Quruli

{{Short description|Japanese rock band}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Quruli

| image = Quruli at World Happiness Festival - August 2014.jpg

| caption = Quruli performing at the World Happiness Festival in 2014

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| background = group_or_band

| origin = Kyoto, Japan

| genre = Alternative rock{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/quruli-mn0000319883/biography|title=Quruli Biography|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2023-09-20}}

| years_active = 1996–present

| label = Bad News
Speedstar

| current_members = Shigeru Kishida
Masashi Satō

| past_members = Nobuyuki Mori
Christopher McGuire
Tasshin Ōmura
Yūji Tanaka
Shōnen Yoshida
Fanfan

| website = https://www.quruli.net/

}}

{{nihongo|Quruli|くるり|Kururi|lead=yes}} is a Japanese rock band formed in Kyoto in 1996. It has been a duo consisting of original members Shigeru Kishida and Masashi Sato since March 2021. They have been signed to Speedstar Records since 1998. In 2003, Quruli were ranked number 74 on a list of the top 100 Japanese pop acts by HMV Japan.{{cite web|url=https://www.hmv.co.jp/news/article/308280036/|title=Top 100 Japanese pops Artists - No.74|publisher=HMV Japan|language=Japanese|date=2003-09-18|access-date=2023-09-20}}

Career

After meeting at "Rock Commune," Ritsumeikan University's music club, Shigeru Kishida, Masashi Satō, and Nobuyuki Mori formed the original three-piece band. The name "Quruli," an onomatopoeic word expressing rotation, was taken from a sign in the Kyoto Municipal Subway. In October 1998, Quruli released the single {{nihongo|東京|"Tokyo"}} on Victor Entertainment's Speedstar Records. They released their first major label album, {{nihongo|さよならストレンジャー|"Goodbye Stranger"}} in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.quruli.net/profile.html|title=くるり on WEB|access-date=2009-12-26|archive-date=2010-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227094341/http://www.quruli.net/profile.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.quruli.net/eng/profile.html|title=くるり on WEB|access-date=2009-12-26|archive-date=2012-02-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229173833/http://www.quruli.net/eng/profile.html|url-status=dead}}

Quruli released the albums {{nihongo|図鑑|"Picture Book"}} in 2000, produced by Jim O'Rourke, and Team Rock in 2001. According to music critic Ian Martin, Picture Book remains one of the most frequently cited influences for Japanese alt-rock bands.{{Cite book| last = Martin | first = Ian F. | title = Quit Your Band: Musical Notes From the Japanese Underground | publisher = Awai Books | year = 2016 | page = 22 | isbn = 978-1-937220-05-1}} During the production of the 2001 film The World is Mine, Quruli added guitarist Tasshin Ōmura to its lineup. In 2002, Mori left the band.

In 2003, after a trip to England, Quruli returned with a single, How to Go, and created the soundtrack for {{nihongo|ジョゼと虎と魚たち|"Josee, the Tiger and the Fish"}}. After working with a number of session drummers, Quruli officially added drummer Christopher McGuire to their lineup in November 2003. In 2004 Quruli released the album {{nihongo|アンテナ|"Antenna"}}. After the tour for the album was completed, McGuire left the group.

2005 saw the release of several Quruli singles along with a new album, Nikki, released in December of that year. At the last day of 2006, Tasshin Ōmura left the band. In 2007 Quruli released a new album, {{nihongo|ワルツを踊れ Tanz Walzer|"Dancing the Waltz"}}, recorded in Vienna with the Ambassade Orchester Wien. They joined forces again in 2008 to put out the live album Philharmonic or die.

Quruli first appeared on television performing {{nihongo|青い空|"Blue Sky"}} on NHK. On September 9, 2005, Quruli appeared on the popular "Music Station" program and performed their song, {{nihongo|赤い電車|"Red Train"}}. The song was also featured as the theme song to a Keikyu commercial.

