While his LUNA SEA band mate J was off on a solo project, INORAN was busy with his own. Sometime during the fall of 1997, he released his debut album, Sô. It was accompanied by a single sporting the same name, and both met with average success. There was no demand for a solo tour, so he put his projects on hold and returned to LUNA SEA.
Fast forward to 2001. After the official demise of LUNA SEA, things began picking up for our guitarist-for-hire. It was in early spring that he founded his official fan club, No Name?. It attracted many followers, which helped to advertise his upcoming solo career. A few months later, his single, Won't Leave My Mind?, and its corresponding album, Fragment, were released. They met with mixed reviews, but still managed to please his fans and a lot of rock enthusiasts.
THE LAST NIGHT, as it was dubbed, was INORAN's first official solo tour, which only consisted of two shows. They took place on the 6th and 7th of September 2001 and were held at the AKASAKA BLITZ. It was in this relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere that INORAN and his amazing support band (including DJ UPPERCUT, who helped him work on his remix album Landscape of Fragment, released a few months later) put on a very memorable set of shows. The September 7th show was eventually released on DVD.
He later teamed up with Ken Lloyd (ex-Oblivion Dust) in 2002 to create the band FAKE?, but continued to put on solo shows every year for his fan club and a few select occasions, most of which saw DVD releases.
At some point in 2005, INORAN announced that he was starting a new band, Tourbillon, with his old LUNA SEA band mate Ryuichi. He claimed he wouldn't let it detract from his activities with FAKE?, but unfortunately changed his mind on August 8, 2005 when he announced to fans that he was leaving to concentrate fully on his new band.
2006 began a stretch of three consecutive years where INORAN released a DVD and new album each year. That first year saw the releases of his DVD, raise, and album, photograph. In September and October of that year he did a countrywide tour called TOUR 2006 photograph. The live DVD for the tour was released the following year in March and, three months later, his fourth album, Niraikanai, went on sale.
This year, in January, INORAN put out the live DVD, TOUR 2007 Determine, and a best hits album called THE BEST. In April he plunged back into live activities doing shows at C.C.Lemon Hall and SHIBUYA-AX. In early May, for the hide Memorial Summit, he reunited with the rest of LUNA SEA for a one night revival show.
INORAN is still active with Tourbillon, but where his solo career is headed isn't clear. We can hope for more solo albums and tours in the future, and it doesn’t seem completely unfounded to speculate that he may surprise us with another reunion with old band members, especially as LUNA SEA's twentieth anniversary approaches.
Best known as LUNA SEA's quiet and mysterious guitarist, INORAN has always been an inspired musician. Gifted with the power of composition, he's crafted many fine songs throughout his career, which has spanned nearly two decades.
Whether it be as a solo artist or part of a band, he will always be on the lookout for great melodies and ways to mold the rock genre in his image.
