The Gazette

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The Gazette (ガゼット Gazetto?), stylized as the GazettE, is a Japanese visual kei rock/metal band formed in early 2002, and currently signed to Sony Music Japan's VVV Records. They are now an influential pioneer of the Visual Kei scene around the globe.

Biography

2002: Conception and early work
The foundations of the band began with Ruki (vocals), Reita (bass), and Uruha (guitar). After being involved with other bands in the visual scene, the trio decided that The Gazette would be their last band. They recruited Aoi (guitar) and Yune (drums) from disbanded visual band Artia and so began The Gazette in January 2002.

Originally signed to Matina, they released their first single, "Wakaremichi", and a video release on April 30, 2002. They re-released "Wakaremichi" in June. By September, they had released "Kichiku Kyoushi (32sai Dokushin) no Nousatsu Kouza" and their second PV release. In October they played their first solo live. On Christmas, the 5-song compilation 妖幻鏡 moon including the song "Yougenkyou" was released.
[edit]2003: New drummer and Cockayne Soup

In early 2003, Yune decided to leave the band, and he was replaced by Kai. Shortly after, they signed with the PS Company label and in May, released their first EP, Cockayne Soup. They started their first tour, with the band Hanamuke, and along with the tour, the bands collaborated on two songs. A second tour followed with the band Vidoll, and the bands were featured together on the November issue of Cure, a magazine focusing on Visual Kei bands.

In early December, they played a co-headlining show with Deadman. On December 28 they performed at Fool's Mate magazine's Beauti-fool's Fest which was later released on DVD.

2004: Disorder
On January 16, 2004 they recorded a solo performance at the Shibuya-AX, which was released on DVD as Tokyo Saihan -Judgment Day-. On March 30, 2004 they released 5th EP Madara, which reached #2 on the Oricon Indie Charts. Madara was followed on May 26, by a companion DVD, which included six music videos and an in-the-studio documentary. The same month, The Gazette was featured in Shoxx magazine's Expect Rush III, a catalogue of independent visual kei artists.

A second concert DVD, Heisei Banka, was released on August 25. During September and October they toured with fellow PS Company bands Kra and BIS. Their 1st studio album, Disorder, was released on October 13 and made it to the top 5 of the indies Oricon Daily Charts.
[edit]2005-2006: NIL and Nameless Liberty Six Guns

In early 2005, The Gazette embarked on their Japan-wide spring tour called Standing Tour 2005 Maximum Royal Disorder, the final tour was held at Shibuya Kokaido on April 17. On March 9, The Gazette released new single "Reila".

After the DVD release of their concert July 6, the band released their sixth EP, Gama, and embarked on their Standing Tour 2005 (GAMA) the Underground Red Cockroach. On October 20, The Gazette released their first photobook, Verwelktes Gedicht, which included an exclusive CD containing the song "Kare Uta" (枯詩; Withered Poem). On December 7, 2005, the band released their first single under a major label, "Cassis". The promotional video of "Cassis", was shot in Austria. On December 11, The Gazette performed with other bands signed to the PS Company label to celebrate the record label's fifth Anniversary Peace and Smile Carnival 2005 Tour.

Starting 2006 with a name change from Japanese characters to a romanized script, The Gazette released their second studio album, NIL, on February 8. Shortly afterward, they embarked on another Japanese tour named Standing Tour 2006 Nameless Liberty Six Guns and the tour ended at the venue Nippon Budokan. In May, they released their first compilation album, Dainihon Itangeishateki Noumiso Gyaku Kaiten Zekkyou Ongenshuu; the album included songs from 2002 until 2004. In the next month they released their second music video compilation DVD, Film Bug I. On July 29, The Gazette performed at the Beethovenhalle in Bonn, Germany, their first show outside of Asia. The concerts were arranged in conjunction with the AnimagiC anime and manga convention.

On August 6, The Gazette held a festival called Gazerock Festival in Summer 06 (Burst into a Blaze) at Tokyo Big Sight West Hall. Later that month, the band released two new singles, "Regret" on October 25, and "Filth in the beauty" on November 1. To promote the singles, they embarked on another tour, Tour 2006-2007 Decomposition Beauty. In the middle of tour, they announced location for the final of the tour to be at Yokohama Arena.

2007-2009: Stacked Rubbish and Dim
The single, "Hyena" was released in early 2007. "Chizuru" (千鶴; A Thousand Cranes), the B-side of "Hyena", was used as the ending song for the horror Korean movie, Apartment. The band's third studio album, Stacked Rubbish followed on July 4, 2007. The album reached #2 on the Oricon charts within a day from the release. The album was followed by a long time promotional tour named Tour 2007-2008 Stacked Rubbish (Pulse Wriggling to Black) from July 2007 until April 2008. In the midst of tour in October, The Gazette embarked on their first European tour, performing in England, Finland, France, and Germany. The tour finale was held in Yoyogi National Gymnasium on April 19 and April 20, 2008

In the beginning of 2008, The Gazette collaborated with GemCerey for jewelry. They released a single, "Guren" (紅蓮; Crimson Lotus), on February 13, 2008, which reached #1 on the Oricon charts. The DVD for their Stacked Rubbish Grand Finale (Repeated Countless Error) at Yoyogi National Gymnasium was released on August 6. The single Leech released on November 12, 2008, which also landed a #1 spot on the Oricon daily charts. On July 14, the band performed in the event Music Japan 2008 (a TV program on NHK) with other bands such as Alice Nine, Plastic Tree, LM.C and Mucc.

