Kome Kome Club (米米CLUB, Kome Kome Kurabu) is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 1982 which achieved commercial success by blending soul and funk musical styles.[2][3] They also use the style of rakugo.[4]

Kome Kome Club
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active1982–1997
2006–present
LabelsSony
Members
  • Carl Smoky Ishii
  • James Onoda
  • Bon
  • Be
  • Flash Kaneko
  • Mari
  • Minako
  • Ryo-J
  • Joplin Tokunoh
Websitehttp://www.komekomeclub.net/
Kome Kome Club
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2021 -
Subscribers58k[1]
Total views23,367,094 million times[1]

Last updated: January 15, 2024

History

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1982–1997: Commercial success

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Kome Kome Club was founded in 1982 by vocalist Tatsuya Ishii (sometimes credited as "Carl Smoky Ishiii") and fellow members.[5] They released their debut single and album in October 1985. In 1990, "Roman Hikō" became a hit song. In 1992, "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" topped the Oricon chart, remaining in the charts for 33 weeks.[6] It was the fifth best-selling song in Japan since Oricon's establishment,[7] and the second best-selling J-Pop single, slightly behind Southern All Stars' "TSUNAMI", (released in January 2000). "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" was written around the marriage of band members Minako (also Ishii's sister) and Kaneko, the saxophone/keyboardist.

Drummer Ryo-J and guitarist Joplin Tokunoh parted ways with the band in 1995. Ishii tried to continue the band, but in the end he officially dissolved it in March 1997.

2006–present: Reunion

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With the two members returning, the band reformed in the middle of 2006 for a series of concerts as well as a few new recordings, including "Well Come 2" [sic], which spurred a video where the band members were depicted as toys (complete with enlarged doll-like heads, UPC bar codes and one, "James" Onoda Yasuhide bursting out of his "box"). The video also gives a nod to all of its members by having a screen shot with their name and them playing in the scene, this includes members of Big Horns Bee and Sue Cream Sue. It is a part of Sony Music Japan. Sony has frequently had appearances of the "Well Come 2" video on various streaming websites pulled while leaving other videos from the same DVD online.

A combined CD/DVD release featured a parody of the "hentai" (aka "racy') videos where the two dancers (Minako and Mari, also known as "Sue Cream Sue") dance to songs of Kome Kome in various states of dress and undress (and strange costumes like animals). However, this being 20 years later, their costumes are not as skimpy as the ones in their famed "Costume Dance" videos during Kome Kome's heyday. They do poke a bit of fun with it and guitarist, Be, narrates over the slow-motion action when their skirts fly up a little.

Although there was a very long layoff, "Well Come 2" still became a Top 10 hit on the Oricon charts.[8] On October 22, 2006, they announced that they completely revoked their breakup.[9] In September 2007, their new studio album komedia.jp was released. On December 31, 2007, they took part in the 58th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Members

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Current members

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  • Carl Smoky Ishii (カールスモーキー石井, Kāru Sumōkī Ishii, Real name: Tatsuya Ishii (石井 竜也, Ishii Tatsuya)) born 22 September 1959 (1985-1997, 2006-) - vocal
  • James Onoda (ジェームス小野田, Jēmusu Onoda, Real name: Yasuhide Onoda (小野田 安秀, Onoda Yasuhide)) born 8 November 1959 (1985-1997, 2006-) - vocal, chorus
  • BON (ボン, BON, Real name: Kensaku Ookubo (大久保 謙作, Ōkubo Kensaku)) born 5 March 1960 (1985-1997, 2006-) - bass
  • BE (ベー, , Real name: Naoki Hayashibe (林部直樹, Hayashibe Naoki)) born 29 July 1965 (1985-1997, 2006-) - guitar
  • Flash Kaneko (フラッシュ金子, Furasshu Kaneko, Real name: Takahiro Kaneko (金子隆博, Kaneko Takahiro)) born 22 March 1964 (1985-1997, 2006-) - Saxophone, Keyboards, Flute
  • Minako (ミナコ, Minako, Real name: Minako Kaneko (金子 美奈子, Kaneko Minako)) born 18 December 1961 (1985-1997, 2006-) - Vocal, Dance (younger sister of Ishii and wife of Kaneko)
  • Mari (マリ, Mari, Real name: Mari Amagaya (天ヶ谷真利, Amagaya Mari)) born 20 November 1966 (1985-1996, 2006-) - Vocal, Dance, Percussion
  • RYO-J (リョージェイ, Ryōjei, Real name: Ryouji Sakaguchi (坂口良治, Sakaguchi Ryōji)) born 25 April 1959 (1985-1995, 2006-) - Drums
  • Joplin Tokunoh (ジョプリン得能, Jopurin Tokunō, Real name: Ritsurou Tokunou (得能律郎, Tokunō ritsurō)) born 10 August 1959 (1985-1995, 2006-) - guitar

