Baroque (band)
| Company type | Independent band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Akira, Bansaku |
| Defunct | 2004 (initially) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 2004; reunited in 2011 and resumed activities in 2012 |
| Headquarters | Japan , Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | ryo (vocals), Kei (guitar), Akira (guitar, former), Bansaku (bass, former) |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, home video releases |
Number of employees | 2 (duo since 2013) (2013–) |
| Website | baroque-web |
BAROQUE (formerly presented as Baroque and baroque) was a Japanese rock group established in 2001. They initially signed with S'Cube, an independent label Free-Will's subdivision, before transitioning to Firewall Division with distribution managed by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Over their career, they released two studio albums, a greatest hits collection, multiple singles, and several home video releases before disbanding in 2004.
Notably, they set a record as the quickest band to perform at the renowned Nippon Budokan, achieving this feat within just two years and three months from their formation. Baroque is recognized as a pioneer of oshare kei, a visual kei subgenre distinguished by vibrant costumes and energetic sound.
The band reunited for a complimentary concert in 2011 and officially resumed full activities in January 2012. That same month, they became the first indie band to claim three out of the top five spots on the Oricon main chart simultaneously. Later in 2012, bassist Bansaku departed, followed by guitarist Akira in 2013, leaving vocalist ryo and guitarist Kei as the remaining official members.
2001–2004: Formation and dissolution
Baroque came together in May 2001 when guitarist Akira and bassist Bansaku formed the group; vocalist ryo and guitarist Kei joined the following month, with their debut live performance occurring in August. In September, they released the demo "Hitei Derikashi," coinciding with drummer Naru joining the lineup. Their mini-album Tokyo Stripper was launched at their first solo concert on January 12, 2002. Naru departed in March and was succeeded by Yuji.
Despite their independent status, baroque performed at prominent venues such as NHK Hall and Akasaka Blitz. By spring 2003, they had signed with a major label; however, Yuji left in May due to health complications. Their initial major-label single "Gakidou" came out in July 2003. This transition brought changes in their musical style toward electronic influences and a more relaxed image. The 2004 single "Ila" incorporated trance and electronic music elements.
On August 20, 2003, baroque held a concert at Nippon Budokan, marking them as the fastest band to play there after debut. Following this event, Kei was arrested due to an intoxicated dispute with venue personnel, resulting in postponed activities and canceled shows.
In 2004, after releasing several singles, Akira’s hospitalization led to further cancellations. In August of that year, Bansaku announced his departure. Two days subsequent to releasing their first full-length album Sug Life on September 9, baroque declared their breakup but continued performing through the end of the year. Their final show took place on December 25 at Zepp Tokyo under the title "baroque Last Live Mumirai -No Future-," which sold out.
After disbandment, vocalist ryo and guitarist Kei revived their former band Kannivalism in 2006, while Bansaku and Akira launched boogieman in 2007.
2011–2013: Reunion and Bansaku’s absence
The original lineup of baroque—ryo, Kei, Bansaku, and Akira—reunited for a free concert named "Odai ha Kekkou Irimasenkara" on July 17, 2011, held at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse and drawing approximately 10,000 attendees. On September 28, 2011, they announced a full resumption of activities with "baroque Re: First Live in Future" scheduled for January 6, 2012 at Zepp Tokyo. Two days prior to this event, they simultaneously released three singles—"Rinzen Identity," "Mono Dorama," and "Teeny-Tiny Star"—which secured third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively on the Oricon chart. This achievement made baroque the first independent band to occupy three spots within the top five concurrently. They supported this success with a nationwide tour in March followed by performances in halls throughout April.
On June 26, baroque revealed that bassist Bansaku had been missing since June 24. The band engaged law enforcement authorities and renamed their ongoing tour "Search for Bansaku." On July 30, representatives informed them that Bansaku was safe but would be departing due to health issues. Although the members attempted to meet him personally afterward, they ultimately accepted his exit publicly citing “his private issue.”
Subsequent to Bansaku’s withdrawal, guitarist Akira stepped back during production of their album Non Fiction near the end of 2012 and subsequently left the group. Since then, baroque has operated as a duo consisting of ryo and Kei with additional support from session musicians for live shows and recordings. Kei confirmed there are no plans to add permanent new members moving forward.
2014–present
In February 2014, the group officially stylized their name as BAROQUE.
Their first album as a duo, PLANETARY SECRET, was released on May 27, 2015.
