Bow Wow
Also known as
  • Vow Wow
  • Bow Wow G2
OriginJapan
Genres
Years activeBow Wow:
1975 (1975)–1983, 1995–present
Vow Wow:
1984 (1984)–1990 (reunions: 2009 and 2010)
LabelsVictor, VAP, Toshiba EMI, Arista (US), Rockcandy (US), Heavy Metal (EU), Roadrunner (EU)
Members
Past members
  • Kenji Sano
  • Genki Hitomi
  • Rei Atsumi
  • Neil Murray
  • Mark Gould
  • Tetsuya Horie
  • Hiroshi Yaegashi
  • Shotaro Mitsuzono
  • Eiji Mitsuzono
  • Toshihiro Niimi
Websitebowwow-army.jp

Bow Wow are a Japanese rock band formed in 1975. Originally consisting of guitarist and vocalists Kyoji Yamamoto and Mitsuhiro Saito, bassist Kenji Sano and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, they were one of the first Japanese metal bands. After releasing nine studio albums, Saito left in 1983. The band then adopted a mainstream sound by recruiting lead vocalist Genki Hitomi and keyboardist Rei Atsumi and renamed themselves to Vow Wow. They relocated to England in 1986, before Sano left the band the following year and Yamamoto invited former Whitesnake bassist Neil Murray to replace him. After Murray left to join Black Sabbath, studio bassist Mark Gould played on Vow Wow's last album before they disbanded in 1990.

Yamamoto reformed Bow Wow in 1995 with all new members, before it became a trio when fellow original members Saito and Niimi rejoined in 1998. Niimi left in 2015 and the group now performs under the name Bow Wow G2, which refers to the two guitarists being the only official members.

Tomoaki Hokari of OK Music wrote that Bow Wow was one of the first Japanese bands to prove that domestic musicians could compete with Western hard rock acts.[1] In Japan their best-selling album is V which reached number 12 on the Oricon chart.[2] Internationally their best-selling album is Helter Skelter, which reached number 75 on the UK Albums Chart.[3]

History

1975–1983: Bow Wow

Bow Wow was formed in 1975 by Yoshimi Ueno, a record producer who was looking to create an idol-like band such as The Monkees or the Bay City Rollers.[1][4][5] After recruiting vocalist and guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, whom he had managed before, vocalist and guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto and bassist Kenji Sano were scouted from Yamaha Music School and Bow Wow was officially formed.[6] Hokari wrote that, once 19-year-old guitar virtuoso Yamamoto joined and was elected to sing in English, the idol concept was largely dropped in favor of authenticity.[1]

They were quickly signed to Victor and used the money to buy a truck that could double as a stage, which earned them interviews with many magazines and television shows.[5][7] Bow Wow released their self-titled debut album in 1976.[7] Yamamoto recalled that when he joined, he told the producer he was a guitarist and not a singer, but during recording someone suggested he sing in English and he went with it.[8] In 1977, they opened for Aerosmith and Kiss on their Japanese tours and released two more albums, Signal Fire and Charge.[7]

According to AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia, their next few records were criticized by critics and fans as being musically all over the place, veering from their hard rock roots, and suffering from poor production values.[9] Yamamoto himself has described the three consecutive albums, Guarantee (1978), Glorious Road and Telephone (both 1980), as being the band's "pop era."[8] He noted that Saito was the main vocalist on the first two, but he took over vocal duties again on Telephone, where he looked to fuse pop with rock.[8] For Telephone the band switched record labels to Sounds Marketing System and worked with producer Touru Yazawa, who had produced the folk rock group Alice.

Bow Wow followed up with Hard Dog in 1981, which returned the band to a respectable hard rock act. In 1982, they switched labels again to VAP and released both Asian Volcano and Warning from Stardust. The band also performed at that year's Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Reading Festival in England.[7] The following year they toured with Hanoi Rocks across the UK[1] and performed their final concert at Nakano Sun Plaza on November 21, 1983. Which was the last with Saito, who left to join ARB.

