Kome Kome Club

Kome Kome Club
Kome Kome Club
YouTube information
Channel	米米CLUB Official YouTube Channel;
Years active	2021 -
Subscribers	70.2 thousand
Total views	38.2 million
	Last updated: November 23, 2024

Kome Kome Club
Kome Kome Club
Origin	Japan
Genres	Pop rock; psychedelic soul; new wave; funk rock; rakugo;
Years active	1982–1997; 2006–present
Labels	Sony
Members	Carl Smoky Ishii; James Onoda; Bon; Be; Flash Kaneko; Mari; Minako; Ryo-J; Joplin Tokunoh;
Website	http://www.komekomeclub.net/

Kome Kome Club (米米CLUB, Kome Kome Kurabu) is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 1982 which achieved commercial success by blending soul and funk musical styles.^[2]^[3] They also use the style of rakugo.^[4]

History

1982–1997: Commercial success

Kome Kome Club was founded in 1982 by vocalist Tatsuya Ishii (sometimes credited as "Carl Smoky Ishiii") and fellow members.^[5] They released their debut single and album in October 1985. In 1990, "Roman Hikō" became a hit song. In 1992, "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" topped the Oricon chart, remaining in the charts for 33 weeks.^[6] It was the fifth best-selling song in Japan since Oricon's establishment,^[7] and the second best-selling J-Pop single, slightly behind Southern All Stars' "TSUNAMI", (released in January 2000). "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" was written around the marriage of band members Minako (also Ishii's sister) and Kaneko, the saxophone/keyboardist.

Drummer Ryo-J and guitarist Joplin Tokunoh parted ways with the band in 1995. Ishii tried to continue the band, but in the end he officially dissolved it in March 1997.

2006–present: Reunion

With the two members returning, the band reformed in the middle of 2006 for a series of concerts as well as a few new recordings, including "Well Come 2" [sic], which spurred a video where the band members were depicted as toys (complete with enlarged doll-like heads, UPC bar codes and one, "James" Onoda Yasuhide bursting out of his "box"). The video also gives a nod to all of its members by having a screen shot with their name and them playing in the scene, this includes members of Big Horns Bee and Sue Cream Sue. It is a part of Sony Music Japan. Sony has frequently had appearances of the "Well Come 2" video on various streaming websites pulled while leaving other videos from the same DVD online.

A combined CD/DVD release featured a parody of the "hentai" (aka "racy') videos where the two dancers (Minako and Mari, also known as "Sue Cream Sue") dance to songs of Kome Kome in various states of dress and undress (and strange costumes like animals). However, this being 20 years later, their costumes are not as skimpy as the ones in their famed "Costume Dance" videos during Kome Kome's heyday. They do poke a bit of fun with it and guitarist, Be, narrates over the slow-motion action when their skirts fly up a little.

Although there was a very long layoff, "Well Come 2" still became a Top 10 hit on the Oricon charts.^[8] On October 22, 2006, they announced that they completely revoked their breakup.^[9] In September 2007, their new studio album komedia.jp was released. On December 31, 2007, they took part in the 58th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Members

Current members

Carl Smoky Ishii (カールスモーキー石井, Kāru Sumōkī Ishii, Real name: Tatsuya Ishii (石井竜也, Ishii Tatsuya)) born 22 September 1959 (1985-1997, 2006-) - vocal
James Onoda (ジェームス小野田, Jēmusu Onoda, Real name: Yasuhide Onoda (小野田安秀, Onoda Yasuhide)) born 8 November 1959 (1985-1997, 2006-) - vocal, chorus
BON (ボン, BON, Real name: Kensaku Ookubo (大久保謙作, Ōkubo Kensaku)) born 5 March 1960 (1985-1997, 2006-) - bass
BE (ベー, Bē, Real name: Naoki Hayashibe (林部直樹, Hayashibe Naoki)) born 29 July 1965 (1985-1997, 2006-) - guitar
Flash Kaneko (フラッシュ金子, Furasshu Kaneko, Real name: Takahiro Kaneko (金子隆博, Kaneko Takahiro)) born 22 March 1964 (1985-1997, 2006-) - Saxophone, Keyboards, Flute
Minako (ミナコ, Minako, Real name: Minako Kaneko (金子美奈子, Kaneko Minako)) born 18 December 1961 (1985-1997, 2006-) - Vocal, Dance (younger sister of Ishii and wife of Kaneko)
Mari (マリ, Mari, Real name: Mari Amagaya (天ヶ谷真利, Amagaya Mari)) born 20 November 1966 (1985-1996, 2006-) - Vocal, Dance, Percussion
RYO-J (リョージェイ, Ryōjei, Real name: Ryouji Sakaguchi (坂口良治, Sakaguchi Ryōji)) born 25 April 1959 (1985-1995, 2006-) - Drums
Joplin Tokunoh (ジョプリン得能, Jopurin Tokunō, Real name: Ritsurou Tokunou (得能律郎, Tokunō ritsurō)) born 10 August 1959 (1985-1995, 2006-) - guitar

