugi's single [Lucifer] on July 9 of the same year, by Polydor. They were the next members to release their solo work (Ryu was the first).
~ Official Fan Club: SLAVE ~ 2F-3-6-10 Azaku-juban Minato-ku Tokyo 106-0045
L'ARC~EN~CIEL ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Hyde appeared in a CM as early as September 1994. The product was AXIA's casette tape. He wore a white dress (I think it was dress) and his hair was still long and curly. Laruku has appeared in other CMs like in the NTT mobile phone ad.
~ Official Fan Club: Ciel ~ PO Box 76 Shibuya Post ofiice, Tokyo, 150-8691 Japan
GLAY ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Glay was formed in 1990, and they were originally from Hokkaido. Some stats:
Teru ~ born 71.06.08, blood type O, shoe size 26 cm.
Takuro ~ born 71.05.26, blood type O, shoe size 27 cm.
Hisashi ~ born 72.02.02, blood type O, shoe size 25 cm.
Jiro ~ born 72.10.17, blood type A, shoe size 26 cm.
~ They had a former drummer named Akira.
~ Glay released or participated in some albums in 1993, during their indies days: [Greatest Shadow] released in April, [Speed Pop] on July 31, [Seduction] on August 22, and [an Optic], together with the bands Kill=Slayd and Fallen Angel. Glay's song in that album was "Gone with the Wind".
~ They debuted in 1994, discovered by Yoshiki, with the single [Rain] released on May 25. This was followed by another single called [Manatsu no Tobira], released on June 15. These songs were used as ending and opening themes respectively for the anime "Yamato Takeru".
~ Glay won the 1997 Nihon Record Taisho award for the album of the year. [However] was also nominated for song of the year, along with Kawamura Ryuichi's [Glass].
~ They have already appeared for two consecutive years in NHK's New Year special, Kouhaku Utagassen, where only the best and most popular performers are invited (97-98). Other J-rock bands that have also made it are Luna Sea and L'Arc~en~ciel (both in 98).
SOPHIA ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Sophia's Mitsuru Matsuoka and Jiru (Gille) were former members of a band called Rose Noir, which was formed on January 1993. Matsuoka was known as "Kamui" then (I suppose that's how the 2 kanjis are read).
~ Sophia was formed on February 1994, and their first one-man live was in Shinjuku Loft in December of the same year.
ROUAGE ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Rouage was formerly known as "Silver Rose" and was formed on December 1993. The members, plus their former bassist Kaiki, were from Nagoya. Their first album, released on July 1994, topped the indies chart. Their debut single was [Queen] and major album [Bible].
MALICE MIZER ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ B-days:
Kozi - May 92
Gackt - July 4
Mana - March 19
Kami - February 1
Yu~ki - Aug 8
~ Before Gackt, their former vocalist was Tetsu whom I heard is now with the band Zigzo.
~ Official Fan Club: Ma Cherie ~ PO Box 11 Jinbara(?) Shinagawa-ku Tokyo 142-8691
LA'CRYMA CHRISTI ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Formerly known as "Stripped Lady" around 1992. Before Shuse, their old bassist was Kita-J. They debuted in Sept. 1997 with the single [Ivory trees].
~ Their name is Italian for "Christ's Tears". According to them, "'Christ's tears' is something that no one has ever seen, right? That's the sort of image we'd like to convey during lives."
SHAZNA ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ They had a drummer named Katsura during their indies days. Around 93-94, Izam was known as "Izane".
DIR EN GREY ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Vocalist Kyo is a former member of the band "Gesshoku" (eclipse?) around 1993, and his live name was "Yoma".
PENICILLIN ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ Hakuei info : b-day Dec 16, reportedly he:
- listens to nostalgic anime songs for relaxation
- favorite accessory is chrome hearts
- always brings manga on tours
- always has champagne and beer on his fridge.
T.M. REVOLUTION ____________________________________________________________________________________
~ This guy has gone through some name changes. First he was known as "Haine" (ash + cat) when he was with the band "Luis Mary" from 93-94. Then Nishikawa Takanori, then T.M. Revolution (TM stands for Takanori Makes). I hear he goes by a much longer name nowadays, which I still don't know what.