On August 23. The Gazette held a festival called Gazerock Festival in Summer 08 (Burst into a Blaze) at Fuji-Q Conifer Forest. The Gazette went on a fanclub tour throughout October called Standing Live Tour 08 (From the Distorted City), referencing the song "Distorted Daytime" from their "Leech" single, which portrayed Tokyo as a "distorted city," in terms of the societal and political crises sweeping over Japan.
On November 15, 2008, The Gazette hosted their first secret show in Shinjuku Station. Originally, around two-hundred fifty people were to be anticipated, but instead, over seven thousand attended, the most in the band's history. Due to the amount of people on the streets, the police were forced to shut it down after two songs.

On January 3, 2009, The Gazette performed alongside fellow PS Company bands in the Peace and Smile Carnival 2009 Tour to celebrate the record label's 10th Anniversary in Nippon Budokan, where they announced they would release a new single called Distress and Coma on March 25. The release was preceded by a 7th Anniversary performance called Live 09 (7-Seven-) at Makuhari Messe Convention Hall.
The band released their 4th studio album, Dim on July 15, followed by another Japan-wide summer tour starting in July, for which the tour's final show was held at Saitama Super Arena on September 5. On October 7, 2009, they released their single Before I Decay. After that, The Gazette performed at V'Rock Festival 2009 at Makuhari Messe Convention Hall on October 24.

In December, The Gazette held a Christmas Eve live to close out the year called Live 09 (A Hymn of the Crucifixion) at Tokyo Big Sight.

2010-2011: Change Label, NLSB & TOXIC
On March 17, 2010, the band embarked Standing Live Tour 10 (The End of Stillness) at Zepp Tokyo.[9] After the fan club tour, the band then announced a new single and a live tour, which is named Tour 10 Nameless Liberty Six Bullets starting in July with two consecutive nights at Nippon Budokan. Among all of these events, the band has also announced that they would be transferring from King Records to Sony Music Records. Shiver is the first single with new label Sony Music Records and was also selected as the opening theme song to the Sony anime series Kuroshitsuji II. On August 4, 2010, they released 3rd music video on DVD titled Film Bug II which included 10's PV from Regret to Before I Decay.

Right after the release of Shiver, the band announced the final stop of the Tour 10 Nameless Liberty Six Bullets would be held at Tokyo Dome, and two new singles Red and Pledge would be released.
On March 2011, the band embarked on a fanclub only tour named Live Tour 11 (Two Concept Eight Nights -ABYSS/LUCY-) and 9th Birth (Day 9 -NINE-) at Zepp Tokyo in March 10. On March 23, The Gazette released a compilation album titled Traces Best of 2005-2009 and a live concert DVD named The Nameless Liberty at 10.12.26 Tokyo Dome.

The Gazette has postponed the releases of their best-of album Traces Best of 2005-2009 and live DVD The Nameless Liberty at 10.12.26 Tokyo Dome which contains footage of their final concert at Tokyo Dome due to the catastrophe in Japan. Both were released on April 6.

Their single Vortex was released on May 25, 2011. On July 2011, Ruki and Aoi will join in PS Carnival Tour 2011 Summer 7 Days at Shibuya. Ruki will include on session band named "LU/V" and Aoi will include on session band named "aoi with bon:cra-z". The Gazette will also be performing at the 2011 Summer Sonic Festival that will be held on August 13 and 14, in Tokyo and Osaka. On September 18, 2011, The Gazette performing at Inazuma Rock Festival 2011 with TM Revolution.

The Gazette finally announced the release of their new single "Remember the Urge" in August 31, the new album "Toxic" on October 5 and the Live Tour11 Venomous Cell. The tour will start on October 10 in Tokyo at the International Forum Hall A and will lead the band through 27 cities with a total of 28 performances until the end of the year.

Style

The Gazette's musical style varies greatly, but it is generally considered to be a form of rock music while delving into the genres of heavy metal found in songs like "Ogre." They have also dabbled in alternative metal with the likes of "Taion" and "The Invisible Wall". Other songs like "Silly God Disco" and "Swallowtail on the Death Valley" feature a funk metal sound with the use of jazzy chords and upbeat choruses. Other works such as "Leech" and "Hyena" feature a hard rock sound. "Filth in the Beauty" features female R&B vocals and bass, Spanish guitar with techno beat, crunchy metal riffs, harmonized choruses and a headbanging riff right in the middle - all within the same song. The songs "Maggots", "Discharge" and "Headache Man" dwell into heavier forms of music, in particular, metalcore. The Gazette also uses a wide range of synthesized sounds during their songs to achieve interesting effects as well as create new listening dynamics and atmospheres. The Gazette is also known for utilizing various tunings to achieve a wide variety of sounds and styles. The Gazette has also produced a number of ballads such as "Reila", "Cassis", "Calm Envy", "Guren", and "Pledge".

Members

Ruki (Matsumoto Takanori) - Vocals (2002–Present)
Birth Date: February 1, 1982
Birth Place: Kanagawa

The Gazette Ruki+(1)