Bakufu Slump
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Rock music |
is a Japanese rock group that was primarily active from 1982 until 1999. During this period, they gained attention alongside other notable Japanese rock acts such as Southern All Stars and Bakufu-Slump. In the latter part of the 1980s, bands like Rebecca, Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu-Slump, and Kome Kome Club rose to prominence in the pop music landscape. Unlike earlier Western-influenced rock bands catering to niche audiences, these groups developed a uniquely Japanese sound that resonated with mainstream youth. They also drew inspiration from New Music icon YUMINC, known for her elaborate stage productions. As one of Japan’s leading rock bands throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Bakufu-Slump became widely recognized, especially for their hit single "Runner," released in 1988.
Members
- Sunplaza Nakano: lead vocals; adopted the stage name Sunplaza Nakano-kun in 2008
- Papala Kawai: guitarist
- Funky Sueyoshi: drummer and band leader
- BarbeQ Wasada: bassist
Former members
- Hojin Egawa (also known as Hahihuhe Hojin): bass guitar (1981–1989)
Associate members
- Michihiko Ota: keyboards (1986–1987)
- Takeshi Honda (Dan Honda): keyboards (1987–1991)
- Masahiro Kuroishi (Chashumen Kuroishi): saxophone and keyboards (1987–1991)
- Masakuni Takeno: saxophone and keyboards (1990)
- Hirohiko Fukuda (Emperor Fukuda): keyboards (2004–2005)
Formation and early years
Funky Sueyoshi and Hojin Egawa, both from the funk ensemble Bop Gun and winners of the 1981 EastWest band contest hosted by the Yamaha Music Foundation, joined forces with Sunplaza Nakano and Papala Kawai from Super Slump—a rock band honored with the Excellent Group Award at the same event—to establish Bakufu-Slump in June 1982.
In their initial live performances, Bakufu-Slump engaged in theatrical antics such as spraying audiences with fire extinguishers, tossing watermelons into crowds, playing on tatami mats and wooden planks, holding shoes or lit fireworks in their mouths, and setting fuel-soaked cotton balls aflame atop their heads. Their provocative lyrics, laden with taboo language and paired with eccentric costumes, led to their reputation as a comedic or novelty band. Upon debuting, they were regarded as one of Sony’s three most distinctive groups alongside Seikima-II (Fitzbeat) and Kome Kome Club (CBS/Sony), both of which were Sony-affiliated acts. Notably, Bakufu-Slump and Seikima-II originated from Sony’s audition division known as "Sound Development" (SD mark).
Their initial management was handled by Office Suika.
In June 1985, Bakufu-Slump appeared on Fuji TV’s music program Yoru no Hit Studio Deluxe where their fiery stunts provoked complaints from local fire authorities. Their informal interactions with other performers and orchestra members often resulted in disruptions during broadcasts; incidents included damaging The Alfee’s stage setup and climbing on cameras.
On December 13, 1985, the band made their debut at Nippon Budokan. Prior to this, after performing at Kudan Kaikan, vocalist Sunplaza Nakano imagined playing Budokan when he saw its iconic structure from his bathroom window. The record label soon secured the venue for them. Expecting challenges in attracting a full house, Nakano wrote the ballad "Okina Tamanegi no Shita de" ("Under the Big Onion," referring to the ornamental giboshi atop Budokan’s roof), symbolizing empty seats caused by a pen pal’s absence. This track became one of their signature songs. Ultimately, Bakufu-Slump sold out Budokan and solidified their reputation as a skilled band with a powerful rhythm section.
Runner
As the band's momentum waned, they transitioned to Daikanyama Production in 1986 under the guidance of producer Ichiro Nitta. Nitta sought to steer their sound toward a more mainstream appeal, a direction that bassist Hojin Egawa resisted, ultimately leading to his departure. Motivated by Egawa's exit, Nakano penned lyrics for a composition by drummer Funky Sueyoshi—this track, titled "Runner," was released in 1988 and achieved sales of 340,000 copies, becoming an enduring hit.
"Runner" received significant attention through its feature on NHK's Just Pop-Up program, sparking an overwhelming volume of requests that secured Bakufu-Slump's invitation to the 39th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in 1988. This success also led to a second performance at Budokan on January 9, 1989. Following this event, Egawa officially left the group. The Budokan concerts were initially planned as a three-day series (January 7–9), but the first two shows were canceled due to the passing of Emperor Showa.
The track's fame further increased when it was featured on Takeshi Kitano’s show "Tensai Takeshi no Genki ga Daru TV!!" It became a popular karaoke choice and established itself as a signature fight song for high school baseball brass bands.
