S.S.T. Band

{{distinguish|The S.O.S. Band}}

{{refimprove|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = S.S.T. Band

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Japan

| genre = Rock, jazz fusion, video game

| years_active = 1988-1993

| label = Pony Canyon
Scitron Digital Contents

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

The {{nihongo|S.S.T. Band|エスエスティーバンド}} (Sega Sound Team){{cite web|url=http://segaretro.org/S.S.T.Band|title=S.S.T. Band|work=Sega Retro|accessdate=September 24, 2016}} was Sega's official in-house band from 1988 to 1993, specializing in rock versions of Sega arcade game themes for Japan-only compilation albums and festival appearances. Consisting of six musicians who worked in Sega's sound department at the time, the band included keyboardists Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Katsuhiro Hayashi, and Kimitaka Matsumae; guitarists Koichi Namiki and Jouji Iijima; bassists Sachio Ogawa and Shingo Komori; and drummer Takehiko Tanabe. Kawaguchi and Komori left the band in 1990 and were replaced by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi on keyboards and Masato Saito on bass, respectively.

Usually, some of these albums that were released would consists of two especially recorded versions of the game soundtrack and the rest would consist of the game's original soundtrack. After the group split, the members resumed work on Sega projects. Mitsuyoshi composed the soundtrack to Virtua Fighter, Daytona USA and the two installments of Shenmue, while Matsumae would be involved in Sega Rally and Virtua Fighter 3.

Although the original group disbanded in 1993, in 2011, former members of the band reunited under the name "Blind Spot", still regularly releasing albums and performing concerts as of 2021.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Discography

All titles are released through Pony Canyon unless stated.

=Studio albums=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Featured soundtracks

rowspan ="2"| 1988Galaxy Force —G.S.M. Sega 1—Galaxy Force, Altered Beast, Out Run, Space Harrier, After Burner
Power Drift & Mega Drive —G.S.M. Sega 2—Power Drift, Phantasy Star II, Space Harrier II, Altered Beast, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Super Thunder Blade, Scramble Spirits, Dynamite Düx
1989

| Super Sonic Team —G.S.M. Sega 3—

After Burner, Out Run, Turbo Outrun, Super Monaco GP, Tetris, Golden Axe
1990

| Hyper Drive —G.S.M. Sega 4—

G-LOC: Air Battle, Golden Axe, Sword of Vermilion, Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom, Super Hang-On, Bonanza Bros, Line of Fire, Alien Storm
1991

| Formula —G.S.M. Sega 5—

G-LOC: Air Battle, Rad Mobile, GP Rider, Cyber Dome Super Shooting System, Laser Ghost, Shining and the Darkness
1992

| Blind Spot

Original music

=Compilations=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Featured soundtracks

!Notes

1989Mega Selection -G.S.M. Sega-After Burner, Power Drift, Galaxy Force, Space Harrier, Space Harrier II, Fantasy Zone, Out Run
1991Mega Selection II -G.S.M. Sega-Super Hang-On, G-LOC: Air Battle, Turbo Outrun, GP Rider, Golden Axe, Power Drift, Sword of Vermilion, Bonanza Brothers
2003Back in the S.S.T. Band!! ~The Very Best~Out Run, Space Harrier, Galaxy Force, Power Drift, Super Monaco GP, Turbo Outrun, G-LOC: Air Battle, Super Hang-On, Rad Mobile, Fantasy Zone, After Burner, Strike FighterReleased under the Scitron label
2018S.S.T. Band -30th Anniversary Box-VariousBox set

=Standalone game soundtracks (GSM 1500 series)=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Notes

1990After Burnerrowspan ="2"| Contains two arrangements and the original game soundtrack.
1991Strike Fighter
1992Out RunContains three arrangements and the original game soundtrack.

=Live album=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Notes

1990

| S.S.T.BAND LIVE! —G.S.M. Sega—

|

Videography

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Notes

1990

| S.S.T.BAND LIVE! —G.S.M. Sega—

|

1992

| GAME MUSIC FESTIVAL ~Super Live '92~

|

1993

| Game Music Live '93 Natsu ~Kounin Kaizokuban Cassette~

|

2006

| S.S.T.BAND LIVE HISTORY

| Released under the Happinet label

Band lineups

class="wikitable"

!Name

!Stagename

!Native spelling

!Instrument

!Year

Hiroshi Kawaguchi

| Hiro

| 川口博史

| Keyboards

| 1988–1990

Katsuhiro Hayashi

| Funky K.H

| 林克洋

| Keyboards

| 1988

Koichi Namiki

| Mickey/Pretty K.N

| 並木晃一

| Guitar

| 1988–1993

Sachio Ogawa

| S.O

| 小河幸男

| Bass

| 1988

Kimitaka Matsumae

| HARRIER

| 松前公高

| Keyboards

| 1989–1993

Takehiko Tanabe

| THUNDER

| 田辺健彦

| Drums

| 1989–1990

Shingo Komori

| BURNER

| 小森伸吾

| Bass

| 1989

Jouji Iijima

| GALAXY

| 飯島丈治

| Guitar

| 1989–1993

Masato Saito

| TURBO君

| 斉藤昌人

| Bass

| 1990–1993

Hisanori Kumamaru

| SPLASHくま

| 熊丸久徳

| Drums

| 1991–1993

Takenobu Mitsuyoshi

| R三郎丸

| 光吉猛修

| Keyboards

| 1991–1993

David Leytze

| Mandalazu

| デヴィッド・ライツィー

| Keyboards & Lead Vocals

| 1994

References