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L'Arc-en-Ciel

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L'Arc~en~Ciel (ラルクアンシエル), also known as Laruku (ラルク) or L'Arc to their fans, is a popular Japanese rock band consisting of four members. The name means "Arc in the Sky", or "rainbow" in French.

Members

History

In February of 1991, tetsu and hyde, along with hiro (guitar) and pero (drums) formed the band based on a movie that tetsu had seen. After a year of gaining notoriety in their hometown of Osaka, Hiro left the band on June 12, 1992. Pero soon followed on December 30 of that same year, supposedly to join up with his buddy hiro again. tetsu convinced his friend ken to quit his studies in architectural design and join the band. A new drummer, sakura, was recruited after tetsu saw him play. In 1993, the band released their debut album, DUNE under the indies label Danger Crue, which was met with plenty of success, managing to be #1 on the Oricon indies charts.

This caught the attention of some major labels, so in 1994, they signed for Sony, releasing their 2nd album, Tierra, that same year. heavenly followed, in 1995 and True, their first million seller, in 1996.

In 1997, sakura was arrested for heroin possession and quit the band. Their popularity was growing too rapidly to quit, so a new tour was organized and yukihiro joined the band. The first concert date of the new tour in Tokyo Dome had an attendance of 56,000 and sold out in four minutes, a testament to their popularity. Their next album was HEART, in 1998.

L'Arc~en~Ciel released three more albums of new material during the next few years: ark and ray which were released simultaneously in 1999, followed by REAL in 2000, which, for the longest time, was the last CD of new material, although many more compilation and remix albums would follow. L'Arc~en~Ciel also composed several theme songs for various anime series, including DNA², Rurouni Kenshin, Great Teacher Onizuka and Fullmetal Alchemist. They also created the ending theme song to the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.

After a while, however, the various members began working on various solo projects. Hyde released several solo albums, ken founded SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, tetsu started Tetsu69 and yukihiro played with Acid Android. The band seemed close to calling it quits.

In June 2003, Laruku came back to play a series of seven concerts in Tokyo and announced a new album for release in the following year. So, in February 2004, their first single in more than three years came out, followed by another one in early March. Finally their long-awaited new album, SMILE, was released the 31st March.

Shortly after, on June 2, 2004, the single 自由への招待　introduced "P'UNK~EN~CIEL" for the first time on CD with milky way (the band played a P'UNK version of "Round and Round" live, also). "P'UNK~EN~CIEL" is a part change, featuring:

  • tetsu (vocals, guitar)
  • hyde (guitar)
  • yukihiro (bass)
  • ken (drums)

On July 31st, 2004, L'Arc~en~Ciel made their first U.S. concert debut at Otakon 2004. Approximately 12,000 Otakon attendees attended the concert which was held at a outside venue for the first time in Otakon's musical guests history, the 1st Mariner Arena located near the Baltimore Convention Center.

In October 2004, it was revealed by Sony Music Japan that they will release a DVD with the Otakon 2004 concert on it on December 8th, 2004 in Japan for 4,515 yen, approximately $40 USD. At the concert, Sony Music Japan had people filming the concert but Otakon believed it was for archival purposes.

Discography

Albums

DUNE (1993)

Released on April 27, 1993
First album; released under indies label Danger Crue Records.

  1. Shutting from the sky
  2. Voice
  3. Taste of love
  4. Entichers
  5. Floods of tears
  6. Dune
  7. Be destined
  8. 追憶の情景 (tsuioku no joukei)
  9. As if in a dream
  10. 失われた眺め (ushiwareta nagame)

Tierra (1994)

Released on July 14, 1994
The first album to be released by Ki/oon Records, a division of Sony Records in Japan.

  1. In the Air
  2. All Dead
  3. Blame
  4. Wind of Gold
  5. Blurry Eyes
  6. Inner Core
  7. 眠りによせて (nemuri ni yosete)
  8. 風の行方 (kaze no yukue)
  9. 瞳に映るもの (hitomi ni utsuru mono)
  10. White Feathers

heavenly (1995)

Released on September 1, 1995

  1. Still I'm With You
  2. Vivid Colors
  3. And She Said
  4. ガラス玉 (garasu dama)
  5. Secret Signs
  6. C'est La Vie
  7. 夏の憂鬱 (natsu no yuutsu)
  8. Cureless
  9. 静かの海で (shizuka no umi de)
  10. The Rain Leaves a Scar

True (1996)

Released on December 12, 1996

  1. Fare Well
  2. Caress of Venus
  3. Round and Round
  4. flower
  5. "good-morning Hide"
  6. the Fourth Avenue Cafe
  7. Lies and Truth ("True" Mix)
  8. 風にきえないで (kaze ni kienaide) ("True" Mix)
  9. I Wish
  10. Dearest Love

HEART (1998)

Released on February 25, 1998
This is the first album to be released after sakura's departure and yukihiro on drums.

