Good meowning! Today's Bento Box artist is Judy and Mary!
Judy and Mary was a pop-punk band that scored continual success in the Japanese mainstream music scene throughout the second half of the 1990s. Formed in 1992 by singer Yuki and bass player and main writer Yoshihito Onda, the two went through several other band personnel until settling on Takuya (guitars) and Kota Igarashi (drums). With their outlandish costumes, which owed more to the giant hair bands of visual kei, and Yuki's often-bizarre on-stage antics, the band grew from cult group to mainstream favourites. Their debut album, J.A.M., was quite punk, but as the years went on, their pop sensibilities and growing songwriting confidence kicked in, and the band tried on all sorts of styles: ballads, rock, pop, ska -- all of it upbeat and featuring Yuki 's strange lyrics. By the end of the '90s, the band had run its course, and was beginning to appear in other projects, including the group Nina, Mean Machine, and a duet with the singer Chara. In 2001, the band released their sixth and final album, Warp, and played one last show in Tokyo Dome. Several best-of compilations have since been released.
In 1992, Judy and Mary released their debut EP and accompanying video, Be Ambitious, on the independent Chainsaw Records label. The band was soon signed by Epic/Sony Records and released their first major label single, "Power of Love", in 1993. The band's major label debut album, J.A.M, was released in 1994. Judy and Mary quickly became one of the most popular bands in Japan. Their song "Sobakasu" was used as the first opening theme for the anime television series Rurouni Kenshin, and sold over a million copies.
Altogether, Judy and Mary released seven original albums, three compilation albums (through 2006) and twenty-two singles. The band dissolved in March 2001. After its disbandment, Yuki enjoyed a successful solo career as YUKI. Takuya is also currently a solo artist. Onda joined the band Hot Rod Crue, but since 2008 has been a member, along with Igarashi, of the band Zamza. A tribute album was released in 2009, with artists such as Tamio Okuda and Halcali covering Judy and Mary's major hits.
Personnel:
+ Yuki (ユキ) = Yuki Isoya (磯谷 有希, Isoya Yuki; born February 17, 1972 in Hokkaido) - vocalist, lyricist
+ Yoshihito Onda (恩田 快人, Onda Yoshihito; born December 13, 1963 in Hyogo) - bassist, composer
+ Takuya (タクヤ) = Takuya Asanuma (浅沼 拓也, Asanuma Takuya; born September 9, 1971 in Kyoto) - guitarist, lyricist, composer
+ Kohta Igarashi (五十嵐 公太, Igarashi Kōta; born January 17, 1963 in Kanagawa) - drums, composer
+ Taiji Fujimoto (藤本 泰司, Fujimoto Taiji) - guitarist