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Dragon Ash

 
Artist: Dragon Ash
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Group Members:

Bots, Makoto Sakurai, Ikuzo Baba, Kenji Furuya

Similar Artists:

Limp Bizkit, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Big Bang, Drunken Tiger
  • Genres: Rock
  • Representative Albums: "Mustang!," "Viva la Revolution," "Buzz Songs"

Biography

Dragon Ash started out from humble punk beginnings to become one of the brightest groups in the growing New Japanese Rock movement in the late '90s, blending pop sensibilities with a hard-edged sound, producing albums and singles that play like a tour of Western rock of the '90s. Lead singer and guitarist Kenji Furuya, son of actor Ikko Furuya, met drummer Makoto Sakurai when they were junior high students in a Tokyo suburb, and the two started playing together. Though temporarily sidetracked into following in his father's footsteps, Furuya gave up the few acting gigs that he was getting on TV dramas to concentrate on music in high school. In 1996, knowing what they wanted but needing some sort of mentor, they took on bass player Ikuzo Baba, ten years their senior. Furuya and Sakurai had the talent and drive -- Baba brought experience and a wealth of musical knowledge. Dragon Ash was born. The group debuted in 1997 with two EPs at the beginning of the year, The Day Dragged On and Public Garden, which showed their raw, punk hardcore style, influenced by another rock trio, Nirvana. By the end of the year and time of their release, Mustang!, the group had progressed from their simple punk roots to a blend of pop, funk, hardcore, rap, and metal. Through 1998 their popularity increased, and by the time of Buzz Songs, their sound had solidified to rock/rap, helped with the mixing skills of DJ Bots, who occasionally appeared on some songs. Two singles -- "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go" and "Grateful Days," the latter featuring hardcore rapper Zeebra and soulstress ACO -- sold so well that they cracked the Japanese Oricon charts, usually reserved for pop music, and went to number one. Now Dragon Ash had become a four-piece, with DJ Bots essential to the mix. Their third album, 1999's Viva la Revolution, not only signified the arrival of the band as a major group in Japan, but was one of the first volleys in the New Japanese Rock movement. In 2000, Dragon Ash undertook the Total Music Communication Tour, touring Japan with a lineup that included other rising rock acts, such as Missile Girl Scout, Penpals, and Skebou Kings. Meanwhile, Furuya and DJ Bots formed a duo of sorts, writing and producing songs for acts such as Sugar Soul under the name Steady & Co. Likewise, Baba and Sakurai sidelined as a remixing unit called Motor Headphone, popping up on various compilations. If anyone had any doubts that the group was softening around the edges, 2001's Lily of da Valley was as hard, funky, and uncompromising as their earliest work. ~ Ted Mills, All Music Guide
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Dragon Ash
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genres Alternative rock
Drum and Bass
Hip Hop
Reggae
Years active 1997–present
Labels Victor Entertainment
Website dragonash.co.jp
Members
Kenji Furuya
Ikuzo Baba
Makoto Sakurai
Bots
Hiroki
Atsushi
Dri-V

Dragon Ash (ドラゴンアッシュ Doragon Ashu?) are a Japanese rock group led by rap mogul Kenji Furuya. They are an icon in Japan and were one of the first groups to popularize hip hop in Japan. They brought a western flavor to Japanese music and helped to turn rap music mainstream, with a mixture of reggae, rap, rap-rock, punk, Spanish, and R&B influences. Some of their best known songs include "Grateful Days", "Life Goes On", and "I Love Hip Hop". The group uses various samples, most notably from the famous American alternative rock group, The Smashing Pumpkins. These songs include "Cherub Rock", in which they sample the bass line from The Smashing Pumpkins song by the same name, and "Grateful Days" in which they sample the opening of "Today"; they also named the song "Siva" after the Pumpkins song.

