Jinkaku Radio is an indie (independent, unsigned) band from Japan, Kanagawa prefecture. They're self-produced. They started as a band with three members, singer/guitarist Yuuki, bassist Naoki, and guitarist Maya started in December 2000. Maya left the band a year later, and now it's Yuuki and Naoki as the two 'official' members. They have a support guitarist and drummer, but the guitarist position seems to be open at the moment seeing as the guitarist Rai left recently. Shin is the support drummer.
MEMBERS
Yuuki: Vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, lyricist.
Naoki:
Bassist, arranger, producer.
John: Support guitarist.
Shin: Support drummer.
Rai: Former support guitarist.
Maya: Former guitarist & former support guitarist.
Mai: Former support drummer.
Taro: The manager.
Oningyousan: Mascot.
NAME
'Jinkaku Radio', written as
人格ラヂオ in kanji. It can be romanized in different ways, Jinkaku or Zinkaku, Radio, or Rajio and even Redio is used sometimes.
The correct way seems to be 'Jinkaku Radio', written like this on their merchandise. After having the website url 'zinkaku.net', it has changed to 'jinkakuradio.com', leaving out any doubt.
In English it means 'Personality Radio'. "The essence of human" is their concept, so it quite fits. Their fans are often referred to as 'listeners'.
MUSIC
Their music style is very unique, and pretty hard to describe. It's full of guitar, with really good riffs and tunes. The communication in the band just seems so great. They play their own parts, but then again they're filling each other in, playing together...
In general their songs are rock, usually not too hard and most of them have a
melancholic hint.
On their management website they're described as "UK guitar pop", which sounds kind of funny, but if you think of Britpop bands, Muse for example, then that term sounds quite suitable. Japanese Brit pop?
Next to being compared to the British band Muse and such, they've also been compared to MUCC or Kalimero, but in a much more mellow way.
Yuuki's voice is very beautiful, often stretching notes very long. Unlike some other vocalists, Yuuki does a great job singing live.
The guitars work together with the bass in an excellent way; complicated yet catchy guitar riffs and a stunning bass line. While other bassists keep it simple, Naoki plays almost complete solos. But then again, in his parts he leaves enough space for the other members.
APPEARANCE
The members are always wearing a black suit, white shirt, black tie, and a Jinkaku Radio patch around their upper arms (Naoki on the right, Yuuki on the left). They seem to like hats as well. In the past they used to be more visual, and they still wear make-up (especially Naoki), but it's less then it used to be.
HISTORY
2000
Jinkaku Radio started in December 2000 by Yuuki, Maya and Naoki. Back then they
hadn't decided on the black suits outfit, but looked like an average visual kei
band, although not that extreme. Yuuki says he started Jinkaku Radio because his
former band disbanded, Naoki says he was threatened to join the band, and Maya
says he liked the band parenthesis (?).
2001
It seems their image has been decided around this time. They have a lot of
lives, but they have enough material because Yuuki wrote a lot of their songs before. At
May 13, they release
their first demo-tape, Nejimakidori. It's only available at lives. At December
14, they have their first one-man live in the livehouse Rock May Kan. Not much
later, at December 30, Maya decides to leave the band. He does stay for quite
some time as a supporting guitarist.
2002
In April of this year, they release their first videotape, Moody radio theatre,
which is a 30-minute vhs of a live concert. It's also only available at lives. In the next month, Gogo no Rakka is on the indies
compilation album Yougenkyou II, with which they gain quite some attention. In June, Mai, the former drummer of LUV'ra-doll
joins the band as a supporting member. In the same month they release the
maxi-single Kairo, and in September a second press is released.
In October the song Kayoubi no Shoukyakuro is released on the compilation Shock
Edge 2002, with a small video clip of the band performing the song live. In December they
release their 2nd video tape, called
Local Listener x Jinkaku Shuuyuuki. It's also only available on
lives, and becomes even more rare than Moody Radio Theatre.
2003
In April their first album is released, called Shouko. The first press comes
with a special booklet and a poster. In June they release a second press.
About two months later, in June, they find
a new support guitarist called Rai. (former Falcioune and Isolation). Maya leaves the
band for real now, after being a supporting guitarist for one and a half year.
Rai worked with Jinkaku Radio before, he had been involved in recording Shouko,
and he and Yuuki were both in the project Isolation. In December they
release their second single, called Yuuhodou.
2004
In January a previously unreleased track and an acoustic version of the song
Kirifuda is released on the compilation album Kiwamono no Kajitsu. In February,
Mai decides to leave the band as a supporting member for unknown reasons. The
band is on a short hiatus then, although they do release their first PV in May.
It's on the CD that comes with the magazine Expect Rush III. In June they find a
new drummer, called Shin, who worked with Naoki before in Lemon-glass. In the
summer they have a lot of concerts at various small festivals.
In December they're very active again. They perform at several festivals, have
an one-man tour, and a short two-man tour with deadman. They appear in magazines
again, and they confirm in an interview that they're working on a new album!
2005
Apparently Yuuki didn't want to rush the album, but instead he wanted to tour a
lot and that's exactly what the band was doing this year. However, in May they announced
the release of a new single; Ubasuteyama which was released on July 31st. It was quite a surprise when they announced to be releasing another single, Akui, on December 4th. Akui was released on the label Danger Crue, which is a sub label of Sony. However, it seems that Danger Crue is only doing the distribution so it's not a sign they are major.
2006
This year was full of concerts again. Yuuki released a book with a collection of columns he wrote for the magazine Hevn in September.
In November, they released two new singles, one live-only with their parody song 'bangal shoukogun' and one 'normal' one, Gakubuchi. In December, Rai leaves the band. The guitarist of the Tokyo Heroes replaces him for a while, but it seems this replacement will not be permanent.
2007
Another year full of concerts and their first live DVD! Being a recording of a concert in 2006, Bangal Radio Theater was released in the summer of 2007. Next to that, a new single, Oborozuki was released in December. The band has also acquired a new support guitarist this year, named John.