Boøwy
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan |
| Founder | Kyosuke Himuro, Tomoyasu Hotei |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Fate | Disbanded |
| Headquarters | Takasaki , Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | Kyosuke Himuro (vocalist), Tomoyasu Hotei (guitarist), Tsunematsu Matsui (bassist), Makoto Takahashi (drummer) |
| Products | Rock music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 4 (members) (1988) |
Boøwy ( ; stylized as BOØWY) was a Japanese rock group established in Takasaki, Gunma in 1981. The iconic members—vocalist Kyosuke Himuro, guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei, bassist Tsunematsu Matsui, and drummer Makoto Takahashi—rose to legendary prominence in Japan throughout the 1980s.
In their concluding year, 1988, they became the first male artists to secure three number-one albums on the Oricon chart within a single calendar year. At the 3rd annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1989, they earned the Artist of the Year accolade. Boøwy is widely recognized for igniting the 1990s Band Boom in Japan by popularizing band-centric music. In 2003, HMV placed them at number 22 among the "100 Most Important Japanese Pop Acts."
1980–1982: Formation and early phase
In 1979, Kyosuke Himuro's band Death Penalty won a music competition held in Takasaki, Gunma, where Tomoyasu Hotei's band Blue Film finished as runners-up. After signing with Being Inc., Death Penalty relocated to Tokyo but soon disbanded. Himuro briefly joined Spinach Power but departed due to conflicts and decided to create a new band inspired by an RC Succession concert he attended in 1980.
Meanwhile, Hotei was living in Tokyo after being expelled from high school for rebellious behavior. Himuro reached out to him, and despite their limited prior connection, they formed . In September, they added Tsunematsu Matsui (bass), Atsushi Moroboshi (guitar), Kazuaki Fukazawa (saxophone), and Mamoru Kimura (drums).
They performed monthly at the Shinjuku Loft venue while supporting themselves with part-time work and sending demos to record labels. Eventually, they signed with Victor and began recording their debut album. Kimura left in May 1981 after serving temporarily on drums; he later co-produced their second album Instant Love (1983). That summer, Makoto Takahashi joined as drummer after impressing the band during a Loft performance.
In January 1982, the group adopted the name Boøwy and launched their debut album Moral on March 21, initially embracing punk rock influences. For a September concert in Shibuya, Hotei advocated for a more pop-oriented sound, but fans reacted negatively. As a result of this backlash, Fukazawa and Moroboshi departed following an October 9 performance at the Loft, reducing Boøwy to a four-member lineup.
1983–1988: Rise to fame and disbandment
In 1983, Boøwy parted ways with their production company and established their own management firm, φ-connection, with Mamoru Tsuchiya—a former member of Blue Film—as their manager. This bold step was unprecedented and led to their record label halting promotional efforts, causing a drop in public visibility. Lacking financial resources, Tsuchiya promoted the band by touring Japan in an aging Toyota HiAce van while distributing handmade flyers and posters. Their second album, Instant Love, was released through Tokuma Japan in September.
Throughout 1984, persistent live house tours expanded their audience and attracted offers from several record companies. To avoid previous difficulties, they signed with production company Yui and Toshiba EMI. The Beat Emotion tour commenced in July and continued until December, followed by a six-month hiatus from touring. Boøwy performed at London's Marquee Club in March 1985. Their third album, titled Boøwy, was released in June 1985; this was followed by the Be Ambitious Tour from September through December.
In 1986, two studio albums were issued: Just a Hero in March and Beat Emotion in November. The Just a Hero Tour took place from March until July 2; subsequently, the Rock'n Roll Circus Tour ran from November 1986 into February 1987.
Their single "Marionette," released on July 22, 1987, achieved number one status and sold 230,000 copies, ranking as the twentieth best-selling single that year. They staged the Case of Boøwy concerts in Yokohama and Kobe during July and August 1987, delivering four-hour performances covering their entire career span. The band's final studio album, Psychopath, was issued on September 5. At a December 24 concert at Shibuya Public Hall marking the end of their Dr. Feelman's Psychopathic Hearts Club Band Tour, Boøwy announced their breakup. Speculation about tensions between Hotei and Himuro circulated as a cause. Demonstrating their immense popularity, their farewell Last Gigs concerts at Tokyo Dome on April 4 and 5, 1988 sold all 95,000 tickets within ten minutes.
