COMPLEX

Overview

COMPLEX is a Japanese rock duo formed by singer-songwriter Kōji Kikkawa and former BOØWY guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei. Because it brought together two artists who normally work separately, it is regarded as a supergroup. Every release put out during its active period reached No. 1 on the Oricon charts. The rights to all of the duo's songs are managed by a publishing company affiliated with Hotei's management office.

Career

Formation and debut

The two had been close long before forming the group: Kikkawa took part in BOØWY's "JUST A HERO", and Hotei played guitar on Kikkawa's "MODERN TIME", "A-LA-BA・LA-M-BA" and "GLAMOROUS JUMP". A conversation over drinks between Kikkawa, newly independent from Watanabe Productions, and Hotei, fresh from the breakup of BOØWY, led to the project, and both offices embraced it. Kikkawa wanted to create music on a scale rivaling Western rock, while Hotei sought to confront his own standing as a vocalist.

The duo announced its formation on December 10, 1988, and debuted on April 8, 1989 with the single "Be My Baby". Their self-titled debut album, COMPLEX, followed on April 26, 1989. On May 15, 1989 they played the Nippon Budokan, only about a month after their debut single, a record pace for a supergroup of this kind. The single "1990" arrived on March 14, 1990, and the second album, ROMANTIC 1990, on April 18, 1990. The ROMANTIC 1990 TOUR ended at the Budokan on July 25, 1990.

Indefinite hiatus

On November 8, 1990, the duo went on indefinite hiatus after the Tokyo Dome show ROMANTIC EXTRA. Kikkawa, driven by instinct and live instrumentation, and Hotei, who approached music as both player and producer, concept, visuals, staging and promotion included, grew apart. Their differing musical directions, with Hotei favoring computer-driven sound and Kikkawa enjoying singing with live musicians, are also cited. Hotei likened the experience to a divorce and called it a mistake; Kikkawa later said he was grateful for what he learned from Hotei, describing him as like an ex-wife. The final concert was released as the live album 19901108 on January 23, 1991. The day after the show Hotei left for London to work on his solo comeback, GUITARHYTHM II, and both continued solo careers.

Compilations and reissues

The greatest-hits album COMPLEX BEST was released on February 6, 1998, and the video catalog was reissued on DVD. The three albums were also released in remastered editions in 2012.

2011 reunion: Nippon Isshin

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Kikkawa volunteered anonymously in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, hometown of Shotaro Ishinomori, and asked himself what entertainment could do. He then proposed a reunion to Hotei, and on April 28, 2011 a return after 21 years was announced via both artists' official sites. A July 30 show was joined by a July 31 addition, and the charity concerts "Nippon Isshin" were held at the Tokyo Dome, drawing about 100,000 people in total. The live video COMPLEX 20110730 Nippon Isshin was released in July 2012 (alongside CD and Blu-ray editions) and topped the overall video sales chart. Concert, merchandise and DVD sales raised a total of 654,318,473 yen, all donated to recovery efforts.

2024 return

Following the Noto Peninsula earthquake of January 1, 2024, the duo returned to the Tokyo Dome on May 15 and 16, 2024, for the first Nippon Isshin in 13 years. WOWOW broadcast the show in August, followed by the 2011 concert in September and the 1990 concert in October. In November 2024 they donated 1 billion yen to Noto recovery efforts.

Musical style

COMPLEX's music is categorized as kayokyoku, J-rock and J-pop. Kikkawa aimed for large-scale sound on par with Western rock, while Hotei, as guitarist and producer, shaped sound, visuals and staging. Their differing visions contributed to the split, but also produced intense work during a brief period.

In popular culture

Koda Kumi covered "Be My Baby" on her 2010 album Eternity: Love & Songs. The band was referenced as a pun in episode 24 of Mr. Osomatsu. In 2016, "Be My Baby" went viral in Japan through an edit featuring Abe Nana and Sato Shin of the Idolmaster Cinderella Girls franchise.