Live-band support members

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  • Mataro (マタロー, Matarō, Real name: Matarou Misawa (三沢またろう, Misawa Matarō)) born 23 October 1960 (1990-1997, 2006-) - Percussion, Chorus
  • Machiko (マタロー, Machiko, born 23 December) (1991-1997, 2006-) - chorus
  • Tequila Masaharu (テキーラまさはる, Tekīra Masaharu, born 17 December 1985) (2013-) - dance, MC, subvocal

Former members

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  • Toshi: Drums
  • Juliano Katsumata: Keyboards
  • Juliano Narabe: Keyboards
  • Kohtaro: Dance
  • Shinji: Dance
  • SCS (Sue Cream Sue)
  • B.H.B. (Big Horns Bee)
  • G.I. Gyo: Trumpet
  • Himarayan Shimogami: Trumpet
  • Kawai Wakaba: Trombone, saxophone
  • Orita Nobotta: Saxophone, flute
  • Fussy Kobayashi: Trumpet
  • Megumi Hakata: Guitar
  • Lala Okaku: Guitar
  • Maru: Percussion
  • Taka: Vibraslap
  • Bohz: Percussion
  • Andes Murata: Trombone
  • Rocky Tada: Trumpet
  • Beauty Kondo: Saxophone
  • Satomi: Dance

Discography

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Albums

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon

[10]
Shari Sharism (シャリ・シャリズム)
  • Released: 21 October 1985
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
35
E・B・I・S
  • Released: 10 October 1986
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
3
Komeguny
  • Released: 21 October 1987
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
3
Go Funk
  • Released: 21 September 1988
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
5 1/2
  • Released: 11 November 1989
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
K2C
  • Released: 25 January 1991
  • Label: CBS Sony
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
Kome Kome Club (米米CLUB)
  • Released: 25 April 1991
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 2CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
Octave
  • Released: 25 June 1992
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
Seimaiya (聖米夜)
  • Released: 10 December 1992
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
1
Phi
  • Released: 1 November 1993
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette, MD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
2
Phi II
  • Released: 10 December 1994
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette, MD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
3
Sorry Music Entertainment
  • Released: 23 November 1995
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 2CD, 2Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
6
H20
  • Released: 21 March 1996
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
6
Pushed Rice
  • Released: 1 March 1997
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
2
komedia.jp
  • Released: 5 September 2007
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
10
Sunrice
  • Released: 5 September 2009
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 2CD, CD, CD+DVD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming
8

Live albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon

[10]
The Last Symposium: Kome Kome Club Last Live in Tokyo Dome (THE LAST SYMPOSIUM 〜米米CLUBラスト・ライブ in 東京ドーム〜)
  • Released: 8 August 1997
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 3CD
15

Soundtracks

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Title Album details
K2C Produce ICTL
  • Released: 10 June 1992
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
K2C Produce ICTL No.2
  • Released: 22 September 1992
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD

