BLAZE came to life with only one member at the start, SHIGE. He was soon joined by four other members. While the band performed live in their early years, they did not release any music as they were not contracted to a label. Until 1987, BLAZE tore up stages in Japan with their rock music which emulated the feel of a similar band, Deep Purple, also active at that time. However, despite their popularity and talent, the band regularly endured line-up changes.
In 1983, they were joined by current keyboardist NOBU, as well as three temporary members, including Hitomi Motoki on vocals, to keep things moving. But in 1987, the band took a short pause as all permanent members were busy with outside session activities and NOBU had been assisting B'z.
By the time 1995 rolled around, BLAZE had nearly 20 years under their belt and were joined by the talented JACK on bass, who began to oversee the artistic work of the band. Together, the members recorded a new demo. As an instrumental band, they existed and performed, arranged and recorded their music despite not having a proper singer for the next three years, but none were formally released. Despite this, the life of BLAZE continued to thrive.
By the year 2000, the band had given up on the attempt to find a vocalist and the drummer stepped into the place temporarily to enable the band to nearly record a full album that way. But within one year,BLAZE found a real vocalist, IKE. It was at this time that the band was able to settle down and begin recording seriously.
After 29 years of activity, BLAZE delighted fans with the release of their first album, Danger Zone, on 25 August 2004. They toured throughout the summer before releasing a DVD, Live in Japan 2004, that winter. The band also became known overseas during this time due to their song Fire which was the closing sequence song for the anime movie "Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters: Pyramid of Light."
Over the next two years, BLAZE focused on their live performances and did not hit the recording studios again until 2006 with the release of another live DVD and their first single, BORN TO BE LONELY. The band also saw their music finally leave Japan and debuted their first album's release in Germany, using the international name, KAEN. Wrapping up the year with a Danger Crue Christmas event, things were looking promising for BLAZE, but the band abruptly ceased activities shortly thereafter.
It is unsure if BLAZE will ever return to the music scene, but fans surely wait for that day to come.