On October 26, 2016, BAROQUE unveiled the single "Girl," featuring ken from L'Arc-en-Ciel as their inaugural external producer. This release was succeeded by two singles, "AN ETERNITY" and "FLOWER OF ROMANCE," both launched on July 24, 2018.
To support PLANETARY SECRET, the band organized a planetarium-themed preview event centered on celestial bodies. Since then, BAROQUE has embraced thematic concepts for live performances, incorporating elements such as concerts permitting smartphone photography shared on social media platforms, live painting sessions, a 360° stage setup with a central circular platform, and collaborations with floral artists during shows.
On April 30, 2019, the duo held their first hall concert at Nihombashi Mitsui Hall titled "VISION OF // PEP," where they previewed tracks from their forthcoming album PUER ET PUELLA.
A talk session and album preview occurred on July 13, 2019. Subsequently, the band embarked on the "THE BIRTH OF LIBERTY" tour covering 21 locations across Japan, commencing on July 24 at Nagoya E.L.L. Their fourth studio album, PUER ET PUELLA (Latin for "boys and girls"), was released on July 30, 2019. It featured three singles that had been issued in advance and marked their first full-length release in over four years since PLANETARY SECRET.
Amidst their ongoing tour schedule on November 1, 2019, BAROQUE initiated an enigmatic countdown on Twitter. At midnight the following day, they revealed a surprise new album titled SIN DIVISION, scheduled for release in January—a development that caught fans off guard during the promotion of their previous record.
The concluding performance of the "THE BIRTH OF LIBERTY" tour took place on January 10, 2020, at Harmony Hall Zama, signifying Kei's celebrated comeback.
SIN DIVISION was officially released on January 28, 2020. This album completed the trilogy conceptualized since their transition to a duo: a black-themed volume for PLANETARY SECRET (PS), a white-themed edition for PUER ET PUELLA (PEP), and a red-themed book for SIN DIVISION (SD). A supporting tour planned for February 2020 was postponed in response to government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions.
On April 3, 2020, BAROQUE published a music video featuring a demo version of their new track "STAY" on YouTube. Entirely produced by Ryo and Kei through remote collaboration during pandemic lockdowns, the English-language lyrics encourage fans to share images and messages about what they value or wish to protect via Twitter and LINE OPENCHAT. These fan contributions were integrated into the video alongside the full song's release.
Members
- – vocals (2001–2004, 2011, 2012–present)
- – guitar (2001–2004, 2011, 2012–present)
- Former members
- – drums (2001–2002)
- – drums (2002–2003)
- – bass (2001–2004, 2011, 2012)
- – guitar (2001–2004, 2011, 2012–2013)
Discography
- Albums
- Sug Life (September 9, 2004) Oricon Weekly Album Chart Peak: No. 31
- No. 7
- Planetary Secret (May 27, 2015) No. 73
- PUER ET PUELLA (July 30, 2019)
- SIN DIVISION (January 28, 2020)
- Mini albums & EPs
- Embrace (March 12, 2021)
- Compilation Albums
- Brq 2001-2004 (December 12, 2004) No. 55
- Complete Collection 2001-2004 (April 3, 2013) No. 57
- Singles
- "Chaplin" (February 5, 2003) Oricon Weekly Single Chart Peak: No. 23
- No.14
- "ila." (April 7, 2004) No.17
- No.18
- "Nutty a Hermit" (July 28, 2004) No.28
- No.3
- No.4
- "Teeny-Tiny Star" (January 4, 2012) No.5
- No.7
- No.9
- No.10
- No.10
- "GIRL" (October 26, 2016)
- "An Eternity" (July 24, 2018)
- "Flower of Romance" (July 24, 2018)
- "You" (December 25, 2018)
- "Stay" (April 25, 2020)
- Videos
- Brq DVD (December 15, 2004) Oricon Weekly DVD Chart Peak: No.55
- Clip Collection (March 23, 2005) No.130
- No.112
- Re:First Live In Future 2012.1.6 Live at Tokyo Dome City Hall (April 25, 2012) No.87
- No.53
- No.58
- BAROQUE SPECIAL FILMING LIVE FOR BLU-RAY DISC OPEN YOUR WORLD AND SEE THE LIGHT [Moon] (August 12, 2015)
- ALL OF THE LOVE, ALL OF THE DREAM -LIVE at DIFFER ARIAKE 2017.12.25- (June 26, 2018)
- LIVE Blu-ray & DVD VISIONS OF // PEP LIVE at NIHONBASHI MITSUI HALL 2019.04.30- (December 25, 2019)