Buck-Tick

It's pretty tough to sum up a band that's been around for twenty five years and who has evolved as much as Buck-Tick, not to mention the huge influence they've had on the music world both in Japan and in the West. They were a big part of the early vis-kei movement in Japan, and they also managed to work closely with and influence many musicians overseas.

While the band has jumped genres over the years, at the same time Buck-Tick has retained their own signature sound. They've never been afraid to use electronic textures and special effects in their music, which is something else that has traveled with them to various degrees through the years. In the early days they were more of a pop/punk/glam band, with just as much of a focus on their outrageous visual style as on their music. They slowly became darker and more noisy until they eventually moved to almost entirely electronic and industrial sounds. After that they became even more grand and gothic before seeming to reach a sort of elaborate-production saturation point. Most recently they have dropped almost all of the fancy pretense in favor of much more direct and raw rock and roll. If their own personal lives are mirrored in their music, then things must be going very well in the world of Buck-Tick these days.

Even during all of these changes the band has never been afraid to experiment with their sound. Their songs are almost always rooted in a kind of dangerously playful, swaggering rock. With the exception of their most industrial work, they have always been a rock band first. It's this solid rock foundation (and their label's willingness) that allows them to wander off in whatever direction they choose. This doesn't always work out, but it does let them peruse their own interest, a genuine, honest quality which is something not lost on the fans. It doesn't hurt that the band members play up their looks for all they're worth, though again in a more subtle, understated way these past few years.

It would be folly to try and predict where Buck-Tick is going to go from here. They've already done much more than many other bands, and had a freedom to pursue their own ideas from the very beginning. While they obviously have strong overseas influences, they also seem content to stick to Japan for their main audience. A band so content with who they are (their lineup has never changed)and where they are, both literally and figuratively, is a rare thing indeed. Whatever happens next, it's sure to be interesting, as always.

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Official Site

Members:
Atsushi Sakurai - Vocals
Hisashi Imai - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Hidehiko Hoshino - Guitar, Keyboard
Yutaka Higuchi - Bass
Toll Yagami - Drums

Albums:
Hurry Up Mode - 1987
Sexualxxxxx! - 1987
Seventh Heaven - 1988
Taboo - 1989
Aku no Hana - 1990
Kurutta Taiyou - 1991
Koroshi no Shirabe This Is NOT Greatest Hits - 1992
Darker Than Darkness -style93- - 1993
Six/Nine - 1995
Cosmos - 1996
Sexy Stream Liner - 1997
Kyokutou I Love You - 2000
One Life, One Death - 2000
Mona Lisa Overdrive - 2003
13kai wa Gekkou - 2005
Tenshi no Revolver - 2007
Memento Mori - 2009

Live


Heaven


Galaxy


Romance


Aku no Hana


Kagerou


Dress