Southern All Stars

Southern All Stars (サザンオールスターズ) is a Japanese rock group.

Band Members The group consists of five members. Kuwata Keisuke (born 1956.2.26 in Chigasaki) is the lead vocal and plays the guitar. He writes most of the lyrics and the music for the band. Hara Yuko (born 1956.12.11 in Yokohama, nickname Harabō, "Belly Monk") plays the keyboard, and is the wife of Kuwata Keisuke. Her parents' home is a tempura restaurant in Yokohoma. Sekiguchi Kazuyuki (born 1955.12.21 at Niigata) plays the base. During his solo activity, he had played ukulele and is a fan of Hawaii. Matsuda Hiroshi (born 1956.4.4 at Miyazaki) plays the drums. Nozawa Hideyuki (born 1954.10.19 at Tokyo, nickname: Mōgani, "Hairy Crab") plays the percussion, and is the mood maker for the band. In addition, Omori Takashi played the guitar until August 2001, when he left the band.

History When Kuwata Keisuke was a student at Aoyama Gakuin University, he was in a band called "Better Days." There, he met Hara Yuko, and this is the start of the Southern All Stars. Southern All Stars released "勝手にシンドバッド" as there debut single on June 25, 1978. With witty and stylish lyrics and characteristic vocals, it caused a Southern All Stars sensations around Japan.シャレた詞と独特のボーカルで日本中にサザン旋風を巻き起こす。そのハチャメチャなパフォーマンスのために不本意にも当初コミックバンドと評されるが、1979年「いとしのエリー」の大ヒットをきっかけに、日本を代表するロックグループとして名実ともに評価を受ける。以降数々の記録と記憶に残る作品を世に送り続け、時代とともに新たなアプローチで常に音楽界をリードする息の長いロックバンド。