Rag Fair

RAG FAIR
Rag Fair gets ready to perform at Sunshine City in 2009.
Rag Fair gets ready to perform at Sunshine City in 2009.
Background information
OriginSaitama, Japan
Genresa cappella
Years active2002–present
LabelsOricon
MembersReo Tsuchiya
Yosuke Hikichi
Kenichi Arai
Yoshiyuki Kato
Takamasa Kano
Masayoshi Okamura
Websitehttp://www.ragfair.jp/index.html

RAG FAIR (ラグフェアー Ragu Feā) is a Japanese male a cappella group.[1][2] Its current members include Reo Tsuchiya, Yosuke Hikichi, Kenichi Arai, and Yoshiyuki Kato.[1] Former members include Takamasa Kano and Masayoshi Okumura.[3][2]

History

The band members met each other at Saitama University. An a cappella circle named "chocoletz" (チョコレッツ) was formed in Saitama University in 1997, and RAG FAIR emerged from this in 1999. They developed streetlives in those days around Ōmiya Station and Musashi-Urawa Station.

In 2001, RAG FAIR debuted with album "I RAG YOU."

In 2002, two singles were released simultaneously, "Koi no mileage" (恋のマイレージ) and "She side story" (Sheサイドストーリー). The singles achieved the first and second places, respectively, in the singles' first appearances in the Oricon Weekly Ranking charts. RAG FAIR participated for the first time in the 53rd annual NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2002, performing "Koi no mileage."

In October 2003, their comedy program "Omatase! RAG Teishoku" (おまたせ！ラグ定食) began airing on Fuji TV. The program ran until March 2004. At the end of the program, the members announced a second "renewal" comedy program, entitled RAG&PEACE. This program ran for another six months in 2004.

A commercial the band shot for McDonald's "Fish Mac Dipper" aired in March 2004. It received the McDonald's Excellent Advertising Award for 2004.

The band performed their first live at the Nippon Budokan publicly on December 10, 2005, and they released the DVD "streetlive! in Budoukan."

In January 2011, RAG FAIR announced that they would take an indefinite dormancy period starting March 2011, concluding their performance career with a live tour named "THAT'S RAG FAIR."

Discography

Singles

Original Japanese Title Romanized Name Translation of Title Release Date
ラブラブなカップル フリフリでチュー RABU RABU na KAPPURU FURIFURI de CHU- Couple in Love Kiss Frilly March 21, 2002
恋のマイレージ Koi no MAIRE-JI Love's Mileage June 19, 2002
She サイド ストーリー She SAIDO SUTO-RI She Side Story June 19, 2002
あさってはSunday Asatte wa Sunday The Day after Tomorrow is Sunday October 23, 2002
空がきれい Sora ga Kirei The Sky is Beautiful January 6, 2003
七転び八起き Nana Korobi ya Oki Falling Down Seven Times and Getting Up Eight Times June 18, 2003
白い天使が降りてくる Shiroi Tenshi ga Orite Kuru A White Angel is Coming Down November 12, 2003
Old Fashioned Love Song April 21, 2004
HANA Flower June 30, 2004
君でなければ Kimi de Nakereba If it isn’t You… September 8, 2004
ハレルヤ HARERUYA Hallelujah February 23, 2005
Summer Smile July 13, 2005
降りそうな幾億の星の夜 Furisona Ikuoku no Hoshi no Yoru Many Hundred Million Stars About to Rain In the Night June 14, 2006
君のために僕が盾になろう Kimi no Tame ni Boku ga Tate ni Naro Let Me Become Your Shield For You September 20, 2006
夏風便り Natsukazedayori Summer Wind News April 18, 2007
赤い糸／LIVEラリー Akai Ito/LIVE Rarii A Red Thread/Live Rally October 3, 2007
早春ラプソディ Soshun Rapusodi Early Spring Rhapsody January 9, 2008
Good Good Day! October 15, 2008
メリミー！ Merimi- Marry Me! June 24, 2009

Albums

  • I RAG YOU (December 19, 2001)
  • AIR (January 22, 2003)
  • PON (July 2, 2003)
  • CIRCLE (September 8, 2004)
  • RAGood STORY (RAGッ STORY) (November 30, 2005)
  • Okurimono (オクリモノ) (October 4, 2006)
  • Colours (カラーズ) (January 30, 2008)
  • Magical Music Train (August 26, 2009)
  • おもたせ (October 15, 2023)

References

  1. ^ a b "RAG FAIR". RAG FAIR (in Japanese). Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "元RAG FAIR奥村政佳参院議員が初登院 メンバー祝福 直前まで保育士勤務「待遇改善、大きな声で叫んでいく」". Daily (in Japanese). Daily Sports Co., Ltd. May 13, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "RAG FAIRからベース加納孝政が脱退 11年の活動にピリオド". Cinema Today (in Japanese). June 17, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2024.