1989–present: After the Breakup
Following their disbandment, Boøwy received the Artist of the Year award at the 3rd annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1989. The group saw multiple chart-topping releases post-breakup, such as the 1988 compilation Singles, the 1998 album This Boøwy which exceeded 1.6 million copies sold and earned a 4× Platinum certification from the RIAJ, as well as the 2001 DVD capturing their farewell concerts.
On February 1, 2012, Hotei marked his 50th birthday with a special performance at Saitama Super Arena, where Takahashi appeared as an invited guest. Together, they played Boøwy tracks "Justy" and "No. New York," reuniting on stage after a 24-year interval.
To celebrate Boøwy’s 30th anniversary, the compilation album Boøwy The Best "Story" was issued on March 21, 2013. This collection features 32 songs, with "Cloudy Heart" emerging as the fan-favorite based on a poll. Additionally, the documentary and concert film 1224 Film the Movie 2013 debuted two days later.
In 2019, Hotei, Takahashi, and Matsui came together once again to record "Thanks a Lot" for Hotei’s album Guitarhythm VI, marking their first musical collaboration in over three decades.
Legacy
In 1988, Boøwy made history as the first male group to secure three number-one albums within a single calendar year on the Oricon charts. They also earned the title of Artist of the Year at the Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1989.
The band is widely recognized for igniting Japan’s "Band Boom" during the 1990s by popularizing band formations that significantly increased musical instrument sales and inspired record labels to debut approximately 80 new bands aiming to emulate Boøwy's success.
In 2003, HMV placed Boøwy at number 22 on its list of the "100 Most Important Japanese Pop Acts." Later, in September 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked their album Just a Hero at position 75 among the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time." Furthermore, their album Beat Emotion was ranked fifth on Bounce’s 2009 compilation of "54 Standard Japanese Rock Albums."
A poll conducted by Recochoku in 2012 named Boøwy as the top band fans most wished to see reunite.
With the launch of Boøwy The Best "Story" in 2013, Boøwy became only the second band—and notably the first Japanese group—to achieve a number-one spot more than two decades after disbanding, following The Beatles.
In 2017, Hotei remarked that Boøwy’s distinctive spiked hairstyles and dramatic makeup styles positioned them as early influencers of visual kei, drawing inspiration from David Bowie. He highlighted their deliberate use of visual elements to add depth and fantasy to rock music.
Members
- Kyosuke Himuro (氷室京介) – lead vocalist
- Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋寅泰) – guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocals
- Tsunematsu Matsui (松井恒松) – bassist
- Makoto Takahashi (高橋まこと) – drummer
Former members
- Mamoru Kimura (木村マモル) – drums (1981)
- Kazuaki Fukasawa (深沢和明) – saxophone, backing vocals (1981–1982)
- Atsushi Moroboshi (諸星アツシ) – guitar (1981–1982)
Members timeline
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Studio albums
- Moral (March 21, 1982), reached No. 2 on Oricon charts (reissued in 1989)
- Instant Love (September 25, 1983), peaked at No. 3 (re-released in 1988)
- Boøwy (June 21, 1985), attained No. 48
- Just a Hero (March 1, 1986), climbed to No. 5
- Beat Emotion (November 8, 1986), achieved No. 1
- Psychopath (September 5, 1987), secured No. 1
Singles
- "Honky Tonky Crazy" (June 1, 1985), Oricon chart peak at No. 61
- "Bad Feeling" (August 22, 1985), reached No. 46
- "Wagamama Juliet" (February 1, 1986), peaked at No. 39
- "B･Blue" (September 29, 1986), attained No. 7
- "Only You" (April 6, 1987), climbed to No. 4
- "Marionette" (July 22, 1987), hit No. 1
