The GazettE ( ガゼット )

ガゼット(Left to Right: Aoi, Reita, Ruki, Kai, Uruha)

☆ The Gazette  ( ガゼット ) ☆

**  Members  **

::  Ruki  ( ルキ ) ::

( Vocals )

2002 – present

Birth Date:  February 1st, 1982

Real Name:  Matsumoto Takanori (松本たかのり)

::  Uruha  ( 麗 )  ::

( Lead Guitar )

2002 – present

Birth Date:  June 9th, 1981

Real Name:  Kouyou Takashima (宏陽高島)

      ::  Reita  ( れいた ) ::

( Bass, Piano )

2002 – present

Birth Date:  May 27th, 1981

Real Name:  Akira Suzuki (亮鈴木)

::  Aoi  ( 葵 )  ::

( Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar )

2002 – present

Birth Date:  January 20th, 1979

Real Name:  Shiroyama Yuu (優城山)

::  Kai  ( 戒 )  ::

( Drums, Leader )

2003 – present

Birth Date:  October 28th, 1981

Real Name:  Uke Yutaka (受毛豊)

::  Musical Style  ::

The Gazette is considered to be a form of Rock in general, however, their style has a wide range of different types of rock. They also include various synthesized effects to create new listening dynamics and atmosphere.

Throughout their career, these are the types of sounds you can expect to hear from The Gazette: Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock, Glam Rock, Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal, Nu Metal, Funk Metal, Experimental Metal, Metalcore, Crossover Thrash.

Along with these, you can also find some Rap, Hip-Hop and yes…even some Dubstep.

::  2002 Concept and Early Works  ::

The GazettE was formed by Ruki, Reita and Uruha, who then,  recruited Aoi  and Yune  from the disbanded Visual Kei band Artia. January of 2002 they formally became The GazettE.
The band was originally signed to Matina and released their first single, “Wakaremichi” along with their first music video on April 30th, 2002. “Wakaremichi” was re-released in June and by September “Kichiku Kyoushi (32sai Dokushin) no Nousatu Kouza” and their second PV was released.  October, they played their first solo live and  on Christmas, the 5-song compilation 妖幻鏡 moon and the song “Yougenkyou” were released.

::  2003  Cockayne Soup & New Drummer  :: 

Yune decided to leave the band in early 2003 and was later replaced by Kai.  Shortly after this, the band signed on with the PS Company label. In May,  they released their first EP,  “Cockayne Soup”.  They started their first tour with the band Hanamuke, and during the tour the bands collaborated on two songs.

The GazettE started their first tour with the band Hanamuke and was followed by a second tour with the band Vidoll. The bands were featured together on the November issue of Cure, a magazine focusing on Visual Kei bands.

Early December, they played a co-headlining show with Deadman.  December 28, they performed at Fool’s Mate magazine’s Beauti-fool’s Fest. Afterwards,  a DVD of the performance was released.

::  2004 Disorder  ::

 January 16, 2004,  a solo performance at the Shibuya-AX was recorded and released on DVD as Tokyo Saihan -Judgement Day-.  On March 30, 2004, Madara (their 5th EP)  was released and hit #2 on the Oricon Indie Charts. A companion DVD that included six music videos and an in-the-studio documentary soon followed on May 26th.  In the same month, the band was featured in Shoxx magazine’s Expect Rush III, a catalogue of independent Visual Kei artists.

Heisei Banka, a second concert DVD, was released on August 25th, 2004. During the months of September and October, The GazettE toured with fellow PS Company bands Kra and BIS. “Disorder”, their first studio album, was released on October 13th and made it to the top 5 of the Indies Oricon Daily Charts.

::  2005 – 2006  Nil and Nameless Liberty Six Guns Tour  ::

The GazettE held a Japan-wide spring tour called “Standing Tour 2005 Maximum Royal Disorder” in early 2005. April 17th at Shibuya Kokaido the final tour was held.  March 9th, 2005 their new single “Reila” was released.
After the July 6th DVD release of their concert, The GazettE released their sixth EP, “Gama” and embarked on the Standing Tour 2005 (Gama) the Underground Red Cockroach. Their first photobook, “Verwelktes Gedicht”, that included an exclusive CD containing the song “Kare Uta (枯詩; Withered Poem)” was released on October 20th.  December 7th, 2005, they released their first single, “Cassis”, under a major label.  A promotional video of “Cassis”, was shot in Austria. On December 11th, The Gazette performed with other bands signed to the PS Company label to celebrate the record label’s fifth Anniversary Peace and Smile Carnival 2005 Tour.