Compilation albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN
Oricon

[10]
Singles
  • Released: 21 June 1987
  • Label: Sony Music Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, cassette
14
Decade
  • Released: 20 February 1995
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette, MD
1
Harvest Singles 1985–1992"
  • Released: 31 March 1997
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
4
Harvest Singles 1992–1997
  • Released: 1 June 1997
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
7
Star Box
  • Released: 30 January 1999
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
12
Star Box Extra Kome Kome Club
  • Released: 5 December 2001
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
Kome: Best of Best
  • Released: 21 October 2005
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 2CD, 2CD+DVD
8
Last Best
  • Released: 8 August 2017
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: 4-Blu-spec CD2+Blu-ray, 3-Blu-spec CD2
11

Singles

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Year Album Chart positions
(JP)[10]
Label
1985 "I Can Be" 67 CBS Sony
1986 "Shake Hip!" 54
"Gayu" (加油 (GAYU)) 27
1987 "Paradise" 19
"Sûre Danse"
1988 "Yometsu Nami" (嫁津波) 42
"Kome Kome War" 5
"Time Stop" 25
1989 "Funk Fujiyama" 2
1990 "Roman Hikou" (浪漫飛行) 1
"Shake Hip! (Ishii Version)" 5
1991 "Hitosuji ni Narenai" (ひとすじになれない) 3 Sony Music
1992 "Kimi ga Iru Dake de/Aishiteru" (君がいるだけで/愛してる) 1
"Orion" 6
1993 "Toki no Tabiji: Rex no Theme" (ときの旅路 〜REXのテーマ〜) 3
"Ai wa Fushigi sa" (愛はふしぎさ) 2
1994 "Abracadabra" (ア・ブラ・カダ・ブラ)
"Oreiro ni Somare" (俺色にそまれ)
"Oreiro ni Somare" (手紙) 6
1995 "Wonderful Sun Day" (ワンダブルSUNでぃ) 5
"Just My Friend" 18
"Subete wa Honto de Uso kamo ne" (すべてはホントでウソかもね) 7
1996 "Stylish Woman" 23
1997 "Special Love" 12
2006 "Well Come 2" 9
"E-yo" (E-ヨ) 5
"Kimi wo Hanasanai" (君を離さない) 9
"Mata©Tana" 9
2007 "Goryaku" (御利益) 13
"We Are Music" 17
2008 "Tsuyogari" (つ・よ・が・り) 7
"080808" 18
2009 "Furimukanaide" (ふりむかないで) 14
"Koi no Gamble" (恋のギャンブル) 12
2013 "Takarabune" 15
"Don't Mind" (どんまい) 31
2021 "Ai wo Komete" (愛を米て) 20

DVD singles

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Year Album Chart positions
(JP)[10]
Label
2012 "Tennen no Bi" (天然の美) 8 Sony Music

Digital singles

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Year Single Reference
2017 "Kodomo na Otona/Uplight" (コドモ ナ オトナ / Uplight) [11]
2021 "Who?" [11]

