D’ERLANGER

D'erlanger (stylized as D'ERLANGER) is a Japanese rock band from Kyoto Prefecture, formed in 1983 by guitarist Cipher and bassist Seela. While they originally played speed and power metal, after recruiting drummer Tetsu and vocalist Kyo they switched to a punk rock sound for their debut album La Vie En Rose in 1989. Although it was on an indie label, it sold out and was reissued three times that year, earning them a major label record deal with BMG Japan the following year. They released Basilisk in March 1990 and it reached the top five on the charts. However, in December the group suddenly announced their disbandment. Despite their short time in the spotlight, D'erlanger remain well-known and are considered one of the founders of visual kei. They reunited in 2007 and released the album Lazzaro, with a new harder sound that adds a gothic rock feel. They have since released six more studio albums and toured extensively, including several overseas performances. D'erlanger was formed in Kyoto Prefecture in December 1983 by guitarist Ichiro "Cipher" Takigawa and bassist Tomohiro "Seela" Nakao. Vocalist Kaoru Miyahira and drummer Tadashi "Shi-Do" Uno completed the first line-up. They gave their first performance at the Osaka Bourbon House in May 1984, when Cipher was just sixteen years old. Suon Lemon of J-Rock Magazine proposes that, because that was an event organized by a music store, their first official concert actually took place at the same venue in June. In August 1984, Kaoru was replaced on vocals by Yoshifumi "Dizzy" Fukui. D'erlanger then began to actively perform live and released three demo tapes by 1985; "Tonight", "The Birth of Splendid Beast!!" and "Blue". They also formed their official fan club, Kids Blue. On October 26, 1986, they participated in the New Power Metal Audition event at Meguro Rock-May-Kan, which was organized by the Mandrake Root independent record label to celebrate its first anniversary. D'erlanger won the contest and the label released their single "Girl" on February 20, 1987. Initially planned for a pressing of 1,000 copies, it was increased to 3,000 due to demand. They also appear on Mandrake's March 1987 omnibus album Hungry Days, which was recorded live at the New Power Metal Audition event, performing their song "Like a Beast". The band then distributed another demo tape for free on February 22, it contained only "Sadistic Emotion". On August 1, 1987, D'erlanger had their first one-man concert at Meguro Rock-May-Kan. In October, Shi-Do decided to leave the band, he was replaced by Mephistopheles drummer Tetsu, who was a roadie for 44Magnum alongside Cipher, in October. Unhappy with Cipher taking the band's music in a new direction, Dizzy left D'erlanger in June 1988. Kyo, whom Tetsu had previously played with in Saver Tiger, became their new vocalist on July 1, completing the band's classic lineup. In addition to Cipher and Tetsu's connection to 44Magnum, Kyo was also influenced by them and their lead singer Paul. Their first show with Kyo was at Osaka Bourbon House on July 22, 1988. In November, the band went on their Sadistical Punk Tour. In January 1989, D'erlanger freely distributed 3,000 copies of the single "La Vie En Rose". The band released their first album, La Vie En Rose, through Danger Crue Records on February 10. All copies were sold out just by pre-orders, so they released another press eleven days later. The album's sound was a drastic departure from their previous material, being punk and alternative rock instead of the speed and power metal they originally had. June and July saw another tour under the Sadistical Punk title. The band's first home video, An Aphrodisiac, was released on October 15, with all 10,000 copies sold-out by pre-order. D'erlanger then began the short Incarnation of Eroticism Tour, which concluded on October 28 with a concert at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. The band started 1990 off by signing to major label Ariola, at the time a sub label of BMG Victor. Their first major label release was the single "Darlin'" on January 25. It was followed by the Incarnation of Eroticism live concert video on February 7, and their second studio album Basilisk on March 7. March also saw the three-date Ai to Shi to Koh-Kotsu Tour (愛と死と恍惚 TOUR), which saw another leg in May. The single "Lullaby -1990-" was released on September 5, before D'erlanger started the Moon and the Memories Tour on September 10. The Kindan no Tobira ~Abstinence's Door~ home video was released on October 3, before a second leg of the tour began the following day and ended at Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan in Osaka on October 31. On December 24, 1990, D'erlanger shocked their fans by suddenly announcing that they had disbanded. A home video and two separate live albums entitled Moon and the Memories... the Eternities Last Live 1 and 2 were released on March 6, 1991. All of which were recorded from their penultimate concerts on October 27 and 28, 1990 at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall in Tokyo. On April 21, 1995, both their studio albums were remastered and re-released. In 2020, Danger Crue Records founder Masahiro Oishi said that D'erlanger broke up due to poor management. On March 14, 2007, the greatest hits album and DVD Pandora was released. Also released that same day on Cutting Edge, a sub label of Avex Group, was D'erlanger's first release of new material in 17 years, their third album Lazzaro. On April 22, they played their "rejuvenation performance" entitled Bara Iro no Sekai - Rosy Eyesight at Zepp Tokyo, which was released on DVD on September 19. On September 22, 2007, D'erlanger held Abstinence's Door #001, which was an event where themselves, Mucc and Merry performed. They released the single "Zakuro" on March 19, 2008. It includes "Love Anymore", which was first composed by Cipher when he was sixteen years old and included on the "Blue" demo tape under the name "Telephon", with new lyrics by Kyo. The band released their fourth album The Price of Being a Rose is Loneliness on April 30. They then embarked on the D'erlanger Tour '08 -A Rose Insane- tour. The tour started on May 6 with the D'erlanger 25th Anniversary concert at the Nihon Budokan. Footage from this concert was released on December 10, as the Bara Iro no Jinsei -La Vie en Rose- DVD. D'erlanger held Abstinence's Door #002 on September 21, Inoran, Merry and heidi. performed. Abstinence's Door #003 was held on November 8, with the Underneath and La;Cen-zhow. performing. The following day was Abstinence's Door #004, where lynch., Sadie and the Underneath performed. On July 25, 2009, they played in Taipei, Taiwan. It was the band's first performance in a foreign country. D'erlanger performed at the V-Rock Festival '09 on October 24, the show was broadcast live worldwide on the festival's official website. They also held a gig in South Korea on October 30. The band then released their fifth album, the self-titled D'erlanger, on November 11, 2009. The album includes a studio version of "Easy Make, Easy Mark", a song they wrote and played back in the '80s. On September 19 and 20, 2010, Abstinence's Door #005 and Abstinence's Door #006 took place. Head Phones President, defspiral and Girugamesh performed the first night, whereas Acid Android and Pia performed the second night. Each concert was streamed worldwide live on Ustream.tv. Abstinence's Door #007 was held three days later in Taipei, with Taiwanese band Overdose and Korean Pia performing. D'erlanger announced they would release an album entitled A Fabulous Thing in Rose, on September 29, 2010. It contains eleven tracks: 8 self-cover versions of songs from their first 2 studio albums, an English version of "La Vie En Rose", plus the new tracks "Everything is Nothing" (a song they wrote and played back in the '80s) and the instrumental "Adameve". It is available in two versions. The regular edition only includes the three "best tracks": "XXX for You", "Zakuro" and "Angelic Poetry" (which were selected from the