Do As Infinity

Overview

Do As Infinity (abbreviated "Do As") is a Japanese pop and rock band formed in 1999 and signed to Avex (label: avex trax). Vocalist Tomiko Van and guitarist Ryo Owatari are the current members; the band was originally a trio with guitarist and composer Dai Nagao, whose initials (DAI) gave the band its name. The fan club is called "Dive At It". The 2002 best-of album Do The Best passed one million shipments and won Rock & Pop Album of the Year at the 17th Japan Gold Disc Awards.

Career

Formation and debut (1998–1999)

Nagao worked night security shifts while writing songs on guitar, and in 1998 began sending demo tapes to record companies. Avex's staff noticed them, and he became an in-house composer, writing for hitomi and Ayumi Hamasaki ("TO BE"). Avex then decided to build a unit around him. Van, a Kumamoto native studying fashion in Tokyo, and Owatari joined, and the trio debuted on September 29, 1999 with "Tangerine Dream". From August they played street shows centered on Shibuya's Hachiko Square and across Japan, reaching 100 shows on November 22 with a free concert at Shibuya Kokaido. "Heart" followed in December and "Oasis" in January 2000, their first commercial tie-up.

2000–2001

"Yesterday & Today" became a drama theme, and the debut album Break of Dawn reached No. 3 on the Oricon chart in March 2000. Singles such as "Rumble Fish" and "We Are." followed, and "Summer Days" became a live staple. Nagao stepped back from the front line after the countdown live at Velfarre on December 31, 2000, to focus on composing; he appeared with the band only at the third-anniversary show in September 2002 and as a guest at the final concert on November 25, 2005. In 2001 Owatari joined Van in TV appearances starting with "Toku made", and the band held its first one-man tour in May. Albums New World, Deep Forest, Do The Best, True Song, Gates of Heaven and Need Your Love followed.

Breakup (2005)

On September 13, 2005 the band announced it would disband on September 29 and hold a last concert at Nippon Budokan on November 25. After the singles compilation Do The A-Side (September 28), they disbanded on September 29; the Budokan show was a one-night return. Van pursued a solo career, Owatari worked with Missile Innovation, and Nagao, who founded his own office TRUE SONG MUSIC in 2004, continued writing for other artists.

Reunion (2008 onward)

Van and Owatari reunited by chance around Christmas Eve 2007, agreed to reform in July 2008, and made a surprise appearance at a-nation. Activities resumed on September 29, 2008, without Nagao. The single "∞1" arrived on June 17, 2009, followed by the seventh album Eternal Flame. Later releases include ∞2 (2010), Eight (2011), Time Machine (2012), Do As Infinity X (2012), Brand New Days (February 2015) and Alive (2018). In July 2017 they toured Latin America for the first time, playing Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Chile, and they appeared at Animelo Summer Live 2018 on August 24.

Musical style

Rooted in rock and pop, with anime tie-ins among their work. Early credits read "D·A·I" for both lyrics and music under the concept "whoever writes, it's DAI". Nagao composed nearly all early songs, while Van and Owatari wrote lyrics; from "Oasis" onward Seiji Kameda produced and played bass. Since the reunion, composer credits are clearly listed.