Dragon Ash has gained some popularity outside Japan when the song Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo was used as the ending theme for the popular Japanese movie, Battle Royale. Kenji Furuya has also worked on several side projects in recent years, including being the frontman of Steady & Co., a Japanese hip hop and music production group consisting of himself, Bots, Ilmari of Rip Slyme, and Shigeo of SBK (Skebo King). In addition to Steady & Co., Furuya has also collaborated with other Japanese hip hop artists on the Mob Squad album and subsequent label.

Dragon Ash is also popular in lots of places around the globe. Not only did they have a huge influence on Japan, but they also are known mostly around Asia.

Kenji has stated in several interviews that the reason Dragon Ash started out as a pseudo-punk band was because, at the time, punk was popular in Japan, and his handlers felt that the hip hop image wouldn't sell. He has also noted that hip hop has always been first in his book, but he did what was necessary to become successful in the industry. Dragon Ash is a member of Mob Squad, which is an affiliation with the bands Source and Endive.

Contents

Members

  • Kenji "Kj" Furuya – vocals, guitar
  • Ikuzo "Iküzöne" Baba – bass
  • Makoto Sakurai – drums
  • Bots – DJ, samples, joined in 1999
  • Hiroki – electric guitar, joined in 2003
  • Atsushi – dance, joined in 2003
  • Dri-V – dance, joined in 2003

Awards & Nominations

2002

2003

2004

2007

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles/maxi singles

LPs

Compilation albums

  • 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.1
  • 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.2

Split albums

VHS

  • 1998: Buzz Clips
  • 2001: Lily Da Video
  • 2003: Posse In Video

DVD

  • 2001: Buzz Clips
  • 2001: Lily Da Video
  • 2003: Posse In Video
  • 2005: Video de Emoción
  • 2007: The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes

Music Videos

From The Day Dragged On
  • "天使ノロック (Tenshi no Rokku)" (1997)
From Public Garden
  • "Ability → Normal" (1997)
From Mustang!
  • "Rainy Day And Day" (1997)
From Buzz Songs
  • "陽はまたのぼりくりかえす (Hi Wa Mata Noborikuri Kaesu)" (1998)
  • "Under Age's Song" (1998)
From I Love Hip Hop
  • "I Love Hip Hop" (1999)
From Viva La Revolution
  • "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go" (1999)
  • "Grateful Days" ft. Zeebra, ACO (1999)
  • "Rock The Beat" (1999)
From Summer Tribe
  • "Summer Tribe" (2000)
From Lily Of Da Valley
  • "Deep Impact" ft. Rappagariya (2000)
  • "Amploud" (2000)
  • "静かな日々の階段を (Shizuka na Hibi no Kaidan Wo)" (2000)
  • "Bring It" (2001)
  • "Revolater" (2001)
  • "Sunset Beach" (2001)
From Life Goes On
  • "Life Goes On" (2002)
From Harvest
  • "Fantasista" (2002)
  • "Revive" (2003)
  • "Morrow" (2003)
  • "Episode 4" ft. SHUN, SHIGEO (2003)
From Shade
  • "Shade" (2004)
From Río de Emoción
  • "Crush The Window" (2005)
  • "夕凪Union (Yuunagi Union)" (2005)
  • "Los Lobos" (2005)
  • "Palmas Rock" ft. UZI-ONE (2005)
  • "Scarlet Needle" (2005)
From Independiente
  • "Ivory" (2006)
  • "Few Lights Till Night" (2006)
  • "夢で逢えたら (Yume de Aetara)" (2006)
  • "Fly" (2007)
From The Best Of Dragon Ash With Changes Vol.2
  • "Wipe Your Eyes" ft. Kaori Mochida from ELT (Every Little Thing) (2007)
From Freedom
  • "Velvet Touch" (2008)
  • "La Bamba" (2008)
  • "Tsunagari Sunset" (2008)
  • "Unmei Kyoudoutai" (2009)

External links

v • d • e
Dragon Ash
Kenji Furuya • Ikuzo Baba • Makoto Sakurai • BOTS • Hiroki • ATSUSHI & DRI-V
Studio albums
Remix album
Singles
LPs

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