On May 26, 2010, Quruli released the B-side compilation {{nihongo|僕の住んでいた街|"The Town I Used to Live"}}, which also included their new song {{nihongo|東京レレレのレ|"Tokyo Le-Le-Le No Le"}}. The album reached No. 1 on the Oricon weekly album charts, becoming their first No. 1 album on the charts.{{cite web|url=http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000061530|script-title=ja:くるり、カップリング・ベスト『僕の住んでいた街』が初の週間1位獲得|language=ja|publisher=Barks.jp|date=2010-06-01|access-date=2010-06-03}}

On September 8, 2010, Quruli released their album {{nihongo|言葉にならない、笑顔を見せてくれよ|"Show Me Your Indescribable Smile, Please"}}, including the singles {{nihongo|シャツを洗えば|"When I Wash My Shirts"}} (with Matsutoya Yumi) and {{nihongo|魔法のじゅうたん|"Magical Carpet"}}. Their songs continued to be used in TIOVITA drink commercials, starting with Jubilee, followed by {{nihongo|太陽のブルース|"The Blues of the Sun"}}, {{nihongo|シャツを洗えば|"When I Wash My Shirts"}}, {{nihongo|魔法のじゅうたん|"Magical Carpet"}}, until loveless in 2014. In 2014, those songs were compiled into {{nihongo|くるりとチオビタ|"Quruli with TIOVITA"}}.

Quruli released the 10th album {{nihongo|坩堝の電圧|"Voltage of Melting Pot"}} in 2012, the 11th album THE PIER in 2014, and the 12th album {{nihongo|ソングライン|"Songline"}} in 2018.

In 2020, Quruli released their 20th album, ”thaw".

After releasing "Love Genius" in April 2021, Quruli entered a new phase in their career, culminating in 4 back-to-back singles in the late summer/early autumn of 2022, and reforming the original trio of Kishida, Sato and Mori in the summer of 2023. In October of that year, a trio album "Driven by Impulse" came out to great acclaim, and a documentary "Quruli Film" was shown in movies nationwide.

Members

=Current members=

=Former members=

  • {{nihongo|Nobuyuki Mori|森 信行|Mori Nobuyuki}} (born June 20, 1975-, drums) 1996–2002 and 2023
  • Christopher McGuire (born November 28, 1975, drums) 2003–2004
  • {{nihongo|Tasshin Ohmura|大村 達身|Ōmura Tasshin}} (born December 17, 1975), electric guitar), is from Hyōgo Prefecture. He uses a Flying-V guitar. It was announced on February 26, 2007, that Ohmura had quit the band.
  • {{nihongo|Yūji Tanaka|田中 佑司|Tanaka Yūji}} (born October 28, 1980-, drums) 2011
  • {{nihongo|Shōnen Yoshida|吉田 省念|Yoshida Shōnen}} (born March 14, 1980-, electric guitar) 2011-2013
  • {{nihongo|Fanfan|ファンファン|Fanfan}} (born February 13, 1985, trumpet, electronic keyboard), was born in Maizuru, Kyoto. 2011-2015,2017-2021 (2015-2017:maternity leave)

