The , also known by the abbreviations and SAS, are a Japanese rock band formed in Shibuya in 1975. Lead vocalist and guitarist Keisuke Kuwata, keyboardist and vocalist Yuko Hara, bassist Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, drummer and percussionist have been together since 1977. The guitarist was a member from 1977 to 2001.Chikyu Ongaku Library: Southern All Stars [Renewed Edition], Edited by Amuse Inc., Tokyo FM Publishing, The band has occasionally gone on hiatus while its members work on other projects.
After signing with Victor Entertainment, the band released their top-ten charting debut single, "Katte ni Sindbad", in 1978. Southern went on to become one of the best-selling music groups in Japan, with more than 48.8 million albums and singles sold. They have had over 40 top ten singles and 19 number one albums on the Oricon music charts. Their 1998 compilation album Umi no Yeah!! is one of the best-selling albums in Japan and the best-selling double album in Japanese history. Southern All Stars are regarded as one of Japan's greatest musical acts and have been called its "national band".
History
1970s: Early years
In 1974, a prototype of Southern All Stars, composed of Aoyama Gakuin University students who belonged to the popular music club "Better Days", was formed by Keisuke Kuwata. In their early days, the band changed its name frequently, such as and . In 1975, keyboardist Yuko Hara joined the group. Kuwata's friend Junichi Miyaji had the task of creating the poster for the band's April 11, 1976, concert at Fujisawa Youth Hall, but the singer told him the group did not have a name. While working on the poster, Miyaji listened to Neil Young's album After the Gold Rush on repeat, before taking a break to bathe, where he listened to Nippon Broadcasting System and heard Fania All-Stars mentioned. Upon his leaving the bath, the fourth track from Young's album, "Southern Man", was playing. Miyaji took parts of "Fania All Stars" and "Southern Man" to coin the name "Southern All Stars", which he put on the poster without telling Kuwata. The band temporarily disbanded in 1977, only to resume activities later in the year. Southern All Stars participated in the Yamaha EastWest '77 contest, held by the Yamaha Music Foundation. Hiroshi Matsuda and Hideyuki Nozawa, who were not Aoyama Gakuin students, joined them, solidifying the group's lineup. At the contest, Kuwata won a prize for "best vocalist".
On June 25, 1978, their debut single "Katte ni Sindbad" was released by Victor Entertainment. Its title was named after two hit songs in Japan in 1977, "Katte ni Shiyagare" by Kenji Sawada and "Nagisa no Sindbad" by Pink Lady. Additionally, the release date of the debut single was Sawada's 29th birthday. The song features Kuwata's impressive coarse-grained vocals song like a tongue twister. To promote their first single, the band appeared on various TV programs. The unusual outfits they wore and their eccentric performance left an unforgettable impact on listeners. The single gradually climbed the charts and peaked at No. 3 on the Oricon Singles Chart in autumn of the same year.
Because of the promotional material for "Katte ni Sindbad" and the following single "Kibun Shidai de Semenaide", they were considered performers of novelty songs. However, "Itoshi no Ellie", their third single released on March 25, 1979, was sufficient to overturn their comedic public image. This pop-ballad was highly regarded by many Japanese music critics and artists, including Hiroshi Miyagawa and Kosetsu Minami. The song is regarded as one of the most notable songs by the Southern All Stars. In 1988, an English-language cover version by Ray Charles, "Ellie My Love", was featured in a Suntory Limited TV advertisement. It was released as a single in Japan only, and reached No. 3 on the Oricon.10 best-selling singles by non-Japanese Artist in 1989 This cover version by Charles became 1989's best-selling single performed by a Western artist.
Two months after Southern released their debut single, their first album, , was released. The band was not able to devote ample time to recording and songwriting for , their second album. 10 Numbers Carat featured their breakthrough ballad "Itoshi no Ellie", which was released only eight months after their debut album. Kuwata's angry look on the album cover mirrored his exhaustion. Hence, the leader of the band was not satisfied with the quality of the album, and later called it "trash".
1980s: Blockbuster success In February 1980, Southern All Stars started a serial project called "Five Rock Show", where they released a single every month for five months. Due to a lack of promotion, the singles succeeded only moderately. However, thanks to the success of their early singles in the late '70s, they had built a solid fan base. Since , their third album released in 1980, all of their studio albums have topped the Oricon Albums Chart. That album featured two songs featuring vocals by members other than Kuwata, Hara's "Watashi wa Piano" and Matsuda's "Matsuda no Komoriuta". The former was covered by pop singer Mizue Takada that same year and became a top ten hit.
