Ippu-Do
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Masami Tsuchiya |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | Masami Tsuchiya, Akira Mitake, Shoji Fujii |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Ippu-Do (一風堂) was a Japanese electronic music ensemble active in the early 1980s, fronted by vocalist and songwriter Masami Tsuchiya.
History
The group made their initial appearance in 1979 with the album Normal, which featured Tsuchiya on vocals and guitar, Akira Mitake handling keyboards, and Shoji Fujii on drums. Over the course of 1980 to 1981, they produced two more albums: Real and Radio Fantasy, with the latter marking their first release outside Japan.
In 1982, they issued the single "Sumire September Love", which was used in a Kanebo Cosmetics advertisement starring Brooke Shields. This track became their highest-selling single, moving 452,000 units within Japan. Following this success, the band paused activities as Tsuchiya joined the British group Japan for their concluding tour and embarked on a solo career.
By 1983, Ippu-Do reformed as a duo consisting of Tsuchiya and Mitake, releasing the studio album Night Mirage alongside the live album Live And Zen. These projects featured contributions from Japan members Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri as well as bassist Percy Jones. Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Tsuchiya maintained an active solo career with several album releases.
A compilation released in 1998 titled Very Best September Love combined works from both the band and Tsuchiya’s solo catalog, whereas 2010’s Essence compilation focused exclusively on Ippu-Do’s group material, including some tracks making their debut on CD. Additionally, in 2006 Sony Music Direct issued an extensive box set named Magic Vox - Ippu-Do Era 1979-1984, containing all five albums by the band, Tsuchiya’s first solo album Rice Music (1982), and Mitake’s solo effort from 1983.
Studio albums
- (1979) Normal
- (1980) Real
- (1981) Radio Fantasy
- (1983) Night Mirage
Singles
- (1982) "Sumire September Love"
Live album
- (1984) Live and Zen (recorded June 1983)
Compilations
- (1982) Lunatic Menu
- (1998) Very Best September Love (Ippu-Do/Masami Tsuchiya)
- (2006) Magic Vox: Ippu-Do Era 1979-1984 (7-CD box set with DVD, includes Tsuchiya and Mitake solo releases)
- (2010) Essence - The Very Best Of Ippu-Do