The Checkers (Japanese: チェッカーズ) was a Japanese rock band formed in 1981. They were a pop icon of their time as kids copied hair styles and fashion of the band members. Mark Schilling The Encyclopedia of Japanese pop culture 1997 0834803801 p.230 "In the latter half of the 1980s rock bands like Rebecca, The Checkers, Hound Dog, Tube, Anzen Chitai, Bakufu Slump, and Kome Kome Club began to take center stage on the pop scene. Unlike earlier bands, who played Western-style rock for hard-core fans, these groups had a more Japanized sound that ordinary kids could relate to. Also, taking a hint from New Music queen YUMING, who mounted spectacular stage shows."
The band was formed in Kurume-city, Fukuoka Pref. by Toru Takeuchi, the leader and the guitarist, who asked Fumiya Fujii to start a band with him in 1980. They won the Yamaha Light Music Contest in Junior category soon after forming the band. Due to some of the members being high school students at the time they were approached with a record deal they waited until those members finished high school. They made a debut on 21 September 1983 and split up on 31 December 1992. All of their single releases entered top 10 in Japanese charts, many of them making it to No 1. Fumiya Fujii, who was the lead singer and the main lyricist, went on to pursue a successful solo career.
Although it was a band that, along with Hiroaki Serizawa, produced their own songs, they were frequently regarded as just male aidoru by Japanese rock fans because of their early marketing promotion.
Members Past members Fumiya Fujii - vocals, chorus (1962-) Naoyuki Fujii - sax, flute, back-vocals, chorus (1964-) Masaharu Tsuruku - vocals, chorus (1964-) Yoshihiko Takamoku - vocals, chorus (1962-) Tohru Takeuchi - guitars, chorus (1962-) Yuji Ohdoi - bass, contrabass, chorus (1962-) Yoshiya Tokunaga - drums, percussion, chorus (1962-2004; his death)
Discography As Checkers Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Format LabelJPNOricon1983 8 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming Canyon Record1984 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming 1 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming, CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1985 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming CD, LP, Cassette, digital download CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1986"Oh!!Popstar" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Song for U.S.A." 1 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Nana" - CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1987"I Love You, Sayonara" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Wanderer" 1 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Blue Rain" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1988"One Night Gigolo" 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"" 4 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"" 2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1989"Room" 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Cherie" 5 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Friends and Dream"2 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1990 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming 7 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1991"Love '91" 3 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Mrs. Mermaid"4 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming1992 5 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Blue Moon Stone" 7 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming"Present For You" 4 CD, LP, Cassette, digital download, streaming
Albums Original albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon Released: 21 July 1984 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming1 Released: 5 December 1984 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming Released: 21 August 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming "Flower" Released: 20 March 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming "Go" Released: 2 May 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming "Screw" Released: 21 July 1988 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming4 "Seven Heaven" Released: 19 July 1989 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming1 "Oops!" Released: 8 August 1990 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming "I Have a Dream" Released: 21 June 1991 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming2 "Blue Moon Stone" Released: 19 June 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Compilation albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon"Non-Stop CHECKERS" Released: 5 September 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, Cassette tape -"BEST The CHECKERS" Released: 21 July 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming1"Checkers The BEST" Released: 15 December 1991 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming11"The Checkers" Released: 6 December 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming1"The OTHER SIDE" Released: 16 December 1992 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming11"Early Singles" Released: 19 August 1994 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, digital download, streaming3"Ballade Selection" Released: 1 February 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"Ballade Selection II" Released: 17 March 1999 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"ALL Songs REQUEST" Released: 5 March 2003 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"COMPLETE The CHECKERS all singles collection" Released: 17 March 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"COMPLETE The CHECKERS all singles collection reverse" Released: 14 July 2004 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"All Ballads Request" Released: 16 March 2005 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"THE CHECKERS SUPER BEST COLLECTION 32" Released: 16 September 2009 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: CD, digital download, streaming -"THE CHECKERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY BEST～7X30 SINGLES～2" Released: 19 July 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2CDs - Released: 17 June 2015 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2CDs - Released: 21 February 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: UHQCD4s - "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Live albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon Released: 19 March 1993 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD - "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Soundtracks Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon Released: 27 April 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape1 Released: 21 July 1986 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: CD, LP, Cassette tape - "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Box sets Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon Released: 3 December 2022 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 7LP - Released: 21 September 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 11CDs - "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
As Cute Beat Club Band Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Year Single Peak chart positions Format LabelJPNOricon1987 4 CD, LP, Cassette Canyon Record
Albums Original albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOricon Released: 21 December 1985 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: LP, CD 1 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Live albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOriconReleased as Cute Beat Club Band Released: 21 November 1987 Label: Cyanon Records Formats: LP2 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Videography Video albums Title Album details Peakchartpositions JPNOriconTHE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1988 SCREW TOUR Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1987 GO TOUR Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1986 FLASH！！ TOUR Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1985 II PIRATES TOUR Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1985 I Typhoon' TOUR Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -CHECKERS ALL SONGS REQUEST: DVD EDITION Released: 18 December 2013 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 I Blue Moon Stone TOUR I Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1991 II I have a Dream TOUR "WHITE PARTY II" Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1991 I I have a Dream TOUR "WHITE PARTY I" Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1990 OOPS！ TOUR Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1989 SEVEN HEAVEN TOUR Released: 8 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 VI Rec． Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 V FINAL TOUR "ACOUSTIC COLLECTION" Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 IV FINAL TOUR "ACCESS ALL AREA" Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 III FINAL TOUR Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD, BD -THE CHECKERS CHRONICLE 1992 II Blue Moon Stone TOUR II Released: 15 January 2014 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -THE CHECKERS BEST HITS LIVE 1985-1992 Released: 19 September 2018 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: DVD -1992 Blue Moon Stone TOUR I&II Released: 7 June 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2BD -Checkers 40th Anniversary FINAL TOUR (Remaster Edition) Released: 20 December 2023 Label: Pony Canyon Formats: 2BD TBA "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
References
See also Fumiya Fujii List of best-selling music artists in Japan