  1. LORELEY
  2. winter fall
  3. Singin' in the Rain
  4. Shout at the Devil
  5. 虹 (niji) (Album Version)
  6. birth!
  7. Promised land
  8. fate
  9. milky way
  10. あなた (anata)

Ark (1999)

Released on July 1, 1999
The best seller of the band's dual album release in 1999 (with Ray).

  1. forbidden lover
  2. HEAVEN'S DRIVE
  3. Driver's High
  4. Cradle
  5. DIVE TO BLUE
  6. Larva
  7. Butterfly's Sleep
  8. Perfect Blue
  9. 真実と幻想と (shinjitsu to gensou to)
  10. What is love
  11. Pieces [ark mix]

Ray (1999)

Released on July 1, 1999
Part of L'Arc~en~Ciel's dual album release in 1999. Only second to its brother, Ark, on the charts.

  1. 死の灰 (shi no hai)
  2. It's the end
  3. HONEY
  4. Sell my Soul
  5. snow drop [ray mix]
  6. L'heure
  7. 花葬 (kasou)
  8. 浸食 (shinshoku) lose control
  9. trick
  10. いばらの涙 (ibara no namida)
  11. the silver shining

ectomorphed works (2000)

Released on June 28, 2000
Ectomorphed Works is a collection of songs remixed by the band's drummer, yukihiro.

  1. Larva [ectomorphed long mix]
  2. trick [new2 wave of japanese heavy metal mix]
  3. 花葬 (kasou) [0628 mix]
  4. fate [everybody knows but god mix]
  5. 浸食 (shinshoku) lose control [ectoborn mix]
  6. a swell in the sun [system in chaos mix]
  7. l'heure [quiet afternoon mix]
  8. cradle [down to the moon mix]
  9. 真実と幻想と (shinjitsu to gensou to) [out of the reality mix #2]
  10. metropolis [android goes to be a deep sleep mix]

REAL (2000)

Released on August 30, 2000

  1. get out from the shell -asian version-
  2. THE NEPENTHES
  3. NEO UNIVERSE
  4. bravery
  5. LOVE FILES
  6. finale
  7. STAY AWAY
  8. ROUTE 666
  9. TIME SLIP
  10. a silent letter
  11. ALL YEAR AROUND FALLING IN LOVE

Clicked Singles Best 13 (2001)

Released on March 14, 2001
In a collaboration with Yahoo, people across Asia were asked to vote for their favorite single. The result was 12 of their most popular singles (according to the vote) arranged in chronological order with a new song, Anemone.

  1. Blurry Eyes
  2. flower
  3. Lies and Truth
  4. 虹 (niji)
  5. winter fall
  6. DIVE TO BLUE
  7. HONEY
  8. HEAVEN'S DRIVE
  9. Pieces
  10. Driver's High
  11. NEO UNIVERSE
  12. STAY AWAY
  13. Anemone

SMILE (2004)

Released on March 31, 2004
After pursuing solo projects, the members of L'Arc~en~Ciel reunited and released this album. It was released a few months later after the Japanese release in the United States by Tofu Records.

  1. 接吻 (seppun, also known as "Kuchizuke")
  2. READY STEADY GO
  3. Lover Boy
  4. Feeling Fine
  5. Time Goes On
  6. Coming Closer
  7. 永遠 (eien, also known as "Forever")
  8. REVELATION
  9. 瞳の住人 (hitomi no jyunin, also known as "Living In Your Eyes")
  10. Spirit dreams inside

Singles

1992

  • Flood of Tears

1994

  • Blurry Eyes

1995

  • Vivid Colors　c/w　Brilliant Years
  • 夏の憂鬱(time to say goodbye) c/w あなたのために

1996

  • 風にきえないで　c/w I'm so happy
  • flower c/w さようなら
  • Lies and Truth c/w　賽は投げられた

1997

  • 虹 c/w THE GHOST IN MY ROOM

1998

  • winter fall c/w metropolis
  • DIVE TO BLUE c/w Peeping Tom
  • HONEY
  • 花葬
  • 侵食 lose control
  • snow drop c/w a swell in the sun
  • forbidden lover

1999

  • Heaven's Drive
  • Pieces
  • Driver's High
  • Love Flies

2000

  • NEO UNIVERSE/finale c/w hole
  • Stay Away c/w get out from the shell

2001

  • Spirit dreams inside

2004

  • READY STEADY GO
  • 瞳の住人
  • 自由への招待 c/w milky way P'UNK
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