Recycle Greatest Hits Of Spitz Best Of Rara
Spitz compiled their best singles into this CD, Recycle the Greatest Hits of Spitz. I loved all of Spitz's singles but now that they are on this CD it's a must buy! Spitz has a soft rock sound, beautiful melodies, and gentle lyrics. Great to sing along to. I always listen to this whenever I go driving far.
Spitz is a 4 member Japanese rock band signed to Universal Music Japan. They are managed by Grasshopper (Road & Sky group).
Spitz was first formed in 1987 and mainly performed in live houses in Tokyo such as Shinjuku Loft, Shinjuku Jam, Shibuya La Mama, and Shimokitazawa Attic. They made their official debut in 1991 with their first single “Hibari no Kokoro” and their first album “Spitz.”
The bands name “Spitz” was proposed by Masamune Kusano and means “sharp and pointed” in German. Masamune liked the “sp” sound as in “special” or “crispy.”
History
Pre-debut 1987-1990
In the spring of 1996, Tokyo Zokei University students Masamune Kusano and Akihiro Tamura met for the first time. Along with fellow drummer Atsushi Ono, they formed the band called the Cheetahs (named after Suizenji Kiyoko). However, after Masamune transferred from Tokyo Zokei University to Musashino Art University, the band broke up circa 1987.
After transferring colleges, Masamune continued his friendship with Tamura, often playing Nintendo with each other. Attempting to form the band again, Tamura brought Tetsuya Miwa as a bass player who had been his longtime friend since childhood. Tetsuya, who was a student of Bunka Fashion College, also took his old friend Tatsuo Sakiyama into company as a drummer, who had been in the same folk song club in his art school. All the four members gathered by 1988, and have gone on working together without any lineup changes. From 1988, Spitz started performing gigs at live houses in tokyo, such as Shinjuku Loft, Shinjuku Jam, Shibuya La Mama, and Shimokitazawa Attic.
By around 1990, some A&R people noticed the bands talent and tried to contact them. Due to reluctance to be controlled by a record company, they rejected to deal with any major record labels, until they found the proper agency. In summer 1990, Spitz built up a business partnership with Road & Sky, and signed to Polydor Japan afterwards.
1991-present
In 1991 Spitz released their debut album “Spitz.” Except for a number of shows in small venues, they mainly concentrated on studio work the rest of that year. Their 2nd album “Namae wo Tsuketeyaru” was released just 9 months later after their first album, followed by their first concert tour in 1992.
During 1991-1992, neither their singles nor albums even reached inside the top 100 on national record charts. Even worse, despite extensive recording sessions and prolific releases they underwent, the band suffered from declining record sales.
Members begun feeling sorry for their management team and attempted to make a more commercially ‘accessible’ effort on “Crispy!” their 4th album released in 1993. At the time of the release in 1993, “Crispy” failed to chart again and made them devastated. But after the release of their 7th single “Kimi ga Omoide ni Naru Mae ni” the situation turned around. It sold modestly and reached a #33 on the Japanese Oricon Record Chart.
Afterwards, they started rising in popularity with the release of their singles “Robinson” “Namida ga Kirari” “Cherry” and their albums “Hachimitsu” and “Indigo Chiheisen.” To this day, they are one of Japan’s leading bands.
Members
Masamune Kusano
Position: Vocals, Guitar
Birthdate: December 21, 1967 (age 50)
Birthplace: Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Fun fact: People accused him of having a homosexual relationship with Hirai Ken. (is this a fun fact?)
Tetsuya Miwa
Position: Guitar
Birthdate: May 17, 1967 (age 50)
Birthplace: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan
Fun fact: He is always wearing sunglasses :satisfied:
Akihiro Tamura
Position: Bass
Birthdate: May 31, 1967 (age 50)
Birthplace: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan
Fun fact: He has known Tetsuya Miwa since Kindergarten.
