Pop Japan

Meet Japan's quintessential rock band, L'Arc-en-Ciel.

L'Arc-en-Ciel is a four-piece Japanese rock band composed of the lead vocalist, Hyde, the guitarist, Ken, the bassist, Tetsuya, and the drummer, Yukihiro. The band goes way back in 1991 in Osaka when tetsuya started the band. In 1993, they were signed to independent label Danger Crue where they released their debut album, Dune. This earned them a place on the Oricon indies chart. A year after, they were signed to Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon, where they released their first major label album, Tierra. After a few years of success, the band experienced heavy criticism when their then-drummer, Sakura, was involved in a drug scandal and left the band. In 1998, Yukihiro replaced Sakura as the drummer. They then made a comeback with the single, Winter Fall, which became the band's first number one single on the Oricon charts. 

Presently, they are still one of Japan's most celebrated rock bands with their distinct metal grunge sound and elaborate outfits. They continue to sell out arenas and stadiums, notably their full-packed performance at the Madison Square Garden in 2012. They are currently celebrated their 25th anniversary as a band at the Tokyo Dome last April 8 and 9, 2017.

Photo by May S. Young. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Tags: Music, J-Rock, L'Arc-en-Ciel, hyde, ken, tetsuya, yukihiro, Danger Crue, Dune, Sony Music Japan, Ki/oon, Tierra, sakura, Winter Fall, Madison Square Garden, Tokyo Dome