Beat Crusaders

Beat Crusaders (ビート・クルセイダース, Bīto Kuruseidāsu, typeset as BEAT CRUSADERS) were a Japanese rock band active from 1997 to 2010. During all promotional appearances, their faces are masked by drawings resembling themselves as printed by a dot-matrix printer.

Beat Crusaders
Also known asBECR
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active1997–2010
Labels
Associated actsAnita Chili Peppers
WebsiteOfficial website
MembersTōru Hidaka
Masahiko Kubota
Tarō Katō
Hirofumi Yamashita
Keita Tanabe
Past membersMitsutaka Umuyashiki
Takayuki Araki
Hiroyuki Tai

History

Beat Crusaders, commonly abbreviated BECR, was founded at the end of 1997 by Tōru Hidaka, as an experimental U.S. Lo-Fi Indie Rock unit. The rest of the band later joined as a result of continual experimental gigs performed around the Shimokitazawa area of Tokyo. Their creative use of analog synthesizers and an old Casiotone, incorporated with influences of such bands as Weezer and The Rentals, and at times the dynamism of Snuffesque rock, had transformed them into a powerfully melodic guitar band. By the end of 1998, Beat Crusaders had become known for a crazy and fun live act that was not to be missed. The momentum continued with a single, "E.C.D.T." released in June of the following year which entered independent charts of CD retail shops all across Japan. A month later their first mini-album, Howling Symphony of... was released; this entered the charts again with various music magazines giving a big thumbs up. Reflecting their chart action and praise from magazines, numerous gigs followed with notable bands in the Japanese alternative/independent scene, from guitar pop and new wave, to pop punk and ska bands. They continued to be busy, with their second single "Firestarter" released in early 2000, and the full-length album, "All You Can Eat". They also were involved in four compilations, including an shared EP entitled WXY, with songs from Japanese punk band Captain Hedgehog.

In August 2003, three of the four original members of Beat Crusaders left the band, to eventually go on to form the band Anita Chili Peppers. This left behind only Tōru Hidaka who later recruited four new members. It is not known why the original members left, but it doesn't seem like they left on bad terms, considering Hidaka included the masks of his former bandmates and his actions (he was crying) in the PV, "Sensation".

Later on, their song "Hit in the USA" was used for the opening of the BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad anime, which moved the band into the Japanese mainstream. Since then they released several more albums, including a cover album of American and British songs entitled "Music Crusaders." Their song "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" was used as the fourth opening of the Bleach anime. In 2006, the band's music made its first American appearance as the opening theme song, "Hey x 2 Look x 2" (AKA "Hey Hey Look Look") to the Nicktoons animated series Kappa Mikey. The single "Winterlong" was also used as the opening of the Hero Tales anime.

A full-length CD EPopMaking, was released on May 30, 2007, with 19 tracks, followed by Popdod on June 4, 2008.

In 2010, Toru Hidaka confirmed that Beat Crusaders would break-up, but promised to release one more album. Titled Rest Crusaders, it was released on October 6, 2010, with 22 tracks of both new songs, old singles like "Windom", and previously released but recent singles like "Let It Go" and "Situation".[1]

Members
  • Tōru Hidaka (ヒダカトオル/日高 央, Hidaka Tōru) - vocals, guitar
  • Masahiko Kubota (クボタマサヒコ/久保田 匡彦, Kubota Masahiko) - bass
  • Tarō Katō (カトウタロウ/加藤 太朗, Katō Tarō) - guitar
  • Mashīta (マシータ, real name Hirofumi Yamashita (山下 博史, Yamashita Hirofumi)) - drums
  • Keitaimo (ケイタイモ, real name Keita Tanabe (田辺 啓太, Tanabe Keita)) - keyboard
Former members
  • umu (real name Mitsutaka Umuyashiki (産屋敷光孝)) - bass, vocals
  • araki (real name Takayuki Araki (荒木隆之)) - drums, vocals
  • thai (real name Hiroyuki Tai (田井宏之)) - keyboard, guitar, vocals

Discography

Studio albums
Title Year Label
Howling Symphony Of... 1999 Lastrum
All You Can Eat 2000
Foresights 2001
Sexcite 2002
BEST CRUSADERS 2003
A PopCalypse Now: Jigoku no Pop Shiroku (A PopCALYPSE NOW ～地獄のPOP示録～, A Poppukaripusu Nau ~Jigoku no Poppu Shiroku~) 2005 DefSTAR
P.O.A. -POP ON ARRIVAL-
EpopMaking: Pop to no Sōgū (EpopMaking ～Popとの遭遇～) 2007
popdod 2008
REST CRUSADERS 2010[1]
LOST CRUSADERS 2010[1]

Singles
Title Year Label Notes
Never Pop Enough EP 1999 Lastrum
"Firestarter" 2000
"Handsome Academy"
"Capa-City" 2002
"Girl Friday" 2003 Captain Haus "Follow me", as one of the songs for BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad.
"Sensation" 2004
"Hit in the USA" DefStar For BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad
"Feel" 2005
"Love Potion No. 9"
"Day After Day/Solitaire"
"I Can See Clearly Now"
"Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" 2006 The fourth opening for the Bleach anime
"Hey Hey Look Look" 2006 The opening theme for the Kappa Mikey TV show
"Ghost" 2007
"Chinese Jet Set" 2008
"Winterlong" 2008 DefStar The opening of Juushin Enbu (Hero Tales)
"Arienai Kurai Kiseki" (ありえないくらい奇跡) "Much Impossible Miracle" In collaboration with Ayano Tsuji 2008 Speedstar Theme song of third Keroro Gunso movie
"Let It Go" 2009 DefStar
"Situation" 2010

EP/Misc
Title Year Type Label
Best Crusaders 2003 Best Of Album Lastrum
Compi Crusaders '68-'77 vol. 37 2005 Compilation DefSTAR
Musicrusaders Cover Album

Compilations
Title Year Type Label
VERY BEST CRUSADERS 2009 Best Of Album DefSTAR

Split albums
Title Year Split With Label
WXY 2001 Captain Hedge Hog Lastrum
Diggin' in the Street 2002 Rude Bones
Ozzy!! Sk@ymate's
Booootsy 2006 Your Song Is Good DefSTAR
Cell No.9 Tropical Gorilla
Night on the Planet 2007 Asapragus
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References
  1. "BEAT CRUSADERS release last album's information". Tokyo Hive. September 6, 2010. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
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