REBECCA

Overview

REBECCA (レベッカ, Rebekka) is a Japanese rock band fronted by vocalist NOKKO that enjoyed great success throughout the 1980s. With hits such as "Friends", they became pioneers of Japan's second band boom alongside BOØWY. Their 1985 album REBECCA IV Maybe Tomorrow became a million-seller (over 1.3 million copies in total), an exceptional feat for a Japanese rock album at the time. After disbanding in 1991 and reuniting twice, the band resumed activities in 2015.

Career

Formation

In February 1982, guitarist Takehiko Kogure became leader and gathered amateur musicians from Saitama Prefecture to form the band. NOKKO, formerly vocalist of the band DOLL and the younger sister of bassist Koji Yamada, joined. The name comes from Kate Douglas Wiggin's novel Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. In July 1982 Kogure and NOKKO went to Los Angeles to promote a demo tape, halting band activity; they returned without success, and in January 1983 bassist Noriyuki Takahashi joined and the band restarted.

Debut and struggles

In August 1983 the band passed an audition for CBS/Sony's FITZBEAT label, and keyboardist Akio Dobashi joined. They debuted on April 21, 1984 with the single "Wellam Boat Club". They gradually built a following in live houses, but record sales remained weak for about a year.

Lineup change and new direction

In January 1985, Kogure and drummer Tatsuya Onuma left over musical differences. Guitarist Morio Koga and drummer Yutaka Odawara joined, with Dobashi as new leader and sound producer. The band shifted from rock to synth-pop, drawing on contemporary female singers such as Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, and foregrounding NOKKO's energetic voice, dance, and lyrics about teenage girls' feelings. The two departed members formed a new band, and for a time two bands called Rebecca existed, before the latter became "Rebecca♂" and finally RED WARRIORS.

Breakthrough

In April 1985 the third single "Love is Cash" became their first chart entry, and the album Wild & Honey reached No. 6 on Oricon. They held a solo concert at Nippon Seinenkan in June. After their songs were used in the TV drama Half Potato na Orera from October 1985, the single "Friends / Girls Bravo!" hit No. 3 on Oricon (300,000 copies). REBECCA IV Maybe Tomorrow, released in November 1985, reached No. 1 and went million-selling. Hits followed, including "Raspberry Dream", "Monotone Boy" and "Moon"; every album after REBECCA IV sold over 800,000 copies, and a remix album also topped the charts. In 1988 Poison earned them the Artist of the Year (Japanese music) award at the 2nd Japan Gold Disc Awards. Major concerts included six nights at Nippon Budokan (January–February 1987), a 50,000-person open-air show at Yokosuka Port, REBECCA FROM THE FAR EAST (August 1987), and a Tokyo Dome show on the BLOND SAURUS tour (July 1989).

Disbandment and solo years

After the Nippon Budokan show of the BLOND SAURUS no Gyakushu tour in January 1990, the band went on hiatus and disbanded on February 14, 1991. An extremely busy schedule had begun to affect their creativity, leading to the decision to draw a line. Takahashi, Odawara and support guitarist Koichi Korenaga formed BABY'S BREATH with Manabu Miyahara and Toshifumi Shibata. In May 1995 the band reunited for two benefit shows at Yokohama Arena for Great Hanshin earthquake relief. "Friends remixed edition" was released in May 1999 as a drama theme, and in June 2000 came "Kamisama to Nakanaori / HELLO TEENAGE", their first original single in 12 years; activity then faded without live shows or an announcement.

Reunion

On April 21, 2015, the band announced reunion concerts "Yesterday, Today, Maybe Tomorrow" at Yokohama Arena on August 12 and 13. NOKKO said she felt freshness upon listening again to the songs she had set aside. Bassist Takahashi, who had stopped making music, took part using vacation time from his office job. An added show at Saitama Super Arena followed on November 29, and on December 31 they made their first appearance on the 66th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. In early 2017 they signed with UNIVERSAL MUSIC and toured nationwide from July to September in "REBECCA LIVE TOUR 2017", their first in about 28 and a half years; the Nippon Budokan show was released on DVD/Blu-ray. On November 1, 2017 they released "Koi ni Ochitara" (Oricon No. 11), their first original single in 17 years. Beginning July 13, 2024 at Showa Women's University Hitomi Memorial Hall, they launched the seven-city REBECCA NOSTALGIC NEW WORLD TOUR 2024, their first tour in seven years, and announced an additional October show at Tokyo Garden Theater.

Musical style and influence

The band began as a rock act and moved toward synth-pop from 1985 under Akio Dobashi's sound production, pairing NOKKO's vocals with lyrics about teenage girls. Female-fronted bands with male instrumentalists existed before, but after Rebecca's hits many similar groups appeared, such as LINDBERG, PERSONZ and JUDY AND MARY. LINDBERG's Maki Watase and TV personality Chiaki have said they admired NOKKO, and PORIN of Awesome City Club names her as her favorite vocalist.

Selected discography

Studio albums: Voice Print and Nothing To Lose (1984), Wild & Honey and REBECCA IV Maybe Tomorrow (1985), Time (1986), Poison (1987), Blond Saurus (1989). Remix albums: Remix Rebecca (1987) and Olive (1988, Oricon No. 1). Notable singles include "Friends" (No. 3), "Raspberry Dream" (No. 4), "Monotone Boy" (No. 3) and "Little Rock" (No. 4).