1984–1990: Vow Wow

In 1984, the remaining three members were joined by vocalist Genki Hitomi and keyboardist Rei Atsumi, this resulted in a more commercial sound and the band decided a name change was necessary.[10] Now called Vow Wow, the group produced Beat of Metal Motion (1984) before signing to Toshiba EMI for Cyclone (1985) and relocating to England in 1986. After releasing the album III that year, they found themselves without a bassist when Kenji Sano returned to Japan in May 1987. Former Whitesnake bass player Neil Murray was recruited to fill the spot after he and Yamamoto worked on the second album from Phenomena,[6] although Murray later stated he never became a full member.[11] They then began recording the album V (1987) with producer Kit Woolven (Thin Lizzy, David Bowie) and co-producer John Wetton, who wrote the lyrics for the album's hit single "Don't Leave Me Now". They were asked by Tommy Vance to create the jingles for his British radio program, the Friday Rock Show.[11] After releasing Vibe (1988), which included the hard rock anthem "Rock Me Now", the band returned to Japan for a national tour. Although experiencing commercial success, Hitomi wanted to remain in Japan to begin a family. Vow Wow recorded what was to be their final album, Helter Skelter (1989), which was handled by Tony Taverner (Gipsy Kings, Black Sabbath) and was, as Rivadavia put it, a "re-sequenced, repackaged, and reissue" of Vibe.[12] After the album, Atsumi joined RC Succession for a live tour and Murray became a member of Black Sabbath.

Shortly after, producers Nick Griffiths (Queen, Paul McCartney) and Bob Ezrin (Kiss, Pink Floyd) requested to create an album with Vow Wow. The band regrouped in Los Angeles without Murray, and utilized American studio bassist Mark Gould for their final album, Mountain Top. Vow Wow disbanded after a May 28, 1990 concert at the Nippon Budokan. Yamamoto later said that the band had thought they could get signed to an American record label, but when that did not happen, "We lost our aim and then we started to get frustrated and our relationships collapsed. It was sad but 1990 was a bad year for hard rock bands. The hard rock and heavy metal scene was in decline."[11] Hitomi became a high school English teacher, while the other members each continued separate musical careers, Yamamoto forming the band Wild Flag in 1991.

1995–present: Bow Wow revival and Vow Wow reunion concerts

In May 1995, Yamamoto reformed Bow Wow with all new members.[10] They had several releases until dissolving in March 1997. However, Bow Wow became a trio in 1998 when original members Mitsuhiro Saito and Toshihiro Niimi rejoined Yamamoto and they released the album Back.[1][13] It was followed by Beyond (2000), Another Place (2001) and What's Going On? (2002). In August 2003 they performed in Daegu, South Korea at the O.K.! Crazy!! World Rock Festival. Bow Wow released Era, their most recent album to date, in 2005.[8]

Genki Hitomi and Rei Atsumi reunited with Yamamoto and Niimi for a Vow Wow reunion concert on December 25, 2009, and for two sold-out shows the following year on December 25 and 26, 2010.[10] Bow Wow released the single "King or Queen" in 2014. Niimi left Bow Wow in 2015 and the group now performs sporadically under the name Bow Wow G2, which refers to the two guitarists, Yamamoto and Saito, being the only official members.[14] In August 2016, Bow Wow G2 held a concert for the band's 40th anniversary, which was later released on home video.[14] Three years after their last performance in 2018, the duo held a concert for their 45th anniversary on September 26, 2021 at Ebisu Garden Hall, where they recreated the setlist of Bow Wow's 1978 live album Super Live.[15] On June 1, 2023, Yamamoto announced that Niimi had died from cancer on May 27.[16]

Legacy

Bow Wow were one of the first Japanese metal bands. Tomoaki Hokari of OK Music wrote that they were one of the acts that proved domestic musicians could compete with Western hard rock acts.[1] Writing for Rolling Stone Japan, Daisuke Kawasaki ranked Warning from Stardust at No. 23 on a 2007 list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".[17] The title track from Signal Fire was named the 28th best guitar instrumental by Young Guitar Magazine in 2019.[18] Lars Ulrich is a fan of Bow Wow and used to cover their songs with Metallica before they made their debut.[10] X Japan guitarist Hide admired Yamamoto and Saito, and played the Mockingbird-style of guitar because Saito used it.[19][20] Kouichi of Laputa is a fan of the band and covered their songs while in high school.[21][22]

