If you haven’t heard any music from this band yet, I’m here to introduce you. One Ok Rock (ワンオクロック) is a very famous Japanese rock band worldwide. They are inspired by bands like Nirvana, Blink-182, Foo Fighters, among others. Various genres have also been experimented with and mixed into the band’s essence, ranging from alternative rock, pop rock to emo and hardcore.
The band’s name comes from the English expression “one o clock,” which means “at one o’clock.” This was the time that the group usually scheduled on weekends to rehearse. However, because the pronunciation of the letters L and R is the same, the Japanese pronounced it “one o krock.” Taking advantage of this, the group separated and altered the expression, making One Ok Rock the name of the band.
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History and emergence of the band One Ok Rock
The band One Ok Rock was formed in Tokyo in 2005. With the dream of becoming famous and having their own band, Toru Yamashita, a high school student, joined his friend Ryota Kohama with this goal. Toru played guitar and insisted that his friend Ryota learn to play bass. Both curiously were part of a hip-hop group called “HEADS.”
On one occasion, while watching a cover band show, Toru really liked the performance of that band’s vocalist. That was Taka Moriuchi, who after much insistence from Toru joined the band. Another guitarist, named Alex Onizawa, born in San Francisco, who previously worked as a fashion model, also joined the initial lineup.
After many successful shows in the Tokyo area, One Ok Rock debuted their first EP in 2006. Soon after, a mini-album called Keep It Real was also released. It was only then that the last member joined, Tomoya Kanki, as the drummer. Tomoya had already been playing with the group during the album recordings but only became an official member in 2007. That same year, the first hit single, “Naihi Shinsho”, emerged. This song paved the way for radio play and secured a deal with the major label Amuse.
Overcoming problems, heading towards success
In 2007, along with the release of the first studio album called “Zeitakubyou,” there was also a nationwide tour. Two LPs, “Beam of Light” and “Kanjou Effect,” were released in 2008. However, in 2009, guitarist Alex was accused of harassment. He ended up admitting the charges and was subsequently tried and imprisoned.
Because of this incident, the release of the song “Around the World Shounen” was postponed. This same song had been selected to be the theme of a soap opera, but due to the incident, the choice was suspended. A tour scheduled for that year was also canceled. It was soon announced that the band would continue without any ties to guitarist Alex. The band did not stop, as in 2010 the album “Niche Syndrome” was released, in 2011 “Zankyo Reference,” and in 2013 the album “Jinsei×Boku.”
In 2014, One Ok Rock participated in a major music festival in the United States. Then in 2015 came the album “35xxxv,” which was re-released in a deluxe English edition after the band signed with Warner Bros. One Ok Rock quickly became popular in the United States, leading to the recording of a second international album in 2016. With much musical experience, the band released the album “Ambitions” in 2017, which became a commercial success.
The band has won several awards throughout its journey. Among them, the awards for Best Rock Video in 2012, 2013, and also 2014 stand out. In 2016 at the MTV Europe Music Awards, the band won as Best Japanese Artist. They also had songs chosen as themes in two live actions of the anime Samurai X. The band continues to be active, achieving great success to this day. I will leave a list below with some of the best songs by the band in my opinion.
- Wherever You Are
- Clock Strikes
- The Beginning
- Dreamer
- Liar
- C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h.
- Cry Out
- Pierce
- Re:make
- We Are
- Be the light
- No scared
- Naihi Shinsho
Did you already know the band? Which song do you like the most? Let us know in the comments and share with your friends.
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