Spitz (band)

Spitz - Umeboshi (Live). スピッツ - 梅干し (ライブ)

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• published: 26 Mar 2017
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Spitz (スピッツ) are a Japanese rock band. The group was originally formed in 1987 by four art school students in Tokyo — it consists of Masamune Kusano (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Tetsuya Miwa (lead guitar), Akihiro Tamura (bass guitar), and Tatsuo Sakiyama (drums). In March 1991, Spitz released their first single "Hibari no Kokoro" and the self-titled debut album simultaneously on Polydor Records. Although their early efforts failed to attract public attention until around 1994, the band eventually came into prominence with a single "Robinson", released in April 1995 and sold in excess of 1.6 million copies in their homeland. It was followed by their 6th studio album Hachimitsu, released in the same year and achieved a mainstream success, immediately topping the Japanese Oricon chart and selling approximately 1.7 million copies to date. It earned the Best Album category in the 37th Japan Record Awards by the Japanese Composers Association on New Year's Eve of 1995, and received a quadruple platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in 1997. After their breakthrough in the mid 1990s, Spitz has sustained commercial success in Japanese market for nearly 20 years. They have been listed in the top 30 of the best-selling music acts in history of the Japanese record charts, having sold over 20.8 million copies albums and singles domestically as of December 2013. Throughout their recording career, the band have released 15 studio albums and 38 physical singles to date. They have consistently maintained jangly pop/rock style of music, featuring arpeggiated guitar work influenced by Donovan. They are also noted for melodic compositions, symbolic lyrics, and clear high-pitched vocals by the group's chief singer-songwriter Kusano.