=Supporting musicians=

Discography

= Albums =

  • {{Nihongo|もしもし|"Hello?"}} (indies; November 21, 1997)
  • {{nihongo|ファンデリア|"Fandelier"}} (indies; May 15, 1998)
  • {{nihongo|さよならストレンジャー|"Goodbye Stranger"}} (April 21, 1999)
  • {{nihongo|図鑑|"Picture Book"}} (January 21, 2000)
  • Team Rock (February 21, 2001)
  • The World Is Mine (March 20, 2002)
  • {{nihongo|ジョゼと虎と魚たち|"Josee, the Tiger and the Fish"}} (soundtrack; November 5, 2003)
  • {{nihongo|アンテナ|"Antenna"}} (March 10, 2004)
  • NIKKI (November 23, 2005)
  • {{nihongo|ベスト オブ くるり -TOWER OF MUSIC LOVER-|"Best Of Quruli - Tower Of Music Lover -"}} (best album; July 26, 2006)
  • {{nihongo|ワルツを踊れ Tanz Walzer|"Dancing the Waltz"}} (June 27, 2007)
  • Philharmonic or Die (live album; February 20, 2008)
  • {{nihongo|魂のゆくえ|"Fate of the Spirit"}} (June 6, 2009)
  • {{nihongo|僕の住んでいた街|"The Town I Used to Live"}} (coupling best album; May 26, 2010)
  • {{nihongo|言葉にならない、笑顔を見せてくれよ|"Show Me Your Indescribable Smile, Please"}} (September 8, 2010)
  • {{nihongo|ベスト オブ くるり -TOWER OF MUSIC LOVER 2-|"Best Of Quruli - Tower Of Music Lover 2 -"}} (best album; June 29, 2011)
  • {{nihongo|奇跡|"I Wish"}} (soundtrack; November 9, 2011)
  • {{nihongo|坩堝の電圧|"Voltage of Melting Pot"}} (September 19, 2012)
  • THE PIER (September 17, 2014)
  • {{nihongo|くるりとチオビタ|"Quruli with TIOVITA"}} (compilation album; December 17, 2014)
  • {{nihongo|琥珀色の街、上海蟹の朝|"Amber Colored City, The Morning of The Shanghai Crab"}} (extended play; July 26, 2016)
  • {{nihongo|くるりの20回転|"20 Rotations Quruli has Made"}} (best album; September 14, 2016)
  • {{nihongo|ソングライン|"Songline"}} (September 18, 2018)
  • thaw (April 15, 2020)
  • {{nihongo|天才の愛| "Genius Love"}} (April 28, 2021)

= Singles =

  • {{nihongo|東京|"Tokyo"}} (1998)
  • {{nihongo|虹|"Rainbow"}} (1999)
  • {{nihongo|青い空|"Blue Sky"}} (1999)
  • {{nihongo|街|"Town"}} (1999)
  • {{nihongo|春風|"Spring Wind"}} (2000)
  • {{nihongo|ワンダーフォーゲル|"Wandervogel"}} (2000)
  • {{nihongo|ばらの花|"Rose's Flower"}} (2001)
  • {{nihongo|リバー|"River"}} (2001)
  • {{nihongo|ワールズエンド・スーパーノヴァ|"World's End Supernova"}} (2002)
  • {{nihongo|男の子と女の子|"Boy and Girl"}} (2002)
  • "How To Go" (2003)
  • {{nihongo|ハイウェイ|"Highway"}} (2003)
  • {{nihongo|ロックンロール|"Rock 'n' Roll"}} (2004)
  • "Birthday" (2005)
  • "Superstar" (2005)
  • {{nihongo|赤い電車|"Red Train"}} (2005)
  • "Baby I Love You" (2005)
  • "Juice" (feat. Rip Slyme; 2006)
  • "Jubilee" (2007)
  • {{nihongo|言葉はさんかく こころは四角|"Words are Triangles, Hearts are Squares"}} (2007)
  • {{nihongo|さよならリグレット|"Goodbye Regret"}} (2008)
  • {{nihongo|三日月|"Crescent Moon"}} (2009)
  • {{nihongo|愉快なピーナッツ|"Pleasant Peanuts"}} (2009)
  • {{nihongo|シャツを洗えば|"When I Wash My Shirts"}} (duet with Matsutōya Yumi; 2009)
  • {{nihongo|魔法のじゅうたん/シャツを洗えば(ヴァージョン2)|"Magical Carpet/When I Wash My Shirts (ver.2)"}} (2010)
  • {{nihongo|奇跡|"Miracle"}} (2011)
  • "everybody feels the same" (2012)
  • "Remember Me" (2013)
  • {{nihongo|最後のメリークリスマス|"Last Merry Christmas"}} (2013)
  • "There is (always light)/Liberty & Gravity - Special Edition -" (2014)
  • {{nihongo|ふたつの世界|"Two Worlds"}} (2015)
  • "How Can I Do?" (included in Live Blu-ray/DVD, {{nihongo|くるくる横丁|"Quru-Quru Alley"}}; 2017)
  • {{nihongo|その線は水平線|"The Line is a Horizon"}} (2018)
  • Sampo (2019)
  • Takarasagashi (2022)
  • In my pocket (2022)
  • August(2022)
  • Midsummer (2022)

References

{{reflist}}