The Checkers (Japanese band)

The Checkers
Origin Kurume, Japan
Genres Rock 'n' roll, pop rock, rockabilly, doo-wop
Years active 1981 1992
Labels Pony Canyon
Past members Fumiya Fujii (vocals, chorus)
Masaharu Tsuruku (vocals, chorus)
Yoshihiko Takamoku (vocals, chorus)
Tohru Takeuchi (guitars, chorus)
Yuji Ohdoi (bass, contrabass, chorus)
Yoshiya Tokunaga (drums, percussion, chorus)
Naoyuki Fujii (sax, flute, back-vocals, chorus)

The Checkers (Japanese: チェッカーズ) was a Japanese band famous in the 1980s.[1] The band was formed by Toru Takeuchi, the leader and the guitarist, who asked Fumiya Fujii to start a band with him. They made a debut on 21 September 1983 and split up on 31 December 1992. All of their single releases entered top 10 in Japanese charts, many of them making it to No 1. Fumiya Fujii, who was the lead singer and the main lyricist, went on to pursue a successful solo career.

Although it was a band which produced their own songs, they were frequently regarded as just male aidoru by Japanese rock fans because of their early marketing promotion.[2]

Discography

Singles

Original albums

Best albums

References

  1. Mark Schilling The Encyclopedia of Japanese pop culture 1997 0834803801 p.230 "In the latter half of the 1980s rock bands like Rebecca, Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu Slump, and Kome Kome Club began to take center stage on the pop scene. Unlike earlier bands, who played Western-style rock for hard-core fans, these groups had a more Japanized sound that ordinary kids could relate to. Also, taking a hint from New Music queen YUMINC, who mounted spectacular stage shows.."
  2. 藤井フミヤ 100回目の武道館公演を達成も扱い小さく (in Japanese). Ameba News. 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2008-12-27.

See also

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