Siam Shade

Siam Shade
Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1991 in Tokyo, Japan
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Products	Music albums, singles, live performances

Siam Shade (presented as SIAM SHADE) was a Japanese rock ensemble consisting of five members, established in Tokyo in 1991. The definitive lineup—Hideki (vocals), Natchin (bass), Kazuma and Daita (guitars), along with Jun-ji (drums)—originated from the visual kei movement of the early 1990s and sustained a decade-long period of significant acclaim. After their disbandment in 2002, the group reunited intermittently for live performances and tours. According to OK Music, their style combined melodic hard rock with intricate twin guitar harmonies, characterized by a fusion of "smooth vocals" and vibrant metal elements. Globally, they gained recognition primarily through "1/3 no Junjō na Kanjō," which served as the sixth ending theme for the Rurouni Kenshin anime. Additionally, Daita's instrumental piece "Triptych" was ranked 83rd among the best guitar instrumentals by Young Guitar Magazine in 2019.

1989–2002: Origins and progression

In March 1989, high school classmates Hideki (then known as "Chack") and Natchin ("Natin") formed the band Power, securing victory at the Summer Grand Prix during the Yokohama High School Hot Wave Festival. Following several member changes and eventual dissolution, Hideki and Natchin initiated Atæru alongside guitarist Ataru in 1991. By 1992, they added Kazuma, previously vocalist for Love Jets, as a guitarist; drummer A completed this lineup. Performing at smaller venues under the Atæru name, they rebranded as Siam Shade in 1993 after Ataru's exit, with Daita stepping in as lead guitarist. Their debut single "Doll" was released in December of that year. The band forged a strong association with Luna Sea, with Ryuichi Kawamura supporting them via radio broadcasts.

In 1994, drummer A departed and was succeeded by Jun-ji, solidifying the final formation. Jun-ji had prior experience as a roadie for Luna Sea’s drummer Shinya Yamada. That year marked the release of their self-titled debut album, which already featured their hallmark dual vocal approach between Hideki and Kazuma. This album was later acknowledged among the top releases from 1989 to 1998 by Band Yarouze magazine.

By August 1995, Siam Shade held a solo concert at Shibuya Public Hall. Their major label debut single "Rain" was launched in October under Sony Music Entertainment Japan, followed by their second album Siam Shade II in November. For their third album Siam Shade III (1996), recording took place in Los Angeles with mixing by David Bianco; this work emphasized powerful guitar sounds merging ’80s L.A. metal with kayōkyoku-influenced melodies.

Their breakthrough into mainstream popularity occurred in late 1997 when "1/3 no Junjō na Kanjō" was selected as an ending theme for the Rurouni Kenshin anime series. Both the single and its accompanying album Siam Shade IV - Zero received platinum and gold certifications respectively from the RIAJ, leading to increased record sales, larger concert audiences, DVD releases, and television appearances.

The fifth album, Siam Shade V (1998), supported by successful singles such as "Glacial Love," "Dreams," and "Never End," also achieved gold status. In July 2000, they participated in South Korea’s inaugural Busan International Rock Festival, shortly after Japanese music performance restrictions were lifted there. Ten days following this event, they issued the double album Siam Shade VI, dividing hard rock and heavy metal tracks from more melodic pop-oriented songs across two discs; this became their last original studio release. Later that year saw the arrival of Siam Shade VII, a mini-album featuring re-recorded tracks with English lyrics designed to facilitate distribution in South Korea where Japanese-language music sales remained limited.

On December 28, 2001, Siam Shade performed at the distinguished Nippon Budokan for the first time. However, just one month later they announced their decision to disband, culminating with a final Budokan concert on March 11, 2002. That same month witnessed the release of the box set Siam Shade X, compiling all their major label recordings.

Although officially dissolving to focus on solo pursuits, guitarist Daita later claimed that internal disputes—including an incident where Hideki assaulted their manager causing serious injury—led their label to mandate the breakup. He disclosed multiple violent episodes involving Hideki and mentioned conflicts over royalty distributions following an altercation backstage during DVD production.

Activities Following Siam Shade's Dissolution

Following the group's breakup, Hideki promptly embarked on a solo path. In 2003, he became a member of the band Acid, departing in 2006 to concentrate once more on his individual projects. The year 2007 saw him co-found Detrox alongside KAZ (Sads), producing a significant body of work before the band paused activities after their April 18, 2012 performance.

Kazuma also ventured into solo endeavors, notably performing the 2003 duet "Moment" with Vivian Hsu, which served as the second opening theme for the anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. Additionally, he has provided support for artists such as Anna Tsuchiya and Damijaw, the solo project of Ka-yu from Janne Da Arc.