Tatsuo Sakiyama
Position: Drums
Birthdate: October 35, 1967
Birthplace: Sano, Tochigi Prefecture Japan
Fun fact: Played Guitar for a bit in their Mahou no Kotoba PV
Discography, etc
In order of release
Shinjuku JAM (live) (Indie Cassette) (1988)
SPITZ (Indie Cassette) (1988)
Shimokitazawa Attic (Live) (Indie Cassette) (1988)
Spitz (Sonosheet) (Indie) (1988)
HAPPY DAY (Indie Cassette) (1989)
Spitz Cassette (Indie) (1989)
Koi no Uta (Indie Cassette) (1989)
Live July 12, 1989 (Indie Cassette) (1989)
Shinjuku Loft (Live) (Indie Cassette) (1990)
Hibari no Kokoro (1990 Indie Album)
鳥になっちゃう日 Vol.7 (Indie Cassette) (1990)
鳥になっちゃう日 Vol.10 (Indie Cassette) (1990)
Spitz (1991 Album)
Namae wo Tsuketeyaru (1991 Album)
Aurora ni Narenakatta Hito no Tameni (1992 Mini-album)
Hoshi no Kakera (1992 Album)
Crispy! (1993 Album)
Sora no Tobikata (1994 Album)
Sorato Video (1995 Video)
Hachimitsu (1995 Album)
JAMBOREE 1 (1996 Video)
Indigo Chiheisen (1996 Album)
Sorato Video 2 (1997 Video)
Fake Fur (1998 Album)
99ep (1999 Mini-album)
Kachoufuugetsu (1999 Special Album)
JAMBOREE 2 (1999 Video)
RECYCLE Greatest Hits of Spitz (1999 Special Album)
hayabusa (2000 Album)
Sorato Video 3 (2000 Video)
Sorato Video Custom VIDEO CLIP CHRONICLE 1991-2001 (2001 Video)
Jamboree Deluxe LIVE CHRONICLE 1991-2000 (2001 Video)
Mikazuki Rock (2002 Album)
Horou Hayabusa Junjo Sugoroku Live 2000-2003 (2003 Video)
Iroiro Goromo (2004 Special Album)
Souvenir (2005 Album)
Sorato Video 4 (2005 Video)
Cycle Hit 1991-1997 Spitz Complete Single Collection (2006 Compilation Album)
Cycle Hit 1997-2005 Spitz Complete Single Collection (2006 Compilation Album)
Recycle Greatest Hits Of Spitz Best Of Rar
SazanamiCD (2007 Album)
Jamboree Tour 2009 Sazanami OTR Custom at Saitama Super Arena (2009 Video)
Togemaru (2010 Album)
Sorato Video COMPLETE 1991-2011 (2011 Video)
SPITZ Togemaru 20102011 (2011 Video)
Orutana (2012 Special Album)
Chiisana Ikimono (2013 Album)
Jamboree 3 'Chiisana Ikimono' (2015 Video)
THE GREAT JAMBOREE 2014 'Festivarena' Japan Budokan (2016 Video)
Samenai (2016 Album)
SPITZ JAMBOREE TOUR 2016 'SAMENAI' (2017 Video)
Cycle Hit 2006-2017 Spitz Complete Single Collection (2017 Compilation Album)
Cycle Hit 1991-2017 Spitz Complete Single Collection -30th ANNIVERSARY BOX- (2017 Compilation Album)
SPITZ 30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR 'THIRTY30FIFTY50” (2017 Video)
Other
Reversal Piece (1987 Indie Song)
D-D-Baby (Indie Song)
??? (unknown indie song)
Demonstration CD (unknown)
Sosina Live 1993 (1993)
Power Antenna (1994)
Go! Go! Scandinavia Vol.2 (1999 Cassette)
Go! Go! Scandinavia Vol.4 Studio Live (2004 Video)
Video
Hibari no Kokoro First PV
Kimi ga Omoide ni Naru Mae ni (First single to chart)
Robinson (Most sold single)
1987 (Latest PV)
Sources
Wikipedia, Generasia, Simplyspitz, YouTube, Livefans, Niconico.