- "Kisetsu ga Kimi Dake wo Kaeru" (October 26, 1987), reached No. 4
- "Dakara" (February 3, 1988), peaked at No. 2
- "Instant Love" (March 25, 1988), charted at No. 70
- "Oh! My Jully Part I" (March 25, 1988), attained No. 78
- "My Honey" (April 25, 1988)
- "Funny-Boy" (April 25, 1988)
Live albums
- "Gigs" Just a Hero Tour 1986 (July 31, 1986), reached No. 1 on reissue in 1989
- "Last Gigs" (May 3, 1988), achieved No. 1
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy (November 28, 2001), peaked at No. 3
- Gigs at Budokan Beat Emotion Rock'n Roll Circus Tour 1986.11.11~1987.2.24 (February 24, 2004), reached No. 7
- "Last Gigs" Complete (April 5, 2008, expanded edition), climbed to No. 10
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy Complete (December 24, 2012), attained No. 72
- "Gigs" Just a Hero Tour 1986 Naked (December 24, 2012), charted at No. 15
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy -The Original- (August 7, 2017), peaked at No. 6
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy at Kobe (August 7, 2017), reached No. 44
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy at Yokohama (August 7, 2017), attained No. 36
- Last Gigs -The Original- (June 12, 2019), climbed to No. 3
- Last Gigs -1988.04.04- (June 12, 2019), charted at No. 33
- Last Gigs -1988.04.05- (June 12, 2019), reached No. 32
Compilations
- Moral+3 (February 3, 1988), debut album plus three tracks from "Dakara," hit No. 1
- Singles (December 24, 1988), achieved No. 1
- Boøwy Complete Limited Edition (December 24, 1991), box set featuring all six studio albums and key live recordings
- Boøwy Complete Required Edition (March 3, 1993), reissue of Limited Edition that reached No. 3
- This Boøwy (February 25, 1998), peaked at No. 1
- Boøwy Complete 21st Century 20th Anniversary Edition (March 29,2002), charted at No. 14
- This Boøwy Dramatic and This Boøwy Drastic (September5,2007) with respective peaks of Nos. 4 and 5
- Boøwy+1(August5,2012) third album plus "16," attained No. 118
- Boøwy Single Complete(February27,2013) Blu-spec CD box set encompassing all seven singles
- Boøwy The Best "Story"(March21,2013) topped charts at No. 1
- Boøwy Special7inch Box’’(October27,2021) vinyl compilation including all seven singles
Other albums
- Orchestration Boøwy’’(August9,1989) orchestral reinterpretations of their work
- Moral - Trance Mix’’(January23,2002) remix album that reached No. 13
- ’’Instant Love - Hammer Trance’’(August21,2002) remix collection peaking at No. 83
- ’’Boøwy Tribute’’ and ’’Boøwy Respect’’(December24,2003) tribute albums honoring the band
Videos
- Boøwy Video (VHS release: July 2, 1986; DVD issued: November 28, 2001; Blu-ray available: September 1, 2021), highest position on Oricon DVDs Chart: No. 5
- "Gigs" Case of Boøwy (4 VHS tapes: October 5, 1987; 2 DVDs: November 28, 2001; Blu-ray edition: September 1, 2021), chart peaks at No. 2 and No. 3
- Marionette (VHS release: October 26, 1987)
- Singles of Boøwy (VHS issued: December 24, 1991; DVD released: November 28, 2001; Blu-ray version: September 1, 2021), peak chart position: No. 6
- Last Gigs (DVD released: October 27, 2001), reached No. 1 on charts
- 1224 (DVD issued: December 24, 2001), highest rank at No. 2
- Gigs at Budokan Beat Emotion Rock'n Roll Circus Tour 1986.11.11~1987.2.24 (DVD release: February 24, 2004; Blu-ray available: September 1, 2021), peaked at No. 2
- "Gigs" Box (8-disc DVD box set released: December 24, 2007), attained No. 12
- "Last Gigs" Complete (DVD released: April 5, 2008; Blu-ray edition: September 1, 2021), reached No. 3
- Boøwy Blu-ray Complete (6-disc Blu-ray box set issued: December 24, 2012), highest Oricon Blu-rays Chart position: No. 13
- 1224 Film the Movie 2013 (March 23, 2013), a theatrical documentary combined with live concert footage
- 1224 -The Original- (December 24, 2017), DVD peak chart position at No. 7 and Blu-ray peak at No. 5