Wands (band)

Template:Nihongo (stylized as WANDS) is a Japanese rock band formed in 1991 and active until 2000 under the label B-Gram Records.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, the band reunited with a new vocalist, Daishi Uehara, and two former members, Shibasaki and Kimura, under the D-Go recording label.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the span of 29 years, the band has had three lead vocalists and changed instrumental members five times.

Members

Wesugi period

• Template:Nihongo (1991-1996)- vocalist, lyricist, composer, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1991-1992)-keyboardist, composer, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1991-1996)-guitarist, composer, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1992-1996)-keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger

Waku period

• Template:Nihongo (1997-2000)-vocalist, lyricist, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1997-2000)-guitarist, lyricist, composer, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1992-2000)-keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger

Uehara period

• Template:Nihongo (2019-)- vocalist, lyricist
• Template:Nihongo (1991-1996, 2019-)-guitarist, composer, arranger
• Template:Nihongo (1992-2000, 2019-)-keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger

Career

1991–1996: Commercial success with Show Wesugi

The band was founded in 1991 by main vocalist Show Wesugi, guitarist Hiroshi Shibasaki, and keyboardist Kousuke Oshima. Wesugi was a fan of Axl Rose and Oshima was a guest member of Japanese rock band Loudness.<ref name="barks">Template:Cite web</ref> The band was named after wands of tarot.<ref name="barks" /> They debuted with single "Sabishisa wa Aki no Iro (Loneliness is Autumn Color)". Their 1992 single "Motto Tsuyoku Dakishimeta Nara (If I Embrace You More Strongly)" reached #1 and was charted for 44 weeks on the Japanese Oricon charts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1992, Shinya Kimura joined the band following Oshima's departure. Collaborating with Miho Nakayama, they released "Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto (Certainly More Than Everybody in the World)" in October 1992, which became one of the standard J-pop songs.<ref name="barks" /> That year, they took part in Kōhaku Uta Gassen, a famous year-end show in Japan, with this song.<ref name="barks" />

Wesugi wrote Deen's debut song "Konomama Kimidake wo Ubaisaritai (Now, I Want to Make Off with Only You)", which sold over a million copies after its release in March 1993. In April, their album Toki no Tobira (Temporal Door) and single "Ai wo Kataru yori Kuchizuke wo Kawaso (Let's Kiss More Than Talking Love)" both reached #1 positions on the Oricon charts, making them the second artist to achieve this, following Seiko Matsuda.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "Ai wo Kataru yori Kuchizuke wo Kawaso" remained #1 for four consecutive weeks.<ref name="barks" /> Toki no Tobira was charted for 33 weeks on the Oricon album charts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They sold over 4.11 million singles and 3.18 million albums in a year, winning the "Artist of the Year" award at the 8th Japan Gold Disc Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Their 1994 single "Sekai ga Owaru made wa... (Until the End of the World...)" reached #1 on Oricon charts, gaining over 1.2 million sales<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was certified as a million-selling single by Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was the closing theme song of the anime series Slam Dunk. Wesugi loved grunge and wanted to turn into alternative rock.<ref name="barks" /> "Sekai ga Owaru made wa..." became the last song written in his former style because he felt that many musicians around him were doing the same thing.<ref name="jrock">Template:Cite web</ref> Their next single, "Secret Night (It's My Treat)," shifted to power pop and created controversies.<ref name="barks" /> Their 1995 studio album, Piece of My Soul, reached the #1 position on the Oricon charts, with sales of over 542,000 copies the first week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Wesugi's image continued to change with the song "Same Side".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His new style was said to be "painterly"<ref name="jrock" /> and their new album was influenced by punk and blues, according to Wesugi.<ref name="jrock" /> After the release of the single "Worst Crime (About a Rock Star who was a Swindler)" in February 1996, Wesugi and Shibasaki withdrew from the band<ref name="barks" /> and formed al.ni.co to pursue grunge. Their withdrawals were officially announced in 1997.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Wesugi continued his music career and performed in the sixth anniversary of Hide's death in 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shibasaki formed rock band Abingdon Boys School with Takanori Nishikawa in 2005. Oshima also worked with Nishikawa on the 2006 album Under Cover.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1997–2000: Third period with Jiro Waku

Shinya Kimura re-formed the group with vocalist Jiro Waku and guitarist Issei Sugimoto. Jiro Waku, whose real name is Jiro Matsumoto, was the first leader of twelve skateboarding boys (predecessor of SMAP) in Johnny & Associates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their debut song, "Sabitsuita Machine Gun de Ima o Uchinukō", written by Miho Komatsu, was used as the end credits theme for Dragon Ball GT. Their next single, "Brand New Love", was written by Izumi Sakai. Sakai also wrote the song "Ashita moshi Kimi ga kowaretemo" (lit. "Even if you shatter tomorrow"), which was used as the closing theme for the first series of Yu-Gi-Oh! produced by Toei Animation. Their next single, "Kyo, Nanika no Hazumi de Ikiteiru" (lit. "Today, I live by some chance"), was written by Nana Azuki, a future member of Garnet Crow, and by Makoto Miyoshi, a future member of Rumania Montevideo. However, their first studio album, Awake, released on 27 October 1999, only charted for three weeks, peaking at #18 on the Oricon charts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Through the official website, the band from the third period announced its disbandment in 2000.

2019-present: Fourth and Fifth Wands period with Daishi Uehara

On 13 November 2019, the fifth period of Wands was announced with new vocalist, Daishi Uehara, along with former members Shibasaki and Kimura. On 17 November 2019, the band made their first stage appearance in 18 years at Dojima River Forum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In January 2020, their new original song, "Makka na Lip", was released under the Giza Studio record label. It was also the opening theme song of the anime television series Detective Conan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 16 February 2020, it was announced that a new single, "Daki Yose, Takamaru, Kimi no Taion to Tomoni", written by Shibasaki and Haibara, would be released in May. The announcement happened after a Special Live event. The single was promoted as the theme song of the Japanese television series Silent Voice. It is their first television drama theme song for the first time in 28 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, Uehara collaborated with the guitarist from the same music agency, Tak Matsumoto on the covers single "Toki no Sugiyuku Mama ni", which will be included in the kayokyoku cover's album The Hit Parade II.

Discography

Studio albums

• Wands (1992)
• Toki no Tobira (1993)
• Little Bit… (1993)
• Piece of My Soul (1995)
• Awake (1999)
• Burn The Secret (2020)
• Version 5.0 (2023)
• Time Stew（2025)

External links

• Template:Official website Template:In lang