Daita pursued a solo career as well, composing the score for Volcano High and acting as a supporting musician for Kyosuke Himuro. In 2005, he initiated the band Binecks and later, in 2012, established Broken Arrow in the United States with vocalist Nik Frost; this group also appeared on the Siam Shade Tribute album.

Natin, now performing under the name "Natchin," developed a solo career and co-founded Big Bites in 2008 with Anchang (Sex Machineguns) and Annie (The Yellow Monkey). By June 2014, he had formed 21g alongside masked singer Geno (Tsuyoshi Himura from Everset), guitarist Mi-ya (later associated with Lovebites), and drummer Act. His support work includes collaborations with Nanase Aikawa, Koji Kikkawa, and T-Bolan.

Junji continues his solo activities and has served as a support drummer for Takanori Nishikawa (TM Revolution). He founded Bull Zeichen 88 in 2008 and frequently supports Acid Black Cherry.

Reunion Period: 2007–2016

On November 18, 2007, Siam Shade reunited for a special one-time concert named Heart of Rock at Nippon Budokan to pay tribute to their late manager. They emphasized that this event would not result in any new musical releases.

A tribute album titled Siam Shade Tribute, featuring Western musicians such as Sebastian Bach, Richie Kotzen, and George Lynch, was released on October 27, 2010. Their track "1/3 no Junjō na Kanjō" was covered by Nogod on Crush! -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, which came out on January 26, 2011; meanwhile, "Glacial Love" was interpreted by Guild on its follow-up album released in November 2011.

On April 29, 2011, Siam Shade announced their reunion for a free charity concert held on July 17 at Zepp Sendai to aid those affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. A subsequent performance took place on October 21 at Saitama Super Arena. The compilation album Siam Shade Spirits 1993, released April 14, 2012, comprised their entire debut album along with fresh and previously unreleased tracks from their indie period.

Their first new composition in twelve years, "Still We Go," was made available digitally on September 18, 2013, followed by a limited physical release the next month. The band embarked on their first nationwide tour in over ten years—Heart of Rock 7—starting October 27 at Saitama Super Arena and concluding November 12 at Zepp Namba.

Siam Shade appeared at Luna Sea's Lunatic Fest on June 27, 2015. To commemorate two decades since their major label debut, they held The Abiding Belief concert at Saitama Super Arena on October 18 and then toured Zepp venues with The Ultimate Fight Series in February 2016. The anniversary festivities culminated in three Final Road Last Sanctuary shows during October 2016 at Osaka International Convention Center, Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, and Nippon Budokan.

Siam Sophia and Legal Disputes

On November 4, 2024, an official statement on Natchin's website revealed a mutually agreed resolution to the 2019 legal case initiated by Natchin, Hideki, Kazuma, and Jun-ji against Daita. Although all five individuals remain recognized as Siam Shade members, public appearances typically include only the four members without Daita. Two weeks following this announcement, a collaborative live performance with Sophia was declared to celebrate their 30th anniversary since debut. This event took place at Osaka-jō Hall on February 9, 2025, titled "1995 Siam Sophia-G," a nod to the comedy duo Garage Sale who hosted the occasion. The concert attracted an audience of 8,000 and featured guest support from Vivid guitarist Reno. Later, on May 29, 2025, it was confirmed that Siam Sophia would appear at Lunatic Fest, organized by Luna Sea, scheduled for November 8. Subsequently, on June 13, the group announced the "2025 Siam Sophia Final" show at Toyota Arena Tokyo set for October 13.

On October 1, 2025, Daita provided a detailed account on his website regarding the earlier lawsuit as well as a second legal action initiated by the other four members against an external party; he also disclosed having filed a counterclaim against them. He clarified that during Siam Shade’s reunion concerts in 2011, a nonprofit entity known to him managed charitable funds for earthquake relief efforts, whereas his company oversaw revenue from performances and merchandise sales intended for equal distribution among all five members. This structure was recommended by a former agency official and adopted because Daita was uniquely positioned with a legally established company to administer these finances. However, suspicions arose among the other four members concerning alleged misappropriation of donations and profit diversion by Daita’s firm, leading to two lawsuits. One case was dismissed after the court determined that funds were appropriately allocated; the other concluded with a court-mediated settlement. The agreement guaranteed that funds would be paid directly to each member rather than routed through Daita’s company.