The GazettE started 2006 with a name change from Japanese characters to the romanized script. February 8th, 2006 they released their 2nd studio album “Nil”.  Another Japanese tour: The Standing Tour 2006 Nameless Liberty Six Guns followed shortly afterward, the tour ending at the venue Nippon Budokan.  The GazettE released their first compilation album ” Dainihon Itangeishateki Noumiso Gyaku Kaiten Zekkyou Ongenshuu” in May. The album included songs from 2002 thru 2004.  Within the next month they also released their second music video compilation DVD, “Flim Bug I”.  On July 29th, 2006,  they performed at the Beethovenhalle in Bonn, Germany, their first show outside of Asia. The concerts were arranged in conjunction with the AnimagiC anime and manga convention.

On August 6th, 2006 The Gazette held a festival called “Gazerock Festival in Summer 06 (Burst into a Blaze)” at Tokyo Big Sight West Hall. Later, in the same  month, they released two new singles, “Regret” on October 25th, and “Filth in the beauty” on November 1st.  The singles were promoted by another tour “Tour 2006-2007 Decomposition Beauty”. During the middle of the tour, The GazettE announced the final location of the tour to be at Yokohama Arena.

::  2007 – 2009 Stacked Rubbish & Dim  ::

Early in 2007, the single, “Hyena” was released. The B-side of  “Hyena”,   “Chizuru” (千鶴; A Thousand Cranes) was used as the ending song for the horror Korean movie called “Apartment”.  The GazettE’s third studio album, “Stacked Rubbish” release  followed on July 4th.  “Stacked Rubbish” hit the #2 spot on the Oricon charts within a day of its release. The album was followed by a long time promotional tour named “Tour 2007-2008 Stacked Rubbish (Pulse Wriggling to Black)” lasting from July of 2007 until April of 2008. In October, the band set out on their first European tour, performing in England, Finland, France, and Germany. The tour finale was held in Yoyogi National Gymnasium on April 19th and April 20th of 2008.

The beginning of 2008, The GazettE  released a single, “Guren” (紅蓮; Crimson Lotus), on February 13th, 2008. “Guren”  reached #1 on the Oricon charts. The DVD for the “Stacked Rubbish Grand Finale” (Repeated Countless Error) at Yoyogi National Gymnasium was released on August 6th. Their new single “Leech” was released on November 12, 2008, which also landed a #1 spot on the Oricon daily charts. July 14th, the band performed in the event “Music Japan 2008” (a TV program on NHK) with other bands including Alice Nine, Plastic Tree, LM.C and Mucc.

On August 23. The Gazette held a festival called Gazerock Festival in Summer 08 (Burst into a Blaze) at Fuji-Q Conifer Forest. The Gazette went on a fanclub tour throughout October called Standing Live Tour 08 (From the Distorted City), referencing the song “Distorted Daytime” from their “Leech” single, which portrayed Tokyo as a “distorted city,” in terms of the societal and political crises sweeping over Japan.

On November 15, 2008, The Gazette hosted their first secret show in Shinjuku Station. Originally, around two-hundred fifty people were to be anticipated, but instead, over seven thousand attended, the most in the band’s history. Due to the amount of people on the streets, the police were forced to shut it down after two songs.

On January 3, 2009, The Gazette performed alongside fellow PS Company bands in the Peace and Smile Carnival 2009 Tour to celebrate the record label’s 10th Anniversary in Nippon Budokan, where they announced they would release a new single called Distress and Coma on March 25. The release was preceded by a 7th Anniversary performance called Live 09 (7-Seven-) at Makuhari Messe Convention Hall.

The band released their 4th studio album, Dim on July 15, followed by another Japan-wide summer tour starting in July, for which the tour’s final show was held at Saitama Super Arena on September 5. On October 7, 2009, they released their single Before I Decay. After that, The Gazette performed at V’Rock Festival 2009 at Makuhari Messe on October 24.
In December, The Gazette held a Christmas Eve live to close out the year called Live 09 (A Hymn of the Crucifixion) at Tokyo Big Sight.