Members

Bow Wow

Current members

  • Kyoji Yamamoto (山本恭司) – lead vocals (1975–1983, 1998–present), guitar (1975–1983, 1995–1997, 1998–present)
  • Mitsuhiro Saito (斉藤光浩) – guitar, vocals (1975–1983, 1998–present)
  • Shinji Matsumoto (松本慎二) – bass (2016–present, support member)
  • Masanori "Cherry" Koyanagi (小柳昌法) – drums (2016–present, support member)

Former members

  • Kenji Sano (佐野賢二) – bass (1975–1983)
  • Tetsuya Horie (堀江哲也) – lead vocals (1995–1997)
  • Hiroshi Yaegashi (八重樫浩士) – guitar (1995–1997)
  • Shotaro Mitsuzono (満園庄太郎) – bass (1995–1997)
  • Eiji Mitsuzono (満園英二) – drums (1995–1996)
  • Toshihiro Niimi (新美俊宏) – drums (1975–1983, 1996–1997, 1998–2015, died in 2023)
  • Daisuke Kitsuwa – bass (1998–2015, support member)

Vow Wow

Last line-up

  • Genki Hitomi (人見元基) – lead vocals (1984–1990, 2009, 2010)
  • Kyoji Yamamoto – guitar, backing vocals (1984–1990, 2009, 2010)
  • Toshihiro Niimi – drums (1984–1990, 2009, 2010)
  • Rei Atsumi (厚見玲衣) – keyboards, synthesizers, piano, keytar, backing vocals (1984–1990, 2009, 2010)

Former members

  • Kenji Sano – bass, backing vocals (1984–1987)
  • Neil Murray – bass, backing vocals (1987–1990)
  • Mark Gould – bass, backing vocals (1990)

Timeline

Discography as Bow Wow

Albums

Year Title Type
1976 Bow Wow Studio
1977 Signal Fire
Charge
1978 Super Live Live
Guarantee Studio
1980 Glorious Road
Telephone
Kumikyoku X Bomber (組曲Xボンバー) (for the TV series X-Bomber) Soundtrack
1981 Hard Dog Studio
1982 Asian Volcano
Warning from Stardust
1983 Holy Expedition Live
1995 Bow Wow # 0 EP
Bow Wow # 1 Studio
1996 Led by the Sun
1998 Still on Fire EP
Back[23] Studio
1999 Ancient Dreams[24] Studio
Live Explosion 1999 Live
2000 Beyond Studio
2001 Another Place
2002 What's Going On?
2005 Super Live 2004 Live
Era Studio

Singles

  • "Volume On" (1976)
  • "Still" (1977)
  • "Sabishii Yuugi (1978)
  • "Hoshii no wa Omae Dake" (1979)
  • "Wasurekaketeta Love Song " (1980)
  • "Rainy Train" (1980)
  • "Keep on Rockin'" (1980)
  • "Soldier in the Space" (1980)
  • "Gonna be Alright" (1981)
  • "Take Me Away" (1982)
  • "Forever" (1983)
  • "You're Mine" (1983)
  • "One Last Time" (2002)
  • "King or Queen" (2014)

Compilations

  • The Bow Wow (1979)
  • Locus 1976-1983 (1986)
  • The Bow Wow II Decennium (2008)
  • XXXV (2011)

Videos

  • The Live Empire (2003)
  • Live Explosion 1999 (2003)
  • 2003.3.22 Live (2003)
  • Rock to the Future 2002 Bow Wow vs XYZ→A (2003)
  • Super Live 2004 (2005)
  • Super Live 2005 (2006)
  • Super Live 2006 (2007)
  • Super Live 2007 (2008)
  • Super Live 2009 (2010)
  • Super Live 2011 (2012)
  • Bow Wow G2 Live in Tokyo (2017)

Discography as Vow Wow

Albums

Year Title JP UK Type
1984 Beat of Metal Motion Studio
1985 Cyclone 300 (2006 reissue)[25] Studio
1986 III 275 (2006 reissue)[25] Studio
Live Live
Hard Rock Night/Vow Wow Live Live
1987 V Studio
Revive Remix EP
1988 Vibe (Helter Skelter[26][27] in the United Kingdom) 19[28] 75[3] Studio
1990 Mountain Top 16[28] Studio
2019 Majestic Live 1989 171[25] Live
2020 Live At Reading Festival 1987 252[25] Live