Live-band support members

Mataro (マタロー, Matarō, Real name: Matarou Misawa (三沢またろう, Misawa Matarō)) born 23 October 1960 (1990-1997, 2006-) - Percussion, Chorus
Machiko (マタロー, Machiko, born 23 December) (1991-1997, 2006-) - chorus
Tequila Masaharu (テキーラまさはる, Tekīra Masaharu, born 17 December 1985) (2013-) - dance, MC, subvocal

Former members

Toshi: Drums
Juliano Katsumata: Keyboards
Juliano Narabe: Keyboards
Kohtaro: Dance
Shinji: Dance
SCS (Sue Cream Sue)
B.H.B. (Big Horns Bee)
G.I. Gyo: Trumpet
Himarayan Shimogami: Trumpet
Kawai Wakaba: Trombone, saxophone
Orita Nobotta: Saxophone, flute
Fussy Kobayashi: Trumpet
Megumi Hakata: Guitar
Lala Okaku: Guitar
Maru: Percussion
Taka: Vibraslap
Bohz: Percussion
Andes Murata: Trombone
Rocky Tada: Trumpet
Beauty Kondo: Saxophone
Satomi: Dance

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
Title	Album details	JPN Oricon ^[10]
Shari Sharism (シャリ・シャリズム)	Released: 21 October 1985 Label: CBS Sony Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	35
E・B・I・S	Released: 10 October 1986 Label: CBS Sony Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	3
Komeguny	Released: 21 October 1987 Label: CBS Sony Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	3
Go Funk	Released: 21 September 1988 Label: CBS Sony Formats: LP, cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
5 1/2	Released: 11 November 1989 Label: CBS Sony Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
K2C	Released: 25 January 1991 Label: CBS Sony Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
Kome Kome Club (米米CLUB)	Released: 25 April 1991 Label: Sony Music Formats: 2CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
Octave	Released: 25 June 1992 Label: Sony Music Formats: Cassette, CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
Seimaiya (聖米夜)	Released: 10 December 1992 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	1
Phi	Released: 1 November 1993 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, cassette, MD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	2
Phi II	Released: 10 December 1994 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, cassette, MD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	3
Sorry Music Entertainment	Released: 23 November 1995 Label: Sony Music Formats: 2CD, 2Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	6
H20	Released: 21 March 1996 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, cassette, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	6
Pushed Rice	Released: 1 March 1997 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	2
komedia.jp	Released: 5 September 2007 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, CD+DVD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	10
Sunrice	Released: 5 September 2009 Label: Sony Music Formats: 2CD, CD, CD+DVD, Blu-spec CD2+DVD, digital download, streaming	8

Live albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
Title	Album details	JPN Oricon ^[10]
The Last Symposium: Kome Kome Club Last Live in Tokyo Dome (THE LAST SYMPOSIUM 〜米米CLUBラスト・ライブ in 東京ドーム〜)	Released: 8 August 1997 Label: Sony Music Formats: 3CD	15

Soundtracks

Title	Album details
K2C Produce ICTL	Released: 10 June 1992 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD
K2C Produce ICTL No.2	Released: 22 September 1992 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD

Compilation albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
Title	Album details	JPN Oricon ^[10]
Singles	Released: 21 June 1987 Label: Sony Music Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette	14
Decade	Released: 20 February 1995 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, cassette, MD	1
Harvest Singles 1985–1992"	Released: 31 March 1997 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD	4
Harvest Singles 1992–1997	Released: 1 June 1997 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD	7
Star Box	Released: 30 January 1999 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD	12
Star Box Extra Kome Kome Club	Released: 5 December 2001 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD	—
Kome: Best of Best	Released: 21 October 2005 Label: Sony Music Formats: 2CD, 2CD+DVD	8
Last Best	Released: 8 August 2017 Label: Sony Music Formats: 4-Blu-spec CD2+Blu-ray, 3-Blu-spec CD2	11