Daita revealed that the settlement included a provision barring any Siam Shade activities without unanimous participation of all five members. When the initial Siam Sophia concert was publicized without his involvement—originally described as a one-off event—he closely observed developments. His concerns intensified after a second concert was announced; upon investigating trademark rights, he found that Hideki had submitted an application to register "Siam Shade" under his name on November 21, 2024—the same day the first Siam Sophia show was announced. This application was subsequently denied in July 2025 due to lack of consent from all band members. As a result, on August 27, 2025, Daita filed an injunction preventing the four from performing 38 songs he composed for Siam Shade. The subsequent Siam Sophia concerts proceeded without including these compositions.

Members

Classic line-up

– lead vocals (1991–2002, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015–2016)
– bass guitar, backing vocals (1991–2002, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015–2016)
– rhythm guitar and lead vocals (1992–2002, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015–2016)
– lead guitar and backing vocals (1993–2002, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015–2016)
– drums (1994–2002, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015–2016)

Former members

Ataru – guitar (1991–1993)
Ozz... – drums
A – drums (1992–1994)

Discography

Albums

Siam Shade (December 10, 1994) Achieved No. 2 on Oricon Indies Chart
Siam Shade II (November 11, 1995) Reached No. 27 on Oricon Albums Chart
Siam Shade III (October 2, 1996) Peaked at No. 20
Siam Shade IV - Zero (January 21, 1998) Climbed to No. 3
Siam Shade V (December 2, 1998) Ranked No. 6
Siam Shade VI (July 26, 2000) Secured No. 8

Singles

"Doll" (December 19, 1993; initially handed out free during their first solo concert)
"Rain" (October 21, 1995) Attained No. 49 on Oricon Singles Chart
"Time's" (February 1, 1996) Reached No. 44
"Why Not?" (February 21, 1997) Positioned at No. 69
"Risk" (May 21, 1997) Ranked No. 42
"Passion" (July 30, 1997) Peaked at No. 35
(Title missing) Reached No. 3
(Title missing) Achieved No. 10
"Dreams" (August 5, 1998) Climbed to No. 4
"Never End" (October 28, 1998) Positioned at No. 9
(Title missing) Ranked No. 8
"Black" (September 15, 1999) Peaked at No. 5
"1999" (September 29, 1999) Attained No. 7
(Title missing) Reached No. 10
"Life" (April 11, 2001) Positioned at No. 13
(Title missing) Ranked No. 14
"Love" (November 28, 2001) Climbed to No. 20
"Still We Go" (Digital release on September 18, 2013; limited CD edition on October 27, 2013)

Compilations

Siam Shade VII (November 29, 2000) Achieved No. 23
Siam Shade VIII B-Side Collection (January 30, 2001) Reached No. 17
Siam Shade IX A-Side Collection (March 6, 2002) Peaked at No. 20
Siam Shade X ~Perfect Collection~ (November 27, 2002) Ranked No. 98
Siam Shade XI Complete Best ~Heart of Rock~ (September 26, 2007) Positioned at No. 26
Siam Shade XII ~The Best Live Collection~ (October 27, 2010) Achieved No. 23
Siam Shade Spirits 1993 (April 14, 2012)

Various artists compilations

Emergency Express 1994 (February 1, 1994 – featuring the track "End of Love")
Tribute Spirits (May 1, 1999 – includes the song "Pink Spider")

Tribute albums

Siam Shade Tribute (October 27, 2010) Reached No. 15 on charts
Siam Shade Tribute vs Original (July 11, 2011) Ranked at No. 253

Videos

Siam Shade (VHS released March 1, 1997 / DVD issued December 6, 2000)
Siam Shade V2 Clips '95 - '97 (VHS: March 1, 1998 / DVD: December 6, 2000)
Siam Shade V3 (VHS: March 20, 1999 / DVD: December 16, 2000)
Siam Shade V4 Tour 1999 Monkey Science Final Yoyogi (VHS: August 30, 1999 / DVD: September 22, 1999)
Siam Shade V5 (September 6, 2000)
Siam Shade V6 Live Otoko ki (December 31, 2000)
Siam Shade V7 Live in Budokan Legend of Sanctuary (March 27, 2002), reached No. 34 on Oricon DVD rankings
Siam Shade V8 Start & Stand Up Live in Budokan 2002.03.10 (May 29, 2002), attained No. 14
Siam Shade V9 The Perfect Clip (January 8, 2003), peaked at No. 49
Siam Shade Spirits ~Return the Favor~ 2011.10.21 Saitama Super Arena (March 10, 2012)
Siam Shade Heart of Rock 7 Live at Saitama Super Arena (April 1, 2014)
~Final Road Last Sanctuary~ Siam Shade Live 2016 Live at Nippon Budokan 2016.10.20 (October 21, 2018)