::  2010–2011  Label Change & Toxic  ::

On March 17, 2010, the band embarked “Standing Live Tour 10” (The End of Stillness) at Zepp Tokyo.  After the fan club tour, the band then announced a new single and a live tour, which is named Tour 10 Nameless Liberty Six Bullets starting in July with two consecutive nights at Nippon Budokan.  Among all of these events, the band has also announced that they would be transferring from King Records to Sony Music Records. “Shiver” is the first single with new label Sony Music Records and was also selected as the opening theme song to the Sony anime series Kuroshitsuji II.  On August 4th, 2010, they released 3rd music video on DVD titled Film Bug II which included 10’s PV from “Regret” to “Before I Decay”.

Right after the release of “Shiver”, the band announced the final stop of the “Tour 10 Nameless Liberty Six Bullets” would be held at Tokyo Dome, and two new singles “Red” and “Pledge” would be released.

In March 2011, the band embarked on a fanclub only tour named Live Tour 11 (Two Concept Eight Nights -Abyss/Lucy-) and 9th Birth (Day 9 -NINE-) at Zepp Tokyo in March 10th. On March 23rd, The GazettE released a compilation album titled “Traces Best of 2005-2009” and a live concert DVD named “The Nameless Liberty” at 10.12.26 Tokyo Dome.

The GazettE has postponed the releases of their best-of album “Traces Best of 2005-2009” and live DVD “The Nameless Liberty” at 10.12.26 Tokyo Dome which contains footage of their final concert at Tokyo Dome due to the catastrophe in Japan. Both were released on April 6th.

Their single “Vortex” was released on May 25th, 2011. In July 2011, Ruki and Aoi will join in PS Carnival Tour 2011 Summer 7 Days at Shibuya. Ruki will include on session band named “Lu/V” and Aoi will include on session band named “Aoi with Bon:cra-z”. The GazettE will also be performing at the 2011 Summer Sonic Festival that will be held on August 13th and 14th, in Tokyo and Osaka. On September 18th, 2011, The GazettE performing at Inazuma Rock Festival 2011 with TM Revolution.

The Gazette finally announced the release of their new single “Remember the Urge” on August 31st, the new album “Toxic” on October 5th and the Live Tour11 “Venomous Cell”. The tour will start on October 10th in Tokyo at the International Forum Hall A and will lead the band through 27 cities with a total of 28 performances until the end of the year.  The tour finale was held in Yokohama Arena with the title named Tour11-12 Venomous Cell -the Finale- Omega on January 14th, 2012. On October 3rd, The GazettE  received the award “The Most Requested Artist 2010” from J-Melo Awards 2011.

::  2012 Division  ::

In the final concert of “Venomous Cell” tour, The GazettE announced that they will hold a 10th anniversary concert called “Standing Live 2012 10th Anniversary -The Decade-” at Makuhari Messe on March 10th, 2012. They also announced the release of a new album called “Division” which will be released in August.

 

::  Albums and EP’s  ::

2003-05-28:   Cockayne Soup (EP)
2003-06-25:   Akuyuukai (悪友會 ～あくゆうかい～; Meeting Bad Company) (EP)
2003-07-30:   Spermargarita (スペルマルガリィタ) (EP)
2003-10-01:   Hankou Seimeibun (犯行声明文; Letter of Responsibility) (EP)
2004-03-30:  Madara(斑蠡 ～MADARA～) (EP)
2004-10-13:   Disorder (Studio Album)
2005-08-03:  Gama (蝦蟇 (がま); Toad) (EP)
2006-02-08:  Nil (Studio Album)
2006-05-03:  Dainihon Itangeishateki Noumiso Gyaku Kaiten Zekkyou Ongenshuu (Compilation Album)
2007-07-04: Stacked Rubbish (Studio Album)
2009-07-15:  Dim (Studio Album)
2011-04-06:   Traces Best of 2005-2009 (Compilation Album)
2011-10-05 Toxic (Studio Album)

 

::  Singles  ::

“Wakaremichi” (別れ道; Crossroads) (April 30, 2002)
“Kichiku Kyoushi (32sai Dokushin) no Nousatsu Kouza” (鬼畜教師(32才独身)の悩殺講座; Facinating Courses of a (32 Year-Old Single) Brutish Teacher) (August 30, 2002)
“Gozen 0-ji no Trauma Radio” (午前0時のとらうまラヂヲ; The Radio of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at 0:00) (November 1, 2003)
“Zakurogata no Yuutsu” (ザクロ型の憂鬱; Pomegranate Styled Despression) (July 28, 2004)
“Zetsu” (舐～zetsu～; Lick) (July 28, 2004)
“Miseinen” (未成年; Minor) (July 28, 2004)
“Dainippon Itangeishateki…” (大日本異端芸者的脳味噌逆回転絶叫音源集) (July 28, 2004)
“Reila” (March 9, 2005)
“Cassis” (December 7, 2005)
“Regret” (October 25, 2006)
“Filth in the beauty” (November 1, 2006)
“Hyena” (February 7, 2007)
“Guren” (紅蓮; Crimson Lotus) (February 13, 2008)
“Leech” (November 12, 2008)
“Distress and Coma” (March 25, 2009)
“Before I Decay” (October 7, 2009)
“Shiver” (July 21, 2010)
“Red” (September 22, 2010)
“Pledge” (December 15, 2010)
“Vortex” (May 25, 2011)
“Remember the Urge” (August 31, 2011)

