Rebecca

Guitarist Kogure Takehiko assembled Rebecca during the opening years of the 1980s, soon bringing in vocalist Nokko—born Yamada Nobuko—as the frontwoman. The group quickly ranked among Japan’s most potent rock and pop forces of the decade, issuing a succession of charting singles and full-length releases while leaving a durable mark on the national music landscape. Nokko’s torn jeans and defiant persona supplied a sharp contrast to the compliant, factory-made pop idols who dominated female imagery at the time.

After performing regularly at Tokyo clubs and making an unsuccessful bid for an American contract, the band settled on a stable roster in 1983 with the addition of bassist Takahashi Noriyuki and keyboardist Dobashi Akio. Their first release arrived the next year via the single “Wearham Boat Club,” followed promptly by the mini-album Voice Print, the full-length Nothing to Lose, and the single “Virginity.” Musical disagreements prompted Kogure’s exit in January 1985, after which Dobashi assumed primary songwriting duties; the resulting configuration produced the majority of Rebecca’s signature recordings. Wild & Honey reached the Top Ten and confirmed the band’s arrival in the mainstream of Japanese rock, while the blockbuster single “Friends” underscored their growing stature. Rebecca IV: Maybe Tomorrow arrived soon after and delivered their initial chart-topping album.

Throughout the remainder of the 1980s Rebecca sustained a consistent output of hit singles and albums even as a rotating cast of drummers and guitarists passed through the lineup. The group formally disbanded in February 1991, although Takahashi and Dobashi had already begun issuing solo work. In 1990 Nokko wed former guitarist Kogure, yet the union proved brief and ended in divorce three years later. Her solo career yielded only modest results during the 1990s. Interest in Rebecca resurfaced in 1999 when a remix of “Friends” served as the theme for the television drama Lipstick, triggering a wave of remix collections and greatest-hits packages along with a short-lived reunion. By then, however, acts such as Judy & Mary had absorbed the band’s approach and vitality, reshaping them for current audiences.