Biography
The Tokyo oshare-kei outfit The Kiddie burst onto the scene right after forming in 2007, vaulting from near-anonymity to a major-label contract well ahead of any full-length release. Their vivid, playful visuals paired with an upbeat, hopeful brand of pop/rock quickly drew legions of youthful followers across Japan and abroad, even though none of their albums saw international distribution.
The group coalesced after the breakup of the acclaimed indie act Kazoku, a band that cultivated a worldwide cult audience despite issuing only a small number of singles. Kazoku’s frontman Yusa, lead guitarist Yuusei, and drummer Yuudai joined forces with bassist Sorao, formerly of Shelly Jazz Funk Children, and rhythm guitarist Jun, previously in Maruru. They took Kazoku’s chunky, melodic pop-punk foundation, removed its gloomier edges, and folded in touches of metal alongside jazz-funk, yielding a bright and addictive new approach. Their debut single, “Little Senobi” (“Little Overreaching”), sold out almost at once and required an immediate second pressing. Throughout 2008 the band issued two further independent singles, “Plastic Art” and “Sayonara Setsuna” (“A Goodbye Moment”), while relentless live work steadily deepened their connection with fans.
In 2009 they joined the indie imprint Timely Records, yet managed only two releases—“Noah” and “Elite Star”—before Yusa paused to undergo surgery for vocal polyps. Those tracks nevertheless displayed noticeably stronger production values and more focused songcraft. A short stint with major label Vap, already home to visual-kei peers Nightmare, yielded the singles “Soar,” “Black Side,” and “Poplar,” followed by the compilation Single Collection, which contained re-recorded versions of material from the band’s first three self-released singles plus two new tracks. Shortly after the collection appeared in early 2010, the group announced their move to King Records, a roster that housed many of Japan’s leading domestic artists.
Their initial King singles, “Smile” and “Calling,” marked a sonic shift away from punk and metal toward cleaner pop/rock and a noticeably lighter production sheen that some listeners dismissed as “tinny.” The debut album Brave New World confirmed a few of those worries, yet its consistently strong material earned broad approval, while the label’s substantial promotional push expanded the band’s visibility and boosted sales. Three further singles arrived in 2011—“Sun’z Up,” the oddly titled “Nutty Nasty,” and the driving “Utsukushiki Redrum” (“Beautiful Redrum”)—with the last hailed by some devotees as the group’s strongest track to date. Early the following year the more cohesive second album MaStarPiece arrived, showcasing greater songwriting range, a renewed hint of heaviness, and orchestral string and horn arrangements that nodded toward 1970s soul and funk. Just nine months later the heavier third album The Five was released.
The group coalesced after the breakup of the acclaimed indie act Kazoku, a band that cultivated a worldwide cult audience despite issuing only a small number of singles. Kazoku’s frontman Yusa, lead guitarist Yuusei, and drummer Yuudai joined forces with bassist Sorao, formerly of Shelly Jazz Funk Children, and rhythm guitarist Jun, previously in Maruru. They took Kazoku’s chunky, melodic pop-punk foundation, removed its gloomier edges, and folded in touches of metal alongside jazz-funk, yielding a bright and addictive new approach. Their debut single, “Little Senobi” (“Little Overreaching”), sold out almost at once and required an immediate second pressing. Throughout 2008 the band issued two further independent singles, “Plastic Art” and “Sayonara Setsuna” (“A Goodbye Moment”), while relentless live work steadily deepened their connection with fans.
In 2009 they joined the indie imprint Timely Records, yet managed only two releases—“Noah” and “Elite Star”—before Yusa paused to undergo surgery for vocal polyps. Those tracks nevertheless displayed noticeably stronger production values and more focused songcraft. A short stint with major label Vap, already home to visual-kei peers Nightmare, yielded the singles “Soar,” “Black Side,” and “Poplar,” followed by the compilation Single Collection, which contained re-recorded versions of material from the band’s first three self-released singles plus two new tracks. Shortly after the collection appeared in early 2010, the group announced their move to King Records, a roster that housed many of Japan’s leading domestic artists.
Their initial King singles, “Smile” and “Calling,” marked a sonic shift away from punk and metal toward cleaner pop/rock and a noticeably lighter production sheen that some listeners dismissed as “tinny.” The debut album Brave New World confirmed a few of those worries, yet its consistently strong material earned broad approval, while the label’s substantial promotional push expanded the band’s visibility and boosted sales. Three further singles arrived in 2011—“Sun’z Up,” the oddly titled “Nutty Nasty,” and the driving “Utsukushiki Redrum” (“Beautiful Redrum”)—with the last hailed by some devotees as the group’s strongest track to date. Early the following year the more cohesive second album MaStarPiece arrived, showcasing greater songwriting range, a renewed hint of heaviness, and orchestral string and horn arrangements that nodded toward 1970s soul and funk. Just nine months later the heavier third album The Five was released.
Singles
