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Live Local Music

Music Across the Globe: Buck-Tick

Posted by Shamir Lee on 06/27 at 03:24 PM

If you don’t know Buck-Tick, you need to. I’ve been watching a show called Shiki recently, and they sing the theme of the opening credits for the first half of the season and the theme of the ending credits for the second half of the season. I didn’t even know it was them, although the smooth, seductive voice sounded very familiar. It was only after the second theme, “Gekka Reijin”, was playing when I finally realized who it was, and I’ve been listening to the song at least five times a day ever since.

Buck-Tick is a Japanese rock band, which formed in 1983 in Fujioka, Gunma, Japan. Just a little fun fact: supposedly, Buck-Tick is is a creative spelling of the Japanese work “bakuchiku,” meaning firecracker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck-Tick). Known as one of the founders of the Japanese rock movement, visual kei, the five-member band has been producing hits since their first album release, 18 albums ago. They’ve experimented with different genres throughout the years, such as punk, goth, industrial, and dark wave, but somehow they’ve always seemed to remain true to their own unique style, characterized by mystery and darkness. The lead singer, Atsushi Sakurai, has influenced many recent rock musicians in Japan, one of the most notable ones being Kyo from Dir En Grey.

Their newer music reveals Buck-Tick’s maturity over the years, but my favorite song is “Dress,” which was released in 1993. I first heard it about four years ago, and it still remains at the top of my favorite songs list. I think it represents Buck-Tick’s image and attitude the most out of all their songs. (Sakurai doesn’t look too bad in the video, either.)

Check out the video for “Dress” here.

Buck-Tick - Dress original video