The Tigers (Japanese band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | The Funnies (1966) |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Kenji Sawada (frontman) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 1971; Reunited in 1981 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Key people | Kenji Sawada (frontman), Koichi Sugiyama (director, composer), Watanabe Productions (management) |
| Products | Rock music, singles, films |
The Tigers emerged as a Japanese rock ensemble established in 1967 amid the Group Sounds movement. With Kenji Sawada as their frontman, they were managed by Watanabe Productions.
Originally called "The Funnies" in 1966, their television debut took place on November 15, 1966, during the program The Hit Parade. The group's name was changed to "The Tigers" following the advice of director Koichi Sugiyama, who subsequently composed numerous tracks for them. Throughout the late 1960s, they also appeared in various Japanese motion pictures.
Their track "Smile for Me", written by Barry Gibb and Maurice Gibb from The Bee Gees, was issued in July 1969 across the UK and Japan. In March 1969, The Tigers graced the cover of the American publication Rolling Stone in an article focusing on Japanese rock music.
On January 24, 1971, The Tigers performed their concluding show, titled The Tigers Beautiful Concert, at the Nippon Budokan. Following their breakup, Sawada went on to create Japan’s inaugural supergroup, Pyg, later that year.
The band came together again in 1981.
Singles
Movies
- Dorifutazu desu yo! Zenshin zenshin matazenshin (1967, produced by Toho)
- The Tigers: The World Is Waiting For Us (1968, Toho)
- The Tigers: Gorgeous Invitation (1968, Toho)
- The Tigers: Hi! London (1969, Toho)
- Kigeki migimuke hidari! (1970, Toho)