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The Checkers (Japanese: チェッカーズ) was a very popular Japanese band in the 1980s. They were a pop icon of their time as kids copied hair styles and fashion of the band members.

The band was formed in Kurume-city, Fukuoka Pref. by Toru Takeuchi, the leader and the guitarist, who asked Fumiya Fujii to start a band with him in 1980. They won the Yamaha Light Music Contest in Junior category soon after forming the band. Due to some of the members being high school students at the time they were approached with a record deal they waited until those members finished high school. They made a debut on 21 September 1983 and split up on 31 December 1992. All of their single releases entered top 10 in Japanese charts, many of them making it to No 1. Fumiya Fujii, who was the lead singer and the main lyricist, went on to pursue a successful solo career.

Although it was a band that, along with Hiroaki Serizawa, produced their own songs, they were frequently regarded as just male aidoru by Japanese rock fans because of their early marketing promotion.

Members

Past members

• Fumiya Fujii - vocals, chorus (1962-)
• Naoyuki Fujii - sax, flute, back-vocals, chorus (1964-)
• Masaharu Tsuruku - vocals, chorus (1964-)
• Yoshihiko Takamoku - vocals, chorus (1962-)
• Tohru Takeuchi - guitars, chorus (1962-)
• Yuji Ohdoi - bass, contrabass, chorus (1962-)
• Yoshiya Tokunaga - drums, percussion, chorus (1962-2004; his death)

Discography

As Checkers

Singles

Albums

Original albums

Compilation albums

Live albums

Soundtracks

Box sets

As Cute Beat Club Band

Singles

Albums

Original albums

Live albums

Videography

Video albums

References

1. ^ "About チェッカーズ公式YouTubeチャンネル". YouTube.
2. Mark Schilling The Encyclopedia of Japanese pop culture 1997 0834803801 p.230 "In the latter half of the 1980s rock bands like Rebecca, The Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu Slump, and Kome Kome Club began to take center stage on the pop scene. Unlike earlier bands, who played Western-style rock for hard-core fans, these groups had a more Japanized sound that ordinary kids could relate to. Also, taking a hint from New Music queen YUMING, who mounted spectacular stage shows."
3. "チェッカーズ デビュー40周年、"混沌の80年代カルチャー"から生まれた伝説のロックバンドの軌跡". thetv. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
4. "チェッカーズ、衝撃の解散から30年...伝説のラストライブを全国劇場で上映へ". Oricon. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
5. "藤井フミヤのデビュー作『エンジェル』にソロシンガーとしてのビギニングを見出す". okmusic. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
6. "Japanese heavyweight songwriter to make US debut as singer at age 70". Mainichi Daily News. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
7. 藤井フミヤ 100回目の武道館公演を達成も扱い小さく (in Japanese). Ameba News. 2008-01-04. Archived from the original on 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
8. "元チェッカーズのドラマー、〈クロベエ〉こと徳永善也、永眠". tower.jp. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
9. ^ "チェッカーズのCD・DVDリリース一覧". Oricon. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
10. ^ "CUTE BEAT CLUB BANDのCD・DVDリリース一覧". Oricon. Retrieved 28 July 2018.

See also

• Fumiya Fujii
• List of best-selling music artists in Japan

• Japanese rock music groups
• Musical groups established in 1981
• Musical groups disestablished in 1992
• Musical groups from Fukuoka Prefecture
• 1981 establishments in Japan
• 1992 disestablishments in Japan