After Egawa's departure, various well-known bassists filled in for television appearances, including Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (Southern All Stars), Zenon Ishikawa (Seikima-II), Ken Sakurai (The Alfee), among others. Eventually, Tatsuhiko Wasada from TOPS (BarbeQ Wasada) joined as an official member—the only lineup change the band experienced.
Bakufu-Slump maintained strong connections with Seikima-II and TOPS, frequently sharing stages. Masahiro Mitsui, TOPS' lead vocalist, took over managerial duties for Bakufu-Slump following Wasada’s addition in 1989.
Further hits
In 1989, after signing with Amuse, the parent company of Daikanyama Productions, Bakufu-Slump released several successful singles including "Gekko," "Rizo Raba -Resort Lovers-," and a re-recording of "Okina Tamanegi no Shita de" from their 1985 album "Shiawase."
During this period, they hosted their own television program titled "Bakufu Slump no Omiya" on Nippon Television. As exhaustion set in, the members took extended breaks abroad.
These travels influenced their November 1990 album "Oragayo 〜in the 7th heaven〜," which featured the track "The 7th Heaven," performed by Nakano and Kawai at a political rally in South Africa. Drummer Sueyoshi developed a keen interest in China, dedicating himself more to activities there and earning the nickname "Asian Drum King."
Stagnation period – Solo activities
Following "Oragayo," the band released "Seishun-Oh" in September 1991, focusing again on themes of youth similar to those in their hit "Runner." However, it did not achieve comparable success. This marked the beginning of a lull during which they produced only one notable single: March 1992’s "Namida² (Love Version)."
During this phase, members pursued individual solo projects with moderate achievements.
On November 6, 1992, they appeared on TV Asahi's "Music Station," where Sunplaza Nakano famously leapt into the crowd, breaking light bulbs and a panel—an incident that underscored his energetic stage presence.
Collaboration with Denpa Shonen
In 1996, Bakufu-Slump’s single "Tabibito – The Longest Journey" was chosen as the theme supporting "Saruganseki’s hitchhiking journey across Eurasia," featured on Nippon Television’s variety show "Susume! Denpa Shonen." The single’s popularity rose alongside this project. Subsequently, the album "Kaibutsu-kun" was released in January 1997 as a two-disc set with a limited first edition pressing.
Conclusion of activities
In March 1998, the group issued their 32nd and concluding single, "Attakai Hibi," followed by their final album, Hard Boiled, released on April 1.
By April 1999, they declared a halt to their musical endeavors.
After the hiatus
Post-1999 hiatus, Nakano and Kawai revived Super Slump, whereas Sueyoshi and Wasada became members of the hard rock ensemble X.Y.Z.→A.
In December 2004, the band briefly came together for a performance on Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's program "Ohayo Asahi Desu," held at ABC Hall in Osaka.
The group reunited for a two-night concert titled "45-nenrei no fesu (day of love, day of youth)" on December 19–20, 2005, at Shinjuku Koma Theater, which was streamed via USEN's GyaO platform.
Their first concert in two years occurred on December 30, 2007, at the "Thanx! ELL 30th Anniversary Special" event in Nagoya. This show featured 175R, who performed a cover of "Sorekara" from the 1989 album I.B.W -It's a Beautiful World-.
On October 5, 2008, Nakano, Sueyoshi, and Wasada took part in "Otomachi Kashiwa 2008 -MUSIC PLATFORM-" in Kashiwa, performing as "Sunplaza Nakano-kun Band" and delivering Bakufu-Slump songs without Kawai.
December 12, 2010, marked a revival live at Tokyo International Forum celebrating Sunplaza Nakano-kun's 50th birthday. The event featured guest artists including Demon Kakka and Dengeki Network, enriching the audience experience.
In September 2011, Funky Sueyoshi produced the tribute album We Love Bakufu Slump, which showcased contributions from artists such as Earthshaker (band), Nobuya Ikuta (Noise Factory), Shunsuke Ishikawa (Seikima-II), Yuichiro Uchida (Kinniku Shōjo Tai), Tatsuya "Paul" Umehara (44 Magnum (band)), X.Y.Z.→A, and Kenji Otsuki (performing as Sunplaza Koenji-kun), among others. The album was released on December 25.
An expanded version titled Bakufu Tribute Omake Complete came out on January 15, 2013, featuring additional artists including Ace, Crack Banquet, Rolly, and Kyoji Yamamoto. Commemorative concerts with participating musicians were held on January 13–14.
On February 26, 2019, the "Egawa Hojin Charity Mini Live" event took place at Meguro Live Station to support former bassist Hojin Egawa following a severe car accident that resulted in coma. By June 2022, Egawa remained unable to move unaided but had commenced rehabilitation after awakening from the coma.
