j-pop lover

Forming in 1998, Straightener is a three-man band that performs pop-punk rock music, along the same veins as Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Ellegarden with whom they are good friends with.t was 1998 when Atsushi Horie, Shinpei Nakayama and Hidekazu Hinata (ex-Art-SCHOOL) met in Tokyo and created Straightener. It wasn't until two years later on June 25th, that they made their debute with the single, Senshi no shikabane no March, which surprised many by being a solid punk-rock release. They then released Straighten It Up, their first mini-album. Again, it took punk fans by storm and sent them running to the ATM many times after when the band continued to release albums that pleased the eardrums. Straightener eventually began joining their friends Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Ellegarden at the annual Nano-Mugen Music Festival, dedicated to spreading punk-rock throughout the country.

In August 2002, they started their own label, Ghost Records. Two months later they released the label's first maxi, Silver Record. It sold very well and led to more exposure. A year later, they became a major band on the EMI/Capitol label.

In 2004, Shinpei met JIRO (Glay) and joined him in a side project called The Predators, also featuring Sawao Yamanaka (The Pillows). The formation of the band was officially announced in print and on radio stations throughout the country on May 14, 2005. Their debut mini album, HUNTING!!!, was released on July 6, 2005 and debuted at #5 on the Oricon charts. This is just a side project though, so fans shouldn't fear that Shinpei might leave Straightener.

Straightener's 2006 album, Dear Deadman, released on March 8th, has met with great reviews and has, just like their other releases, solidified their presence in the Japanese music industry.

The following year was busy for this band with the release of an album, mini-album and single. From September through October they began their "LINEAR MOTOR CITY TOUR".

Discography :

Single

[2002.10.09] SILVER RECORD

[2006.01.18] Melodic Storm

[2006.10.26] Beserker Tune

[2007.01.10] SIX DAY WONDER

[2008.11.26] Little Miss Weekend

[2009.01.14] Lightning

[2009.08.05] CLONE / DONKEY BOOGIE DODO

[2010.01.13] Man-like Creatures

Mini Album

[2004.06.23] ROCK END ROLL

[2007.11.21] IMMORTAL

Album

[2005.01.26] TITLE

[2006.03.08] Dear Deadman

[2007.03.07] Linear

[2009.02.11] NEXUS

[2010.03.03] CREATURES

Line Up :

Atsushi Horie

* Guitar

* Vocals

* Keyboards

* Also plays guitar and sings for the band FULLARMOR

Shinpei Nakayama

* Drums

* Also plays drums in the J-rock band, The Predators, with Sawao Yamanaka [Guitar, the pillows], and Jiro [Bass, GLAY]

Hidekazu Hinata

* Bass

* Former bass player for the J-rock band, ART-SCHOOL

* Also plays bass for the bands FULLARMOR and ZAZEN BOYS

Jun Oyama

*Guitar

*Joined Straightener October 1, 2008. Former guitarist for the band ART-SCHOOL.