Quruli


Quruli is a Japanese rock band formed in Kyoto in 1996. It has been a duo consisting of original members Shigeru Kishida and Masashi Sato since March 2021. They have been signed to Speedstar Records since 1998. In 2003, Quruli were ranked number 74 on a list of the top 100 Japanese pop acts by HMV Japan.

Career

After meeting at "Rock Commune," Ritsumeikan University's music club, Shigeru Kishida, Masashi Satō, and Nobuyuki Mori formed the original three-piece band. The name "Quruli," an onomatopoeic word expressing rotation, was taken from a sign in the Kyoto Municipal Subway. In October 1998, Quruli released the single 東京 on Victor Entertainment's Speedstar Records. They released their first major label album, さよならストレンジャー in 1999.
Quruli released the albums 図鑑 in 2000, produced by Jim O'Rourke, and Team Rock in 2001. According to music critic Ian Martin, Picture Book remains one of the most frequently cited influences for Japanese alt-rock bands. During the production of the 2001 film The World is Mine, Quruli added guitarist Tasshin Ōmura to its lineup. In 2002, Mori left the band.
In 2003, after a trip to England, Quruli returned with a single, How to Go, and created the soundtrack for ジョゼと虎と魚たち. After working with a number of session drummers, Quruli officially added drummer Christopher McGuire to their lineup in November 2003. In 2004 Quruli released the album アンテナ. After the tour for the album was completed, McGuire left the group.
2005 saw the release of several Quruli singles along with a new album, Nikki, released in December of that year. At the last day of 2006, Tasshin Ōmura left the band. In 2007 Quruli released a new album, ワルツを踊れ Tanz Walzer, recorded in Vienna with the Ambassade Orchester Wien. They joined forces again in 2008 to put out the live album Philharmonic or die.
Quruli first appeared on television performing 青い空 on NHK. On September 9, 2005, Quruli appeared on the popular "Music Station" program and performed their song, 赤い電車. The song was also featured as the theme song to a Keikyu commercial.
On May 26, 2010, Quruli released the B-side compilation 僕の住んでいた街, which also included their new song 東京レレレのレ. The album reached No. 1 on the Oricon weekly album charts, becoming their first No. 1 album on the charts.
On September 8, 2010, Quruli released their album 言葉にならない、笑顔を見せてくれよ, including the singles シャツを洗えば and 魔法のじゅうたん. Their songs continued to be used in TIOVITA drink commercials, starting with Jubilee, followed by 太陽のブルース, シャツを洗えば, 魔法のじゅうたん, until loveless in 2014. In 2014, those songs were compiled into くるりとチオビタ.
Quruli released the 10th album 坩堝の電圧 in 2012, the 11th album THE PIER in 2014, and the 12th album ソングライン in 2018.
In 2020, Quruli released their 20th album, ”thaw".
After releasing "Love Genius" in April 2021, Quruli entered a new phase in their career, culminating in 4 back-to-back singles in the late summer/early autumn of 2022, and reforming the original trio of Kishida, Sato and Mori in the summer of 2023. In October of that year, a trio album "Driven by Impulse" came out to great acclaim, and a documentary "Quruli Film" was shown in movies nationwide.

Members

Current members

  • Shigeru Kishida, was born in Kyoto, and is Quruli's primary songwriter and leader of the band.
  • Masashi Satō (born February 1, 1977, bass guitar, was born in Kameoka, Kyoto. Besides his musical duties, he also serves as the president of Quruli's label, Noise McCartney Records. For most of his career, Satō used a Fender Jazz Bass, but during the recording of Quruli's Antenna album, switched to a Fender Precision Bass.

    Former members

  • Nobuyuki Mori 1996–2002 and 2023
  • Christopher McGuire 2003–2004
  • Tasshin Ohmura, is from Hyōgo Prefecture. He uses a Flying-V guitar. It was announced on February 26, 2007, that Ohmura had quit the band.
  • Yūji Tanaka 2011
  • Shōnen Yoshida 2011-2013
  • Fanfan, was born in Maizuru, Kyoto. 2011-2015,2017-2021

    Supporting musicians

  • Takefumi Tsujimura
  • Ahito Inazawa
  • Taro Dai
  • Hirohisa Horie
  • Cliff Almond
  • Takashi Numazawa
  • Yuya Kikuchi
  • Soichiro Yamauchi
  • Satoshi Mishiba
  • Yuko Araki
  • Carwyn Ellis
  • Ren Takada
  • Daiki Matsumoto current member
  • Shun Ishiwaka current member
  • Yasuhiro Nozaki current member

    Discography

Albums

  • もしもし
  • ファンデリア
  • さよならストレンジャー
  • 図鑑
  • Team Rock
  • The World Is Mine
  • ジョゼと虎と魚たち
  • アンテナ
  • NIKKI
  • ベスト オブ くるり -TOWER OF MUSIC LOVER-
  • ワルツを踊れ Tanz Walzer
  • Philharmonic or Die
  • 魂のゆくえ
  • 僕の住んでいた街
  • 言葉にならない、笑顔を見せてくれよ
  • ベスト オブ くるり -TOWER OF MUSIC LOVER 2-
  • 奇跡
  • 坩堝の電圧
  • THE PIER
  • くるりとチオビタ
  • 琥珀色の街、上海蟹の朝
  • くるりの20回転
  • ソングライン
  • thaw
  • 天才の愛

    Singles

  • 東京
  • 虹
  • 青い空
  • 街
  • 春風
  • ワンダーフォーゲル
  • ばらの花
  • リバー
  • ワールズエンド・スーパーノヴァ
  • 男の子と女の子
  • "How To Go"
  • ハイウェイ
  • ロックンロール
  • "Birthday"
  • "Superstar"
  • 赤い電車
  • "Baby I Love You"
  • "Juice"
  • "Jubilee"
  • 言葉はさんかく こころは四角
  • さよならリグレット
  • 三日月
  • 愉快なピーナッツ
  • シャツを洗えば
  • 魔法のじゅうたん/シャツを洗えば（ヴァージョン2）
  • 奇跡
  • "everybody feels the same"
  • "Remember Me"
  • 最後のメリークリスマス
  • "There is /Liberty & Gravity - Special Edition -"
  • ふたつの世界
  • "How Can I Do?"
  • その線は水平線
  • Sampo
  • Takarasagashi
  • In my pocket
  • August
  • Midsummer