40th anniversary and reunion
On March 1, 2024, Bakufu-Slump announced via their Sony Music official site a reunion commemorating four decades since their debut. They unveiled plans for a live tour beginning in October alongside a brand-new track.
The quartet reunited publicly for the first time in 28 years on July 13, 2024, appearing on TBS TV's "Ongaku no hi" and performing "Ōkina tamanegi no shita de" live.
On August 6, 2024, the band released a preview for "Ikigai," their first new song in 26 years, which debuted on August 25—the anniversary date. The single’s cover was designed by Kazuyuki Sekiguchi of Southern All Stars. Concurrently, they issued a compilation album titled 40th Anniversary Best Ikigai 2024 on October 23. This collection featured tracks and sequencing personally chosen by the band and marked their first compilation release since 2009’s Golden☆Best.
The reunion tour launched at Electric Lady Land in Nagoya on October 31, 2024. The final performance at Tokyo's LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on November 17 was broadcast live exclusively through Space Shower TV.
Albums
- よい (Yoi / Alright)（August 8, 1984）
- しあわせ (Shiawase / Happiness)（November 1, 1985）
- 楽 (Raku / Easy)（October 22, 1986）
- Jungle（October 1, 1987）
- High Lander（November 2, 1988）
- I.B.W.（November 1, 1989）
- ORAGAYO 〜in the 7th heaven〜（November 10, 1990）
- 青春王 (Seishun'ō / King of Youth)（September 21, 1991）
- アジポン (Ajipon)（November 21, 1992）
- TENSION（March 21, 1994）
- ピロリ (Pirori / Pylori)（April 21, 1995）
- 怪物くん (Kaibutsu-kun / Monster-kun)（January 22, 1997）
- ハードボイルド (Hādoboirudo / Hard-boiled)（April 1, 1998）
Singles
- 週刊東京『少女A』 (Shūkan Tōkyō "shōjo A")（August 25, 1984）
- うわさに、なりたい (Uwasa ni, naritai)（December 8, 1984）
- 無理だ!決定盤〜You Can Not Do That〜 (Murida! Kettei-ban)（May 22, 1985）
- 嗚呼!武道館 (Aa! Budōkan)（October 10, 1985）
- 青春の役立たず (Seishun no yakutatazu)（February 26, 1986）
- らくだ/ヤシの木かげ (Rakuda/Yashinoki-kage)（June 21, 1986）
- まっくろけ (Makkuroke)（September 5, 1986）
- 愛がいそいでる (Ai ga isoideru)（April 22, 1987）
- The Tsurai（September 21, 1987）
- きのうのレジスタンス (Kinō no rejisutansu)（April 8, 1988）
- ひどく暑かった日のラヴソング (Hidoku atsukatta hi no rabusongu)（August 1, 1988）
- Runner（October 21, 1988）
- 月光 (Gekkō)（April 7, 1989）
- リゾ・ラバ -Resort Lovers- (Rizo・Raba)（July 19, 1989）
- 大きな玉ねぎの下で ～はるかなる想い (Ōkina tamanegi no shita de)（October 21, 1989）
- 45歳の地図（辛口生ヴァージョン） (45-Sai no chizu – karakuchi-sei bājon)（April 8, 1990）
- 組曲「天下御免の回り物」より 第一章カネ(マネーに捧ぐ) (Kumikyoku "tenka gomen no mawari-mono" daiisshō kane)（October 21, 1990）
- おお Beijing (Oh Beijing)（January 21, 1991）
- 東京ラテン系セニョリータ (Tōkyō Raten-kei senyorīta)（June 21, 1991）
- がんばれ、タカハシ! (Ganbare, takahashi!)（November 1, 1991）
- 涙2 (Love ヴァージョン) (Namida 2 – LOVE bājon)（March 1, 1992）
- 友情≧愛 (Yūjō ≧ ai)（July 22,1992）
- さよなら文明/涙3 (Sayonara bunmei/Namida3) （October21,1992）
*マンビー人生(Manbī jinsei)(May21,1993) *勝負は時の運だから(Shōbu wa toki no un dakara)(February21 ,1994) *愛のチャンピオン(Ai no chanpion)(July21 ,1994) *神話(Shinwa)(February22 ,1995) *新しいことを始めよう(Atarashī koto o hajimeyou)(May22 ,1996) *旅人よ ～The Longest Journey(Tabibito yo)(September21 ,1996) *天使の涙(Tenshi no namida)(June1 ,1997) *モンスター(Monsutā)(August8 ,1997) *暖かい日々(Attakai hibi)(March1 ,1998) *45歳の地図 ～リストラバージョン～(45-Sai no chizu – risutora bājon)(December7 ,2005) *Ikigai(August25 ,2024)