Singles

Year	Album	Chart positions (JP)^[10]	Label
1985	"I Can Be"	67	CBS Sony
1986	"Shake Hip!"	54
1986	"Gayu" (加油 (GAYU))	27
1987	"Paradise"	19
1987	"Sûre Danse"	19
1988	"Yometsu Nami" (嫁津波)	42
	"Kome Kome War"	5
	"Time Stop"	25
1989	"Funk Fujiyama"	2
1990	"Roman Hikou" (浪漫飛行)	1
1990	"Shake Hip! (Ishii Version)"	5
1991	"Hitosuji ni Narenai" (ひとすじになれない)	3	Sony Music
1992	"Kimi ga Iru Dake de/Aishiteru" (君がいるだけで/愛してる)	1
1992	"Orion"	6
1993	"Toki no Tabiji: Rex no Theme" (ときの旅路〜REXのテーマ〜)	3
1993	"Ai wa Fushigi sa" (愛はふしぎさ)	2
1994	"Abracadabra" (ア・ブラ・カダ・ブラ)
	"Oreiro ni Somare" (俺色にそまれ)
	"Oreiro ni Somare" (手紙)	6
1995	"Wonderful Sun Day" (ワンダブルSUNでぃ)	5
	"Just My Friend"	18
	"Subete wa Honto de Uso kamo ne" (すべてはホントでウソかもね)	7
1996	"Stylish Woman"	23
1997	"Special Love"	12
2006	"Well Come 2"	9
	"E-yo" (E-ヨ)	5
	"Kimi wo Hanasanai" (君を離さない)	9
	"Mata©Tana"	9
2007	"Goryaku" (御利益)	13
2007	"We Are Music"	17
2008	"Tsuyogari" (つ・よ・が・り)	7
2008	"080808"	18
2009	"Furimukanaide" (ふりむかないで)	14
2009	"Koi no Gamble" (恋のギャンブル)	12
2013	"Takarabune"	15
2013	"Don't Mind" (どんまい)	31
2021	"Ai wo Komete" (愛を米て)	20

DVD singles

Year	Album	Chart positions (JP)^[10]	Label
2012	"Tennen no Bi" (天然の美)	8	Sony Music

Digital singles

Year	Single	Reference
2017	"Kodomo na Otona/Uplight" (コドモナオトナ / Uplight)	^[11]
2021	"Who?"	^[11]

Videography

Video albums

No.	Release	Title	Format	Serial No.
1st	21 July 1989	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.7 SHARISHARISM 7 Kick-Knock	VHS LD 8mm	48ZH-249 48LH-249 CSWM-6156
2nd	10 August 1989	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.8 SHARISHARISM 7 2much-2ist		48ZH-250 48LH-250 CSWM-6157
3rd	21 August 1989	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.9 SHARISHARISM 7 Co-Conga		48ZH-251 48LH-251 CSWM-6158
4th	21 April 1990	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.1 DEBUT SHARISHARISM	VHS LD 8mm β	CSVM-175 CSLM-175 CSWM-6175 CSUM-3175
5th	21 September 1990	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.10 TiTi SHARISHARISM TARO		CSVM-203 CSLM-203 CSWM-6203 CSUM-3203
6th	21 September 1990	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.11 HaHa SHARISHARISM TARO		CSVM-204 CSLM-204 CSWM-6204 CSUM-3204
7th	21 February 1991	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.12 SHARISHARISM ART WORK ART UP		CSVM-233 CSLM-233 CSWM-6233 CSUM-3233
8th	21 February 1991	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.13 SHARISHARISM ART WORK WORK UP		CSVM-234 CSLM-234 CSWM-6234 CSUM-3234
9th	1 August 1991	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.14 ANTI SHARISHARISM		CSVM-265 CSLM-265 CSWM-6265 CSUM-3265
10th	1 March 1992	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.15 Kanzenban Eiyuu Densetsu AU SHARISHARISM	VHS LD β	SRVM-301〜302 SRLM-301〜302 SRUM-301〜302
11th	10 July 1993	The 8th ANNIVERSARY SHARISHARISM ACE THE 8TH OF ACE	VHS LD 8mm	SRVM-352 SRLM-352〜353 SRWM-6352〜6353
12th	20 February 1995	10th ANNIVERSARY LIVE VIDEO SHARISHARISM IOTA	VHS LD	SRVM-449 SRLM-449
13th	24 March 1995	10th ANNIVERSARY LIVE VIDEO SHARISHARISM THETA		SRVM-434 SRLM-434
14th	1 April 1996	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT OPERA BLUE		SRVM-517 SRLM-517
15th	21 September 1996	Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.4 SUEC TV RECITAL	VHS	SRVM-545
16th	21 June 1997	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT THE LAST SYMPOSIUM	VHS LD DVD	SRVM-5570〜5571 SRLM-5570〜5571 SRBL-1062〜1063
17th	21 July 1997	komecetera Kome Kome Club DaizenshuuVol.2,3 Shoki no Kome Kome CLUB PIT 3DAYS	VHS	SRVM-5579
18th	21 July 1997	komecetera Kome Kome Club Daizenshuu Vol.5,6 B.C. SHARISHARISM	VHS	SRVM-5580
19th	8 August 2018	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2017: Osekihan	BD	SRXL-168～169 SRXL-170
20th	7 August 2019	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2019: Okaeri	BD DVD	SRXL-218 SRBL-1857
20th	23 December 2020	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2019: Okawari [SING for ONE ～Best Live Selection～]		SRXL-296 SRBL-1939
21st	14 April 2021	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT 2020 ～OMUSUBI～		SRXL-298〜299 SRBL-1698〜1699
22nd	10 August 2022	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2021		SRXL-360〜361 SRBL-2060〜2061
23rd	17 April 2023	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT TOUR 2023: WILD SOUL CARNIVAL	SRXL-470 SRBL-2217