Singles

Year Title JP Album
1984 "Beat of Metal Motion" Beat of Metal Motion
1985 "U.S.A." Cyclone
1987 "Don't Leave Me Now" V
1988 "Cry No More"
"Don't Tell Me Lies"
"Rock Me Now" Vibe/Helter Skelter
1989 "Helter Skelter"
"I Feel the Power"
1990 "Tell Me" 23[29] Mountain Top

Compilations

Year Title JP
1986 Shock Waves
1988 Vow Wow
1990 Legacy 60[28]
1992 Best Now
1996 Twin Best
2006 Super Best: Rock Me Forever 286[25]
2007 The Vox (8CD+DVD Boxed-set)

Videos

Every VHS was re-released on DVD on June 14, 2006

Year Title JP
1985 Visions 116[30]
1986 Live 75[30]
1989 Live in the U.K. 80[30]
1990 Japan Live 1990 at Budokan 88[30]
2017 "ヴァウの総て-All About Vow 第一幕～渡英前"
2021 "アックスの奇蹟 -Veritas! One-night Wonder"

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "BOW WOWのデビュー作『吼えろ！BOWWOW』は洋楽と真っ向勝負できる初の国産HR". OK Music (in Japanese). December 2, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  2. ↑ "BOW WOWのアルバム売上ランキング". Oricon.
  3. 1 2 "VOW WOW". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Biography". kyoji-yamamoto.com. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "【連載】Vol.098「Mike's Boogie Station＝音楽にいつも感謝！＝」". Barks (in Japanese). September 7, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 167. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Kyoji Yamamoto leaves all inhibitions behind". The Japan Times. April 18, 2009. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "山本恭司 ヤング・ギター2017年12月号 本誌未掲載インタビュー". Young Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). November 18, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Hard Dog - Bow Wow". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "BOWWOW Frontman Kyoji Yamamoto". BraveWords. December 10, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 "Remembering The Original Japanese Rock Invasion". Metal Hammer. January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Vibe - Vow Wow". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  13. ↑ "BOWWOW OFFICIAL SITE". Bowwow-army.jp.
  14. 1 2 "BOWWOW G2＠Mt.RAINIER HALL SHIBUYA PLEASURE PLEASURE 2018.8.25 ライヴ・レポート". Young Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). September 13, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  15. ↑ "人生経験から滲み出る迫力！ BOWWOW 45th Anniversary：BOWWOW G2ライブ 2021年9月26日@恵比寿ザ・ガーデンホール". Young Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  16. ↑ "BOWWOWのドラムス・新美俊宏さん死去 山本恭司が報告 癌と診断されて入院からわずか22日目…". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Finally! "The 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time" Listed". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  18. ↑ "ヤング・ギター厳選『ギター・インストの殿堂100』名演ランキング". Young Guitar Magazine (in Japanese). June 11, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Guitar battle with Hide and Pata". GIGS. Shinko Music Entertainment. January 1992. JAN 4910052910386.
  20. ↑ "ロッキンf 97年7月号別冊 Rockin' Talk CAFE". Rockin'f. Rittor Music (July 1997): 152.
  21. ↑ Arakawa, Reiko (July 27, 1997). "Kouichi (Laputa) & HIRO, KOJI (La'cryma Christi) ニューエイジ・ギタリストによる対談が実現！！". Rockin'f. Rittor Music. 262: 18–24.
  22. ↑ "Laputa―from the cradle to the grave 1999 (Fool's Mate extrax)". Fool's Mate: 6. 1999. ISBN 4938716186.
  23. ↑ "Back". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Ancient Dreams". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 BOW WOWのアルバム売り上げランキング. Oricon Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  26. ↑ "Vow Wow - VIBe". Discogs.com.
  27. ↑ "Vow Wow - Helter Skelter". Discogs.com.
  28. 1 2 3 "ＢＯＷ ＷＯＷのアルバム売り上げランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  29. ↑ "BOW WOWのシングル売り上げランキング". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  30. 1 2 3 4 BOW WOWのDVD売り上げランキング. Oricon Retrieved 2011-12-11.
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