Buck-Tick

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Founded: 1983
Origin: Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Genres: Alternative Rock, Industrial Rock, Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, Punk Rock

Introduction:
Buck-Tick, stylized as BUCK-TICK is a Japanese rock band. The group has consisted of lead vocalist Sakurai Atsushi, lead guitarist Imai Hisashi, rhythm guitarist Hoshino Hidehiko, bassist Higuchi Yutaka and drummer Yagami Toll since 1985. The band has experimented with various genres of music throughout their three decade career, this including punk rock, industrial rock and gothic rock. The band is commonly credited as one of the founding fathers of the visual kei movement. They have released 21 studio albums, nearly all reaching top ten on the charts, of which three in the late eighties and early nineties topped them.

Biography:
Buck-Tick was originally formed in 1983. All five of the band members lived in the Gunma Prefecture. Imai Hisashi originally had the idea for the band, and wanted to start it despite not knowing how to play any instruments at the time. He recruited his friend, Higuchi Yutaka, and the two of them began to practice - with Hisahi on the guitar and Higuchi on the bass. Then, later on, Higuchi asked Hoshino Hidehiko, who had been his friend since their first year of high school, if he would like to join the band. Since Hoshino was tall and handsome, Higuchi tried to convince him to become the vocalist, but Hoshino was more interested in playing the guitar, and didn't want to be put in the spotlight, so Hisashi's friend Araki became the vocalist instead. Sakurai Atsushi, a rebellious loner in Hisashi's class who hung out with the bad-kid "Yankee" crowd, volunteered to be the drummer. The band members went to high school with Boøwy singer Himuro Kyosuke.

Hisashi named the band Hinan Go-Go (非難GO-GO, "Hinan" means "criticism" in Japanese) in Spring 1984. Once they had practiced enough and were able to play, they began to perform live at small, local events. They started out playing covers of songs by the famous Japanese punk band The Stalin. From the beginning they were very conscious of their image and tried to differentiate themselves from the crowd. They performed in suits with their hair up and soon added face makeup, as well.

When Hisashi graduated high school, he moved to Tokyo with Araki and enrolled in design school. When Higuchi and Hoshino graduated a year later, they also moved to Tokyo - Higuchi for business school and Hoshino for culinary school. However, they returned home on the weekends to practice together and play shows. During the summer of 1984, the band changed their name to Buck-Tick, which is creative spelling of "bakuchiku" (爆竹), which is the Japanese word for firecracker. They also began to perform original songs, written by Hisashi and a few by Hoshino.

Sakurai's parents wouldn't let him move to Tokyo, so he was the only one left in Gunma, and he became very depressed. He spent all his time alone, and to pass the time, he often went to concerts and watched bands live on TV, and he decided that he was sick of being a drummer and wanted to be a vocalist instead. Higuchi's brother Yagami Toll was also in a band, SP, and when SP lost their vocalist, Sakurai asked Yagami if he could be the replacement. Yagami politely refused his request, and SP broke up.

However, at the same time, the rest of Buck-Tick was becoming frustrated with Araki. As Hisashi's composing skills improved, Araki became unable to carry the melodies to the songs. Though it was painful for them, the band decided to fire Araki, and Sakurai convinced them to let him take Araki's place. Buck-Tick was now missing a drummer, but the hole was soon filled by Yagami, after Higuchi convinced him that the best way for him to get over the loss of his own band was to join theirs instead. This became the final lineup for the band, and has not changed since.

(Continuation of their biography here: en.wikipedia.org)

Members:
- Imai Hisashi (今井寿) – lead guitar, backing vocals, theremin, occasional lead vocals (1983–present)
- Hoshino "Hide" Hidehiko (星野英彦) – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1983–present)
- Higuchi "U-ta" Yutaka (桶口豊) – bass (1983–present)
- Toll Yagami (ヤガミ トール Yagami Tōru) – drums, percussion (1985–present)

Former Members:
- Araki (アラキ) – lead vocals (1983–1985)
- Sakurai Atsushi (櫻井敦司) – lead vocals (1985–2023), drums (1983–1985); his death

(Source: en.wikipedia.org)