Judy & Mary

format_list_bulleted Contenido keyboard_arrow_down

ImprimirCitar

Judy And Mary (ジュディアンドマリー) was a Japanese band formed in 1992 by bassist Yoshihito Onda and singer Yuki Isoya. The name of the band, which at first glance may seem like that of a female vocal duo, refers to the contradictions in the personality of a human being, similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. According to the singer, Judy represents the cheerful and optimistic side, while Mary is darker and more emotional. After a decade of success, the band broke up in 2001 due to internal tensions.

Style

Due to their general sound aesthetics, it can be said that they belong to Pop, although with an important presence of punk nuances and classic rock and roll structures.

Influences

The strongest influence on Judy and Mary was Rebecca (a Japanese group that was active from 1981 to 1991) and their singer, Nokko. According to Yuki, that was the music with which she grew up and, saving the generational gaps, both bands (and especially both singers) had a similar sound and stage style.

Biography

The band began in 1992, when bassist Yoshihito Onda met vocalist Yuki Isoya while they were both on filming crews for a movie. Some time later, Yuki Isoya sent some of her recordings to Onda, who decided to start a musical project with her. At that time Onda was part of the band JACKS & # 39; N & # 39; JOKER, but he left the group to dedicate himself completely to what would become Judy and Mary. Later the group would be completed with Taiji Fujimoto (guitarist) and Kohta Igarashi (drums).

In 1992 they released the EP Be Ambitious, with 6 songs, under Chainsaw Records. The album was accompanied by a video clip for the song "Blue Tears". During this time, the band's aesthetics and guitar sound were heavily influenced by '80s glam hard rock. From this EP, "Get Pissed and Destroy" stands out, an instrumental song for guitar, which was the only one of the six that was not released again.

In 1993 Taiji Fujimoto decided to leave the band, being replaced by Takuya Asanuma. The new guitarist brought with him a more climatic and less hard rocker style. That same year they released their first single under the Epic/Sony Records label, Power of Love, and their second, "Blue Tears", now with a new video clip. Each single and album they released projected their popularity and in no time they established themselves as one of the most popular music groups in Japan.

In 1994, on January 21, J.A.M, his first full-length album, was released. This work contained re-recordings of five songs previously included in Be Ambitious, with new arrangements. the song "Glamour Punks", previously recorded with Onda on vocals, was re-recorded by Yuki. In general, the band's sound maintained its punk and rock influence, but with a more pop-inclined trend and happier climates. The album closed with the single "Daydream". On this album and during that time, the vast majority of the musical compositions belonged to Onda, with lyrics by Yuki Isoya. In December of this year they would release their second album, Orange Sunshine.

In 1995 they released their third album, Miracle Diving.

In 1996 his eighth single, Sobakasu (Freckles), was used as the opening theme song for the animated series Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X). Sobakasu became the most popular single and further skyrocketed the band's popularity. Thanks to this, they continue to add fans to this day, more than a decade after their dissolution. As often happens with great hits, the singer Yuki Isoya developed a certain dislike for this song.

In 1997 they released The Power Source, their fourth album, which includes the single "Sobakasu" and is recognized as their most influential album. The album sold a total of 2,162,370 copies, peaking at the top of the Oricon chart for two weeks, and then stayed on the chart for an extended period of forty-nine weeks. This album had two promotional tours: The Power Sauce Delivery and The Power Stadium Destroy. During the latter, a concert edited on video was recorded, with the same name. The scenery for the tour was designed by Takuya.

After the release of "Lover Soul", the thirteenth single (which would belong to their next album), Yuki had to undergo an operation on his vocal cords, for which the band would go on a four-month hiatus. During this hiatus Takuya reunited his old band, "Robots", and kept it as a side project.

In 1998 they released Pop Life. The promotional tour was called Pop Life Suicide, and two concerts were recorded that would later be released on VHS and DVD. These were Pop Life Suicide 1, which was recorded on December 26, 1998 at the Tokyo Dome, with a pop-oriented setlist (from this concert a very emotional version of «Lover Soul» stands out) and Pop Life Suicide 2, which was performed two days later, on December 28, 1998 at Ebisu the Garden Hall, also in Tokyo. During this show they performed the most punk songs in their repertoire, with a much more energetic staging than that of "Pop Life Suicide 1". By those times the band had developed some internal tensions and transformations. Over time, Takuya replaced Onda as the band's main composer, and both Yuki and Onda focused on side projects for a while. During this period Yuki Isoya was frequently absent from Japan to go to England, with the aim of improving his English.

Separation

In 2000 and towards the beginning of 2001 the internal situation of the band was unsustainable, and Onda and Igarashi often hardly showed up for rehearsals anymore. The break occurred after a talk with Onda, where he expressed his desire to leave the band. Although the bassist and co-founder did not demand the dissolution of the group after his departure, the members debated the matter and decided to end Judy and Mary.

At that time, Judy and Mary announced that they would release their latest album, entitled Warp, followed by a farewell tour for the band. This album was entirely composed by Takuya and Yuki Isoya. The overall sound of the album contrasts sharply with the band's early material, including keyboards and trumpets (played by Takuya), but is a synthesis of the group's evolution. Critics have classified it as the band's best album.

On March 8, 2001 Judy and Mary performed their last concert. The show featured dancers dressed as pink teddy bears, and the band's general aesthetic was much more charged than usual. The concert closed with the song "Over Drive", amid the tears of his fans as well as his own. This show was recorded and released on VHS, DVD and CD (audio only) under the title Warp Tour Final, being accompanied by a documentary about the preparation of the tour and where all the members talk and tell their feelings about their history with the band.

The group broke up after having made six albums, six (official) live recordings, three compilations, and twenty-two singles.

In 2009 an album was released in honor of the 15th anniversary of the album J.A.M, where various artists covered the band's songs. Among them were some like Ikimono Gakari and Scandal, who performed "Classic" and "Daydream" respectively.

News

Yuki Isoya maintains a high level of popularity in his country. She has released 7 solo albums from 2001 to the present. In addition, she has done modeling work, commercials, participated in television and radio programs (which is very common in Japan). Her current musical style is focused entirely on pop, and her live performances are characterized by eccentric costumes and choreography, which she often performs without backup dancers.

Takuya Asanuma continued until 2009 with his group, called "Robots". He works as a composer and arranger, having collaborated with artists such as Hitomi Takahashi and Λucifer.Robots met once, in 2013, to perform "Lover Soul" during the wedding of a friend of Takuya's.

Yoshihito Onda works as a producer, composer and arranger. In 2006 he participated in a reunion of his old band PRESENCE, with which he had achieved some success in the '80s. He is currently part of the hard rock group MAZIHORA.

Kohta Igarashi has played drums in various projects (currently in LOVERIN TAMBURIN), and works at a school called «Senzoku Gakuen College of Music». On some occasions he has collaborated again with his former colleagues Onda and Takuya.

Members

Yuki Isoya - Voice.

Takuya Asanuma - Guitar and choirs.

Yoshihito Onda - Low and choirs.

Kohta Igarashi - Battery and choirs.

Discography

Albums

1992 - Be Ambitious (independent)
21.1.1994 - J.A.M
1.12.1994 - Orange Sunshine
4.12.1995 - Miracle Diving
26.3.1997 - The Power Source
24.6.1998 - Pop Life
7.2.2001 - Warp

Builds

1999 44982 vs 1650 - Pop Suicide Tour Lives
2000 Fresh - Best Singles
2001 The Great Escape - Complete Request Best
2009 15TH Anniversary Tribute Album