Rouage
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Nagoya , Japan |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Rouage (presented as ROUAGE) was a Japanese visual kei rock ensemble originating from Nagoya in 1993 and remained active until 2001. They significantly influenced the 1990s visual kei movement and are recognized as pioneers of the Nagoya kei subgenre.
History
The name Rouage, which translates to gear in French, came into existence in December 1993 with vocalist Kazushi, guitarists Rika and Rayzi, and drummer Shono. In 1994, bassist Kaiki joined the lineup, having previously played with Silver~Rose. Their first single, "Silk," debuted in February, followed by a self-titled album released in March. This initial album had a limited run of 5,000 copies before being reissued later that year.
Following Kaiki’s exit in 1995 and a short period when disbandment was considered, Rouage secured a contract with Universal Music Japan and issued their major label debut single "Queen" in April. Their highest-selling album, Bible, was subsequently released in June.
Their 1996 single "insomnia" served as the theme for the ANB program mew. The band Lin later produced a cover of this song on CRUSH!3-90's V-Rock best hit cover LOVE songs, an album featuring contemporary visual kei bands interpreting hits from the 1990s. After this release, bassist Yuki became part of the group.
In March 1997, Rouage unveiled the album Mind. After Yuki’s departure, they employed support bassists for performances and recordings. The album Children was released in December; its track "Endless Loop" was selected as the theme for the anime Legend of Basara. This song was later covered by Diaura on the compilation Counteraction -V-Rock covered Visual Anime songs Compilation-. Early in 1998, Rouage embarked on an extensive tour titled Children's Room and appeared at the Shock Wave Illusion festival alongside bands such as Dir En Grey and Pierrot. Guitarist Rika left the band in 2000.
Following drummer Shono's departure in February 2001, Rouage officially dissolved. In 2006, their albums Bible, Children, Lab, Mind, and Soup were re-released; however, plans to reissue live albums were abandoned due to Rika’s opposition.
Members
- Kazushi – vocals (1993–2001)
- Rayzi – guitar (1993–2001)
- Shono – drums (1993–2001)
- Former members
- Kaiki – bass (1994–1995)
- Yuki – bass (1996–1997)
- Rika – guitar (1993–2000)
Discography
| Title | Release Date | Oricon Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| Rouage | July 20, 1994 | - |
| Bible | June 6, 1996 | 14 |
| Mind | March 5, 1997 | 15 |
| Children | December 3, 1997 | 25 |
| Soup | November 11, 1998 | 16 |
| Culture | March 17, 1999 | 29 |
| Lab | May 24, 2000 | 33 |