Music videoclips

No.	Release	Title	Format	Serial No.
1st	22 July 1987	Kome KomeTV ONODA-SAN	VHS LD Betamax	48ZH-135 58LH-135 48QH-135
2nd	21 September 1991	K2C2 KOME KOME CLUB CREATORS	VHS LD 8mm βetamax	SRVM-276 SRLM-276 SRWM-6276 SRUM-3276
3rd	31 March 1997	KOME KOME CLUB HISTORY RICISM	VHS LD DVD	SRVM-5552 SRLM-5552 SRBL-1057

Documentaries

No.	Release	Title	Format	Serial No.
1st	21 June 1997	THE BEST SYMPOSIUM	VHS	SRVM-5572

DVD Box sets

No.	Release	Title	Format	Serial No.
1st	21 February 2007	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. I	DVD	SRBL1301〜1312
2nd	26 December 2007	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. III		SRBL1341〜1343
3rd	8 August 2008	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. II		SRBL1351〜1362
4th	8 August 2010	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. IV		SRBL1423〜14235
5th	26 June 2013	a K2C ENTERTAINMENT DVD BOX Vol. V		SRBL1576〜1579

References

^ ^a ^b "About 米米CLUB Official YouTube Channel". YouTube.
^ 米米ＣＬＵＢ (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
^ Mark Schilling The Encyclopedia of Japanese pop culture 1997 0834803801 p.230 "In the latter half of the 1980s rock bands like Rebecca, Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu Slump, and Kome Kome Club began to take center stage on the pop scene. Unlike earlier bands, who played Western-style rock for hard-core fans, these groups had a more Japanized sound that ordinary kids could relate to. Also, taking a hint from New Music queen YUMINC, who mounted spectacular stage shows.."
^ 懐かしの名曲を探せ！（第22回）～米米クラブ復活「君がいるだけで」の巻 (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2006-03-24. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
^ "今夜21時、米米CLUBがニューアルバムを引っさげて生出演！" (in Japanese). RBB Today. 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
^ 君がいるだけで (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
^ "SMAP「世界に一つだけの花」、シングル売上歴代9位に！！" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
^ ＷＥＬＬＣＯＭＥ２ (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
^ 米米ＣＬＵＢ解散撤回で完全復活宣言. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 2006-10-23. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "米米CLUBの作品". Oricon (in Japanese). December 30, 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "米米CLUBの作品" (in Japanese). Mora. Retrieved 2 December 2023.

[YouTubeStats米米CLUB_Official_YouTube_Channel-1] "About 米米CLUB Official YouTube Channel". YouTube.

[oricon_1-2] 米米ＣＬＵＢ (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-11-22.

[3] Mark Schilling The Encyclopedia of Japanese pop culture 1997 0834803801 p.230 "In the latter half of the 1980s rock bands like Rebecca, Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu Slump, and Kome Kome Club began to take center stage on the pop scene. Unlike earlier bands, who played Western-style rock for hard-core fans, these groups had a more Japanized sound that ordinary kids could relate to. Also, taking a hint from New Music queen YUMINC, who mounted spectacular stage shows.."

[4] 懐かしの名曲を探せ！（第22回）～米米クラブ復活「君がいるだけで」の巻 (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2006-03-24. Retrieved 2008-12-06.

[5] "今夜21時、米米CLUBがニューアルバムを引っさげて生出演！" (in Japanese). RBB Today. 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2008-11-22.

[6] 君がいるだけで (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.

[7] "SMAP「世界に一つだけの花」、シングル売上歴代9位に！！" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2008-12-06.

[8] ＷＥＬＬＣＯＭＥ２ (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-12-06.

[9] 米米ＣＬＵＢ解散撤回で完全復活宣言. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 2006-10-23. Retrieved 2008-11-22.

[Oricon_Chart-10] "米米CLUBの作品". Oricon (in Japanese). December 30, 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2023.

[kk2digital-11] "米米CLUBの作品" (in Japanese). Mora. Retrieved 2 December 2023.

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