| Free-Will | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Hiroshi Tomioka |
| Status | Active |
| Distributing label |  Avex Group,Sony Music Entertainment Japan,Universal Music Group Gan-Shin,CLJ Records |
| Genre | Rock |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Official Website | www.free-will.co.jp |
Free-Will is an independent Japanese record label founded in 1986 with branches predominantly in Japan and the United States, as well as in Europe previously.[1] It manages, among others, several visual kei themed rock bands and also continues to co-manage many of its artists after they have signed recording contracts with one of the major record labels. During the visual kei boom in the 1990s, the phrase "East Extasy and West Free-Will" was coined ("Extasy" referring to Yoshiki Hayashi's Extasy Records).[2]
On September 14, 2007, the label's founder Hiroshi "Dynamite Tommy" Tomioka was arrested, along with fellow Free-Will official Kazunori Murasaki and Koichi Kaku, a former employee of the Asatsu-DK advertising agency. The trio is accused of defrauding the agency of 324 million yen (approximately US$ 2.8 million) by appearing to order the agency to produce music videos, which were then delegated to subcontract firms. Kaku has since confessed to the charges, while Tomioka denied any involvement.[3][4][5]
Contents |
Sub-divisions
The company operates several sub-divisions, some of them for a single band or purpose only. For example, Firewall Div. solely handles material which is released in collaboration with Sony Music.
- Firewall Div. – Baroque, Dir en grey
- Ism – Kannivalism
- Lizard – Kagerou
- PS Company – Alice Nine, Kagrra, Kra, The GazettE, SuG (formerly co-managed Miyavi, a Universal Music artist)
- Indie PSC – SCREW, ViViD
- S'Cube – Eile de Mu, Puppet Mammy, Ruvie, Tokyo Michael
Bands managed directly
- Past
- Rentrer en Soi
- BIS
- Color
- Kamaitachi
- By-Sexual
- Billy & The Sluts
- Decameron
- Genkaku Allergy
- Seamonkey
- Amphibian
- Youka
- Red Tail Cat
- Lovemania
- Speed-ID
- Vogue
References
- ^ "Free-Will Europe Home Page". web.archive.org. 2007-04-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20070404165604/http://www.free-will-europe.com/. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
- ^ v ""Free-Will and Groove Productions Press Release"". nanopro.jp. http://www.nanopro.jp/newsrelease/pdf/20070626.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- ^ ""3 Arrested for Defrauding Ad Company"". japantoday.com. 2007-09-15. http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/418315. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ ""３億２４００万円詐欺、広告代理店元社員ら逮捕"" (in Japanese). sankei.co.jp. 2007-09-14. http://www.sankei.co.jp/shakai/jiken/070914/jkn070914011.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
- ^ ""ＡＤＫから３億円詐取、容疑の元社員ら３人逮捕"" (in Japanese). nikkei.co.jp. 2007-09-14. http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/shakai/20070914AT1G1401C14092007.html. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
See also
External links
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