 

::  Compilations  ::

“Yougenkyou”(妖幻鏡 moon) (December 25, 2002, Eternal)
(With the song “Okuribi” (おくり火))

“Kaleidoscope” (May 1, 2003, PS Company)
(With the songs “Back Drop Junkie [Nancy]” and “Akai One Piece” (赤いワンピース))

“Hanamuke & Gazette live”(男尻ツアーファイナル) (May 6, 2003, PS Company)
(With the song “Machibouke no Kouen de” (待ちぼうけの公園))

“Japanesque Rock Collectionz” (July 28, 2004)
(With the song “Okuribi” (おくり火))

“Rock Nippon Shouji Nori ko Selection” (ロックNIPPON 東海林のり子セレクション) (January 24, 2007)
(With the song “Cassis”)

“Fuck the Border Line (Tribute for Kuroyume)” (February 16, 2011, Avex Trax)
(With the song “C.Y.HEAD”)

 

::  Other Releases  ::

“Doro Darake no Seishun.” (泥だらけの青春。; Mud Covered Youth) (October 8, 2003)

“Juuyon sai no naifu” / 14 sai no knife (十四歳のナイフ; Fourteen Year-Old’s Knife) (September 11, 2004, King Records)

“Chigire” (チギレ; Torn) (August 10, 2005, King Records)

“Verwelktes Gedicht” Photobook (October 20, 2005, PS Company)
(With the song “Kare uta”(枯詩; Withered Poem))

“NIL Band Score” Book (April 28, 2006, King Records)

“Dainippon Itan Geisha-teki Noumiso Gyaku Kaiten Zekkyou Ongen Shuu Band Score” Book (March 13, 2007, King Records)

“Stacked Rubbish Band Score” Book (March 1, 2008, King Records)

“Dim Band Score” Book (September 14, 2009, King Records)

 

::  Videography  ::

Shichoukaku Shitsu (視聴覚　質) (August 30, 2002)
Sentimental Video (センチメンタルビデオ) (March 1, 2003)
-Matina- Final Prelude Live (April 10, 2003) (Various artists)
Hyakkiyagyou (百鬼夜行) (October 1, 2003)
Tokyo Saihan -Judgement Day- (東京裁判-Judgement Day-) (April 28, 2004, PS Company)
Madara (DVD) (斑蠡-Madara-) (May 26, 2004, PS Company)
Heisei Banka (平成挽歌) (August 25, 2004, PS Company)
Peace & Smile Carnival Tour 2005 (～笑顔でファッキュー～) (2006, King Records) (with Miyavi, Kagrra, Kra, Alice Nine)
Standing Tour 2005 Final Maximum Royal Disorder at 2005.4.17 Shibuya Kokaido Live (Standing Tour 2005 Final 「M.R.D」 at 2005.4.17 渋谷公会堂) (July 6, 2005, King Records)
Film Bug I (June 7, 2006, King Records)
Standing Tour 2006 Nameless Liberty. Six Guns… -Tour Final- at Nippon Budokan (日本武道館) (September 6, 2006, King Records)
Tour 2006-2007 Decomposition Beauty—Final “Meaningless Art That People Showed” at Yokohama Arena (June 13, 2007, King Records)
Tour 2007-2008 Stacked Rubbish Grand Finale [Repeated Countless Error] at Yoyogi National Gymnasium (August 6, 2008, King Records)
Peace & Smile Carnival Tour 2009 at Nippon Budokan (日本武道館) (April 15, 2009, King Records) (with Miyavi, Kagrra, Kra, Alice Nine, Screw & Sug)
Tour09 -Dim Scene- Final at Saitama Super Arena (December 16, 2009, King Records)
Film Bug II (August 4, 2010, King Records)
The Nameless Liberty 10.12.26 at Tokyo Dome (April 6 , 2011, Sony Music Records)