L’Arc~en~Ciel

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Biography

Without a doubt, L’Arc~en~Ciel is one of the most impressing Rock Bands of Japan. If you take a look at the CV of this band, it seems like the Guinnes-Book of Records.

The concerts of L’Arc~en~Ciel in the Asian countries have always been sold out within the last 15 years!!! Locations like the Budokan Hall have been sold out for several times already. The record time was... sold out in 4 minutes! Their 15 albums have reached at least place 2 in the Japanese Charts. So far 13 millions albums have been sold and the increasing number of the audience constitutes ca. 2 Millions meanwhile!!! The tickets for the nine concerts in the Tokyo Dome (the biggest Indoor Location of Japan, with a capacity of 50 000 people), have been sold out completely! In the last year, L’Arc~en~Ciel have released a back-catalogue album, consisting of 12 singles. Every each of the singles entered the Top20 of the charts. 

The story of their success began in Osaka in 1991. Hyde (Vocals), tetsuya (bass), Pero (drums) and Hiro (Guitar) founded the band L’Arc~en~Ciel, following a famous french film.

Already some months after the foundation of the band, L’Arc~en~Ciel sold out their first concerts.

On 10th of April 1992 the first album “Dune” has been made available via Mailorder – but only for the fans. The album was sold out before the official release date, the 27th of April. The album entered directly the Charts on place 1!

This was meant to be the first and the last independent – album, because L’Arc~en~Ciel signed a deal with Sony in the same year.

What’s the secret behind the great success of L’Arc~en~Ciel? Their musical style could be described as a mixture of the 80ies rock, reaching from metal to New Wave, British invasion and a composition of Japanese Rock, Major and also Underground Sound.

If you listen to this sound carefully, you can hear the influences of MÖTLEY CRUE, DEPECHE MODE or THE CURE. The extraordinary thing about L’Arc~en~Ciel is, that they are not a accumulation of different influences. Their unique musical talent (one of their excellencies is, that every member of the band can compose music), and their ability to see what happens in the world create a band that doesn’t follow trends, but develops them.

10 years later… In 2004 L’Arc~en~Ciel resort to the USA and there they played their first concert outside of Asia in Baltimore. The Japanese attracted more than 10 000 people. A milestone in the Japanese Rock music history!

Already one year later they performed several gigantic concerts in Korea and China. Every each of the concerts attracted at least 10 000 fans! The rise and the success of L’Arc~en~Ciel has changed the Japanese music scene drastically. Their success has proved that a rockband can still be rockband, even if they are within the mainstream. 

Meanwhile L’Arc~en~Ciel are a source of inspiration for many bands outside of Japan. It’s not surprising when new bands from Europe or from the USA find their musical guides in L’Arc~en~Ciel.

The cult-album Dune was released on the 18th of May 2007 by the J-Rock label Gan Shin. One year later, fans in Europe will be able to enjoy the new L’Arc~en~Ciel record Kiss. Gan Shin will release this album on the 18th of April 2008. They´ve created a special Euro-Booklet with the lyrics in English and Romaj due to ther Europe - Expedition.

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