Videography

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Video albums

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No. Release Title Format Serial No.
1st 21 July 1989 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.7 SHARISHARISM 7 Kick-Knock VHS
LD
8mm
48ZH-249
48LH-249
CSWM-6156
2nd 10 August 1989 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.8 SHARISHARISM 7 2much-2ist 48ZH-250
48LH-250
CSWM-6157
3rd 21 August 1989 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.9 SHARISHARISM 7 Co-Conga 48ZH-251
48LH-251
CSWM-6158
4th 21 April 1990 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.1 DEBUT SHARISHARISM VHS
LD
8mm
β
CSVM-175
CSLM-175
CSWM-6175
CSUM-3175
5th 21 September 1990 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.10 TiTi SHARISHARISM TARO CSVM-203
CSLM-203
CSWM-6203
CSUM-3203
6th Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.11 HaHa SHARISHARISM TARO CSVM-204
CSLM-204
CSWM-6204
CSUM-3204
7th 21 February 1991 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.12 SHARISHARISM ART WORK ART UP CSVM-233
CSLM-233
CSWM-6233
CSUM-3233
8th Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.13 SHARISHARISM ART WORK WORK UP CSVM-234
CSLM-234
CSWM-6234
CSUM-3234
9th 1 August 1991 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.14 ANTI SHARISHARISM CSVM-265
CSLM-265
CSWM-6265
CSUM-3265
10th 1 March 1992 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.15 Kanzenban Eiyuu Densetsu AU SHARISHARISM VHS
LD
β
SRVM-301〜302
SRLM-301〜302
SRUM-301〜302
11th 10 July 1993 The 8th ANNIVERSARY SHARISHARISM ACE THE 8TH OF ACE VHS
LD
8mm
SRVM-352
SRLM-352〜353
SRWM-6352〜6353
12th 20 February 1995 10th ANNIVERSARY LIVE VIDEO SHARISHARISM IOTA VHS
LD
SRVM-449
SRLM-449
13th 24 March 1995 10th ANNIVERSARY LIVE VIDEO SHARISHARISM THETA SRVM-434
SRLM-434
14th 1 April 1996 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT OPERA BLUE SRVM-517
SRLM-517
15th 21 September 1996 Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.4 SUEC TV RECITAL VHS SRVM-545
16th 21 June 1997 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT THE LAST SYMPOSIUM VHS
LD
DVD
SRVM-5570〜5571
SRLM-5570〜5571
SRBL-1062〜1063
17th 21 July 1997 komecetera Kome Kome Club DaizenshuuVol.2,3 Shoki no Kome Kome CLUB PIT 3DAYS VHS SRVM-5579
18th komecetera Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.5,6 B.C. SHARISHARISM SRVM-5580
19th 8 August 2018 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2017: Osekihan BD SRXL-168~169
SRXL-170
20th 7 August 2019 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2019: Okaeri BD
DVD
SRXL-218
SRBL-1857
23 December 2020 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2019: Okawari [SING for ONE ~Best Live Selection~] SRXL-296
SRBL-1939
21st 14 April 2021 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT 2020 ~OMUSUBI~ SRXL-298〜299
SRBL-1698〜1699
22nd 10 August 2022 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2021 SRXL-360〜361
SRBL-2060〜2061
23rd 17 April 2023 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2023: WILD SOUL CARNIVAL SRXL-470
SRBL-2217

Music videoclips

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No. Release Title Format Serial No.
1st 22 July 1987 Kome KomeTV ONODA-SAN VHS
LD
Betamax
48ZH-135
58LH-135
48QH-135
2nd 21 September 1991 K2C2 KOME KOME CLUB CREATORS VHS
LD
8mm
βetamax
SRVM-276
SRLM-276
SRWM-6276
SRUM-3276
3rd 31 March 1997 KOME KOME CLUB HISTORY RICISM VHS
LD
DVD
SRVM-5552
SRLM-5552
SRBL-1057

Documentaries

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No. Release Title Format Serial No.
1st 21 June 1997 THE BEST SYMPOSIUM VHS SRVM-5572

DVD Box sets

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No. Release Title Format Serial No.
1st 21 February 2007 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. I DVD SRBL1301〜1312
2nd 26 December 2007 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. III SRBL1341〜1343
3rd 8 August 2008 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. II SRBL1351〜1362
4th 8 August 2010 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. IV SRBL1423〜14235
5th 26 June 2013 a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. V SRBL1576〜1579

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About 米米CLUB Official YouTube Channel". YouTube.
  2. ^ 米米CLUB (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  3. ^ 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.."
  4. ^ 懐かしの名曲を探せ!(第22回)~米米クラブ復活「君がいるだけで」の巻 (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2006-03-24. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  5. ^ "今夜21時、米米CLUBがニューアルバムを引っさげて生出演!" (in Japanese). RBB Today. 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  6. ^ 君がいるだけで (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  7. ^ "SMAP「世界に一つだけの花」、 シングル売上歴代9位に!!" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  8. ^ WELL COME 2 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  9. ^ 米米CLUB解散撤回で完全復活宣言. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 2006-10-23. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  10. ^ a b c d e "米米CLUBの作品". Oricon (in Japanese). December 30, 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  11. ^ a b "米米CLUBの作品" (in Japanese). Mora. Retrieved 2 December 2023.