Although ROSSO hadn't officially disbanded yet, in 2006 the members slowly started to turn their attention to other activities. Vocalist Chiba Yusuke and guitarist Imai Akinobu played in a duo called MIDNIGHT BANKROBBERS for a while, but that summer they decided to form a new band called The Birthday. Drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara (ex-Thee Michelle Gun Elephant) and bassist Haruki Hirai joined them, completing the line-up.
Information about the new band spread rapidly, and they released their first single Stupid on August 23, 2006. The next single, KIKI the Pixy came out in September, when they also found time to take part in an event called the SWEET LOVE SHOWER.
Their first album, Rollers Romantics, was released on October 25th on both CD and vinyl. In November, The Birthday embarked on their first tour, entitled the Rollers Romantics Tour '06, which lasted a month. They played throughout Japan and many of the lives sold out.
2007 was a productive year for the band, as they released four versions of their third single, NIGHT LINE and continued to tour. They also released the album TEARDROP and two more singles. One of these singles, Alicia, featured a b-side called Ookami no nodo, which was used as a theme for the anime series “Zombie Loan," granting the band a small measure of international exposure.
The next year was equally successful, with the release of a mini-album, an album, a single, a DVD, and many TV appearances. The aforementioned single, Namida ga koboresou, has gone on to become one of the band’s most popular songs and a live fixture.
In 2009, The Birthday released Ai de nuritsubuse, which featured a lighter, slightly more accessible sound. However, any fears fans may have had about the band losing their darker edge were quickly quieted by the single that followed; the haunting Piano, the PV for which featured the band in unnerving, sideshow-inspired costumes. Piano also featured the b-side HUM69, which was used in the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder CM. They went on to perform Ai de nuritsubuse on NHK’s MUSIC JAPAN program as well that year.
2010 saw the release of a single called Digzero, followed by the eagerly-awaited STAR BLOWS album just a month later. The releases kept coming that year, as June brought a B-side collection entitled WATCH YOUR BLINDSIDE and December a live DVD. The band also performed at the ARABAKI ROCK FEST ’10.
In 2010, Kuhara worked with Sawao Yamanaka from The Pillows on his solo album, Discharge and, in a surprising turn of events, guitarist Imai Akinobu announced his retirement from the band. The news came in September via a message on the band’s website. No reason was given, but the split between him and the other members seemed amicable. The band pressed on, replacing him with Kenji Fujii.
Early 2011 saw the release of the single Nazeka kyou wa, which featured a similarly upbeat sound to Ai de nuritsubuse, but the band showed its darker side was still in full effect once again with its somber, aggressive b-sides 2byou and Tsumeato. The album that followed, I’M JUST A DOG, was similarly diverse.
As of winter 2011, The Birthday have tour dates booked into 2012 beginning in February.
As a band consisting of two ex-members of the legendary garage-punk band Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, The Birthday were met with a great deal of expectation upon their formation in 2006. Far from being a TMGE clone, however, they have gone on to establish a style completely their own.
While the band still boasts Chiba Yusuke’s rough, yet melodic vocals, often nonsensical lyrics and a strong punk influence, The Birthday’s music is best described as gritty rock and roll. However, they experiment with other genres and sounds frequently, making each album refreshing and diverse.