On January 24, 1982, Southern released the single "Chako no Kaigan Monogatari". Kuwata wanted a commercial hit and wrote the song in the typical Japanese kayōkyoku style. Additionally, as a vocalist, he imitated the lisping vocals of Toshihiko Tahara, one of the most popular male idol singers at the time. Such popular expression generally received a favorable reaction from the public and it became the band's most successful single since "Itoshi no Ellie". Following this success, their fifth studio album, , was bigger than ever. The album reached No. 3 on Oricon's 1982 year-end chart, and later became that year's best-selling album. One of the highlights of Nude Man, "Natsu o Akiramete" was covered by distinguished comedian and singer Naoko Ken the same year. Her version sold 300,000 copies and became one of her most successful works as a singer.
After the success of "Chako no Kaigan Monogatari", Kuwata married Hara on his 26th birthday. They invited their fans to their wedding ceremony. Throughout Southern's career, Kuwata has featured extremely erotic expressions in many of his self-written songs and the band's sales promotions. "I Love You wa Hitorigoto", a Kuwata composition that was released as Hara's first solo single in 1981, was banned due to suggestive lyrics including the term "motel". The cover of the band's 1983 single "Body Special II" features the breasts of a topless woman. This explicit expression from Kuwata and his band has continued.
The studio albums and were released in 1983 and 1984. Both of them feature mainly adult-oriented rock songs. With "Miss Brand-New Day", a successful single and one of the highlights on Ninki-mono de Iko, the band gradually built up a reputation in the Japanese music industry. In 1985, Southern released the double album , which is considered one of their best albums. To promote it, extensive advertisements, including a TV commercial starring distinguished comedian Sanma Akashiya, were used. Such large-scale promotion brought about rumors that the band might break up. In fact, in the process of recording, conflict arose between Kuwata and Sekiguchi. It is said that they devoted over 1,800 hours to the recording of the album, and that the process did not always go smoothly. However, the end product proved overwhelmingly successful and the album was highly praised by critics and listeners alike. When Hara and Kuwata conceived a child that same year, the band temporarily suspended activities. Around 1986, Kuwata began work on solo projects, including the . Other band members also began various projects.
"Kanashii Kimochi (Just a Man in Love)", Kuwata's successful solo debut single released in 1987, was produced and arranged by Takeshi Kobayashi. Kobayashi started his career in the late '70s, and collaborated with numerous Japanese musicians, including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yosui Inoue, Taeko Onuki, Hiroshi Takano and Kenji Omori. Through the recording of his solo material, Kuwata recognized Kobayashi's abilities and decided to continue their collaborations. In the late 1980s and the early 1990s, Kobayashi participated in many projects with the members of Southern.
On June 25, 1988, ten years after Southern All Stars debuted, they resumed band activities with the single "Minna no Uta" produced by Kobayashi. Their 1989 single "Sayonara Baby" reached the top of the Oricon Singles Chart, becoming their first No. 1 on that chart. That same year, a 4-CD box-set compilation entitled Suika was released. Despite its size and price, the album reached No. 1 and sold more than 300,000 units.
1990s In the 1990s, the Japanese music industry prospered more than any other decade. Southern All Stars continued to enjoy commercial success and remained one of the mainstream groups of Japanese popular music throughout the 1990s. In 1990, Southern released a , which became a million-seller. That same year, Kuwata directed a film called Inamura Jane. Although the movie was not well-received, the was very successful, reaching No. 1 and selling over one million copies, eventually becoming the best-selling Japanese soundtrack album of all time. "Manatsu no Kajitsu" was released as the lead single from the album and climbed to the top 5 on the charts. In 1991, Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung covered the ballad in Chinese and enjoyed huge commercial success in several Asian countries. Dozens of other cover versions followed, from Asia to Europe; one being a Tagalog-language version sung by Donna Cruz, entitled "Isang Tanong, Isang Sagot", released in 1997. The soundtrack also included another highlight, "Kibō no Wadachi". Appearing only on the album, the track is well-known as one of Southern's most significant songs.
In 1991, Kazuyuki Sekiguchi left the band temporarily to overcome health problems, not returning until 1995. The next year, 1992, the remaining members released two singles "Shulaba-La-Bamba" and "Namida no Kiss" simultaneously. The latter topped the Oricon Singles Chart for 7 weeks and sold more than 1.5 million copies. It was their first million-selling single and reached the top five on the year-end singles chart for 1992. Two months after the release of those singles, their tenth studio album, , was released. Kuwata initially planned to release it as a double album, but eventually omitted some of the songs, including 1991 No. 1 hit single "Neo Bravo!!". The album has sold nearly 1.8 million copies.
In 1993, the remix EP Enoshima was released under the pseudonym project "Z-Dan". It sold more than 900,000 copies and won the 8th Japan Gold Disc Award's "Compilation Album of the Year" prize. That same year, Southern released their second million-selling single "Erotica Seven". The partnership between Kuwata and Kobayashi ended with the band's holiday song "Christmas Love", released as a single in the autumn of 1993. However, the two have occasionally collaborated since, such as on Kuwata and Mr. Children's successful charity single "Kiseki no Hoshi", released in 1995.