Ramjet Pulley
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | J-pop music, singles, albums |
| Parent | Giza Studio |
Ramjet Pulley (Japanese: ラムジェット プーリー) was a Japanese J-pop ensemble active between 2000 and 2003, signed under the Giza Studio label.
Personnel
- Akiko Matsuda (松田明子) – lead vocalist
- Satomi Makoshi (麻越さとみ) – bassist and lyricist
- Kazunobu Mashima (間島和伸) – guitarist and composer
Formation
The members of Ramjet Pulley originally belonged to the pop-rock group Rumania Montevideo. This new project emerged following Rumania Montevideo’s fifth single, Start All Over Again. It provided an opportunity for the artists to experiment with diverse musical expressions and appeal to a wider audience. Kazunobu concentrated on crafting melodies, Satomi contributed lyrics inspired by everyday experiences, and Akiko delivered unique vocals that evoked a gentle psychedelic ambiance.
2000–2001
Ramjet Pulley made their debut in November 2000 with the single "Hello...Goodbye". The B-side track "Destiny" was subsequently covered by singer-songwriter Miki Matsuhashi and featured as an opening theme for the anime series Detective Conan.
Their follow-up single Overjoyed released in April 2001 became their most commercially successful release, reaching #90 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and receiving substantial airplay across FM radio stations nationwide. The single included a jazz remix of "Hello...Goodbye" as a B-side track.
Although a planned single titled "News&Bed&Trip" scheduled for June 2001 was canceled, the song was included in their debut album. In July, they issued a reworked version of "Destiny" called "Destiny: 21 Another One," followed by their fourth single "Final Way" in August.
Their first full-length album A Cup of Day was released in September 2001, featuring a collaboration with the fusion band Dimension on the track "bulanco." The song "Good-bye Yesterday" was selected as an ending theme for Nihon TV/Yomiuri TV's program Wake up!. Both singles "Overjoyed" and "Final Way" were featured on the compilation album Giza Studio Masterpiece Blend 2001.
In December 2001, Akiko participated in the R&B cover album Giza Studio R&B Respect Vol.1: Six Sisters Selection, performing Deniece Williams' "Free." She later gave a live rendition at Hills Pan Kōjō, which was subsequently released on DVD two months later.
2002–2003
By January 2002, Ramjet Pulley had completed recording their last studio album alongside Rumania Montevideo titled Mo' Better Tracks, allowing them to dedicate more attention to their own band activities.
In April 2002, they launched their fifth single "Change The World," accompanied by a music video filmed in India. A remix of this song was also included on their final studio album. This release marked their second and final entry on the Oricon Weekly Charts.
Their last single "Flower" came out in August 2002, featuring a music video partially shot in both the Sahara Desert and Osaka. It was their first single promoted as an ending theme for Nihon TV's The Sunday. Both singles were incorporated into the compilation album Giza Studio Masterpiece Blend 2002.
In September 2002, Akiko and Kazunobu contributed backing vocals on The★tambourines' album My Back Pages.
January 2003 saw the release of Ramjet Pulley's second and final album It's a Wonderful Feeling. The track "everything" was utilized in a Dome commercial, while "I'll fall in love again" appeared on Giza Studio Masterpiece Blend 2003. Following this release, Satomi’s activities became untraceable.
In June 2003, Akiko appeared as a guest vocalist at Hill Pankoujou's "Thursday Live Acoustic Night," an event covered by J Groove Magazine.
In August 2003, Akiko recorded a cover of Yumi Arai's "Ame no Machi wo," produced by Tak Matsumoto. This version was featured as the B-side of Zard’s cover single "Ihoujin" and later included on Tak Matsumoto's rock cover album The Hit Parade released in November 2003. Afterward, Akiko's subsequent endeavors remain unknown.
No formal announcement regarding disbandment or hiatus was made, and their official website was taken down. Kazunobu continued his work composing and arranging for Giza Studio artists such as Aiko Kitahara and U-ka Saegusa in dB until 2007; his later career path is not documented.
On December 1, 2019, all three members reunited during a Rumania Montevideo live performance, marking their first joint appearance after 17 years.
Despite a relatively short tenure, Ramjet Pulley produced two studio albums along with six singles.
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | ||
| A Cup of Day |
|
100 |
| It's a Wonderful Feeling |
|
84 |
Singles
| Single Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Position | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | |||
| "Hello... Good Bye" | 2000 | — | A Cup of Day |
| "Overjoyed" | 2000 | 90 | |
| "Destiny ~21 Another One~" | 2000 | — | |
| "Final Way" | 2000 | — | |
| "Change the World" | 2002 | 94 | It's a Wonderful Feeling |
| "Flower" | 2002 | — |
Magazine appearances
The group was featured in prominent music industry magazines such as J-Groove Magazine (issues including December 2000 Vol.2; May 2001 Vol.7; September and November 2001; May and September 2002; March 2003) and Music Freak Magazine (with multiple editions from November 2000 through January 2003), where interviews and release details were published to enhance their public profile. Additionally, they appeared in MARQUEE Vol.35 for an interview promoting the album It's a Wonderful Feeling.